WORLD WAR ITHE ROAD TO WAR

The Road to War: Four M.A.I.N. Causes

• Militarism• Policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army

prepared for war. Having a large, strong army made most citizens feel patriotic.

• Massive build up of arms leads to an arms race• New weapons and large standing armies to display

their might• Wilhelm II initiates a large build up of Germany’s

navy

• Alliances• Divides Europe into rival camps • Triple Alliance - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Triple Entente – Great Britain, France, Russia

• Turns a conflict between two nations into a global war

• Imperialism• Rush for colonies leads to rivalries• Clashes over territory and competition for resources

and markets• Germany comes late to the game and wants colonies

• Nationalism• Pride in one’s country – each nation thinks they are

the best• Best and largest armies, most colonies• Want to prove they are the best through war

• The immediate cause: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand• Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is

visiting Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia) with his pregnant wife Sophia

• June 28, 1914 – a bomb is thrown in the Archduke’s car, but the attempt fails• The car speeds away and makes a wrong turn, which allows

Gavrilo Princip to shoot and kill both the Archduke and his wife• Princip was a member of the Black Hand, a secret Serb

nationalist group• Princip is arrested and identified as a Serb

War Begins

• Austria is furious and wants to attack Serbia, but fears Russia will interfere on Serbia’s behalf• Turns to ally Germany, who issues a “blank check”,

stating that Austria can rely on German support no matter what

• Austria issues an ultimatum to Serbia on July 25• Ultimatum = a list of demands• Some of the demands are humiliating and

outrageous, so Serbia rejects some of the demands• Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July 28

– The same day Czar Nicholas II orders the mobilization of the Russian army against Austria-Hungary

• Mobilization = process of assembling troops and supplies and making them ready for war

• In 1914 mobilization is considered an act of war

– Some of the mobilization took place along the German border and Germany declares war on Russia on August 1st

• due to its war plan, Germany then declares war on France on August 3rd

–Plan calls for invading France by going through neutral Belgium

Issues an ultimatum to Belgium demanding the right for German troops to pass through Belgian territory

• On August 4th Germany invades Belgium and Great Britain declares war on Germany for violating Belgian neutrality

• Now most European powers are involved• Will be a war of attrition = wearing down of the enemy’s

resources and morale• World War I, or the Great War, has begun• Germany and Austria-Hungary become known as the

Central Powers • France, Great Britain, Russia, Belgium, and Serbia become

the Allied Powers

The Schlieffen Plan• The Schlieffen Plan - is the German war plan - based on a

two front war against France and Russia• The Schlieffen Plan:• Send 90% of army against France – sweep around Paris• Send 10% of army against Russia• Need a quick victory against France so they can turn entire

army against slower mobilizing Russia• Why Implemented:• Thought Russia would take a long time to mobilize• France had built fortresses along the French-German

border – must go through Belgium• Need a quick win – speed is essential

• Why fails:• Belgium resists and Great Britain enters the war• Russia mobilizes faster than expected and invades

eastern Germany• Germany has to move troops from France to protect

the German border against Russia• French victory at the Battle of the Marne• Allies push Germany back

Order of Entry in World War I1. First nation in the war after its heir was assassinated:2. This nation was the second one in the war after members

of a terrorist group assassinated the heir to the first nation:

3. AS a result of the above, this third nation entered the war to protect the second nation:

4. Because the third nation mobilized near its borders, this fourth nation entered the war:

5. Due to its plan of attack consisting of a two front war, the fourth nation declared war on this fifth nation:

6. This sixth nation was invaded to get to the fifth nation:7. The invasion of the sixth nation brought this seventh

nation into the war:

WORLD WAR ITHE WESTERN FRONT

• Dominated by trench warfare• Stalemate after the First Battle of the Marne leas to

bloody, costly fighting• No significant breakthrough on either side• Trade lots of lives for little gain

• New weapons were superior to archaic tactics, leads to a generation slaughtered

