pp27 world war_i__(31_years_of_disaster,_part_1)

World War IWorld War I is primarily a text presentation, with 29 maps & 7 questions. is primarily a text presentation, with 29 maps & 7 questions.

77 refers to 1914-1991, when Soviet communism collapsed; 31 to 1914-77 refers to 1914-1991, when Soviet communism collapsed; 31 to 1914-19451945

OutlineOutline::

I. Overview: Why was World War I an important event?I. Overview: Why was World War I an important event?II. How did Europe lose the peace (long-term causes)?III. Who ruled?IV. How did a local conflict become a world war (short-term causes)?V. Which countries fought on each side?VI. How did America react to the war?VII. What were the goals of each side?VIII. What major events occurred during the war?IX. How did World War I end?X. Why was World War I so disastrous?XI. Epilog: whose fault was the war?XII. Appendix: How did World War I affect German-Americans, especially in the area around San Antonio?

Note: Teachers should print out the text, which includes many footnotes.

31 Years of Disaster:Part 1:World War One 1914-1918Causes,Course of the War,Effects

Text Copyright by Ronald Wiltse, (As of: May 2008)

WARNING!This presentation is stuffed with

information. You must: pay close attention, copy the outline, and study the results

. . . to get the maximum out of it!

0. Geographical preview: Europe

Balkan Peninsula

I. Overview: Why was World War I an important event?

77/315


A. The conflict that started in 1914 lasted 77 years, until 1991.

B. Of that 77 years, the period of war lasted 31 years (1914-1945), with a 21 year break (1918-1939). (In August 1914 most expected that the war would be over within 4 months.)

I. Overview: Why was World War Ian important event?

C. European nations forfeited their position as the world’s leaders.1. Every European government that went to war in 1914 was defeated and destroyed by 1945,

except Great Britain, which went from the world’s most powerful nation to a fourth rate power: Russia/ Soviet Union, 1918 Germany, 1918 & 1945 Austria, 1918 & 1945 France, 1940 Italy, 1944


D. The USA replaced Europe as the world’s greatest power.

E. Two great movements dominated the century, causing monstrous evil. Soviet Communism Nazism

I. Overview: Why was World War Ian important event?

F. Thus, World War I led to the rise of Soviet communism. World War I led to the rise of Nazi Germany. World War I led to World War II. World War I otherwise changed the course of the twentieth century.

II. How did Europe lose the peace (long-term causes)?

A. Building conflicts made war almost inevitable.1. German actions.

a) The emergence of the German Empire in 1871 upset the balance of power carefully developed in Europe over the preceding centuries.

Yet Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor (and actual ruler) of the German Empire, skillfully kept his potential enemies from encircling him with alliances.

France resented Germany for taking Alsace-Lorraine away from France in 1870.

10


b) Incompetent Wilhelm II took personal control of Germany in 1890, but could not maintain the high quality of Bismarck’s leadership.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, by needlessly building up the German navy, threatened British naval power which was essential to maintain its empire.

John Tenniel, The Firing of Bismarck


2. Three groups clashed in Balkan Peninsula. As the power of the Ottoman Empire declined in

the Balkans, the native Slavic peoples of the Balkans wanted to rule themselves.

Austria wanted to expand its power into the area. Russia wanted to prevent such Austrian

expansion.

Languages in the

Austro-Hungarian

Empire reflect the

ethnic diversity of

the Empire’s

inhabitants.

Balkan Peninsula

Austro-Hungarian Empireshowing languages spoken

What future Europeancountries do you see

inside the bordersof the Austrian-

Hungarian Empire?

II. How did Europe lose the peace (long-term causes)?B. Political leaders built

entangling alliances. (In his

Farewell Address of 1797

George Washington warned

Americans of entangling alliances)—an

entangling alliance involves one country with

the fortunes of another country, even if the first

country doesn’t want to get involved.


1. Germany allied itself with Austria-Hungary, which Russia resented.

(Austria-Hungary comprised a multi-national empire, and as such saw itself as unique among European nations. Usually, we will refer to it as Austria here.)

15


2. Unlike Bismarck, the German Kaiser could not prevent his potential enemies from forming an alliance—The Triple Entente (England, France, and Russia)—which forced Germany into the possibility of a two-front war—against France in the west and Russia in the east.

