World War 1 Notes

Causes & Start of WW1

  • The conflict leading to World War 1 had been brewing since the late 1800s.
  • It was initially known as The Great War due to its destruction and casualties.
  • Long-term causes included:
    • Militarism
    • Imperialism
    • Nationalism
    • Alliances

Militarism

  • Grew since the Industrial Revolution.
  • New weapons were developed:
    • Machine guns
    • Tanks
    • Airplanes
    • Submarines
  • Nations believed these weapons would ensure swift victories.

Imperialism

  • The 1884 Berlin Conference divided Africa peacefully, but rivalries persisted.
  • Tensions arose from smaller conflicts over territory.
  • Imperialism led to distrust among European powers.

Nationalism

  • Intense patriotism and loyalty to one's country.
  • Belief in national superiority.
  • Example: Germany taking Alsace-Lorraine from France in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian War.

Franco-Prussian War

  • Fought between France and Prussia (German state) from 1870 to 1871.
  • Both sides considered themselves superior and deserving of the disputed territory.
  • Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary formed the Triple Alliance against France.

Central Powers

  • The Triple Alliance is known as the Central Powers.
  • Located in the center of Europe.
  • Prussia/Germany was ruled by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who was later forced to resign by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1890.
  • Many believed Germany would not have entered World War I if Von Bismarck remained in power due to his policies regarding isolation.

Allies

  • France, Britain, and Russia formed the Triple Entente (Allies) to counter the Central Powers.
  • The alliance system, intended to prevent war, instead expanded conflicts.

World War 1 Timeline of Battles & Events

  • World War 1 began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.
  • Main long-term causes: militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism.

Main Causes Explained

  • Militarism: Building a stronger military for defense or influence.
  • Alliance: Mutual defense agreement between countries.
  • Imperialism: Increasing power and wealth through acquiring territories.
  • Nationalism: Intense loyalty and pride, leading to feelings of superiority.

Schlieffen Plan

  • Germany's plan to avoid a two-front war.
  • Aim: Defeat France quickly in the west, then focus on Russia in the east.

Battle of the Marne (September 1914)

  • France surprised German forces near the Marne River.
  • German forces retreated, disrupting the Schlieffen Plan.

Gallipoli Campaign (February 1915)

  • Allied Powers attempted to control the sea route from Europe to Russia.
  • Located off the coast of modern-day Turkey.
  • Ottoman Empire victory.

Battle of Verdun (February-December 1916)

  • Longest single battle of World War 1.
  • First use of flamethrowers.
  • Massive loss of life.
  • French victory.

Battle of the Somme

  • British attack to relieve pressure on the French during Battle of Verdun.
  • First use of tanks.
  • Another long, deadly battle.

US Enters the War

  • Prompted by the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, and the 1917 Zimmerman Telegram.
  • American presence provided fresh troops and supplies, crucial for Allied victory.

Russia Exits the War

  • Heavy losses, poverty, and ineffective leadership led to rioting.
  • Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the government in 1917.
  • Armistice agreed in December 1917.
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed in March 1918, officially ending fighting between Russia and Germany.

End of the War

  • France, England, and the United States continued fighting until an armistice was agreed to on November 11, 1918.
  • Germany surrendered, and the Allies were victorious.
  • November 11th is remembered as Armistice Day (Veteran's Day in the United States).

Zimmerman Telegram

  • From 1914 to 1916, the U.S. remained neutral during World War I.
  • Most Americans sympathized with the Allies, especially after the sinking of the Lusitania.
  • President Woodrow Wilson's 1916 slogan: "He kept us out of war."
  • In early 1917, a secret message prompted the U.S. to enter the war.

Telegram Details:

  • Sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Minister in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhardt, in January 1917.
  • Proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico.
  • If the U.S. entered the war on the Allied side, Germany and Mexico would form a secret alliance.
  • Germany promised to return U.S. territory (Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico) to Mexico if Mexico aided Germany.
  • These territories were ceded to the U.S. in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) after the Mexican-American War.
  • Zimmerman also promised to support a Mexican-led attack on the United States.

Interception and Impact:

  • The telegram was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence.
  • British intelligence shared the message with the U.S.
  • President Wilson recommended arming U.S. ships.
  • The U.S. made the telegram public, causing outrage among Americans.
  • The United States formally entered World War I in April 1917.

World War 1 Propaganda

  • Governments used propaganda to gain public support for the war effort.
  • Propaganda included posters and newspaper ads.
  • Goals:
    • Encourage men to join the war.
    • Conserve resources.
    • Create negative feelings against the enemy.

Types of Propaganda

  • Posters targeting young men, urging them to enlist (call to arms for patriotic duty).
  • Posters instilling fear by depicting the enemy as monsters or invaders.
  • Posters encouraging citizens to conserve resources like gasoline.

Resource Conservation and Financing the War

  • Rationing: Limiting the amount of certain items people could have.
  • Rationed items: gasoline, butter, wheat, fish, meat, and sugar.
  • Liberty Bonds: Citizens purchased bonds to finance the war, to be repaid after the war.

Events Leading to War

  • Tensions increased in the early 1900s, starting with Austria’s takeover of Bosnia and Herzegovina in October 1908.
  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary's throne, was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia, in June 1914.
  • This assassination was the immediate cause of World War 1.
  • Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in July, drawing other European countries in through alliances.

