WWI

1. WWI World War I Dates: 1914-1918 Great Nations at the start of the Great War (World War I): Great Britain (England) France Germany Austria-Hungary Russia Italy USA Ottoman (Turkish) Empire

2. MAIN Long Term Causes of WW I: • Militarism – Extreme readiness for war by building up of arms, army and readiness (population). • Caused a buildup of military during late 1870-1914, esp. 1890s. • By 1914 all but Britain had large army and plans for mobilization • Alliances – Used to boost defensive power, these proved to be the cause of major tensions due to the connections between so many nations. • Imperialism - Caused competition for pride, land, resources. • Nationalism – Nations acted in their own self-interest, desiring to be free from the influence of other countries and prove their ethnicity as best.

3. Rivalries: • Britain vs. Germany • Industrialization • Navy buildup (British “two power standard”, Germany was #2) • France vs. Germany • Franco-Prussian War (1870) • (Germany Won) • Morocco (1905, 1911) (France Won) • Austria-Hungary vs. Russia • Balkans and ethnic disputes • Non-frozen seaport for Russia

4. Alliances: • Unification of Germany by Otto von Bismarck through wars and diplomacy from 1864-1871. • 1879 – Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria Hungary (Secretly included Russia) • 1882- Italy joins making the Triple Alliance • 1887 – Reinsurance Treaty between Russia and Germany after Austria Hungary breaks 1879 treaty with Russia. • 1890 – Kaiser Wilhelm II forces Bismarck to Resign and lets Russian treaty expire

5. 1892 and 1894 – France and Russia make treaties • 1904 – Britain signs am entente cordiale or friendly understanding with France • 1907 – Britain signs a treaty with Russia, completing the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia) • 1908 – Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina

6. Assassination starts the Great War: • Balkans as the “Powder Keg of Europe” • Austria-Hungary and Serbia both hoped to absorb all the Southern Slavic people into their nation. • 1912- First Balkan War - Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece take remaining Balkan lands from the Ottoman Empire (Albania was created). • 1913 – Second Balkan War – Bulgaria attempts to take the spoils from first war from Greece and Serbia but loses.

7. June 28, 1914 Franz and Sophie Ferdinand visit Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. • Assassinated by Serbian Nationalist Gavrilo Princip (19) of “Black Hand” • Serbian officials knew of attempt but were not involved. • Austria-Hungary asks for and receives a “blank check” promise of support from Germany to attack Serbia. • July 23 48 hour Ultimatum made by Austria to Serbia. Serbia accepts all but one demand (Austrian-Hungarian officials into Serbia) • July 28, 1914 Austria declares war on Serbia

8. The Chain Reaction Starts: • July 28 - Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war lead to… • July 29 - Russia mobilizing on Austria-Hungary leading to… • July 29-31 - Germany asking Russia to stop or else leading to… • August 1 – Germany declaring war on Russia (after no response) and then… • August 3 – Germany declared war on France and marched through neutral Belgium, which lead to… • August 4 - Britain declaring war on Germany to defend Belgium.

9. The conflict now had two teams: • Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire) • Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia, Italians (switch sides, Spring 1915) and later the U.S.) • Japan sided with the Allies under Emperor Hirohito • T.E. Lawrence of Arabia led the Arab resistance against the Ottoman Empire

10. Colonies became up in the air: • Japanese over German China and Pacific island colonies • English and French over 3 out of 4 German African colonies • In India, Mohandas Gandhi urged Indian support for the War

11. Total Warfare is now in effect: • All resources devoted to war • No unemployment • Rationing is widespread including both foods and materials • Suppression of information including propaganda

12. New weapons included… • Machine Gun • Flamethrower • Used Napalm or jellied gasoline • Artillery • Long range guns that could fire different types of rounds, including some filled with poison gas or even propaganda literature. • Poison gas • Including mustard, chlorine, phosgene, etc. that caused blinding, blisters, and even death. • First used by the Germans in 1915, but both sides used it by the war’s end. • Tank • Introduced in 1916 by the British, but both sides were using them by war’s end. • Heavily armored with mounted machine guns. • Used to cover uneven ground and barbed wire.

13. Airplanes • First used for watching the enemy then bombing then “dog fights” between planes • Planes were first made of wood and cloth with no parachutes, the engine could fall out. • French were first to design timer for the machine gun and propeller • Eddie Rickenbacker (America) vs. Baron Manfred von Richthofen (Germany aka Red Baron) were the most famous pilots • Submarines (also called the U-boat) • 1914 Germans used them the most • Underwater missiles (torpedoes) • ¾ of crews never made it home • Mostly used in the Atlantic and the North Sea to break blockades of supplies • By 1917, the convoy system reduced sinking by u-boats by 50%

14. Western Front: • Home by Christmas turns into a stalemate • Germans were guided by the Schlieffen Plan • General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen • Proposed taking France through Belgium, then focusing on Russia due to its lack of railroad, slow mobilization and superior numbers. • Germans push to take Paris, France but are stopped at the First Battle of the Marne River (Sept 3-9, 1914) • Germans then pushed towards the sea, but were stopped by the British in a series of battles (Masurian Lake, Sept 1914; Ypres, Nov 1914)

15. After this, trench warfare became the norm. It included: • Flooded trenches, rats, mud, artillery shelling, and lack of sleep and food • Death with the average death count at 6400 per day • No man’s land – Space between opposing trenches • Filled with mines, barbed wire, dead bodies, huge holes from artillery • After days of artillery shelling, troops would go “over the top” of the trenches to attack, often retreat, and then counter attack. • May 1915 – Italy signed a secret treaty to join the Allies, opening up a southern front • Feb. 1916 - Battle of Verdun • Won by the Germans against British and French forces • 600000 men lost for 4 miles gained

16. July 1916 - Battle of the Somme • Eventually won by the British • 500000 Germans, 600000 Allies men lost for 5 miles gained • U.S. entrance in April 2, 1917 due to: • Unrestricted submarine warfare • May 2, 1915 American tanker sunk by German U-boat • May 7, 1915 Lusitania is sunk by German U-boat • 128 Americans were killed in the attack • Germany backs off for a time, but resumed attacks in 1917.

