World War I

1914-1918

M.A.N.I.A

1. Militarism

2. Alliances

3. Nationalism

4. Imperialism

5. Assassination

Causes of WWI1. MILITARISM

Bertha von Suttner from AustriaLay Down your Arms (1889)

Germany had surged ahead of Britain industrialization in the 1890s.

Britain strives to have a fleet of ships larger than any two of its rivals

1898 Kaiser Wilhelm II expands German Navy

By WWI both Germany and Britain have Dreadnoughts

Causes of WWI

2. ALLIANCES– 1870, Balance of power upset by the

Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian WarBismarck seeks to isolate France and is

concerned about Russia who blamed Germany for Russia's frustrated efforts to get Balkan Territory

1879, Dual Alliance; Germany and Austria

Causes of WWI

Triple Alliance, 1881Italy joins Germany and Austria looks

for support for its imperialistic agenda in the Mediterranean and Africa

Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty, 1887Secret agreement. The two countries

promise neutrality if either goes to war with another country

Kaiser Wilhem II refused to renew the treaty after Bismarck leaves in 1890

Causes of WWI

Britain in “Splendid Isolation” after 1891Ends with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance

in 1902 Entente Cordial (1904)

Britain and French settle all colonial disputes in Africa

Britain sees a coming crisis with Germany

Causes of WWI

Triple Entente, 1907Britain, Russia and France ally in

reaction to the Triple AllianceNot a formal alliance

Europe was dividing into armed camps.

Causes of WWI

3. NATIONALISM The Eastern Question

A weak Ottoman Empire withdraws from the Balkans. Now what?

Pan-SlavismSerbs, Bosnians, Solvenes, and

Croats want a single state Russia focuses on the Balkans

after it's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War

Causes of WWI

First Balkan Crisis The Young Turks led by Pasha set up

a parliamentary government in the Ottoman Empire1911-1912, Italy takes Libya.

Exposes Ottoman weakness. 1908, Austria annexes Bosnia-

HerzegovinaViolation of Congress of Berlin

(1878)Should have caused a war, but it

did not.

Causes of WWI

First Balkan War, 1912 Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria allied to

drive out the TurksIn less than a month, the Balkan

territories were divided among the Balkan states

Serbia tries to get access to the Adriatic sea, but is blocked when Austria created Albania.

Causes of WWISecond Balkan War, 1913

Bulgaria attacks Serbia and Greece Upset that these two countries

were acquiring territory in Macedonia

Serbia backed by Russia defeats Bulgaria. Gets Macedonia and Albania for the momentAustria with German help prevents

Serbia from holding on to Albania Russia humiliated

Causes of WW I4. IMPERIALISM

The expansion of one nation’s authority by the establishment of colonies in another’s territory.

The more colonies a nation possesses, the richer and more powerful the nation often becomes.

Competition for the colonies was clearly a cause of WWI.

Causes of WWI

Berlin Conference 1885Germany challenges other nations

Kruger Telegram, 1902Kaiser congratulates Boer victories

Algerciras Conference, 1906Kaiser urges Moroccan

Independence in spite of France Second Moroccan Crisis, 1911

Germany sends gunboat to Morocco

Assassination leads to war

June 28, 1914—The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was killed while visiting the city of Sarajevo in the province of Bosnia.

Serbian nationalist, Gaveliro Princip jumped out of a crowd and fatally shot the archduke and his wife.

A Chain Reaction Kaiser Wilhelm II pledges unwavering support

to Austria: “the blank check” Austria makes harsh demands of Serbia

July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declares war and begins to attack the next day The Russians stepped in to defend the

Serbs. Mobilizes against Germany and Austria

France mobilizes on the German west border French Plan XVII: get Alsace & Lorraine

A Chain Reaction Aug. 1, Germany declares war on France.

Aug. 3, Germany invades Belgium on the way to France

Aug. 4, Britain declares war on Germany

The Schlieffen Plan Germany’s military plan

In the event of a two-front war Plan to attack France first and defeat them in 6

weeks then redeploy the bulk of the army to defeat Russia. Assumed that Russia, with its lack of railroads,

would take longer to mobilize. Problems:

Belgium did not allow German troops to pass. Germany declares war on Belgium.

Great Britain was an ally of Belgium and declared war on Germany.

By September 13, six million soldiers were on the march across Europe.

WESTERN FRONT—Germany fought the French and British.

EASTERN FRONT—Germany fought Russians.

Battle of the Marne

By Sept. 2, 1914 the Germans had pushed to within 26 miles of Paris.

At the Battle of the Marne, the French halted the German advance with the help of the British.

End of Mobilization effort Belgium had proved surprisingly resistant French were not lured into Alsace and Lorraine Russians mobilize to the East more rapidly than

the Germans expectedTreaty of London, 1915

Italy joins the Allied forces

Trench Warfare

When the Germans withdrew to a more defensible position and entrenched, the “Race to the Sea” began. Each army tried to outflank the other with its trenches until the trenches extended all the way across France to the North Sea.

The Front remained basically unchanged for nearly 3 ½ years.

Trench Warfare The war in the west was fought from two

parallel lines of trenches that stretched for 600 miles across France.

Men ate, slept, fought, and died in these miserable ditches.

Front trenches were protected with barbed wire and booby traps.

Between the trenches lay “no-man’s land”. Thousands died trying to advance their line of trenches a few yards.

Trenches were infested with rats, lice and disease.

