World War 1 - The Great War (1914 - 1918)

A. Causes

1. Nationalism - pride or love of one’s country

2. Imperialism - caused competition in Europe over land resources in Africa and Asia

3. Militarism - glorification of military and readiness to go to war

4. Alliances - divided Europe into 2 armed camps

5. Central Powers - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

6. Allies - England, France, Russia

7. June 28, 1914 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Austrian throne) was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip (member of a Serbian Nationalist group)

   1. Significance - caused a series of events in Europe that led to the outbreak of war

B. Steps to war

1. “Blank Check” - Germany promised to help Austria with any action against Serbia

2. “48-Hour Ultimatum” - Austria wanted to investigate the assassination or else would go to war with Serbia if they did not cooperate

3. Serbia - refused to allow an investigation, so Austria declared war on Serbia

4. Russia - mobilized to help Serbia

   1. Mobilization - moving military forces into action

5. Germany - declared war on Russia and France

6. After Germany invaded neutral Belgium, England declared war on Germany

7. August 1914 - World War 1 began in Europe

C. Western Front

1. Schlieffen Plan - strategy used by Germany to try to quickly defeat France before Russia could fully mobilize

2. Battle of the Marne - French and British forces stopped a major German attack on France

   1. Ended German hopes of quickly winning the war

   2. saved Paris from being taken over

   3. Beginning of “trench warfare”

3. Battle of Verdun - longest battle of the war that lasted 10 months

   1. Major German offensive against the French

   2. French victory saved Verdun from take over

   3. 800,000 casualties on both sides

4. Battle of the Somme - largest and most destructive battle of the war

   1. Main Allied offensive against Germany

   2. Over 3 million soldiers fought on both sides

   3. Over 1 million casualties

5. War was at a stalemate - many losses but neither side was winning

D. Weapons/Technology

1. Machine Guns

2. Tanks

3. Submarines = U-Boats (Germany)

4. Airplanes

5. Grenades

6. Poison Gas

E. Russia (Eastern Front)

1. Had over 5 million troops, but lacked the technology to defeat Germany

2. Battle of Tannenberg - major victory by Germany over Russia 

   1. Russia lost 250,000 troops

   2. Ended Russia’s attempts to invade East Germany

3. Brusilov Offensive - Russian attack on Austria-Hungary

   1. Largest offensive for Russia, but caused great damage to their military

   2. Russian losses contributed to a revolution

4. Russian Revolution of 1917 - peasants and workers were angry about military losses, a poor economy, and weak government

   1. Led to political and social change in Russia

   2. Czar Nicholas II - overthrown - last Czar

5. March 1918 - treaty with Germany, withdrew from WW1

F. United States

1. Neutral until 1917

2. International Law - rules for war

   1. neutral nations must trade equally with both sides

   2. Ships at war must warn neutral ships before firing

3. Contraband - weapons or supplies sent by a neutral nation to a nation at war

   1. sent by U.S. to the Allies

4. Propaganda - posters/ads that are used to influence public opinion

   1. Most was anti-German and was used to get the American people involved with the war

5. Lusitania (1915) - British passenger ship that was sunk by Germany

   1. 1200 died - 128 were Americans

   2. U.S. warned Germany but did not enter the war

6. Zimmermann Telegram - sent by Germany to Mexico asking for them to join the Central Powers

   1.  Germany promised Mexico land in the U.S. if they Central Powers win the war

   2. Intercepted by England and sent to the U.S. which caused the U.S. to join the war

7. President Woodrow Wilson quote: “The world must be made safe for democracy”

8. April 6, 1917 - U.S. declared war on Germany and entered the war on the Allies’ side

9. AEF = American Expeditionary Forces - U.S. troops that fought against Germany in France on the Western Front

10. Harlem Hellfighters - members of NY national Guard who were the first African-American military unit

    1. spent more time in combat than other U.S. troops and helped the Allies defeat Germany

11. “14 Points” - Wilson’s speech on U.S. goals and his plans for post-war peace

    1. 14th point - formation of a League of Nations

12. Battle of Chateau-Thierry - U.S. and Allies defeated Germany and ended their occupation of France

13. 2nd Battle of the Marne - last offensive by Germany when they were defeated by the Allies and forced to retreat

14. November 11, 1918 - WW1 ends

    1. Armistice = cease fire - agreement to stop fighting until a treaty is signed

G. Treaty of Versailles - Allies’ treaty with Germany

1. War Guilt Clause - Germany was held responsible for the war and was punished

2. Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies

   1. Reparations - payments for war damages

3. Germany - lost colonies and had to reduce their military

4. Austria and Hungary - became separate nations

5. Poland and Czechoslovakia -became independent nations