Download Leaders of World War I – David Lloyd George

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Leaders of World War I – David Lloyd George
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Occupation: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Born: January 17, 1863 in Manchester, England
Died: March 26, 1945 in Wales, UK
Best known for: Guiding Britain through World War I
Nickname: The Welsh Wizard
Where did David Lloyd George grow up?
David Lloyd George was born on January 17, 1863 in Manchester, England. However, his father died
while he was still young and his mother moved the family to Wales to live with David's uncle, Richard
Lloyd.
Growing up in Wales, David was heavily influenced by his uncle who was a minister and a strong
liberal. His uncle encouraged David to work hard in school, to study law, and to get involved in
politics. David's birth name was David George, but he added the "Lloyd" in honor of his uncle.
Early Career
Lloyd George studied to become a lawyer and opened his own law practice after completing his
training. His law firm did very well and soon Lloyd George became involved in politics. He joined the
local Liberal Party and became an alderman on the local council. David championed many liberal
issues including land reform.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1890, Lloyd George was elected to the British Parliament as a member of the House of Commons.
At the time he was the youngest MP (Member of Parliament). He remained a member for the next 55
years.
David was staunchly against war. He became known throughout Britain when he publicly opposed
the Second Boer War. In 1906 he became a Cabinet Minister. Lloyd George continued to gain fame
with his work in the cabinet. He helped to negotiate an agreement between the railroads and the
railway workers union. He also worked to establish a welfare state where the government helped to
support the sick and the poor.
World War I Begins
As tensions mounted in Europe and it looked like war was imminent, Lloyd George initially felt that
Britain should stay out of any conflict. However, once Germany invaded Belgium, Lloyd George
became a strong supporter of the war. He became one of the major leaders in guiding Britain through
the war.
At the start of the war, Lloyd George had several important positions in organizing the war effort.
First, he was the minister of munitions. Disorganization in Britain had caused a munitions shortage in
the army. Lloyd George was able to fix the issues and ensure the army had the munitions it needed.
Next, he became the Secretary of State for War where he organized Britain's overall war efforts, but
also became increasingly frustrated with Britain's generals and the current Prime Minister Herbert
Asquith.
Becoming Prime Minister
In December of 1916, Lloyd George became the Prime Minister of Great Britain. He continued to
have issues with the top British Generals. Lloyd thought that the Allied Armies (Britain, France, and
the United States), should have one unified military commander. He thought they could be more
organized and successful if they all worked together. He finally got his wish in March of 1918 when
French General Ferdinand Foch was made commander of all the Allied forces.
Lloyd George made another major contribution to the war when supported the strategy of providing
armed convoys for merchant ships. This helped to protect the merchants from German submarines,
which helped to keep supply lines open to the Allies and Britain throughout the war.
World War I Ends
The fighting in World War I ended with the armistice agreement on November 11, 1918. Lloyd George
was one of the "Big Three" (which also included Georges Clemenceau of France and U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson) who helped negotiate the Treaty of Versailles with Germany.
Death
Lloyd George remained Prime Minister of the United Kingdom until 1922. He continued to work in
politics as a Member of Parliament until his death in 1945. He died of cancer on March 26, 1945.
Interesting Facts about David Lloyd George
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English was his second language, Welsh was his first.
He was the first Welsh Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
He was married twice: first to Margaret Lloyd George who died in 1914 and then to Frances
Lloyd George.
He had five children with his first wife, two of which went into politics and were elected to
parliament.
He once said "You cannot feed the hungry on statistics."
Source: http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/david_lloyd_george.php
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Leaders of World War I – Kaiser Wilhelm II
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Occupation: German Emperor
Born: January 27, 1859 in Berlin, Germany
Died: June 4, 1941 in Doorn, Netherlands
Best known for: Last German Emperor, his policies led to World War I
Where did Wilhelm II grow up?
Wilhelm was born in Berlin, Germany at the Crown Prince's Palace on
January 27, 1859. His father was Prince Frederick William (who would later
become Emperor Frederick III) and his mother was Princess Victoria
(daughter of Queen Victoria of England). This made young Wilhelm heir to the
German throne and grandson of the Queen of England.
Wilhelm was an intelligent child, but also possessed a violent temper. Unfortunately, Wilhelm was
born with a deformed left arm. Despite having an unusable left arm, his mother forced him to learn to
ride a horse as a young boy. It was a difficult experience he would never forget. For the rest of his life,
he would always try to hide his left arm from the public, wanting to appear as a physically powerful
German ruler.
