World War I: Causes, Battles, and Consequences

1. World War I Unit 7 Lecture 2

2. WWI KEY WORDS self-determination trench warfare Zionism Balfour Declaration reparations Article 231 Reparations – Germany was to pay for the cost of the war (estimated at 15 – 20 billion)

3. WWI KEY WORDS Triple Alliance Paris Peace Conference Versailles Treaty US President - Wilson League of Nations –brainchild of Wilson--- US didn’t end up joining it

4. Long Range Tensions • Scramble for Africa • Alsace and Lorraine from Franco-Prussian War • Majority of people were French • Balkans from the Crimean War • Austria, Russia, and Turks • Naval Race • William II and GB

5. Problems in the Balkans • Russia wanted it for the straits • Austria wanted it for expansion • Bismarck was just nervous about the whole situation • Serbia and Montenegro defeated after an attempt at independence • Russia intervened with Austrian permission • Treaty of San Stefano created Bulgaria, a Russian satellite state • Led to Congress of Berlin

6. Causes of War • France occupied Tunisia • Italy didn’t like this • Triple Alliance formed 1882 • Germany, Italy and Austria- Hungary • Italy agreed to stay neutral if war broke out between Austria-Hungary and Russia • Germany and Austria-Hungary would protect Italy from France

7. Arms Race • European powers copied the Germans • universal conscription • large reserves • detailed planning of the Prussian system • Armies and navies were expanded • France and Germany doubled in size between 1870 and 1914 • British navy vs. Dreadnought • Britain increased their output of battleships • Germany increased as a reaction • Disarmament • Hague Conferences of 1899 and 1907 • Didn’t do much

8. 2nd Problem in the Balkans • Balkan Wars of 1912-13 • Balkan States drove the Turks back to Constantinople • They fought among themselves over territory • Tensions between Serbia and A-H increased when A-H forced Serbia to give up some of its gains

9. World War I

10. Immediate Causes • Assassination and funeral • “blank check” • Russian mobilization

11. Serbian Peasants

12. The Actual War • Schlieffen Plan • Western Front • Trench Warfare & “no man’s land” • Gas Warfare and newtechnologies • Tanks • Ships • U-boats • Machine guns • Verdun • cemetery • Russian losses to Germans and Austrians • Italy switched sides • Addition of Bulgaria and the Arabs

13. United States • Tried to stay out • GB tried to cut of German supply lines • Unrestricted submarine warfare • Lusitania • US enters on April 6, 1917

14. Home Front • War economics and total war • Germany • War Raw Materials Board • Problems with rationing food • Hindenburg and Ludendorff set up military dictatorship • GB • Rationed food and rent control • France • German occupation made materials hard to get • Clemenceau • Russia, A-H, and Italy • Just couldn’t get it together

15. The Queen Mary

21. End of the War • Entry of U.S. tips the scales • Germany created a democratic government that sought peace on basis of 14 points • 14 points – idealistic principles included self-determination, open diplomacy (no more secret treaties), establishment of an int’l. organization to deal with problems

22. The End of World War I – Paris Peace Conference • Took place at Versailles – 1919/20 • 5 separate treaties signed • The big four (main players) • Britain: Lloyd George • U.S.: Wilson • France: Clemenceau • Italy: Orlando (left early because he was upset)

23. “Peace without victors” • Peace talks began as open sessions, but soon became closed to include on the victors • Soviet Union excluded • Germany excluded • Presented with a treaty and forced to accept it, not allowed to have any input • No negotiating allowed for them

24. League of Nations • Wilson’s brainchild • Body of sovereign states agreed to common policies and consultation in the interest of the common good esp. if war were a threat • Refusal to obey league could result in military actions and economic sanctions • No real power, no armed forces at its disposal • Germany and Russia excluded again

25. The Versailles Treaty • Despite the country was relatively new to the map of Europe, no one sought to dismantle it • France received • Alsace and Lorraine • Occupation of the Saar basin 15 years • G west of the Rhine was a demilitarized zone • Army reduced to 100, 000, no navy except for the coast, warplanes, subs, tanks, heavy artillery, and poison gas banned

26. Versailles cont… • Germany lost all overseas colonies • A-H gone – replaced by 5 new states • Article #231 Reparations – Germany was to pay for the cost of the war (estimated at 15 – 20 billion) • To be paid in installments • F and GB worried might not be able to pay U.S. back, so they call for G to pay for all of war • War guilt (blame for the war) part of the clause

27. Problems with Art. #231 • Germany did not want to saddle all of the blame for the war – they did not feel they were solely responsible as the clause read • Required to accept treaty without negotiations • naval blockade

28. Treaties of St. Germain and Trianon • St. Germain (Austria) • Hapsburgs fall • Split A-H • Outlawed unification with G as an attempt to weaken G • Trianon (Hungary) • Recognized split • Hungary lost 70 % of land, was to be carved into new states