Chapter 26The Beginning of the Twentieth-Century Crisis:War and Revolution

The Road to World War IThe Road to World War INationalism and Internal Dissent

◦ Nationalism Liberals claimed that creation of national

states would bring peace Led to competition instead of cooperation Brinkmanship

◦ Internal dissent Ethnic tensions Growing power of Socialist labor movements Use of war to divert revolutionary tide at

homeMilitarism

◦ Conscription and growing armaments◦ Influence of military leaders◦ Military plans

International Rivalry and the International Rivalry and the Coming of WarComing of WarNew Alliances

◦ Triple Alliance, 1882 – Germany, Austria, Italy◦ Reinsurance Treaty between Russia and

Germany, 1887◦ Dismissal of Bismarck, 1890 and Wilhelm’s lapse◦ Military alliance of France and Russia, 1894

New Directions and New Crises◦ Entente Cordiale, 1904◦ Emperor William II’s “place in the sun” and the

Moroccan Crisis◦ Triple Entente, 1907 – Britain, France, Russia◦ Triple Alliance, 1907 – Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Italy

Crisis in the Balkans, 1908-1913Crisis in the Balkans, 1908-1913

Austria annexes Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1908 as allowed by Berlin Conference and San Stefano revision

Serbian protest, Russian support of Serbia

Balkan Wars, 1912-1913◦Serbia’s Ambitions◦Russian support of Serbia◦Austria-Hungary’s determination to limit

Serb ambition

The The Balkans, Balkans, 18781878

Map 25.1: Europe in 1914Map 25.1: Europe in 1914

The Road to World War IThe Road to World War I

The Outbreak of War: The Summer of 1914◦ The effects of the Balkan Wars

prior to 1914◦ Assassination of Archduke

Francis Ferdinand and wife Sophia, June 28, 1914 by 18-yr. old Gavrilo Princip of Black Hand Society

◦ Germany’s Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg gives “full support” to Austria (“Blank Cheque”)

◦ Russian mobilization◦ Schlieffen Plan requires march

through neutral Belgium to get to France

I’m gonna

git you

sucka!

The The SchlieffSchlieffen Plan en Plan aka aka “oops, “oops, we we pissed pissed off the off the Brits!”Brits!”

The War 1914-195: Illusions & The War 1914-195: Illusions & StalemateStalemateEuropean attitudes toward the beginning

of war and the “war craze”Failure of the Schlieffen PlanFirst Battle of the Marne, September 6-

10, 1914Russian Failures

◦ Battle of Tannenberg, August 30, 1914◦ Battle of Masurian Lakes, September 15,

1914Austrian Failures

◦ Galicia and Serbia – trouble with the Russians ◦ Germans come to Austria’s aid

Battle Scene in Northern Battle Scene in Northern FranceFrance

The War 1916-1917: The The War 1916-1917: The Great SlaughterGreat Slaughter

Trench warfare◦ “No-man’s land”◦ “Softening up” the

enemy◦ Battle of Verdun, 70,000

lost (German offensive)◦ Battle of the Somme,

1916 (Allied offensive) Heaviest one-day loss in

World War I 300,000 lost To draw German soldiers

from Verdun

Trench Warfare in FranceTrench Warfare in France

Trench Warfare Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare in Color

From The Somme (2005)

Trench Life = Hell… “Live and let live”

Trench Magazines – B.E.F. Times

Map 25. 2: The Western Front, 1914-Map 25. 2: The Western Front, 1914-19181918

Map Map 25.3: 25.3: The The EasterEastern n Front, Front, 1914-1914-19181918

The Widening of the WarThe Widening of the WarBoth sides attempt to tip the scales in their favor

by gaining new alliesAugust 1914: Ottoman Empire enters the war for

Central Powers ◦ Battle of Gallipoli, April 1915◦ ANZAC Troops and “…Waltzing Matilda”

May 1915: Italy enters the war against Austria-Hungary

September 1915: Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central Powers

Middle East◦ Lawrence of Arabia (1888-1935) Arab princes

vs. Ottoman forces

The Widening of the WarThe Widening of the WarApril 1917: Entry of the United States

◦The United States tried to remain neutral◦Naval Conflict between Germany and

Britain◦Sinking of the Lusitania, May 7, 1915◦Return to unrestricted submarine

warfare, January 1917◦United States enters the war, April 6,

1917Bolshevik Revolution, 1917Italian defeatFailure of Western front offensivesBoth sides were exhausted!