Becoming Kaiser
In 1888, Wilhelm became the Kaiser, or emperor, of Germany when his father died of throat cancer.
Wilhelm was twenty-nine years old. As Kaiser of Germany, Wilhelm had a lot of power, but not all the
power. He could appoint the Chancellor of Germany, but the chancellor had to work with the
parliament who controlled the money. He was also officially commander of the army and navy, but the
real control of the army was in the hands of the generals.
Kaiser of Germany
Wilhelm was an intelligent man, but emotionally unstable and a poor leader. After two years as
Kaiser, he dismissed the current chancellor and famous German leader Otto von Bismarck and
replaced him with his own man. He blundered many times in his diplomacy with foreign nations. By
the early 1900s, Germany was surrounded by potential enemies. France to the west and Russia to
the east had formed an alliance. He also alienated the British in an erratic interview with the Daily
Telegraph (a British newspaper) in which he said that the Germans didn't like the British.
World War I Begins
By 1914, Wilhelm II had decided that war in Europe was inevitable. He and his advisors determined
that, the sooner the war began, the better chance Germany had to win. Germany was allies with the
Austro-Hungary Empire. When Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated, Wilhelm advised
Austria to give an ultimatum to Serbia that Serbia was sure to refuse. He promised Austria that he
would support them with a "blank check", meaning he would back them up in the event of war.
Wilhelm was sure that the war would be over quickly. He had no idea as to the chain of events that
would take place.
When Serbia refused Austria's demands, Austria declared war on Serbia. Soon Serbia's ally Russia
was mobilizing for war. To help defend Austria, Germany declared war on Russia. Then France,
Russia's ally, declared war on Germany. Soon all of Europe had chosen sides and World War I had
begun.
Losing Control
The war did not proceed as planned. Germany was able to push back an ill-equipped Russian army
in the east, but they did not quickly conquer France as planned. Germany was fighting a war on two
fronts, a war they could not win. As the war went on for years, Wilhelm's control over the army waned.
Eventually, the German army generals had all the real power and Wilhelm became a figurehead.
End of World War I
In 1918, it became apparent that Germany was going to lose the war. The army was exhausted and
running out of supplies. There were food and fuel shortages throughout Germany. On December 9,
1918 Wilhelm abdicated (gave up) his throne and fled Germany to the Netherlands.
Wilhelm’s home in the Netherlands
Death
Wilhelm lived out the rest of his life in the Netherlands. He died at the age of 82 in 1941.
Interesting Facts about Kaiser Wilhelm II
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Wilhelm married Augusta Victoria in 1881. They had seven children including six sons and one
daughter.
He attended the coming of age ceremony of his second cousin Nicholas of Russia in Saint
Petersburg. He would later be at war with him during World War I when Nicholas was Tsar of
Russia.
William was envious of the British navy and spent much of his early years as Kaiser trying to
build up the German navy.
The Allies tried to extradite Wilhelm from the Netherlands so they could try him for war crimes,
but the Netherlands would not release him.
When World War I began Wilhelm told some departing German soldiers that "You will be home
before the leaves fall from the trees."
Source: http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/kaiser_wilhelm_ii.php
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Leaders of World War I – President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States.
Served as President: 1913-1921
Vice President: Thomas Riley Marshall
Party: Democrat
Age at inauguration: 56
Born: December 28, 1856 in Staunton, Virginia
Died: February 3, 1924 in Washington D.C.
Married: Ellen Louise Axson Wilson and to Edith Bolling Galt Wilson
Children: Margaret, Jesse, Eleanor
Nickname: Schoolmaster or Professor
What is Woodrow Wilson most known for?
Woodrow Wilson was president during World War I. He also helped to form the League of Nations
after the war.
Growing Up
Wilson grew up the son of the preacher in the southern states of Georgia, North Carolina, and
Virginia. As a child he struggled with schoolwork due to dyslexia. He persevered, however, and
eventually became an excellent academic. He went to the College of New Jersey (Princeton
University) and got a degree in history.
Before He Became President
Wilson moved about attending graduate school at a few different universities including studying law at
the University of Virginia. He passed the bar exam in 1882 and practiced law for a short time, but he
did not enjoy being a lawyer. He ended up going back to Princeton to work as a political science
professor. A good portion of Wilson's career was spent working for the university. He taught for over
fifteen years and then worked as president of Princeton University for another eight years.
