SSWH16 The student will demonstrate an understanding of long-term causes of World War I and its global impact.
LONG-TERM CAUSES OF WWI:
M. A. I. N.
MILITARISM: • Glorification of the military; war was made to be romantic
• Countries feel threatened, start building up military
• Navy was most important branch to build up
Alliances
• European nations signed alliances with one another promising to defend each other if attacked
• These alliances led to widespread distrust among nations
ALLIANCES: Feeling threatened by expansion & industrialization, countries began to form alliances with each other in case of war
TRIPLE ALLIANCE (CENTRAL POWERS):
• GERMANY
• AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
• OTTOMAN EMPIRE
• BULGARIA
TRIPLE ENTENTE (ALLIED POWERS):
• FRANCE
• RUSSIA (1917)
• GREAT BRITAIN
• UNITED STATES (1917)
• SERBIA
• ITALY (LATER)
IMPERIALISM: • Competition to gain more territory with access to more natural
resources and build the largest empire led to tension among nations
NATIONALISM: • Strong sense of pride for one’s country
• Big in France & Germany
• Strong nationalism in Russia that caused Austria-Hungry to feel threatened
• Balkan region: highest area of tension due to nationalism (known as the “powder keg of Europe”
a. Identify the causes of the war; include Balkan nationalism,
entangling alliances, and militarism. • Balkan nationalism:Many countries* in the Balkans wanted to extend and protect their borders
- Groups within these countries wanted to fight Austria to gain ethnic territory
*Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia are located in the Balkan region*
Balkan Region
SHORT-TERM CAUSE OF WWI:
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria)
• Sarajevo, Bosnia
• June 28, 1914
• Assassin: Gavrilo Princip
• Member of the Black Hand, Serbian nationalist group
• Austria declares war on Serbia
ALLIANCES KICK IN: • Austria-Hungary calls on
Germany
• Serbia asked Russia for help
• Russia asks France for help
• Germany declares war on France
• Germany invades Belgium, Great Britain declares war on Germany
WORLD WAR 1: CONDITIONS ON THE HOME FRONT
WESTERN FRONT:
• Germany v. France
• Began digging trenches to protect their armies from enemy fire (trench warfare)
• Caused a stalemate; battle lines remained unchanged in France for 4 years
BATTLE OF VERDUN: • February 21-December 18, 1916
• Lasts 10 months
• German strategy: to inflict mass casualties on the French in hopes of taking France
• One of the longest & most devastating battles of the war
• 976,000 deaths
• French won
TRENCH WARFARE: • Aerial of trenches
• No Man’s Land
“going over the top” was the only way to take territory
“trench foot”
EASTERN FRONT: • Germany v. Russia
• Russia was the least industrialized great power during WWI
• Poorly equipped to fight a modern war
• Russia left war in 1917 due to revolution
NEW MODERN TECHNOLOGY: • Machine guns
• Long range artillery gun
• Poison gas
• Tanks
• Airplanes
• Submarines (U-boats)
THE END: • USA joins Allies, helps Allied Powers win
• Germany signed an armistice on Nov. 11, 1918 at 11 AM
• Paris Peace Conference:
*victories Allies met in Paris to decide Europe’s fate
*”Big Four:” US, France, Britain, Italy
*Wilson wanted “peace without victory”
*Fourteen Points
*League of Nations
c. Explain the major decisions made in the Versailles Treaty; include German
reparations and the mandate system that replaced Ottoman control.
Versailles Treaty (1919)
• German Reparations:-Germany had to admit total guilt for starting the war-Germany made to pay for the war, money they didn’t have-German navy and army limited in size
• Mandate system:-Territories of Germany and the Ottoman Empire, were taken away, and governed by the League of Nations until they could establish self-government
Wilson’s 14 Points and the League of Nations
• Woodrow Wilson proposed 14 Points, or ideas during the Versailles talks including the formation of the League of Nations
• The League would meet to try and prevent further world conflicts
• Though European countries joined the League, Congress voted against it
EUROPE IN SHAMBLES: • Because of stress of war, governments collapsed in:
1. Russia
2. Germany
3. Austria-Hungary
4. Ottoman Empire
HAPSBURG DYNASTY: • Family that ruled in Austria-Hungary for many centuries
• Collapsed after WWI due to food shortages, unstable government, influenced by Russian Revolution, and toll of war
COST OF WAR: • More than 8.5 million men died in battle
• About 18 million had been wounded, many left disabled for life
• 6-13 million civilians lost their lives
• Most countries put all their money & resources into war, were left poor and dissatisfied (about $208 million)
• Lost an entire generation of men