New Weapons of World War 1

  • The Industrial Revolution led to technological advances in weapons.
  • Advanced, mass-produced weaponry changed warfare.
  • New weapons led to massive casualties and a long, brutal conflict.
  • Submarines (U-boats): Equipped with torpedoes.
  • Seaplanes: Used to attack enemy ships.

Firearms

  • Advanced artillery, mortars, and machine guns transformed battlefields into "no man's land".
  • Mortars: Launched oversized bullets into enemy trenches, causing extensive damage.

Aerial Weapons

  • Airplanes and zeppelins were used for reconnaissance.
  • Machine guns were mounted on planes, leading to dogfights.

Land Weapons

  • Flamethrowers, poison gas, tanks, and grenades were extensively used.
  • Mustard gas: Caused burning sensations on the eyes, skin, nose, and lungs.

World War 1 on the Homefront

  • The U.S. government took steps to ensure public support for the war effort.
  • These steps involved creating agencies, committees, and passing controversial laws.

War Industries Board (WIB)

  • Created in July 1917 to oversee the production and purchasing of war materials.
  • Ensured soldiers and the Navy had necessary equipment, clothing, and weaponry.
  • Factories produced wartime materials like tanks, machine guns, and bullets.

Food and Fuel Administration

  • Created in late summer 1917 via executive orders by President Wilson.
  • Food Administration: Ensured enough food for the army and its allies, stabilized wheat prices, and encouraged rationing.
  • Federal Fuel Administration: Oversaw coal and oil use, encouraged energy conservation, and introduced Daylight Savings Time.

National War Labor Board

  • Established in 1918 to settle labor disputes.
  • Supported an 8-hour work day, equal pay for women, and workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.
  • Opposed labor strikes.

Committee on Public Information

  • Operated from 1917 to 1919 to influence public opinion in support of the war.
  • Utilized propaganda to encourage enlistment and participation.

Espionage and Sedition Acts

  • Espionage Act of 1917: Made it a crime to interfere with military operations or support the enemy.
  • Sedition Act of 1918: Limited freedom of speech and made it a crime to use disloyal language about the government, flag, or armed forces.
  • Eugene V. Debs, a socialist leader, was convicted under the Sedition Act.
  • The Supreme Court upheld the law in Schenck v. United States (1919), establishing the “clear and present danger” test.
  • The Sedition Act was repealed, but the Espionage Act remains law.

14 Points and the Treaty of Versailles

  • In early 1918, President Woodrow Wilson wanted to ensure that a war of this nature would never occur again.
  • Wilson drafted the 14 Points, a multi-step plan.
  • Wilson presented his 14 Points at the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919.

Wilson's 14 Points:

  • End to secret alliances.
  • Self-determination for conquered colonies.
  • Freedom of the seas.
  • Promoted open trade.
  • Advocated for Italy’s borders to be redrawn.

Treaty of Versailles

  • Focused on punishing Germany.
  • Germany had to give up colonies and pay reparations.
  • Germany had to accept blame for the war.
  • Allied soldiers would leave Germany if all requirements were met.

Shared Components

  • Reduction of armed forces in Germany.
  • Removal of German soldiers from territories.
  • Return of territories taken from France.
  • Independence for Belgium.
  • Creation of new nation states from the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires.
  • Creation of the League of Nations.

League of Nations

  • International organization designed to maintain world peace.
  • Prevent future wars through collective security, disarmament, and negotiation.
  • The U.S. Congress refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, and America never joined the League of Nations.

The Big Four and the Treaty Of Versailles

  • The Paris Peace Conference of January 1919 brought together leaders from the Allied powers (Big Four).
  • President Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), Prime Ministers David Lloyd George (Britain), Vittorio Orlando (Italy), and George Clemenceau (France).
  • Each leader had their own goals for the treaty.

Big Four Goals

  • Wilson: lasting peace, League of Nations, and fair treatment for Germany.
  • Clemenceau: punish Germany and ensure they take the blame.
  • Orlando: land deal for Italy (Trieste and southern Tyrol).
  • Lloyd George: protect the British navy and ensure future trade with Germany.
  • The Allies signed the Treaty of Versailles with Germany in June 1919.

Understanding the Treaty of Versailles

  • Signed on June 18, 1919, exactly five years after Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination.
  • Left many people bitter.

Country Goals

  • France: Punish Germany and regain territory in the Rhineland.
  • Great Britain: Reparations from Germany and prevent future conflicts for trade.
  • United States: Lasting global peace through the League of Nations and fairness to Germany.

Treaty Provisions

  • Article 231 (War Guilt Clause): Germany was made to accept full responsibility for the war.
  • Germany was made to disarm its military and give up its colonies.
  • Germany was forced to pay reparations to the Allies.
  • League of Nations: Established the Mandate System for administering former colonies.

Mandate System

  • Areas of Africa and the Middle East came under control of the Allied Powers.
  • France: Syria, Lebanon, and Cameroon.
  • Great Britain: Iraq and areas of West Africa.

Aftermath

  • Germans resented the War Guilt Clause.
  • Immense reparations led to hyperinflation and destroyed the German economy (Weimar Republic).
  • The U.S. Senate, led by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, objected to the League of Nations, fearing it could draw the U.S. into future conflicts.
  • The U.S. never ratified the Treaty of Versailles and never joined the League of Nations.