Wilson had a great interest in government. He wrote many papers on how he thought government
should work. Eventually his career took him into politics and government service. In 1911 he became
governor of New Jersey. He was a popular governor and soon he was being asked to run for
president.
Woodrow Wilson's Presidency
Wilson became President of the United States in 1913 after defeating both current president William
Howard Taft and former president Theodore Roosevelt in the election. He immediately set about
putting some of his ideas that he had studied for years as a professor to work in the U.S.
government.
Some of his programs and laws included:
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Federal Reserve System - This system is still in place today and helps to regulate the
economy by controlling the money supply.
Federal Trade Commission - Wilson put this commission in place to keep business practices
fair for all.
Changed the tax System - He implemented a graduated tax system. This meant that people
who made less money would pay taxes at a lower rate than the rich. This system is still used
today.
World War I
A year after Woodrow became president World War I broke out in Europe. After growing up in the
South during the American Civil War, Wilson hated war and wanted to keep the U.S. out of World
War I. He managed to do this for the rest of his first term and won a second term as president with a
campaign based on "He kept us out of war".
However, soon after the election, Germany began to sink U.S. ships traveling to Britain. The U.S. had
no choice but to join the war. Wilson called World War I the "war to end all wars". He said the U.S.
must fight because "The world must be made safe for democracy".
Fourteen Points
On January 8, 1918 Wilson gave a speech about the war. In this speech he outlined fourteen points
or goals that the United States had in World War I. These included such items as freedom of the
seas, reduction in arms, and the restoration of Belgium.
League of Nations
On November 11, 1918 World War I came to an end. President Wilson took a major role in
influencing the treaty. He had the idea for a League of Nations. This would be a group of countries
that helped to negotiate disputes and try to keep peace in the world. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in
1919 for his efforts with the League of Nations.
How did he die?
Wilson had struggled with his health for years. In 1919, while he was still president, he suffered a
major stroke. He was very sick for the rest of his life and died in 1924.
Fun Facts about Woodrow Wilson
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His earliest memory as a child was hearing that Abraham Lincoln had been elected president
and that war was coming.
He was the first president to visit Europe while still in office.
Wilson was buried at the Washington National Cathedral. He is the only president buried in
Washington D.C.
His full name is Thomas Woodrow Wilson.
His face is on the $100,000 dollar bill.
He was married twice. His first wife Ellen died while he was president and he married his
second wife, Edith, while in office.
Source: http://www.ducksters.com/biography/uspresidents/woodrowwilson.php
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Leaders of World War I – Emperor Karl I (Charles IV)
Emperor Karl I of Austria (1887-1922), known as Charles IV of Hungary) was
Austria-Hungary's last emperor.
In his youth, the archduke was introduced to the idea of federalism by Archduke
Franz Ferdinand. During the first part of World War I, he became a skillful military
leader without any political influence. The young emperor’s two main aims, the
reform of the Austrian Constitution and an acceptable peace, proved to be out of
reach. Nevertheless, he consistently refused to resign and died in exile.
Military Career and Engagement during World War One
Charles’ career as an officer of the Austro-Hungarian Army started in 1903, when he became a
Lieutenant in the Regiment of Lancers; having transferred to the Dragoons in 1905, he advanced to
the rank of First Lieutenant in 1906, and Captain in 1909. Then he transferred to the infantry, became
a major, and, on 1 May 1914, a lieutenant colonel. After some training in the general staff and after 28
June 1914, the new successor to the throne, now a colonel, served as liaison officer to the German
army in Galicia. In July 1915, he was promoted to the rank of major general, and in March 1916, to
field marshal lieutenant. In spring 1916, he took part in the successful Austrian offensive in South
Tyrol. In spring 1915, the German army used gas on the Western Front, which proved to guarantee
quick advancement with a minimum of German casualties. In June 1916, the Austrian army decided
to use this rather new weapon, too, on the Italian Front. Contemporaries, but also historians, had
already criticized Charles’ role when it came to the use of gas, in particular, that he did nothing to stop
it. In summer 1916, Charles became general of cavalry and on 1 November 1916, three weeks before
ascending the throne of the Empire, he was promoted to the ranks of colonel general and great
admiral.
