World War IWorld War IThe “Great War”The “Great War”

Dr. RobbinsDr. Robbins

World HistoryWorld History

MAIN Causes of WWIMAIN Causes of WWI

MMilitarismilitarism AAllianceslliances IImperialismmperialism NNationalismationalism

Cause: MilitarismCause: Militarism

All major nations wanted a All major nations wanted a large army in response to large army in response to nationalism, imperialism nationalism, imperialism and the perceived threats and the perceived threats from other armiesfrom other armies

Cause: AlliancesCause: Alliances

Caused many countries to join Caused many countries to join fighting once war had begunfighting once war had begun

Before the war: Triple Alliance Before the war: Triple Alliance and Triple Ententeand Triple Entente

Later: Central Powers and Later: Central Powers and Allied PowersAllied Powers

Cause: ImperialismCause: Imperialism

Desire for increased Desire for increased territory and wealth led to territory and wealth led to competition over coloniescompetition over colonies

Cause: NationalismCause: Nationalism

Desire to prove national Desire to prove national greatness led to rivalries greatness led to rivalries between great powersbetween great powers

Highly nationalistic ethnic Highly nationalistic ethnic groups were calling for groups were calling for independence (e.g., independence (e.g., Serbians, part of Slavic Serbians, part of Slavic ethnic group)ethnic group)

What is a catalyst?What is a catalyst?

Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire had declined and had declined and some Balkan some Balkan countries were countries were now independentnow independent

Austria took over Austria took over (annexed) Bosnia (annexed) Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Herzegovina, part of Slavic part of Slavic ethnic groupethnic group

Serbia, also Slavic, Serbia, also Slavic, resented Austrian resented Austrian aggression; aggression; wanted large wanted large Slavic-controlled Slavic-controlled regionregion

The Catalyst: Background

The CatalystThe Catalyst

Assassination of Archduke Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-HungaryFerdinand of Austria-Hungary– Serbian nationalist group, Black Serbian nationalist group, Black

Hand, wanted Bosnia freed from Hand, wanted Bosnia freed from AustriaAustria

– 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip of the 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip of the Black Hand killed the Archduke Black Hand killed the Archduke on June 28, 1914on June 28, 1914

The Catalyst Leads to The Catalyst Leads to WarWar

– Austria wanted to punish Austria wanted to punish Serbia and set demands; Serbia and set demands; most agreed to, but not most agreed to, but not enoughenough

– Austria declares war Austria declares war against Serbia on July 28, against Serbia on July 28, 19141914

War SpreadsWar Spreads

July 28—Russia (also July 28—Russia (also Slavic) mobilized troops to Slavic) mobilized troops to the Austrian borderthe Austrian border

Aug 1—Austria’s ally Aug 1—Austria’s ally Germany saw this as a Germany saw this as a threat and declared war on threat and declared war on RussiaRussia

War Continues to War Continues to SpreadSpread

Aug 3—Germany declared Aug 3—Germany declared war on France, Russia’s allywar on France, Russia’s ally

Aug 4—after Germany Aug 4—after Germany attacked neutral Belgium, to attacked neutral Belgium, to get to France, Britain get to France, Britain declared war on Germanydeclared war on Germany

The Schlieffen PlanThe Schlieffen Plan

First—attack France to the westFirst—attack France to the west Second—attack Russia to the Second—attack Russia to the

easteast Worked well to start: in Paris by Worked well to start: in Paris by

Sept 3Sept 3 Intended to keep Germany from Intended to keep Germany from

having to fight on two fronts at having to fight on two fronts at the same timethe same time

The Schlieffen The Schlieffen PlanPlan

Count Von Schlieffen

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Alliances Before the Alliances Before the WarWar Triple Alliance: Triple Alliance:

– Germany, Austria-Hungary, ItalyGermany, Austria-Hungary, Italy Triple Entente:Triple Entente:

– France, Russia, BritainFrance, Russia, Britain

Alliances Shift After Alliances Shift After War StartsWar Starts

Central PowersCentral Powers–Germany, Austria-Germany, Austria-HungaryHungary

–later, Bulgaria and later, Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire (wanting Ottoman Empire (wanting to regain lost territories)to regain lost territories)

Allied Powers (the Allies)Allied Powers (the Allies)–Great Britain, France, RussiaGreat Britain, France, Russia–soon Japan, and later Italysoon Japan, and later Italy–also Serbia, Greece, also Serbia, Greece, Romania, etc.Romania, etc.