17. Oct 1917 – Battle of Caporetto • Austrians, with German reinforcements, push back Italians • Only with British and French help is the advance stopped 20 miles north of Venice • Flu epidemic begins in East Asia and spreads west • Troops moving cause fast spread • 22 million die worldwide • Over 500,000 Americans • March to May 1918 – 2nd Battle of Marne River • The French, led by Marshal Ferdinand Foch and 140000 American Troops defeated the Germans with 350 tanks. • The Zimmerman note • Sent to Mexico April 2, 1917 • Attempted to get Mexico to attack the U.S. on the side of the Central Powers

18. June 1918 - Germans 50 Miles from France were halted at Chateau-Thierry by US and French Forces (50% troop loss). • The use of tank helped halt the attack. • November 1918 - Ottoman, Bulgarians, Austria Hungary had all surrendered at this point • Sept 26, 1918 Battle of Argonne - Leads to armistice • Nov 9, 1918 Armistice due to a revolt against Wilhem II, who fled to the Netherlands • War ends 11/11/18 at 11 am.

19. Eastern Front: • Extended from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea • Russians and Serbs battled Germans, Austria-Hungarians, and Turks (Ottoman Empire) • 1914 – Armenian Massacre 2 million Christians killed by Turks • August 1914 - Battle of Tannenberg • Germans beat 2 Russian Armies • Russia not industrialized which meant short on food, ammo, clothes, etc. due to Germany’s blockade of Baltic Sea and Ottoman Empire’s blockade of Black Sea

20. December 1914 - Limanova • 17-day battle where Austria defeats Russia • Fall of 1915 – Bulgaria joins the Central Powers • With the help of German, Bulgaria overruns Serbia • Feb 1915 to Jan 1916 – Battle of Gallipoli • British, Australian, New Zealand and French troops vs. Ottoman Empire, with help from Germany and Austria-Hungary • Allies Retreat losing 250000 troops • Allies wanted Constantinople to open Russia and Austria via the Danube River through the Bosporus and Dardanelles (Black Sea Entrance)

21. Russian withdrawal from the war • Fall of Czar Nicholas II • Lack of food for population • Lack of victory on the battlefield • March 1917 – March Revolution • Replaced the Czar with a provisional government • Nov.1917 - Communist Revolution • Lead by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin • March 1918 - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Peace with Germany • Surrendered about 25% of their land and population to Germany as part of the treaty • Done with the war

22. Other major battles of World War I include: • Lodz November 1914 • Galicia May 1915 • Kovel June 1916 • Czerowitz June 1916 • Kerensky Offensive July 1917

23. Total Costs of the War… • 8.5-10 million soldiers died • 1 millon civilians died • 21 Million wounded • $350 billion dollars total cost

24. The Peace Process: • Jan 18, 1918 - Versailles Peace Conference • 32 countries in attendance • The Big Four • USA (Woodrow Wilson) • France (Georges Clemenceau) • Great Britain (David Lloyd George) • Italy (Vittorio Orlando) • No Central Power representation • No Russian representation

25. Wilson and the 14 Points • Issued first in Jan. 1918 (before war’s end) • Point 1 - Called for the end of secret treaties • Point 2-5 – Called for freedom of the seas, free trade, reduced armies and navies, and colonies resolved • Points 6-13 - creating new nations (self determination) by ethnic lines • Point 14 – Creation of a “League of Nations” • Executive council (5), General assembly (32))

26. Motives differed during the conference: • Britain • David Lloyd George won reelection on saying he would squeeze Germany dry • Britain wanted revenge and rewards (mostly African colonies) • France • Most of fighting took place on their land • Revenge and security from Germany • Wanted Alsace-Lorraine back, the creation of a buffer zone known as the Rhineland (between Germany and France) • Also wanted reparations from Germany • Italy • Wanted the promise Austrian lands and one of its captured cities • US wanted peace for all (Peace without victory) instead of rewards

27. June 28, 1919 Treaty of Versailles • 5 treaties in total (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman) • Germany • Had to claim guilt for the War (War Guilt Clause) • Lost land • Alsace-Lorraine to France • Colonies to League of Nations as Mandates (Controlled but not owned) • Lost armed forces (No subs, planes, and weapons) • Lost money (33 billion over 30 years (reparations) • Germans signed only after threat of more war

28. Austria-Hungary • Divided into Austria and Hungary • Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were created from their lands • Romania and Italy increased in size from their lands • Austria could never unite with Germany • Had to pay reparations • Bulgaria • Lost Aegean Sea coastline to Greece • Had to pay reparations

29. Ottoman Empire • Divided into Turkey • Divided into Palestine, Iraq, Trans-Jordan as mandates under British control • Divided into Syria and Lebanon as mandates under French control • Russia • Romania was increased by their lands • Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were all created from their lands

30. Problems with the Treaty: • Too much put on Germany • Guilt • Debt • Territory was not as justly divided by national/ethnic lines • Not enough given to Japan and Italy as promised • Russia excluded and lost more land than Germany • No American support for the Treaty or the League of Nations