Succession to the Throne
When Franz Joseph died on 21 November 1916, Charles succeeded to the Austrian and Hungarian
thrones and immediately assumed the title of supreme commander of the Empire’s forces, in an
attempt to diminish the overwhelming German influence in their joint warfare. He and his wife, Zita,
consort of Charles I, Emperor of Austria (1892-1989), were crowned King and Queen of Hungary on
30 December 1916. Thus, he was obliged to accept the political system of dualism, but, on the other
hand, this system enabled him to demand universal suffrage in the Hungarian kingdom. During the
two years of his regency, he was occupied with various attempts to conclude a peace treaty, even
accepting serious sacrifices concerning the territorial integrity of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, like
ceding parts of Tyrol to Italy. The most famous of these secret negotiations for a peace compromise
is known as the Sixtus Affair, which – finally brought into focus by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ottokar Graf Czernin (1872-1932) - caused the disastrous decline of independent AustroHungarian foreign politics and warfare.
The Struggle for Peace
It was in spring 1915 that the archduke proposed, for the first time, to deliver Alsace-Lorraine to
France. Soon afterwards, he supported diplomatic efforts to keep Italy out of the war by means of
territorial concessions. In August 1917, the Austrian diplomat Nikolaus Graf Revertera von Salandra
(1866-1951) negotiated with officers of the French general staff about a separate Austro-Hungarian
peace treaty, which also gave Great Britain the opportunity to present its conceptions of post-war
Europe. At the same time, Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922) called for peace without any annexations
and contributions. Although Charles promised to enter into an exchange of views about the future of
South Tyrol with Italy, Germany refused any discussion on withdrawal from Belgium or negotiation
about a cession of Alsace-Lorraine, even after Charles had offered Austrian Silesia as the utmost
compensation for those territories indispensably demanded by France.
Final Efforts and Exile
As for interior affairs, Charles tried to stop the increasing famine by founding the Ministry of Social
Welfare (1917) and the Ministry of Public Health (1918). In August 1918, he ordered Heinrich
Lammasch (1853-1920) and Johannes Andreas von Eichhoff (1871-1963) to draft a new constitution
based on the idea of an Austrian Commonwealth of Nations (Staatenbund). On 16 October 1918, he
declared a new federalist constitution by himself which, because of the armistice on 3 November
1918 and the foundation of the Austrian republic on 12 November 1918, never came into force. On 11
November 1918, influenced by his Minister Ignaz Seipel (1876-1932) and the Archbishop of
Vienna, Friedrich Gustav Piffl (1864-1932), Charles renounced any participation in government. After
the armistice, the Austrian parliament demanded his abdication, which was refused by the emperor,
who retired to Swiss exile on 23 March 1919. He stayed in Rorschach and Pragins, before twice
moving to Hungary to push for restoration (in March and October 1921). But as he did not want to
provoke a civil war after Regent Miklós Horthy (1868-1957) refused to hand over power, he was
forced to give up those efforts.
The first attempt at restoration started on 26 March 1921. Having secretly negotiated with the French
Prime Minister Aristide Briand (1862–1932), Charles believed that France would support him against
menacing interventions from Hungary's neighbors. Charles managed to travel to Szombathely for
preliminary negotiations with the Hungarian Prime Minister Pál Teleki (1879-1941). On the next day,
he succeeded in meeting Regent Miklós Horthy in the Castle of Budapest, but even after an
emotional two-hour discussion, Horthy refused to hand over power to the king, with the argument that
this would necessarily lead to a civil war. Despite this, Charles stayed in Szombathely until 5 April
1921, expecting Horthy to change his mind. Disappointed he then returned to Switzerland.
On 20 October 1921, accompanied by his wife Zita, Charles tried again, having landed near Sopron
with a small airplane. Without intending to seek compromise with Horthy, he formed a provisional
government. Supported by Hungarian legitimist politicians and officers, and parts of the army, Charles
tried to march to Budapest. Horthy made a military proclamation that he would retain power and
demanded loyalty from his army. On 23 October, the legitimists arrived at Budaörs, a village close to
the capital. The following confrontation might have led to civil war. Nineteen victims remained on the
battlefield, dead. To avoid further bloodshed, Charles reluctantly agreed to armistice negotiations. He
then dictated a surrender order.
Together with his family, he was sent into exile on the island of Madeira, where he died on 1 April
1922 as a result of pneumonia.