–much later, the U.S. (1917)much later, the U.S. (1917)

Europe in 1914Europe in 1914

““Short” war goes longShort” war goes long

German plan worked well to German plan worked well to start: in Paris by Sept 3start: in Paris by Sept 3

Battle of the Marne— began on Battle of the Marne— began on Sept 5, after 8 days of battle, Sept 5, after 8 days of battle, German offensive was stoppedGerman offensive was stopped

Russians soon attacking Russians soon attacking Germany in the eastGermany in the east– the Schlieffen Plan has failedthe Schlieffen Plan has failed

Stuck in the trenchesStuck in the trenches Example of trench warfareExample of trench warfare

– Battle of Verdun in Feb 1916—Battle of Verdun in Feb 1916—each side lost more than each side lost more than 300,000 men300,000 men

Trenches on Trenches on the Western the Western FrontFront

New technology of warNew technology of war

Machine gunsMachine guns Poison gasPoison gas GrenadesGrenades Armored tanksArmored tanks Larger artillery: canonsLarger artillery: canons SubmarinesSubmarines Airplanes armed Airplanes armed

with machine gunswith machine guns

Western FrontWestern Front

Mostly in Mostly in FranceFrance, near German border, near German border 500 miles of trenches500 miles of trenches dug in France dug in France Trench warfareTrench warfare No Man’s Land—the uninhabited land No Man’s Land—the uninhabited land

between the rows of trenchesbetween the rows of trenches STALEMATE—”stuck”, nobody makes STALEMATE—”stuck”, nobody makes

any real progressany real progress

Eastern FrontEastern Front

Along Russia’s borders with Along Russia’s borders with Germany and Austria-HungaryGermany and Austria-Hungary

Fewer trenches, more mobile Fewer trenches, more mobile and more brutal than western and more brutal than western frontfront

Russians always short of Russians always short of suppliessupplies

Russia’s RoleRussia’s Role

Russia’s huge population Russia’s huge population provided plenty of soldiers to provided plenty of soldiers to send to the frontsend to the front

Russia kept Germany from Russia kept Germany from winning the war by winning the war by occupying them in the east, occupying them in the east, dividing forcesdividing forces

Gallipolli, Gallipolli, 1915 1915

““Global” warGlobal” war

Every continent throughout Every continent throughout the the GLOBEGLOBE

Fighting over coloniesFighting over colonies Also colonial subjects Also colonial subjects

served their European served their European mastersmasters

Who’s Fighting?Who’s Fighting?

Middle East (Arab nationalists helped Middle East (Arab nationalists helped Britain)Britain)

Asia (Japan took German colonies; India Asia (Japan took German colonies; India fought for Britain)fought for Britain)

Africa (English & French wanted German Africa (English & French wanted German land)land)

Americas: Brazil, Canada and later, U.S.Americas: Brazil, Canada and later, U.S. Australia (fighting for British)Australia (fighting for British)

““Total” WarTotal” War

Every country involved Every country involved devoted its devoted its TOTAL TOTAL resources to the war effortresources to the war effort

Governments took over Governments took over factories, etc.factories, etc.

Life on the Home FrontLife on the Home Front

Rationing in EuropeRationing in Europe– Limiting the amount of daily supplies Limiting the amount of daily supplies

that people could buy (gasoline, sugar, that people could buy (gasoline, sugar, etc.)etc.)

– On a volunteer basis in U.S.On a volunteer basis in U.S. Propaganda Propaganda

– Persuading the population to support Persuading the population to support the warthe war

Women worked in factories & on farms replacing men who had gone to fight

U.S. Enters the WarU.S. Enters the War

U.S. policy of isolationism had U.S. policy of isolationism had kept it out of the war, though kept it out of the war, though they helped Alliesthey helped Allies

Unrestricted submarine Unrestricted submarine warfare by Germans sank warfare by Germans sank British and U.S. ships, including British and U.S. ships, including passenger ships (Lusitania)passenger ships (Lusitania)

U.S. Enters the War U.S. Enters the War cont.cont.