III. Who ruled?

George V (King of England), cousin of Wilhelm II* (Kaiser of the German Empire),

cousin of Nicholas II* (Czar of the Russian Empire), Franz Josef* (Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian

Empire) Raymond Poincaré, President of France

*These leaders and their ruling houses, all in countries that lost the war, lost their monarchies as a result of the war.

III. Who ruled?

George V (King of England), cousin of

Nicholas II* (Czar of the Russian Empire),

George V (left) and Nicholas II

III. Who ruled?

Wilhelm II* (Kaiser of the German Empire), cousin of

20

III. Who ruled?

Franz Josef* (Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire)

*These leaders and their ruling houses, all in countries that lost the war, lost their monarchies as a result of the war.

IV. How did a local conflict become a world war (short-term causes)?

A. Foolish leaders allowed their countries to drift into war.1. A Serbian nationalist assassinated the heir to

Austrian throne, unleashing a chain of events that led to a localized war between Austria and Serbia. This war within days became a worldwide war; thus this event is called the match that ignited the Great War.

Serbia, in black, east of Bosnia and its main city, Sarajevo. Many Serbs lived in Bosnia.

The assassin, Gavrillo Princep, and Franz

Ferdinand with Sophie.

Car in which Franz Ferdinand and hiswife were riding in when they were

shot.

25


2. Austria used the assassination as an excuse to move against Serbia, which Austria wanted to dominate.

Evidence of direct involvement of the Serbian government was not found.

Austrian citizens feared that a local war against Serbia would escalate into a feared general war, but that did not stop their government from moving forward.


3. Germany unconditionally backed Austria in its conflict with neighbor Serbia, oblivious to the dangers involved in giving Austria so much power (the “blank check”).

What doesgiving

someonea blank

check mean?


4. Serbia yielded to Austrian demands, but Austria attacked anyway.


5. Russia, to support Serbia, mobilized for war against Germany.


6. Germany responded by declaring war against Russia.

30


7. Because war with Russia would mean war with Russia’s ally France, Germany declared war on France, hoping to defeat France before Russia could prepare its army to fight.

German route of attack.

The German plan was to encircle Paris, forcing

France to surrender.

To do this, however, the German army had to

march through Belgium.


8. When Germany attacked Belgium, the UK declared war on Germany.


9. At this point, each nation involved justified itself by claiming that it had been attacked.


B. Events of the last week of July 1914 occurred at such a rapid-fire pace that the diplomats involved could not think clearly.


The “week” of war declarations: July 28-August 4, 1914 Tues.,7/28 Austria declared war on Serbia 7/30 general mobilization of Russian army 8/1 Germany declared war on Russia and mobilized France mobilized, (assumed declaration of Russia

against Germany, but not actually declared) 8/2 Germany issued an ultimatum to Belgium

demanding passage to France 8/3 Germany declared war on France France declared war on Germany Tues., 8/4 Germany declared war on Belgium, attacked

Belgium UK declared war on Germany

35


The “week” of war declarations: July 28-August 4, 1914Tues.,7/28 Austria declared war on Serbia7/30 general mobilization of Russian army

8/3 Germany declared war on FranceFrance declared war on Germany

Tues., 8/4 Germany declared war on Belgium, attacked Belgium

UK declared war on Germany

8/2 Germany issued an ultimatum to Belgium demanding

passage to FranceIn 8 days, most ofEurope was at war!

8/1 Germany declared war on Russia and mobilizedFrance mobilized, (assumed declaration of Russia against Germany, but not actually declared

V. Which countries fought on each side?A. Two camps arose before the war:

The Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

The Triple Entente: Britain, France, Russia.

V. Which countries fought on each side?B. During the war, with slight changes, these

became: The Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary,

the Ottoman Empire. The Allies: Britain, France, Russia, and, with a

little hesitation, Italy.

Original lineup:

Pink:Central Powers

Red:Allies

Other colors:

Countries unattached in August 1914

During World War One,

Allies* were on the Central Powers. *all eyes

40

V. Which countries fought on each side?C. Overview:

The Triple Entente: became The Allies:

United Kingdom United Kingdom

France France

Russia Russia

Italy

The USA

(32 countries total)

V. Which countries fought on each side?C. Overview:

The Triple Alliance: became The Central Powers:

Germany Germany

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary

Italy Ottoman Empire

[ ? Which goes with which?

