World War I and The Struggle of the European Order

1. Vanquished victors Nervous Nationalism and the decline of the European world order 1900-1929 Chapter 28 World War I and The Struggle of the European Order

2. Stereopticon Images of the Western Front

3. World War I from a Global Perspective • From a global perspective, World War I appeared as a European Civil War • Colonial and semi-colonial powers witnessed the catastrophic failure of a system that seemed invulnerable • European powers would call upon its colonies for help and turn over colonial responsibilities to indigenous people • An outside power (United States) would be needed to tip the balance of war • The experience of this war transformed the relationship between Europe and the world

4. Key Questions: Europe and the Great War • What forces that propelled Europe to world dominance would incite the First World War? • How did the growing instability of the European system lead to its collapse and the outbreak of war in 1914? • How did Germany hope to defeat two powerful enemies on its flanks? How did it almost succeed? • How did the catastrophe of 1914 mark the beginning of the end of the European era? How did it reshape the continent and the Middle East?

5. From a European Perspective… • The forces of industrialism, nationalism and liberalism that supported Europe’s ascendency and confidence imploded • The cultural self confidence and certainty that had been building since the Age of Reason would end by 1915 • The peace that ended this war in 1919 was only temporary: The World Wars could be viewed as one continuous war with a 20 year cease fire

6. Europe on the Eve of World War I • Europe in 1914 • What nations of modern Europe did not exist 100 years ago? • What nations had vastly different borders?

7. World War I and the Post War Era: In A Nutshell • The economic, political and social forces that had been building since Napoleon incited conflict within the European system • Nationalism- fulfilling national destinies • Capitalism- control of markets and resources • Autocracy and democracy- internal dynamics and the balance of power • The imperialism that brought European rule over most of the world made this conflict global in nature • The growth of technology and its application in warfare made this war much longer and bloodier than anticipated • The unifying and divisive forces of nationalism dominated the post-war settlement of Europe, but European imperialism would repress nationalist movements in most of their colonies • The peace settlement was to bitter to be accepted by the losers and too mild to keep the losers down • Open the door for Marxist challenges to nationalism, liberal democracy and imperialism • The victors were vanquished and or disillusioned • Set the stage for an even more brutal war 20 years later

8. World War I: The Causes • Way to remember the causes of World War I: ANIMAL • Alliances- dividing Europe into armed camps • Nationalism- emotional bond and sense of destiny • Imperialism- global reach for empire • Militarism- focus on solving disputes through military engagement • Anarchy- lack of international law and mediation • Leaders- leaders who sought popular support and led nation to war

9. Alliances and The First World War: Creating a chain reaction Following Franco-Prussian War France felt insecure- allied with Russia to check Germany (1894)- A Defensive Pact Germany’s Growing Sea Power threatens British interests- Britain joins Russia and Britain in 1907 (Triple Entente)- Cooperative Agreement Germany counters with alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy (Triple Alliance)- (1882)A Defensive Pact Most stable and powerful nations allied to the most unstable- the actions of one nation could spark a general war Italy did not join Austria and Germany in 1914- joined Britain France and Russia in 1915

10. Nationalism and the Rush to War • France and wounded nationalism • French set on revenge since 1871- loss of Alsace and Lorraine territory • Nationalism and the Powder Keg of Europe: The Balkans • Aspirations for independence- Greater Serbia • Bosnia- Absorbed into Austria- Serbia outraged • Balkan Wars: 1912 and 1913-Challenge to Turkey and a fight for the spoils • Assassination of the Austrian Archduke by a Serbia Nationalist – spark that set off war… • Russia as the supporter of Serbian Nationalism • Russian interests in Southeastern Europe checked by Austria • Austria feared Slavic nationalism and its Russian supporters • Saw Germany as a counterweight to Russia • National indignation hard for governments to check- popular press and jingoism- militant chauvinistic nationalism

11. German Nationalism: Scene All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) • How does this scene in the movie capture the spirit nationalism and the virtues of war? How does it beckon back to the writings of von Treitschke? • How might nationalism set off an assassination and magnify the response to it? All Quiet on the Western Front

12. Imperialism and The Great War • By 1900, the major European powers ruled the world • Every colonial claim had the potential for conflict • Germans challenged Britain and France in Africa • Italy wanted an African empire • Imperial conquests and nationalist rivalries • Germany’s drive for colonies and naval build up threatened British naval dominance • Challenge the imperial status quo • Warring powers would draw men and material from colonial populations • Japan (an ally of Britain) saw war as the opportunity to gain German territories

13. Militarism: The Nationalist Response to Self Preservation • Military buildup beginning in the late 19th Century • Most nations adopted universal conscription • German and Austrian military expenditures doubled between 1910 and 1914 • Naval arms race between Britain and Germany • Military leaders held overwhelming influence • Inflexibility of military planning: Germany and the von Schlieffen Plan • Germany expected a two front war: France and Germany • Russia slow to mobilize: dedicate few resources east • Rush a bulk of resources west (disciplined railroad application)- envelop Paris- Then transport troops against Russia • Russian mobilization would force Germany to quickly attack France

14. The West and the von Schlieffen Plan Von Schlieffen’s plan was adapted by Helmut von Molke to include invading Belgium- This would bring Britain into the war

15. Anarchy: The Lawlessness Among Nations International community an anarchy with no effective enforcement of international law International cooperation extended only as far as narrow military alliances No permanent international forum to mediate disputes Limited opportunity for neutral negotiations- In lawless communities, force is the law One of the results of the war- The League of Nations