Zimmerman Note—US learned Zimmerman Note—US learned of German telegram offering of German telegram offering Mexico US territory if it joined Mexico US territory if it joined GermanyGermany

US entered war on April 2, 1917US entered war on April 2, 1917 Took a year to get 2 million US Took a year to get 2 million US

soldiers oversoldiers over

Russia’s ProblemsRussia’s Problems

WWI had contributed to WWI had contributed to problems in Russia and problems in Russia and helped cause revolutionhelped cause revolution

Russian Revolution of March, Russian Revolution of March, 1917 led to fall of Czar 1917 led to fall of Czar Nicholas IINicholas II

New provisionary government New provisionary government does not leave war, this led to does not leave war, this led to resentment and…resentment and…

Russia Leaves the WarRussia Leaves the War

Bolshevik Revolution of Nov, Bolshevik Revolution of Nov, 1917 led to Communist 1917 led to Communist takeover of Russiatakeover of Russia

Bolshevik leader Lenin Bolshevik leader Lenin signed peace treaty with signed peace treaty with Germany in November, 1917Germany in November, 1917– Treaty of Brest-LitovskTreaty of Brest-Litovsk

The Final ActThe Final Act

With Russia out, Germany With Russia out, Germany could focus on Western Frontcould focus on Western Front

BUT…arrival of US troops BUT…arrival of US troops and exhaustion of German and exhaustion of German army and supplies led to army and supplies led to defeat of Germanydefeat of Germany

Fighting EndsFighting Ends

Central Powers signed the Central Powers signed the Armistice (end to fighting)Armistice (end to fighting)—Nov 11, 1918—Nov 11, 1918

Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

Allied Powers met to create a Allied Powers met to create a post-war treaty at the Palace of post-war treaty at the Palace of VersaillesVersailles

Started on Jan 18, 1919 & signed Started on Jan 18, 1919 & signed on June 28, 1919 (5 years after on June 28, 1919 (5 years after assassination)assassination)

Big 4: US, France, Britain, Italy Big 4: US, France, Britain, Italy (Japan virtually shut out)(Japan virtually shut out)

The Fourteen-Point The Fourteen-Point PlanPlan

Woodrow Wilson’s proposal for peaceWoodrow Wilson’s proposal for peace

– End to secret treatiesEnd to secret treaties– Freedom of seasFreedom of seas– Reduce national armies and naviesReduce national armies and navies– Self-determination for colonial Self-determination for colonial

peoplespeoples– ““just” peace (no harsh just” peace (no harsh

punishment)punishment)– League of NationsLeague of Nations

In the End…In the End…

Britain & France agreed to Britain & France agreed to League of Nations but not League of Nations but not the rest of Wilson’s planthe rest of Wilson’s plan

Germany was punished:Germany was punished:–““War guilt” clause, Germany War guilt” clause, Germany to pay $33 billion over 30 to pay $33 billion over 30 years to Allies years to Allies ($407 billion in 2008 money)($407 billion in 2008 money)

–Lost lots of territoryLost lots of territory–Restrictions on German Restrictions on German militarymilitary

The ResultThe Result

4 Empires Ended: Russian, 4 Empires Ended: Russian, German, Ottoman, German, Ottoman, Austrian-HungarianAustrian-Hungarian

Ex-colonies administered Ex-colonies administered by League; colonies angry by League; colonies angry at treatment by Europeat treatment by Europe

More ResultsMore Results

Japan and Italy angry—Japan and Italy angry—gained littlegained little

Germany left virtually Germany left virtually destroyed, broke, in debt, destroyed, broke, in debt, embittered…ready for embittered…ready for Hitler 20 years laterHitler 20 years later

Total CostsTotal Costs

8.5 million soldiers died8.5 million soldiers died 21 million soldiers wounded21 million soldiers wounded 1918 flu epidemic killed as 1918 flu epidemic killed as

many as 50 millionmany as 50 million– Made worse by wartime Made worse by wartime

conditionsconditions

Total Costs Total Costs cont.cont.

A generation “lost”A generation “lost” Farmland, homes, & villages Farmland, homes, & villages

destroyeddestroyed Total cost in 1918 dollars: Total cost in 1918 dollars:

$338 billion (about $4 trillion $338 billion (about $4 trillion in today’s money)in today’s money)