Causes and Leaders of WWI

Causes of World War I

Europe at Its Peak

  • Industrial Revolution at its peak
  • Europe had 25% of the world’s population
  • Modernization led to sense that europeans were at the peak of world civilization

M.A.I.N.

Militarism:

  • Glorification of war
  • Nationalism led to an arms race   * Increase in military spending
  • By 1914, all nations minus Great Britain had large armies   * Generals thinking-only a matter of time
  • Importance of Mobilization   * Training troops and supplies for war
  • Militarism - Consists of a military power and a quick preparedness for war

\ System of Alliances:

  • Alliances intended to keep peace (1907)
  • Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
  • Triple Entente: France, Russia, and Great Britain

\ Imperialism:

  • Competition for Markets
  • Led to fierce competition for colonies-almost war
  • Rivalry and distrust increase

\ Nationalism:

  • Deep devotion to one’s nation
  • Increasing Rivalries   * Territorial Disputes   * France lost to Germany in Franco-Prussian war 1871   * Balkan ethnic groups want independence
  • Combined with militarism + imperial comp., this increased tensions in Europe

Balkan Peninsula circa 1913

War Breaks Out

  • Nationalism in the Balkans
  • People with diverse religions, ethnic backgrounds, languages.
  • As Ottoman Empire receded, new nations were

The Assassination of the Archduke

  • Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria visited Bosnian capital on June 28, 1914
  • 7 assassins from the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist group, plot against him
  • 19 year old Gavrilo Princip shot the duke and his wife

Austria-Hungary’s Ultimatum

  • Germany gave “blank check” of military support to Austria-Hungary
  • Austria - Hungary’s ultimatum to Serbia
  • Serbia refuses to let Austria-Hungary’s officials run an investigation in Serbia
  • Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914

The Alliance System leads to war

  • Russia supported Serbia
  • Germany supported Austria-Hungarysdx
  • Within one week, almost all of Europe plunged into war:   * Germany declares war on Russia and France   * Britain declares war on Germany after Germany invades Belgium

The Western Front

Germany tried to take France quickly in the Western Front and then turn to fight Russia the Schlieffen Plan

Battles along the Western Front:

  • Long, bloody battles:   * Verdun - 21 February-18 December, 1916, 680,000 casualties;   * Somme - 1 July - 18 November, 1916, over one million casualties

Alliances and Fronts of the War

  • Allied Powers = Britain, France, Russia   * Italy: join the Allied Powers in 1015 and fought Austria-Hungary
  • Central Powers = Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

New Weapons Used in the War

  • Machine Gun
  • Poison-gas
  • Flame throwers
  • Tanks
  • Airplanes
  • Submarines (U-Boats)   * Artillery-not new but improved     * Greater power and carried much further     * 24 million shells used in the Battle of Verdun

Major Events

  • United States enters the war in 1917
  • German U-Boat sinks Lusitania
  • Zimmerman Letter   * Germany asks Mexico to join the Central Powers if USA enters the war.
  • Russia leaves the War in 1918 due to its own revolution

Major Leaders

  • Woodrow Wilson - President of the United States   * 14 Points     * Peace plan
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II - Ruler of Germany
  • Tsar Nicholas II - Leader of Russia, was not a strong leader

The War Ends

Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire were first Central Powers to be defeated

  • Revolts inside Austria-Hungary and Germany helped end the war early

The Paris Peace Conference

Peace of Justice-Favored by Wilson:

  • Leaders of Allied and Central powers met at the Palace of Versailles
  • President Wilson’s 14 Points supported self-determination for all nations and a just peace

Peace of Vengeance-Favored by GB, Fra

  • Italy and Britain wanted territory
  • France wanted to punish Germany
  • Italy and United States left, leaving peace settlement to France and Britain

Treaty of Versailles

Forced Germany to accept responsibility for war and loss of territory and to pay reparations Germany had to:

  • Return Alsace-Lorraine region to france
  • Reduce German military   * Keep area near France (the Rhineland) demilitarized   * Pay war reparations of 32 billion dollars   * Agree to “war guilt clause”

League of Nations was created

  • The United States does not join

Outcomes and global effects

  • Colonies’ participation in the war, which increased demands for independence
  • i.e. India
  • End of the Russian Imperial, Ottoman, German, and Austro-Hungarian empires
  • Enormous cost of the war in lives, property, and social disruption

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