The Trenches

• Are a series of six feet deep ditches protected by barbed wire• Zigzagged to keep it from becoming a shooting gallery and to

minimize blast effect of a shell impact• Nearly 500 miles of two parallel trenches running from the

English Channel to the borders of Switzerland• Life in the trenches• Trenches were filthy, muddy, poorly drained, noisy, and

diseased• Shared trenches with:• Rats, fleas, garbage, and human waste• Remains of decaying corpses

• Most soldiers were depressed and miserable• Disillusioned and want to go home• This was not the glorious war they signed up for

Trench Raids

• The goal was to capture the enemies trenches and gain land• “over the top”• Soldiers go over the top of the trenches and try to make

their way to the opposing trenches through a stream of machine gun fire

• “no man’s land” is the area between the two trenches that both sides are fighting over• Must cut barbed wire to get through to the enemy trench

while dodging bullets from machine guns• Also known as the Arena of Death• On an average day 2,533 men die, 9,121 are wounded,

and 1,164 go missing – lasts 4 years!!

New Technology and Weapons

• Machine gun• 1884 the Maxim Gun becomes the first automatic weapon• Could wipe out waves of attackers• Makes it difficult for forces to advance and transforms war

from one of rapid advance to one of defense• Artillery• Huge guns capable of hurling giant projectiles many miles• Used in combat against strongly fortified positions

• Causes much destruction• At the Battle of the Somme, a seven day artillery

preparation had 1,537 guns fire 1,627,824 rounds

• Chemical Warfare – Poison Gas• Introduced by the Germans in 1915 at Ypres• Uses chlorine which could cause blindness and even

death by choking as it dissolved the lungs• Kills and injures thousands

• Protection against• First used socks soaked in urine• Later gas masks are invented

Dulce et Decorum Est – by Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursedThrough sludgeTill on the haunting flares we turned our backsAnd towards our distant rest began to trudgeMen marched asleep. Many had lost their bootsBut limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blindDrunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines (gas shells)That dropped behind

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;But someone still was yelling out and stumblingAnd flound’ring like a man in fire or lime . . . Dim, through the misty panes and thick green lightAs under a green sea, I saw him drowningIn all my dreams, before my helpless sight,He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowningIf in some smothering dreams you too could paceBehind the wagon that we flung him inAnd watch the white eyes writhing in his faceHis hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the bloodCome gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cudOf vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,My friend, you would not tell with such high zestTo children ardent for some desperate gloryThe old lie: Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori (It is sweet and fitting to die

for one’s country)

Wilfred Owen died in combat

• Tanks• Armored vehicles, introduced by the British in 1916 at

the Battle of the Somme• Initially they are slow and clumsy and can’t break

the deadlock• Airplanes• First used as reconnaissance to observe enemy

positions, then pilots dropped bombs• Machine guns added

• Dog fights (not actual dogs Stephanie)• High mortality rate, become an ace after five kills• The Red Baron was the most famous ace, over 70

kills

• Submarines or “U-Boats”• Primary weapon is the torpedo, also deploys contact

mines• Most effective part of the German navy, can’t

compete with the British warships, so resorts to submarine warfare

• Unrestricted submarine warfare = any ship traveling in the waters around Great Britain was subject to attack by German submarines• Will fire on ships regardless of nationality• Targeted the British naval vessels, along with

merchant ships bringing supplies to Britain

Overview of Several Battles

• Battle of Champagne• Dec. 1914 – March 1915• Allied offensive against the Germans• Allies gain 500 yards for 50,000 men• French casualties = 400,000• British and German not much better

• Battle of Verdun• Feb. – Dec. 1916• German attack on the Verdun fortress• An important French fortress since Roman times• Germans believe the French would defend it all

costs• Attack meant to kill or injure as many French

soldiers as possible• Germany “Bleed the French army white”• France “They shall not pass”

• French hold their ground at 542,000 casualties• Germans lose 434,000 men and gain 4 miles