Source: http://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/charles_i_emperor_of_austria
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Leaders (Important Figures) of World War I –
Red Baron
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Occupation: German Fighter Pilot
Born: May 2, 1892 in Breslau, Germany
Died: April 21, 1918 Morlancourt Ridge, France
Best known for: The top ranking fighter pilot of World War I
What is the Red Baron's real name?
The Red Baron was born Manfred von Richthofen. He earned the
nickname, the Red Baron, during World War I because he flew a red plane and was the top rated
fighter pilot during the war. The Red Baron was actually the nickname the British called him. He had
other nicknames as well including "Le Petit Rouge" in France (which means "Little Red") and "Der
Rote Kampfflieger" in Germany (which means "the Red Battle Flyer").
Where did the Red Baron grow up?
Manfred von Richthofen was born on May 2, 1892 in Breslau, Germany (note: this city is now
Wroclaw, Poland). Manfred's father was a major in the German army and it was understood since
Manfred was a boy that he would also enter the army. As a child, Manfred loved all sorts of athletics
and hunting. He excelled in sports far more than schoolwork.
When Manfred was eleven years old he entered the Wahlstatt military school in Berlin, Germany.
There he trained to be an officer in the German army. He was an excellent horseman and, when he
graduated, he joined the German cavalry in 1911. Within a year Manfred was promoted to lieutenant.
World War I
Manfred von Richthofen was twenty-two years old when World War I began in 1914. His first job
during the war was running reconnaissance patrols on the western front. However, soon the fighting
in the western front deteriorated into trench warfare. There was little use for cavalry in the trenches
and Manfred was soon delivering messages behind the lines.
Flying
Manfred was eager to be more involved in the war, so he volunteered to work as an observer on
airplane reconnaissance missions. He flew along with pilots spotting enemy troops, reading maps,
and using his machine gun to shoot at enemy planes.
Becoming a Pilot
After a chance meeting with the famous fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke on a train, Manfred decided to
train to become a fighter pilot. He trained hard and took his first solo flight on October 10, 1915. By
the end of the year he was certified as a fighter pilot. Throughout 1916, Manfred flew missions
against enemy aircraft. He soon joined an elite group of fighter pilots called the Fighter Squadron led
by Oswald Boelcke. Boelcke taught Manfred all about being a fighter pilot. He won his first official
victory on September 17, 1916. A victory is when a pilot shoots down an enemy plane. The victory
has to be confirmed by witnesses, so many wins over enemy territory did not end up counting as
official victories.
Manfred soon became one of the most decorated fighter pilots in Germany. He wasn't necessarily a
great pilot, but he was a very accurate shooter, took few risks, and used excellent tactics. He often
used the sun to hide from view while attacking an enemy from above. He also made use of other
pilots and planes to protect him from being attacked from behind or from the side while he went on
the attack.
The Red Plane
In January of 1917, Manfred began to paint his plane red. Soon his squadron was painting part of
their planes red as well. He became the commander of the Flying Circus, a group of the top fighter
pilots in Germany. They moved about the western front and fought in key battles. Manfred became
the top fighter pilot in World War I with 80 confirmed kills. He was shot down once in July of 1917, but
survived and returned to battle later that year.
Manfred became very famous on both sides of the war and was one of the top war heroes in
Germany. The British called him the Red Baron and he is still most widely known by this name. The
Allies wanted to shoot down the Red Baron in order to help break the morale of the German people.
Shot Down
Manfred von Richthofen was shot down and killed on April 21, 1918. He was only 25 years old. He
had been chasing a British fighter pilot when he was hit by a bullet. He managed to land the plane,
but soon died from the bullet. He was buried in France by the Allies with a full military funeral.
Interesting Facts about the Red Baron
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Manfred witnessed his hero, Oswald Boelcke, die in a midair collision with friendly aircraft.
There is much controversy over who shot the bullet that brought down the Red Baron. Captain
Arthur Roy Brown of the Royal Air Force was officially credited with the kill.
His younger brother Lothar was also a fighter pilot who was credited with 40 victories.
Historians estimate that if his unconfirmed victories were also included, he shot down over 100
enemy planes.
He is most famous for flying the three-winged Fokker Dr. I airplane, but he also flew other
airplanes such as the Albatros, C.III. and the Albatros D. II.
Source: http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/red_baron.php