A New Kind of WarfareA New Kind of WarfareAir Power

◦1915: first use of airplanes on the battle-front

◦German use of zeppelinsTanks

◦1916: first use of tanks on the battlefield

◦Early tanks ineffective◦1918: British Mark V first

effective tank

The Home Front: The Impact The Home Front: The Impact of Total Warof Total WarGovernment CentralizationConscription Effects on EconomiesPublic Order and Public

Opinion◦ Dealing with unrest◦ Strikes◦ Irish Revolt 4/1916◦ Defense of the Realm Act

(DORA)◦ Propaganda

Social Impact of Total War◦ Labor benefits prestige for trade

unions◦ New roles for women

Male concern over wages Women began to demand equal

pay Gains for women

The Last Year of the WarThe Last Year of the WarWithdrawal of Russia gives Germany

hopeLudendorff launches last German

offensive, March 21-July 18, 1918Allied counterattack, Second Battle of

the Marne, July 18, 1918General Ludendorff informs German

leaders that the war is lostWilliam II abdicates, November 9, 1918German soldiers, workers revoltRepublic established under EbertArmistice, November 11, 1918The Casualties of the War

◦ 8 to 9 million soldiers killed, 22 million wounded

Revolutionary Upheavals in Revolutionary Upheavals in Germany and Austria-Germany and Austria-HungaryHungaryRevolution in Germany

◦Division of German Socialists◦Formation of two governments◦Failure of radicals to achieve control

Revolution in Austria◦Ethnic upheaval◦Formation of independent republics

The Peace SettlementThe Peace Settlement

Palace of Versailles, January 1919, 27 Allied nations: “Eternal Peace”

Lenin and the secret treatiesWoodrow Wilson, Fourteen PointsPragmatism of other statesLloyd George determined to make

Germany payGeorges Clemenceau of France

concerned with his nation’s securityConcern over the spread of BolshevismJanuary 25, 1919, the principle of the

League of Nations adopted

The Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of VersaillesFive separate treaties (Germany,

Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire)

The most important was the Treaty of Versailles, June 18, 1919 ◦ Article 231, War Guilt Clause◦ 100,000 man army◦ Loss of Alsace and Lorraine◦ Sections of Prussia to the new Polish state◦ German charges of a “dictated peace”

The Other Peace TreatiesThe Other Peace TreatiesGerman and Russian Empires lost territory in

eastern EuropeNew nation-states: Finland, Latvia, Estonia,

Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Hungary

Romania acquired additional lands from Russia, Hungary, and Bulgaria

Yugoslavia – multinational powder kegCompromises will lead to future problemsMinorities in every eastern European statesOttoman Empire dismembered

◦ Promises of independence of Arab states in the Middle East◦ Mandates

France – Lebanon and Syria Britain – Iraq and Palestine

United States Senate rejects the Versailles Peace Treaty

Map 25.5: Europe in 1919Map 25.5: Europe in 1919

The The MiddlMiddle e East East in in 19191919

Timeline Timeline

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian RevolutionBy 1900 the fourth largest producer of steel

◦ Count Sergei Witte – Minister of FInance◦ Development of working class◦ Development of socialist parties

Marxist Social Democratic Party, Minsk, 1898Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905General strike, October 1905

◦ Bloody Sunday at the Winter Palace◦ Nicholas II granted civil liberties and a legislative

body, Duma◦ Voting and Land Reforms of Prime Minister Peter

Stolypin ◦ Stolypin’s assassination by left…or right?◦ Curtailment of power of the Duma, 1907 

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian RevolutionWar and Discontent

◦ Nicholas II was an autocratic ruler

◦ Russia not prepared for war

◦ Government suspicion of war enthusiasm

◦ Influence of Rasputin

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian RevolutionThe March Revolution

◦ Problems in St. Petersburg◦ March of the women, March 8, 1917◦ Calls for a general strike◦ Soldiers join the marchers◦ Provisional Government takes control

3/12/1917 Tsar abdicates 3/15/1917 Alexander Kerensky (1881-1970)- Mensheviks Tried to carry on the war Soviets sprang up

◦ Bolsheviks under the leadership of Vladimir Ulianov, 1870-1924 Sent back to Russia in a sealed train by the

Germans April Theses “Peace, land and bread” “All power to

Soviets”

Map: The Russian RevolutionMap: The Russian Revolution

Russian Revolution (cont)Russian Revolution (cont)The Bolshevik Revolution

◦ Bolsheviks control Petrograd and Moscow soviets◦ Army Order #1◦ Kerensky vs. Kornilov…Bolsheviks empowered!◦ Collapse of Provisional Government, November 6-7,

1917◦ Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, March 3, 1918 – Russia exits

WWICivil War

◦ Bolshevik (Red) army and Anti-Bolshevik (White) army◦ Murder of the Tsar and his family (July 16, 1918)◦ Disunity among the white army◦ Role of Trotsky as War Commissar◦ Communists and “War communism”◦ Invasion of allied troops◦ 1921: Communist victory

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsWhy were so many Europeans eager for war

in 1914? Did Europe’s governments share their enthusiasm?

What was “total war”? How did European governments meet the challenge of total mobilization?

Why were so many people in the United States reluctant to get involved in World War I? Why did Woodrow Wilson see U.S. involvement as a necessity?

Describe the goals of the major participants at the peace talks. How were these goals incorporated into the Treaty of Versailles?

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