AP World

AP World History Unit 7: Global Conflict

I. Alliances of WWI

  • Categories of Alliances:
    • Triple Entente:
    • Great Britain
    • France
    • Russia
    • Allies included Belgium and Serbia.
    • Triple Alliance:
    • Germany
    • Austria-Hungary
    • Italy (allied with Ottomans).

II. Causes of World War I: M.A.I.N.

  • M.A.I.N. Acronym Explained:
    • Militarism:
    • Definition: The buildup of military forces, leading to an arms race among European powers.
    • Example: The mass production of weapons, particularly the Browning machine gun, created a competitive environment where nations outdid each other in military expenditures.
    • Alliances:
    • Complex web of alliances that bound countries, leading to a domino effect when one nation engaged in conflict.
    • Key Nations involved: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Britain, France, and Russia.
    • Imperialism:
    • Competition for colonies and resources increased tensions.
    • Nationalism:
    • Rise of nationalistic sentiments particularly in multiethnic empires such as Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire heightened tensions.

III. Triggering Events

  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand:
    • Date: June 28, 1914
    • Assassin: Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb student
    • Result: By July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This act triggered the larger conflict that became WWI.

IV. Facts about WWI Militarism

  1. Military Expenditures:
    • Major European powers increased military spending significantly:
      • Germany: Over 70% increase
      • Russia: 40% increase
  2. Conscription:
    • All major powers initiated compulsory military service before the war. For instance, Germany increased army numbers by over 170,000 between 1913 and 1914.
  3. Arms Race:
    • Major powers engaged in a competitive arms build-up, resulting in significant advances in military technology, especially artillery.

V. World War I Technology

  • Impact of Modern Weapons:
  1. Airplanes:
    • Initially used for reconnaissance; later used in dogfights (e.g., “flying aces”).
  2. Automatic Machine Guns:
    • Enabled gunners to fire rapidly, leading to massive casualties and stalemate conditions.
  3. Submarines (U-boats):
    • Germany used submarines to disrupt Allied shipping lanes, contributing to the U.S. entering the war.

VI. Trench Warfare

  • Nature of Warfare:
    • Characterized by static front lines with extensive trench systems.
    • High Casualty Battles:
    • Battle of the Somme: 600,000 Allied and 500,000 German dead with minimal territorial gain.
    • Battle of Verdun: 700,000 soldiers killed on both sides without significant changes in territory.

VII. Total War

  • Definition:
    • Commitment of all national resources to the war effort.
  • Economic Impact:
    • Mobilization of resources to recruit and supply massive armed forces.
    • Universal conscription introduced in all nations except Britain.
    • Governments increased taxes and imposed rationing.
  • Propaganda:
    • Both sides engaged in propaganda to promote their causes and discredit opponents.

VIII. Costs of the War

  • Casualty Figures:
    • Over 8.5 million deaths, with double that number wounded.
  • Physical Destruction:
    • Extensive damage to infrastructure: homes, farms, roads, churches, etc.
  • Political Consequences:
    • Collapse of several empires: Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.

IX. World War I: Cause and Effect

  • Long-Term Causes:
    • Imperial rivalries and alliances
    • Militarism and arms race
    • Nationalist tensions, especially in the Balkans
  • Immediate Effects:
    • Enormous cost in human and economic terms
    • Russian Revolution and establishment of new nations in Eastern Europe
    • Requirement for Germany to pay reparations and loss of overseas colonies
    • Initiatives like the Balfour Declaration and formation of the League of Nations

X. The Treaty of Versailles

  • Key Provisions:
    • Germany was forced to accept full blame for the war.
    • Imposed heavy reparations to cripple the nation economically.
    • Restricted the German military size significantly, returned Alsace and Lorraine to France, and stripped Germany of its colonies.
  • Consequences:
    • Resentment in Germany over the treaty would foster conditions leading to WWII.

XI. The Russian Revolution

  • Background:
    • Overthrew Czar Nicholas II in 1917, led by Bolsheviks.
    • Quote: “Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin is to live forever.”
  • Conditions Leading to the Revolution:
    • Bloody Sunday (1905): Worker protests resulted in violence, sowing discontent.
    • Losses in WWI: Massive casualties and inadequate supplies for troops led to disillusionment with the government.
  • Economic Conditions:
    • Stark inequalities between the bourgeoisie and common workers, particularly amidst food shortages.

XII. Beliefs of the Russian Revolution

  • Principles of Marxism:
    • "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." - Karl Marx
    • Concepts of surplus value and the relationship between labor and capital were emphasized.

XIII. Triggers of the Russian Revolution

  • Events:
    • October Revolution on November 7, 1917, led to established Bolshevik power.
    • The Russian Civil War began between Bolsheviks and anti-Bolshevik forces (whites).
    • Execution of the Czar and family on July 16, 1918.
    • Land redistribution initiatives post-1918 conflict.

XIV. Mexican Revolution Overview

  • Context:
    • Dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz created conditions for conflict.
    • Wealth disparity was significant.
  • Key Figures:
    • Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata were pivotal in the uprisings.

XV. Sequence of Events in the Mexican Revolution

  • 1910: Madero arrests and calls for an uprising against Diaz.
  • Outcome: Madero became president but faced opposition from Villa and Zapata.
  • Result: Madero's eventual assassination following internal conflicts.
  • Aftermath: Rise of Carranza, implementing a new constitution focused on democracy and social reforms.

XVI. Comparative Analysis: Mexican vs. Russian Revolutions

  • Shared Characteristics:
    • Both revolutions intended to benefit lower classes and challenged prior authoritative regimes.
    • Each revolution faced internal divisions post-reform efforts.
  • Distinct Outcomes:
    • Mexican Revolution resulted in a constitutional democracy; whereas, the Russian Revolution led to an authoritarian government under the Bolsheviks.