The Great War

1. The Great War August 1, 1914 – November 11, 1918

2. The Major Players The Central Powers The Entente • The German Empire • The Austro-Hungarian Empire • AKA “The Habsburg Empire” • The Ottoman Empire • AKA “Turkey” • Bulgaria (October 1915) • And on the other side… • The Russian Empire • The French Empire • The British Empire • Serbia • Belgium • Japan • Greece • Italy (1915) • Portugal (1916) • Brazil (1916) • Romania (1916) • ‘Merica (unofficial status)

3. Casualties: What does that mean? • France and Germany lost more than 3% of their populations • France – 78% of its forces suffered casualties • Germany – 56% of its forces suffered casualties • Deaths • 9 million died as a direct result of the war • 6 million died indirectly • In all • 15 million seriously injured • 7 million taken as POWs • Over 30 million casualties Not including civilian deaths! Or genocide.

4. What got the civilians? The usual. • Hunger • Disease • Flu epidemic of 1918-1919 • The Armenian genocide • The Russian Revolution (and subsequent civil war)

5. The First Total War • The military goes to the front and fights(duh). • The civilians produce materials for war • Weapons and ammunition • Food • Transportation • Medical treatment • POW camps • Feed for horses • It was supposed to be “over by Christmas.” • It became a war of attrition (for both people and materials).

6. Major Patterns following WWI

7. Busted up Empires  New nation-states • The Central Powers and Russia • Poland, Hungary, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, etc. • Ottoman Empire • Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine • Expansion of British and French territories in the Middle East “The Sick Old Man of Europe”

8. Compare and Contrast 1914 1918

9. Reorganization of Governments Colonial Resistance! Communism! Fascism! • India • China • Korea • Egypt • Paved the way for later independence movements • Russian Revolution in March/February of 1917 • Right-wing movements in reaction to post-war issues: • Unemployment • Hyperinflation • Repparations

10. In the Beginning

11. In the Beginning: Blame it on the Balkans • Serbia wanted more land for ethnic Serbs in the Balkans • Fought several small wars over this • Gained ground and started making Vienna nervous

12. Franz Ferdinand Gets Taken Out The Archduke Franz Ferdinand June 28, 1914 • Visits Bosnia on Habsburg business • Assassinated with his wife by Serbian nationalists (aka “The Black Hand”)

13. Secret Deals and Public Demands Secret Deals Public Demands • German support promised for Austria • Harvests begin in earnest in Central Europe • Will Russia support Serbia? • Allow Austrian investigation • Cease anti-Austrian propaganda Demands rejected. War declared.

14. It all happened so fast… • July 28 – Austria declares war on Serbia • July 30 – Russia mobilizes to support Serbia • August 1 – Germany declares war on Russia • A pause • Germany’s location • The entente • August 3 – Germany declares war on France • August 4 – Great Britain declares war on Germany • And just like that… we’ve got a war on our hands.

15. In the even earlier beginning…

16. More than just the Black Hand • Industrialization  social changes • Urban migration • Demand for workers’ rights • Spread of democracy • Increased enfranchisement • Constitutional monarchy • Austria, Germany, Russia, Turkey • Realpolitik (realist foreign policy) • Many alliances made to stabilize power • Worked well from 1815 – 1914

17. Developing International Press • “Yellow journalism” • Little or no legitimate, well-researched news • Instead, sensationalism / nationalism to sell papers • Pushed rulers to extend their empires and be aggressive in their foreign policies Kaiser Wilhelm II Tsar Nicholas II

18. Germany: Late to the Party • Available land for overseas colonies snapped up quickly • Powerful economy + vocal nationalists = conflict • Expansion overland, not overseas

19. So Territorial • Britain wanted to maintain its colonial dominance in Africa and Asia. • Feared German military’s growth and expansion • Russia wanted land in every direction • Central Asia • Southeast Europe • Ottoman territory • Also feared German expansion • Ottoman Empire • Slipping due to lack of industrialization • Antiquated military compared to other powers • Internal affairs meddled with by Russians, French, and British

20. The Alliance System The Triple Alliance, 1882 Franco-Russian Alliance, 1892 • Germany • Austria-Hungary • Italy • Mutual fear of German expansion • An attempt to balance power and keep Germany from attacking either of them • Britain joined in 1907

21. The Schlieffen Plan: Fighting a War on Two Fronts • Developed in 1904 • Just as Russia was wrapping up Russo-Japanese War • Attack France in a massive offensive and attain quick surrender • Shift troops to the east to face Russia • Depended on quick defeat and turnaround

22. Time’s Running Out for Schlieffen • France fortifying its border with Germany • Russia loaned money to build up its military and transportation infrastructure • Had to act by 1916 or it would be too late.

23. The Threat of Mobilization • Timing was crucial. • Hesitation, disastrous. • Mobilization of troops almost equivalent to an act of war • When FF killed, fear of being left behind pushed everyone into war

24. The Chain of Friendship

25. A Few More Things • Invitational Meet in Rockwall on Saturday, October 26 • Rankings by next week • Prepare for the battle battle. • Who’s bringing breakfast?