Allies

Triple Alliance

Central Powers

Triple Entente

45

VI. How did America react to the war?A. President Woodrow Wilson initially called

on Americans to remain neutral in thought as well as action. On January 22, 1917

Wilson calls for peace

without victory.

VII. What were the goals of each side? Germany – support Austria, gain more land,

weaken Britain and Russia Austria – to avoid damage by nationalistic

groups such as the Serbs, gain parts of Serbia and Romania

Ottoman Empire – to survive

VII. What were the goals of each side? Russia – to defend Serbia and Romania England – to defend Belgium France – to defend itself, recover Alsace-

Lorraine The USA – to make the world safe for

democracy, defend its bankers’ loans, & defend its threatened maritime economy.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?A. Germany feared a two-front war. Thinking

that Russia would take several weeks to field its army, Germany decided that this time provided a window of opportunity to quickly defeat France first, then fight Russia.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?B. To defeat France

quickly the Schlieffen Plan called for German troops to race through Belgium, swing south, and capture Paris. The plan failed and a two-front war followed. The Schlieffen Plan

50

Why the Schlieffen Plan failed—too much Belgian resistance and a weakened attack

force

50

. . . as planned . . . as carried out

The first major battle was the Battle of the Marne.

How did the French reserve troops get

from Paris to the Marne battlefield

?

Paris taxis!

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?C. The Battle of the Marne (September 5-12,

1914) stopped the German advance, saving France.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?D. While other fronts moved, the Western

Front ground down to a stalemate.1. The border between the

contestants hovered about

a seldom-moving line run-

ning from Belgium, across

northeastern France, to Switzerland. German trench

55

A stalemate

meant trench

warfare.2. The title of Erich Maria

Remarque’s novel about

the western front can be

translated Nothing New on the Western Front.

William Orpen, Dead Soldiers in a Trench

William Orpen,

Thiepval [in winter]

C.R.W. Nevison, Paths of Glory

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?E. Submarine warfare gave Germany a

chance against the superior British navy.1. Because the US government refused to stop American citizens from riding dangerously on British ships, the Germans stopped submarine warfare to avoid pushing the US into the war.

60


chance against the superior British navy. 2. The event that frightened

Germany into ending sub-

marine warfare was Amer-

ican reaction to the sink-

ing of the British liner Lus-

itania in May of 1915, in

which 128 Americans died.

Warning given to Lusitania passengers by German officials dockside:

NOTICE! TRAVELLERS intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travelers sailing in the war zone on the ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.

IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY,Washington, D.C. April 22, 1915

Lusitania

recruiting

poster


chance against the superior British navy.3. Eventually Germany had to

resume unrestricted submarine

warfare, knowing that would draw

the US into the war. It hoped to

prevail before the US could make

a difference.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?F. The US slid into the war: The United

States maintained a false neutrality and slipped ever closer to the United Kingdom, overlooking British violations of international law, but not those of the Central Powers.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?F. The US slid into the war:

1. Because of the strong British navy, the Allies could take delivery of vital supplies produced in the United States, while the Central powers could not.

65

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?F. The US slid into the war:

2. Finally, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany, which it did on April 6, 1917, ¾ of the way through the war. It followed with a declaration against Austria-Hungary on Dec. 7.

Because of the time needed to train and outfit American soldiers, it was not until 14 months later

that American forces were able to take a

significant role in the war, meaning that they fought

for only the last five months of the war.

General John Pershing led the American

Expeditionary Force.

If copying, copy this short form:

3. It took 14 months for US troops to get into the war; the war ended 5 months later.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?G. Russia faced problems.

1. The poorly equipped Russian people suffered greatly during the war.

2. Russian soldiers,

although dying at a

lower rate than other

major combatants,

lost the will to fight.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?

G. Russia faced problems.3. The Czar refused to

pull out of the war.

4. Democrats overthrew the Czar’s government in 1917 (but continued to fight the war).

Czar Nicholas II

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?G. Russia faced problems.

5. Lenin led the Russian Communists (Bolsheviks) in a second Revolution in 1917 (Nov. 7, 1917) and pulled Russia out of the war (December 22), despite the Allies’ plea not to do so.

6. The key question among the Allies at the time: which would have a greater impact, Russia pulling out of the war (Dec. 1917), or America entering the war (in effect, June 1918)?

