Bonkers about the Balkans
Serbia wanted to unite all Slavic (ethnicity) states
Because Russia was a predominately Slavic nation, they backed Serbia
Austria-Hungary had just annexed Bosnia and Herzegovinian and refused to let this happen
June 28, 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand – heir to Austria-Hungarian throne
Campaign to Sarajevo
Assassinated by a Serbian terrorist
AH blames Serbia
June 28, 1914
Germany, allied with AH says they will give any help necessary
July 28th – AH declares war on S
Russia mobilizes army against AH and Germany
Germany gives Russia 12 hours to stop; Russia ignores; Germany declares war on Russia – August 1
Under Germany’s Schlieffen Plan (attack France to West and Russia to the East, speedy end to the war), France – August 3
Germany enters France through neutral Belgium
Great Britain, allied to France and honoring Belgium’s neutrality declares war on Germany – Aug. 4
New Face, New Names
Triple Entente – Allied Powers Italy joined when
Germany disregarded Belgium’s neutrality
Most of the Balkan nations joined
Japan joins Triple Alliance –
Central Powers The Ottoman Empire
(Turkey) and Bulgaria joined in 1915
New Weapons
Machine gun Poison gas (Mustard gas)
Carried by the wind Burned out soldier’s
lungs Deadly in the trenches
where it would sit at the bottom
Submarine Airplane Tank Hand grenades Flame Throwers
Western Front, the beginning
Germany invaded France through Germany trying to capture Paris
Battle of the Marne, September 1914 Stopped German
advances towards Paris
Stalemate – no longer advancing, enter Trench Warfare
Trench Warfare
both sides dug trenches protected by mines and barbed wire
6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both
sides for 4 years Life
Bored, shell shock, unsanitary
Christmas Truce, 1914
unofficial truce lasted for several days
“We shook hands, wished each other a Merry Xmas, and were soon conversing as if we had known each other for years…”
Total War - 1915
Mobilizing ALL resources Draft – soldiers Rationing of resources
at home so troops would be taken care of
Propaganda – divert attention to war and influence public opinion
Targeting civilians (non – military), too
Western Front, 1916 -1917
Battle of Verdun Longest battle 21 February-18
December 1916
Battle of the Somme Bloodiest battleNationalit
yTotalcasualties
Killed &missing Prisoners
United Kingdom 350,000+ - -
Canada 24,029 - -
Australia 23,000 < 200
New Zealand 7,408 - -
South Africa 3,000+ - -
Newfoundland 2,000+ - -
Total British Empire
419,654 95,675 -
French 204,253 50,756 -
Total Allied 623,907 146,431 -
Germany 465,000 164,055 31,000
Total War – German Subs
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare – Germans did not care if it was a civilian liner, they would fire – wanted to keep Allies from supplies
Lusitania was a British ship believed to be carrying goods from the US to Great Britain
May 1915, Germanyfired, killing about 120 Americans
President Wilson had no choice but to consider war
Eastern Front
August 1914, Battle of Tannenberg almost complete
destruction of the Russian Second Army
Russia is getting destroyed – moral and confidence in government of Tsar Nicholas II is wavering
Eastern Front – Russia leaves
Internal Affairs War and
government = unpopular with people
Rise of Vladimir Lenin – promised to get Russia out of war
Russia leaves WWI to combat an internal revolution
Zimmerman Telegram
Germany sends telegram to Mexico saying if you help against US and Japan, we will help you get Texas/other land lost back form US
United States intercepts
President Wilson and Congress declare war on Germany, April1917
1917-1918
Allied forces moral and supplies renewed “drafted 2.8 million
men and by summer 1918 was sending 10,000 fresh soldiers to France every day.”
Allied victories become increasingly common and more frequent than Central Powers
Last Chance for Success
Spring 1918, Germans sought to divide British and French troops before large amounts of US forces arrive
Allies response: Hundred Day Offensive
September 1918, German General admits defeat and asks government for peace
Central Powers Collapse
Allies wouldn’t bargain with autocratic imperial government Kaiser Wilhelm II
abdicated Nov. 9 November 11, 1918,
Democratic Republic of Germany signs armistice A truce, an agreement
to end the fighting
Austria-Hungary collapsed under revolution
New states formed Austria Hungary Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia
Peace Settlements of 1919
27 Allied nations met in Paris to make final settlements
Wilson’s Proposal – Fourteen Points (1st US President to Europe)
Openly reaching peace with nations, not secret alliances
Reducing armaments Ensure self-determination
(right of each people to have its own nation)“making the world safe for
democracy”
Paris Peace Conference
Many nations wanted Germany to “pay for this dreadful war”
Georges Clemenceau (France) desired revenge and wanted Germany to loose all
weapons Pay reparations Separate buffer state
between France/Germany
Big Three made all the decisions United States –
Wilson Great Britain –
David Lloyd Georges
France – Clemenceau
Peace Settlements
League of Nations, Jan. 25, 1919 June 28, 1919 – Treaty of Versailles
Germany took responsibility for starting war Germany pay reparations Germany reduce army to 100,000, cut navy
and eliminate air force Germany gave Alsace and Lorraine back to
France Germany lost eastern land to Poland
New Map of Europe