The Deadly Year of 1916 Battle of Verdun, February

German sought a battle of attrition that would force France to sue for peace

France does not back down. French General Philippe Pétain hailed as a hero

France lost 540,000 men, Germany lost 430,000

Battle of Somme, July

Britain and France try to break German lines

Loses: Britian 420,000; France 200,000; Germany 650,000

New Weapons WWI = the Industrial Revolution in warfare

Machine-guns Leading cause of Causalities First used by the Germans

Tanks Artillery is mobilized

Airplanes Germans develop the first fighter plane (the

Fokker) Machine guns synchronized with the

Propellers

New Weapons Poison gas

Germany use Mustard gas early in the war

Zeppelins (blimps) Used to bomb London and other

civilian targets Radio

Wireless technology revolutionizes warfare

German Submarine U-9 (1910)

German Zeppelin

The Battle on the Eastern Front Russians and Serbs battled Germans,

Austrians and Turks. Central powers gain the advantage

By 1916, Russia’s war effort was near collapse. Russia was not industrialized—lacked supplies Allies were unable to ship supplies to Russia’s ports. Russia had one asset—its numbers. Throughout the war

Russia suffered tremendous battlefield losses (2 million in 1915) but the army was able to rebuild its ranks.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918 Russia wants out of the war After the Russian Revolution Lenin take Russia out of war Germans get ¼ of Russian Territory

Fighting Rages Beyond Europe

Gallipoli Campaign, 1915 Allies attack a region in the Ottoman

empire known as the Dardanelles—a narrow strait that is the gateway to Constantinople.

Goal—defeat and establish a supply line to Russia

Ended in a stalemate 200,000 British troops killed

Fighting Rages Beyond Europe

Middle East– T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia)

– British officer– Lead Arabs to victories over the

Turks

War at Sea Warring nations bought goods from neutral countries.

Each side tried to cut off the flow of supplies to its enemy.

Most trade, especially with the US, was by sea. British Naval Blockade

– British mine the North Sea trying to strangle the Central powers

Unable to use its surface ships, the German navy tried to blockade Britain using submarines, called U-boats.

Germany Sinks the Lusitania On May 7, 1915, a British Luxury liner was

struck by a torpedo The ship exploded and sank, killing 1,298

people including 128 Americans. Germany said the Lusitania had been

carrying arms. Germany apologized and promised not to attack merchant and passenger ships without warning in the future.

US increased trade with the Allies—America had taken sides.

American Neutrality collapses Unrestricted Submarine warfare

Jan. 31, 1917 Kaiser Wilhelm II announced that U-boats would sink all ships in British waters—hostile or neutral—on sight.

The Zimmerman note A telegram sent by the German foreign minister to

the German ambassador in Mexico. The Telegram suggested an alliance between

Mexico and Germany and promised that if war with the US broke out, Germany would support Mexico in recovering”the lost territory in TX, NM and Arizona.”

Sinking of 4 unarmed American merchant ships with a loss of 36 lives.

Americans prepare to fight

April 6, 1917 Congress declared war. The Allies rejoiced, hoping for American suppliers—and soldiers.

When the US entered the war, it had only 200,000 soldiers. Congress quickly authorized a national draft. Soon, 3 million men were drafted. Another 2 million volunteered.

American troops (called the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)) were rushed to France to fill the gaps left by nearly three years of war.

Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points1. No more secret agreements

2. Free navigation of all seas.

3. An end to all economic barriers between countries.

4. Countries to reduce weapon numbers.

5. All decisions regarding the colonies should be impartial

6. The German Army is to be removed from Russia. Russia should be left to develop her own political set-up.

7. Belgium should be independent like before the war.

8. France should be fully liberated and allowed to recover Alsace-Lorraine

9. All Italians are to be allowed to live in Italy. Italy's borders are to "along clearly recognizable lines of nationality."

10. Self-determination should be allowed for all those living in Austria-Hungary.

11. Self-determination and guarantees of independence should be allowed for the Balkan states.

12. The Turkish people should be governed by the Turkish government. Non-Turks in the old Turkish Empire should govern themselves.

13. An independent Poland should be created which should have access to the sea.

14. A League of Nations should be set up to guarantee the political and territorial independence of all states.

The Tide TurnsBreaking the blockade

The Convoy system—was developed to defeat the German U-boats. US Merchant vessels would travel in a large

group with a guard of circling destroyers.

With the US finally in the war, the balance, tipped in the favor of the allies. Their freshness and enthusiasm helped

win the war.

Meuse-Argonne Offensive In March 1918, The Germans mounted one

final, massive attack on the Allies in France. By late May they were within 40 miles of Paris—but the German troops were weakened.

The Allies with the help of 140,000 fresh American troops—launched a counterattack.

July—Allies and Germans met at the Second Battle of The Marne—the central powers crumbled.

November 11, 1918—Germany signs armistice: World War I ends.

Paris Peace Conference The Big Four

David Lloyd George, Britain

Georges Clemenceau, France

Woodrow Wilson, USA

Vittorio Orlando, Italy

Central Powers are left out.

Italy leaves

Treaty of Versailles 1919

Article 231 places sole blame on Germany Germany must pay reparations to Britain and France

Germany army and navy severely reduced

Rhineland demilitarized, Saar coal mines taken over by France

Germany loses all its colonies

League of Nations created Germany and Russia not included

U.S. Senate doesn’t ratify

The Final Toll

Lasted four yearsInvolved 30 nationsBloodiest war in history to that time.

~20 million died~20 million wounded~20 million refugees

Cost: ~$350 billion