70

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?

G. Russia faced problems.

Communists—among others—believed that the upper and lower classes were natural enemies, as shown in the painting From the Depths by William Balfour-Kerr.

Lenin needed to go from Zurich to Petrograd, but had to convince the German government to let a Russian communist travel through Germany (he promised to overthrow the Russian Government and withdraw from the war).

The German government allowed Lenin’s party to travel through Germany by sealed train.

St. Petersburgbecame

Petrogradbecame

Leningradbecame

St. Petersburg

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?H. Eventually the Germans adopted a policy

of infiltration. (Infiltration means that weak points are attacked, regardless of the unevenness of the line that results. That approach, of course, has been followed in all wars since then.)

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?I. The influenza epidemic of 1918 hurt war

efforts. In the last weeks of the war, influenza broke

out, especially among troops living in crowded conditions.

From the middle of September 1918, more people were killed by influenza in the next 4 months than died from the plague in the century after 1347.

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?J. Both sides used

propaganda posters to influence the public.

75

VIII. What major events occurred during the war?Wars must be financed.

Another American poster, with an appeal to history (remember the Hundred Years War?).

The classic American recruiting poster.

This iconic poster lives on. Here is

an exampleseen in a window

in Romania in 2007.

But others were used too.

Above: from Australia

80

Above: from Australia

r German poster in

the style of the

great German

artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)Do you remember this picture:?

Then, as now.

Not all propaganda was from a government.

Otto Dix, Troops Advancing under Gas Attack

Do you think this kind of art work couldhave been presented during the war?

IX. How did World War I end?A. The entry of the US threw the balance of

fighting to the Allies’ side (Germany’s new policy of infiltration came too late).

Stereoscope slide,

“Lafayette, we are here.”

90

Childe Hassam,

Allies Day

IX. How did World War I end?B. In the fall of 1918, Germany faced great

social upheaval if the war didn’t end quickly; thus, its military leaders surrendered.1. Germany’s civilian leaders signed the armistice

only because its military leaders ordered them to.


social upheaval if the war didn’t end quickly; thus, its military leaders surrendered.2. The armistice occurred on November 11, 1918,

at 11 AM—the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918.


social upheaval if the war didn’t end quickly; thus, its military leaders surrendered.3. In the 1920s, some German military leaders and

German anti-Semites claimed that the military had not lost the war; rather, the surrender was due to traitorous false German civilian leaders. These so-called traitors were all Jews, and thus began the myth of the Jewish stab-in-the-back.

IX. How did World War I end?C. The winners (France, the UK, and the US)

met in Paris to dictate terms of the peace to Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.1. American President Woodrow Wilson proposed

his Fourteen Points, which generally were rejected as too idealistic.

95

Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

The Signing of Peace in the Hall of

Mirrors, Versailles, 28 June 1919, by

William Orpen,

in the Imperial War Museum, London

Do you remember Versailles?

IX. How did World War I end?D. The Treaty of Versailles treated the losers

harshly.1. Germany’s leaders were forced to admit guilt for

the war and agree to pay damages to the victors. This and other mistreatments caused resentment

among Germans, thus paving the way for Hitler.


harshly.2. Wilson’s demand for self-determination for most

ethnic groups justified the destruction of the empires of the losers.

◄ Germany lost land to the newly reconstructed Poland, and Alsace-Lorraine went back to France.


harshly.◄The victors divided Austria-Hungary into

many pieces. Hungary won its complete independence from Austria. The victors created Yugoslavia out of parts of Austria

and other countries. Czechoslovakia joined two major ethnic groups into one

country (together they would have a better chance to defend themselves against future aggression).

Land went to the new Poland, and to Romania.


harshly.◄The victors reduced the

Ottoman Empire to its core,

Turkey, while the newly

created territories of Syria,

Lebanon, Trans-Jordan,

Palestine, Arabia, and Iraq

were assigned to the leader-

ship of the UK and France.

100


harshly. Even Russia, which had pulled out of the war

toward the end as a loser, lost much land . . . to the newly created Poland. to the new ethnically centered states of Finland, Estonia,

Latvia, and Lithuania. Wilson’s proposal for a League of Nations, to

prevent future warfare, was adopted.

IX. How did World War I end?E. Review of the territorial changes:

1. Poland. The Polish people had lost their independence in the 1700s (to Prussia, Russia, and Austria). The WWI winners took land away from Germany, Russia, and Austria to restart Poland.