• Battle of the Somme• June – November 1916• Mostly a British attack on German forces, launched in

part to pull German forces away from Verdun• First time a tank is used in battle

• Bloodiest day of battle in British history, lose 60,000 men the first day• Total casualties: British 420,000, French 195,000,

and German 650,000• British gain five miles

• Flanders Field• June – July 1917• British offensive to free Belgium• British gain 5 miles, lose 300,000 men• French have 8,528 casualties and the Germans

260,000

• The Nivelle Offensive at Champagne• April 1917• French offensive against the Germans• In five days the French gain 600 yards at the expense

of 120,000 casualties• Mutiny breaks out among the French troops, they

refuse to go over the top

• The Gallipoli Campaign• Feb. – Aug. 1915• Plan by Churchill to break the deadlock on the Western

Front• Goal is to seize the Dardanelles from the Ottoman

Empire • Want to be able to ship supplies to Russia and open

up another front • Allied naval assault, land on the beaches• Beach heads become areas of trenches and the

stalemate leads to evacuation• Total failure – Turks still control the Dardanelles• Allies have 252,000 casualties and the Ottoman Turks

251,000

War on the Home Front• World War I was a total war = nations devote all resources

to the war effort• As a result gov’ts began to take a stronger role in

controlling the lives of its citizens• Factories began to produce military equipment and

civilians rationed (conserved) certain foods and goods• Governments controlled public opinion• Censored newspapers – didn’t want people discouraged

by the numbers of casualties• Created propaganda = ideas spread to influence public

opinion - Used posters to inspire national pride and get people to volunteer while making the enemy look bad

• Many women helped out the war effort since millions of men left to fight• They worked in factories producing military supplies• Others worked as nurses• In some countries, such as Great Britain, women were

rewarded for their efforts by gaining the right to vote

A Global War

• British and French troops attacked German colonies in Africa

• Soldiers from all parts of the British Empire fought – India, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

• Algerians fought for France• Japan joined the Allied Powers and captured German

colonies in China and the Pacific

WORLD WAR IUNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR

AND THE WAR ENDS

United States Enters the War• Reasons why Allies?• More sympathetic to the Allied Powers• Held more in common with the Allies, ties to Great

Britain • Had strong financial ties to the Allied Powers• Propaganda supported the Allies and made the Central

Powers, especially Germany, villains • The invasion of Belgium became the “Rape of

Belgium”

• The Lusitania (1915)• A passenger liner that departs from New York City

heading towards Britain• It is torpedoed by a German submarine, around 1200

people die, including 120 Americans• America’s anger over the attack causes the Germans

to stop the policy of unrestricted warfare• Feb. 1917 the Germans reinstate unrestricted

submarine warfare• Need it to defeat the Britain• Hope that the U.S. won’t enter the war, but the goal

is to defeat the Allies before the U.S. gets troops to Europe

• U.S. cuts diplomatic relations with Germany

• The Zimmerman Telegram• A telegram sent to Mexico from a German diplomat

suggesting a Mexican-German alliance• If America enters the war Mexico should attack• Mexico would be rewarded with the return of lost

territories: Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico• German leaders hoped that a war with Mexico would

keep the U.S. out of the war in Europe• The United States declares war on Germany in April, 1917

and joins the Allied powers• Benefits to the Allies:• Numerous fresh troops and a morale booster• Industrialized nation

Zimmerman Telegram read:

“We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the even of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the Mexican President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion the he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves.

Please call the Mexican President’s attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace.”