16. Leaders: Deciding for War • “Prosecuting an active foreign policy would smother internal troubles” • Leaders were rewarded by popular support for standing their ground and threatening war to settle disputes. • Many leaders were more afraid of not fighting war than fighting- much different 20 years later • Struggling Hapsburg Empire benefits from Wilhelm II’s saber rattling foreign policy • Growing nationalized mass society demanded assertive leadership • The three emperors pictured in the bottom row would effectively be the last for their nations

17. The Guns of August: The Animal Unleashed June 28: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist- Austria presents Serbia with an ultimatum July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. July 29: Russia, Serbia's ally, orders the mobilization of troops. August 1: Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declares war on Russia and demands the neutrality of Russia's ally France; France refuses and mobilizes. (remember von Schlieffen Plan) August 3: Germany declares war on France. August 4: Germany invades neutral Belgium, as per the Schlieffen plan to knock-put France; Britain responds by declaring war on Germany. November 5 Ottomans join Central Powers (anti-Russian) Italy joins the Allies April 1915 Americans declare neutrality but economically support allies

18. The Allies and Central Powers 1914 The Declaration of war by Britain in 1914 would include the British Empire including Australia, New Zealand and Canada

19. Expectations in the Summer of 1914 • War would be quick and decisive • Germany’s wars in 1860’s and 1870’s were largely 1 battle affairs (New technology and the modern state? • War would bring glory to people and nations- War as cultural hygiene (von Treitschke) • France- Revenge and return of Alsace- Lorraine • Germany- Support Austria and check Russia- end alliance that threatened security • Austria- End Russian influence in South Eastern Europe- check Slavic nationalism • Britain did not want a single nation dominant on the continent

20. The Western Front in 1914: An Unexpected Stalemate • Failure of the von Schlieffen Plan August-September 1914 • Belgium actively resisted Germany’s march through their country • German armies unable to flank the French north of Paris (far western line) • By October, both sides set opposite lines of defensive trenches- little movement and much destruction

21. Bleeding the Opponent: The Somme, Verdun and the War of Attrition • The Germans and Austrians able to hold the underequipped Russian army • Attempts to “break out” on the western front in 1916 degraded into a war of attrition- Victory measured in enemy blood • Verdun- The French Gettysburg February-December 1916 • French fortress town • Attacked to “bleed France white” • France lost 550,000 and the Germans 434,000 • The Somme-(February-November 1916) British offensive to take pressure off French at Verdun • British lose 420,000- 58,00 on first day • Germans lose 500,000 • French lose200,00 • Nations exhausted but unwilling to quit the field • French armies began to refuse to engage the enemy

23. Readings: The Battle of the SommeThe Battle of the Somme PBS The War

24. The War of theIndustrial Revolution:New Technology from http://www.henhudschools.org/webpages/alupien/resources.cfm?subpage=730973

25. Trench Warfare

26. Trench Warfare “No Man’s Land”

27. War IsHELL !!

28. German submarine U9 (1914)

29. A Canadian soldier with mustard gas burns, ca. 1917-1918

30. British 55th Division troops blinded by tear gas await treatment at an Advanced Dressing Station near Bethune during the Battle of Estaires, 10 April 1918, part of the German offensive in Flanders.

31. German infantry improvising gas masks during the First World War (probably 1915)

32. British Vickers machine gun crew wearing anti-gas helmets, July 1916

33. A German trench in the swamp area near the Hell Lakes on the Eastern Front , 1915

34. Sacrifices in War

35. French Renault Tank

36. British Tank at Ypres

37. U-Boats

38. The Airplane “Squadron Over the Brenta”Max Edler von Poosch, 1917

39. The Flying Aces of World War I FrancescoBarraco, It. Eddie “Mick”Mannoch, Br. Eddie Rickenbacher, US Manfred vonRichtoffen, Ger.[The “RedBaron”] Rene PaukFonck, Fr. Willy Coppens deHolthust, Belg.

40. The Zeppelin

41. FlameThrowers GrenadeLaunchers

42. Poison Gas Machine Gun

43. The Western and Eastern Fronts: World War I

44. The Widening War • British and Empire forces attack the Ottoman Empire • Campaign to seize control of straits failed at Gallipoli in 1915 • British and Arab allies take Ottoman provinces of Mesopotamia (Iraq), Syria, Palestine and the Arabian peninsula • War in the Far East • Japan takes German lands in the Western Pacific and China • War and the New World • Germany’s blockade of Britain would draw in The United States in April 1917

45. The Armenian Genocide: Nationalism, Identity and the Horrors of Modern War • Ottoman Turkey had been moving to become a modern nation state • This compromised its rule of Arab Muslims • Control over Christian Armenians particularly tenuous. • Armenians blamed for losses to Russia • Turkish generals assaulted Armenian population- Population rounded up for a forced march to Syria- up to a million dies • Ethnic cleansing became a model for asserting sovereignty in the 20th century

47. One of thousands of mass Armenian graves

48. Turkish Genocide Against Armenians A Portent of Future Horrors to Come!

49. World War I and the Arab Middle East • The Suez Canal would be an important target in both World Wars • Russia’s persistent appetite for Turkish territory made it a natural German ally • Britain’s attempt to seize Istanbul in 1915 Gallipoli attack a significant failure • Britain shifted strategies to make alliances with Turkey’s restive Arab population

50. Britain and Arab Nationalism • British operatives courted Arab nationalists in their attempt to defeat the Ottomans • Famous Lawrence of Arabia (T.E. Lawrence) as an agent • Promise of independence for Arabs who were alienated by Young Turks and Turkish nationalism • Helped the British take Jerusalem and Baghdad • Post-war land grab in the Arab Middle East by France and Britain a bitter disappointment