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Unit 6: World Wars and Revolutions: 1905 – 1945
Wars unlike history had ever seen before filled the first half of the 20th century. World War I
and World War II were large and devastating. Millions of people were killed or injured.
You will learn how World War I began in 1914 and lasted four long years. During this time,
a revolution started in Russia. You will see how and why it started. After World War I, you
will see how World War II started in 1939. After World War II, you will see how the United
Nations formed. You will also learn how this organization got involved in a war in Korea in
1950 to try to prevent the spread of Communism.
Chapters in Unit 6
Chapter 25: World War I and the Russian Revolution: 1905–1919 612
Chapter 26: Nationalism, Revolution, and Totalitarianism Around the World: 1911–1939
640
Chapter 27: World War II and Its Aftermath: 1939–1945 666
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Chapter 25: World War I and the Russian Revolution: 1905 – 1919
You learned about imperialism, nationalism, and militarism in earlier chapters. Now you will
see how these caused World War I. This war was unlike any before it. It featured modern
weapons, terrible fighting conditions, and great loss of life. In this chapter, you will learn
how it started, how it was fought, how it ended, and what it meant for those involved. You
will also learn how powerful groups started a revolution in Russia.
Goals for Learning
To explain how imperialism, nationalism, and militarism caused war
To identify the countries that fought in the war
To describe the different goals the Big Four powers had at the peace conference
To describe the social, economic, and political effects of World War I
To describe life in czarist Russia
To list the causes and effects of the Revolution of 1905
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Europe During World War I
Map Skills: During World War I, Europe was divided into two alliances. Germany and
Austria-Hungary were the major Central Powers. France, Russia, and Great Britain were the
main Allied Powers. Some countries were neutral. That is, they took neither side. This map
shows the central, allied, and neutral powers in Europe during World War I. It also shows the
western front.
Study the map and answer the following questions:
1. To what alliance did Italy belong?
2. To what alliance did Bulgaria belong?
3. Where was the western front?
4. What are the names of three neutral countries shown on this map?
5. German U-boats were an important weapon against British naval power. In what sea
would they have been most effective?
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Reading Strategy: Text Structure
Readers can look at the organization of the text to help them identify the most important
information.
Before you begin reading this chapter, look at the chapter title, the names of the lessons and
the sections, the boldfaced words, and photographs.
You will notice that the section titles are in the form of questions. The answer to each
question is provided in the paragraph(s) in that section. In this way, the text is structured in a
question and answer format.
Key Vocabulary Words
Lesson 1
Rival: One who tries to outdo another country or person
Lesson 2
Central Powers: The allied nations of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria
Allied Powers: The allied nations of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and eventually, the
United States and Japan
Trench: A long narrow ditch
Barbed wire: Wire that has sharp metal spikes on it
Unrestricted warfare: War that is not limited to a certain area or boundary
Armistice: An agreement to stop fighting
Lesson 3
Reparation: Payment for war damage
Treaty of Versailles: The treaty that ended World War I
League of Nations: A group of leaders from many nations who met to solve problems
between countries
Lesson 5
Autocracy: A government in which one person rules with unlimited power
Standard of living: A way to judge how well a person or a family is living
Democratic: Having to do with a government in which all people have equal rights
Duma: The Russian parliament
Lesson 6
Abdicate: To give up power as a ruler
Socialism: An economic and political theory in which the government owns and controls the
major means of production
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Lesson 1: The Causes of the War
Objectives
To explain how mistrust of one another led powerful nations to build bigger militaries
To identify the event that directly started the war
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
Preview this lesson. Notice the headings, features, and boldfaced words.
Rival
One who tries to outdo another country or person
In Chapter 24, you read about the powerful imperialistic nations of France, Great Britain,
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Russia. These imperialistic powers did not have equal
shares of land and riches, so they became rivals. That is, they tried to outdo one another. At
first, this led to jealousy. Then it led to mistrust. Finally, it led to war.
Why Did Imperial Nations Become Militarized?
As they became more mistrustful of one another, these imperial nations built bigger armies
and navies. For example, Wilhelm II, Germany’s kaiser, wanted his navy to be equal to
Britain’s. Britain then had to build an even larger navy. All these industrialized nations also
built bigger, more deadly weapons. Countries were becoming more militarized.
