SSWH17:World War I

n SSWH17 Demonstrate an understanding of long-term causes of World War I and its global impact.

n 17a. Identify causes of the war, include: nationalism, entangling alliances, militarism, and imperialism.

n 17b. Describe conditions on the war front for soldiers, include: new technology and war tactics.

n 17c. Explain the major decisions made in the Versailles Treaty, include: German reparations and the mandate system that replaced Ottoman control.

n 17d. Analyze the destabilization of Europe in the collapse of the great empires.

n 17a. Identify causes of the war, include: nationalism, entangling alliances, militarism, and imperialism.

Causes of World War ILong-Term Causes:n Nationalism:

n Definition:n Deep devotion to one’s nation

n Balkan Nationalism:n Many ethnic groups, each hoped to extend bordersn Serbia (Slavs) wanted to absorb all Slavs on Balkan

Peninsula – Russia supported thisn Austria-Hungary opposed this and wanted to take

over Balkan territory – upset Russians Balkan groups

n Imperialism:n Definition:

n Quest for coloniesn How it increased tensions:

n Intensified European nations’ sense of rivalry & mistrust toward one another as they competed for colonies in Asia & Africa

Causes of World War ILong-Term Causes:

n Militarism:n Definition:

n Policy of glorifying military power & keeping an army prepared for war & able to mobilize troops quickly in case of war

n How it increased tensions:n Led to an arms race and formation of large

standing armies &, eventually, to military alliances

Causes of World War ILong-Term Causes:

n Alliance System:n Triple Alliance (1882):

n Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

n Agreement crafted by Bismarck (saw France as threat to peace) –made three powers military allies

n Created an unstable & fragile alliance that tried to isolate France

Causes of World War IImmediate Causes:

n Alliance System:n Triple Entente (1907):

n France, Britain, Russian Pledged not to fight

each othern Established two rival

camps in Europe àcreated possibility that any dispute b/w two rival powers could draw entire continent into war

Causes of World War IImmediate Causes:

Inflexible Diplomatic Alliancesn Agreements of

mutual defensen Chain reaction

for Global Warn Triple Alliance

n Germany-Austro-Hungarians (1879), joined by Italians 1882

n Triple Ententen Russia,

France, UK

n Assassination in Sarajevo –June 28, 1914:n Serbian nationalist (member

of Black Hand) murdered Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife

n This provided Austria-Hungary w/ an excuse to launch war on Serbia, leading to confrontation b/w Austria & Russia

Causes of World War IImmediate Causes:

Road to War - 1914

n Austria-Hungary Delivers Ultimatum:n Get rid of all nationalistsn Allow AH to investigate murdern Serbia agrees to all but investigationn AH mobilizes

n July 28:n AH declares war on Serbia

n July 31:n Russia mobilizes; declares war on AH

n August 1n Germany declares war on Russia, who asks France for

helpn August 3

n Germany declares war on Francen August 4

n Germany declares war on neutral Belgium to get to France

n Britain declares war on Germanyn August 6

n AH declares war on Russia

Road to War - 1914

Nations Take Sides

Central PowersGermany

Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Allied PowersFrance

Britain

Russia

NeutralUnited States

Italy

Schlieffen Plan

n Germany worried about fighting two-front warn Attack through Belgium to defeat France

quickly then invade Russia

Warm-Up

n Which THREE nations belonged to the Triple Alliance?

n Which THREE nations belonged to the Triple Entente?

n What is the policy of glorifying power and keeping an army prepared for war?

Western FrontBattle of the Marne-Sept. 1914:n Allied victoryn Destroyed Germany’s hopes for the

Schlieffen Plann Led to stalemate

Western FrontTrench Warfare:n Both armies dug trenches to fight from;

constant shelling; vermin; diseasen Area b/w trenches known as “No Man’s

Land”n Led to huge losses for small land gains

French soldiers firing over their own dead

Officers walking through a flooded communication trench.

A photograph of a man suffering from trench foot.

Western FrontBattle of Verdun-Feb. 1916:n Allied victoryn 11 month battle - by end of 1916, over

500,000 casualtiesn British tried to relieve French in valley of

Somme

n Central Powers victoryn 20,000 British killed in first day alonen Neither side gained anything as a result of

Somme and Verdun

Western FrontBattle of the Somme-July 1916:

Debilitating Injuries

Eastern FrontWho Was Fighting Who:n Russians & Serbs vs. Germans & AHn Russian/German border – more mobile war

on this front

n Russians did not fair well against Germansn Did okay against AH, but could not hold itn Russian Strength: huge population

Eastern FrontEarly Fighting:

n 1916 – Russian war effort near collapsen Russian Weakness: Lack of industries that

could provide supplies troops neededn No supplies from allies b/c Germany

blockaded Baltic Sea ports

Eastern FrontRussia Struggles:

Home FrontTotal War:n Using all of a nation’s

resources in the war effort

n Countries began raising taxes, borrowing money to pay for war effort

n Drafts – young men required to join military

n One-sided information designed to persuade, keep up morale & support for war effort

n Allies told of German atrocities against civilians

n Press also spread stories of German violence

Home FrontPropaganda:

n People could buy only small amounts of those items needed for war effort

n Covered wide range of goods, from butter to shoe leather

Home FrontRationing:

n Took over jobs in factoriesn Joined war effort as nurses

Home FrontWomen in War:

New Weapons of WWIMachine Gun:n Wipe out waves of attackers à difficult for

forces to advance

n Introduced by Germans, used by both sidesn Some caused blindness or severe blistersn Others death by choking

New Weapons of WWIPoison Gas & Gas Masks:

n Could cross many types of terrain (chain tracks)n Introduced by British

New Weapons of WWIArmored Tank:

n Became powerful weaponn Countries invested to maintain airforce as

they realized air supremacy was key to military victory

New Weapons of WWIAircraft:

n Introduced by Germansn Primary weapon against ships was torpedo

New Weapons of WWISubmarine:

Warm-Up

n On which front was Trench Warfare the primary form of warfare?

n What was the territory between the trenches called?