Signed, Zimmermann

End of the War• Allies in trouble• Exhausted and desperate for U.S. troops• End of 1917 the combined casualties at 5.8 million

• Low morale• Every major Allied offensive has failed, mutiny

among some soldiers• Russia left the war• Germany now only has to concentrate on one front

• Germany in possession of large amounts of Allied lands

• Germany makes a final push• Germany decides to deal a decisive blow to the Allies

before the U.S. is able to raise and ship an army to Europe• Takes a gamble with unrestricted submarine

warfare – needs to defeat the Allies before the Americans arrive

• Moves troops from the Eastern to Western front• Launches five offensives in March 1918• First – gains 40 miles and ends trench warfare• Third – advance 20 miles to the Marne• Paris is only 30 miles away

• Overall the offensives are failures• Lost 800,000 troops by June• Then hundreds of thousands of American soldiers

arrive, giving the Allies hope• Allies counterattack• Second Battle of the Marne (July 1918)• Allies attack with 350 tanks leading the way• Allied forces stop the German advance

• New troops, sense that Germany is weakening• Allied forces gain huge amounts of territory

• In October the Allies break through the Hindenburg line

• German leaders approach the Allies seeking an armistice • Armistice = a truce or agreement to end the fighting

• On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War I comes to an end• Nov. 11th used to be celebrated as armistice day, now

it is known in the U.S. as Veteran’s Day• Germany and the Central Powers surrender

Reasons Why the War Ends

• Allied victories• Bulgaria and the Ottoman Turks surrender• Austria-Hungary is taken down in October by revolution• German soldiers mutiny and the German people turn

against Kaiser Wilhelm II, who abdicates

Costs of the War

1. Loss of many men• Almost 9 million killed, 21million more wounded - A

generation slaughtered

2. Civilians killed•The Spanish Influenza strikes and soldiers spread the disease as they return home - Kills as many as 50 million worldwide

3. Financial• Cost close to 280 billion dollars - Destroyed national

economies - Farmland and cities devastated in France, Belgium, and Russia - Europe no longer the dominant economic region of the world

4. Empires and monarchies fall• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Ottoman

Empire all lose their monarchies and empires• Their colonies are divided among the Allied Powers

WORLD WAR IPARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

AND

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE• The Big Four and their objectives• France – Georges Clemenceau• Wants to severely punish Germany and make sure it

is never again a threat • Also wants to kill the kaiser and dismember Germany

• United States – President Woodrow Wilson• Wants “peace without victory”• States that the war had been fought to “make the

world safe for democracy”• Wants the treaty to include his Fourteen Points

• Great Britain – David Lloyd George• Wants to punish Germany, but not totally weaken

Germany• States he is between “Jesus and Napoleon”

• Italy – Vittorio Orlando• Wants to gain territory

• Russia, Germany, and the other Central powers not invited

• Wilson’s Fourteen Points• This is the list of Wilson’s goals for peace• End to secret treaties• Freedom of the seas and free trade• Reduced armies and navies• Self-determination = allow people to decide for

themselves under what gov’t they wish to live• Adjust colonial claims, change borders, and create

new nations• Also includes a League of Nations – an international

organization that would regulate nations and keep global peace

TREATY OF VERSAILLES (JUNE 28, 1919)• Extremely harsh on Germany• Territorial losses• France gets Alsace-Lorraine• Loses overseas colonies, which are given to Allied

Powers• Parts of Germany go to form new nations, such as

Poland• Military restrictions• Limits on army (100,000) and weapons• No navy or air force• Demilitarized zone along the French border

• War guilt• Germany assumes sole responsibility for the war• Must make reparations = payments made to the

victors to cover the costs of the war• Amounts to 33 billion dollars

• League of Nations• Germany and Russia are excluded• The U.S. also doesn’t join• The U.S. Senate refuses to ratify the treaty because

it contains the League of Nations• They don’t want to get involved in another war

• World War I was supposed to be a war to end all wars• Instead it will be a main cause of World War II

Other Treaties• Made separate treaties with the other Central Powers• Lands of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire

broken apart• Formed the independent nations of Austria, Hungary,

Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Turkey• Former Ottoman lands in the Middle East turned into

mandates• France gets Syria and Lebanon as mandates• Britain gets Palestine and Iraq• Europeans are only supposed to control the mandates

until the territories are able to govern themselves