To give Poland access

to the sea, the winners

cut Germany into two

parts and made Danzig

an international city.

This division will remain a sore point

for Germans.


2. Russia. Russia lost much

land to Germany when the

new communist government

dropped out of the war. The

winners gave back only

some of it.

Land taken from Russia in black.


3. Austria-Hungary.

After Hungary

became indepen-

dent and other

land went to

countries old and

new, only the core of the Empire—today’s Austria—was left, ruled from its giant capital, Vienna.

105


4. Germany. Germany became a divided country when a strip in the northeast was given to Poland. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, and all land west of a line drawn 50 kilometers east of the Rhine River was demilitarized.

Do yousee any

otherchanges?

New and changed countrieswith land from Russia:

Finland

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

part of Poland & Rumania

from Austria-Hungary:

(Austria)

(Hungary)

Czechoslovakia

part of Romania

part of Yugoslavia

part of Poland

part of Italy

from Germany:

part of Poland


5. Ottoman Empire. The winners broke up the Ottoman Empire, which itself had nearly 500 years earlier conquered the Byzantine Empire. The core became Turkey. Its former Middle East land was turned over to France and England, who created Transjordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Arabia, and Iraq.

New Middle eastern countries from the ottoman

empire Mandate for France:

Syria

Mandates for Britain:

Palestine

Transjordan

Iraq

Independent: parts of Arabian Peninsula

Green areas were already under

British control by 1914.

(Mandates were areas assigned for European control by

the League of Nations in 1920)

X. Why was World War I so disastrous?A. New technology changed the nature of

fighting: The new technology included the machine gun,

barbed wire barricades, and trench warfare. Mustard “gas” caused much suffering.

110

X. Why was World War I so disastrous?A. New technology changed

the nature of fighting: (The airplane was in its

infancy and generals disliked the tank and therefore they nearly always used them ineffectively.)

First American Air Victories, by John McCoy

First American Air Victories, by John McCoy

President:Here are some new

weapons.General:

Tanks!President:

You’re welcome.

X. Why was World War I so disastrous?

B. The military leaders used outdated tactics: They relied on horse-mounted soldiers (cavalry)

and bayonets;

115

Horses could also die!

X. Why was World War I so disastrous?B. The military leaders used outdated tactics:

They practiced the direct infantry assault (i.e., charging against machine guns), and

They followed the doctrine of uniform advance, where soldiers would not advance into a point of weak resistance unless their entire line could advance at the same rate.

X. Why was World War I so disastrous?C. One result of outdated tactics was

stalemate on the Western front (each side built a long line of trenches, separated from each other by a no-man’s land ).

D. Another result of the above was massive casualties.

XI. Epilog: whose fault was the war?A. Many on all sides engaged in wishful

thinking. “There will be ups and downs. But it is impossible

that things won’t turn out all right.” Jean Jaurès, French socialist leader, July 30, 1914 (quoted in Strachen, The First World War, page 41.)

B. Leaders on all sides led poorly.

C. Germany was dangerously aggressive.

120

XII. Appendix: How did World War I affect German-Americans, especially in the area around San Antonio?

A. The climate gradually turned against German culture.

1. Childish name changes took place. e.g., Sauerkraut became liberty cabbage.

2. German newspapers in America often took a pro-

German stance up to the declaration of war,

stimulating a backlash against things German.


Making His Dollars Fight, cartoon approving of mistreatment of good Americans just because

their ancestors came from German-speaking lands

(1917 cartoon from The Baltimore American)


B. German-Americans found themselves on the defensive.

1. Germans came to America because they preferred it to their German-speaking homelands,

often fleeing oppressive governments. By 1914, some were third generation Americans, yet they were often treated with suspicion by Anglo- Americans, and sometimes harassed.



2. German language public schools around San

Antonio switched to English.

3. German-Americans stopped speaking German

in public.



4. Some anglicized their names, e.g., Schmidt to

Smith.

5. Only in the late 1950s did German-American

Texans begin to openly celebrate their German

heritage again.

125

The following slides are for use with the vocabulary worksheet.

Alsace-Lorraine

OttomanEmpire

Triple Entente and Triple Alliance

pp27 world war_i__(31_years_of_disaster,_part_1)

Education