United States Joins FightMay 7, 1915:

n Germans sink British passenger ship Lusitania

n Americans on boardn Germans claimed ship

was being used to deliver military supplies (this was true)

n Remained neutral at this point

n Germans announce policy of unrestricted submarine warfaren Would sink without warning any ship in the

waters around Britainn Sank 3 American ships, despite warning from

President Woodrow Wilson

United States Joins FightJanuary 1917:

n Zimmerman Telegramn Intercepted by

Britishn Germans asked

Mexico to invade the U.S.

n Promised to give Mexico land in SW U.S. upon victory

United States Joins FightFebruary 1917:

n President Wilson asks Congress to declare warn Boosts war effort in Europe with men & money

United States Joins FightApril 2, 1917:

Allies Win the War!!Russia:n Collapse:

n Czar Nicholas abdicated – faced w/ civil unrest b/c bad economy & war, army refused to keep fighting, & prospect of revolution

n See AKS 45d for more infon Treaty of Brest-Litovsk – March 1918:

n Ended the war b/w Russia and Germany

n Collapse:n July 1918 - Second Battle of the Marne – Allied

victoryn Bulgarians & Ottoman Turks surrenderedn Revolution in AHn Mutiny in Germany – Kaiser resigned – Germany

declared republic

Allies Win the War!!Central Powers:

Armistice:11am, Nov. 11, 1918 –(11/11/11)World War I ends

n Immediate Effects:n Generation of Europeans killed or woundedn Dynasties fall in Germany, AH, Russian New countries createdn League of Nations established to help promote

peace

Allies Win the War!!Legacy of WWI:

n Long-Term Effects:n Many nations feel bitter & betrayed by the

peace settlements (especially Germany)n Forces that helped cause the war, like

nationalism & competition, remain

Allies Win the War!!Legacy of WWI:

Warm-Up

Allies Meet in ParisWho?:n United States: President Woodrow Wilsonn France: Georges Clemenceaun Great Britain: David Lloyd Georgen Italy: Vittorio Orlando**Notable Absences: Russia; Germany or any

of its allies

n Wilson’s 14 Points:n Just and lasting peace achieved by ending secret treatiesn Freedom of seas, free trade, reduced national armies &

naviesn Adjustment of colonial claims w/ fairness toward colonial

peoplesn Granting self-determination (allow people to choose what

gov’t they want)n 14th Point:

n Establish world peace organization – a “general association of nations”

Allies Meet in ParisWhat…did the U.S. want?:

n Concerned w/ national securityn Strip Germany of its war-making powern Punish Germany

Allies Meet in ParisWhat…did Britain & France want?:

n Lost substantial territoryn Severe restrictions placed on military operationsn Forced to acknowledge “war guilt” & pay

reparations to the Alliesn Owed $33 million to Britain & France; borrowed

from the United States

Treaty of VersaillesGermany Punished:

n New countries from AH empire

n Ottoman lands in SW Asia carved into mandates rather than independent nationsn Palestine, Iraq,

Transjordan à Britainn Syria, Lebanon à France

n Poland, Romania gained Russian territory

n Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania à indep.

Treaty of VersaillesNew Nations Created:

n Created League of Nations – international organizationn Goal: Keep peace among nations

Treaty of VersaillesWilson’s 14th Point:

Treaty of Versailles - Results of TreatyU.S. Rejects Treaty – Why?:n Many Americans objected – believed U.S.

should stay out of European affairsn Without U.S. support, League unable to take

action on various complaints around world

n Africans & Asians angry that their desire for independence was ignored

n Japanese & Italians gained less land than they wanted

Treaty of Versailles - Results of TreatyMany Countries Feel Bitter & Cheated-Why?:

n Economy destroyedn Printed money to pay reparations à inflation

n Resented being blamed & left legacy of hatred among Germans

n Dawes Plann U.S. loaned Germany money to pay reparationsn France/Britain repay U.S. for war loansn Germany now owes U.S.

Treaty of Versailles - Results of TreatyGermany:

Collapse of DynastiesHapsburg Dynasty (Austria-Hungary)n October 1918 – revolution swept through &

last Hapsburg ruler lost controln Austria became a republicn Different ethnic groups & promise of self-

determination under 14 Points led to creation of new nations, largely based on majority ethnic group

Collapse of DynastiesRomanov Dynasty (Russia)n March 1917 – Czar Nicholas stepped downn Provisional gov’t established – continued

fighting – big mistake!n November 1917 – Communist Vladimir Lenin

seized power – ended war w/ Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Collapse of DynastiesGermany: the Hohenzollern Dynastyn the Hohenzollern Dynasty was replaced by

the Weimar Republicn Weimar government was weak/ineffective

because it lacked public confidence and from fighting among political parties

Collapse of DynastiesThe Ottoman Empiren The Ottoman Sultan was replaced by the

Turkish Republicn Ottoman land in SW Asia divided into

mandates controlled by France & Britain