What Was the Alliance System?
At first, the countries of Europe tried to prevent war. They formed alliances and agreed to aid
one another if attacked. After all, one country would surely not attack another if that meant
fighting with several countries instead of one. By 1914, two rival alliances were in place.
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy made up the Triple Alliance. Great Britain, France, and
Russia made up the Triple Entente.
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What Event Started World War I?
Nationalism had helped nations like Italy and Germany to unite. But by the 1900s, the spirit
of nationalism had become a problem for some nations.
Serbs living in Austria-Hungary wanted to be part of Serbia, a neighboring country. Many
Serbs lived in Sarajevo, which was a city in Austria-Hungary. To try to improve relations
with the Serbs, the Austrian emperor sent his nephew Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo. On
Sunday, June 28, 1914, Ferdinand and Sophie, his wife, were killed as they rode through the
streets of Sarajevo.
Austria-Hungary blamed the Serbians. On July 28, 1914, Austria declared war on Serbia.
Next, Russia said it would protect Serbia. A few days later, Germany declared war on Russia.
France then came into the war in support of Serbia. Next, Great Britain honored its alliance
with France. What started out as a small revolt exploded into a big war.
Lesson 1 Review
On a sheet of paper, write the answer to each question. Use complete sentences.
1. How did imperialism cause World War I?
2. How did militarism cause World War I?
3. How did the alliance system cause World War I?
4. How did nationalism cause World War I?
5. What event in Sarajevo led to World War I?
What do you think?
What could have kept World War I from happening?
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Lesson 2: The War Years: 1914 – 1918
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
As you read the next paragraphs, use a graphic organizer to record the countries of the
Central Powers and the Allied Powers.
Objectives
To identify the Central Powers and the Allied Powers
To describe trench warfare and new weapons used in World War I
To explain why the United States entered the war
To describe how the war ended
Central Powers
The allied nations of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria
Allied Powers
The allied nations of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and eventually, the U.S. and Japan
When fighting started in August 1914, millions of soldiers marched eagerly to battle. They
thought they would be home by Christmas. But Christmas came and went and still they
fought. In fact, they fought for four long years.
On one side of the war were Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.
Historians call them the Central Powers because they were countries in central Europe.
Historians call the other side the Allied Powers, or the Allies. The Allies included France,
Russia, Great Britain, Italy, and several smaller countries. Italy, originally allied with
Germany, had now switched sides. Later, Japan and the United States joined the Allies.
Where Was the Western Front of the War?
The Central Powers and the Allies fought World War I all over the world. During the earliest
months of the war, most fighting took place in Belgium and northern France. This was
known as the western front. Germany wanted a quick victory over France. It could then turn
east and defeat Russia on the eastern front. When the Allies stopped the Germans at the
Marne River, Germany’s hope for a quick victory over France ended.
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Trench
A long narrow ditch
Barbed wire
Wire that has sharp metal spikes on it
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
Notice that the section headings are written as questions. After you read each section, try to
answer the question asked in the heading.
What Was Trench Warfare?
For the next two years, both sides fought a bitter war on the western front. Soldiers dug
trenches, or long, narrow ditches, where they ate, slept, and watched the enemy. Barbed
wire protected these trenches. This type of wire has sharp metal spikes on it. Between the
two series of trenches was an area the soldiers called “no man’s land.??
Many soldiers died fighting in the trenches, but neither side won much territory. For
example, in the Battle of Verdun in 1916, each side lost more than 300,000 men. However,
the German army advanced only four miles.
What Weapons Were Used in World War I?
During World War I, nations fought in the air for the first time. However, the use of airplanes
in World War I was limited. But both sides used submarines on a large scale. Germany called
its submarines U-boats. They sank many Allied and neutral ships carrying food and supplies.
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Writing About History
In World War I, most American soldiers had never traveled far from home before. Imagine
that you are an 18-year-old soldier in France. Write a letter home. What is happening? How
does it feel?
Both sides also developed new weapons. The machine gun changed war forever. This type of
gun fires bullets rapidly without reloading. It fired so fast that the only way an army could
protect itself was to take cover in trenches.
Early in 1915, the Germans introduced poison gas. The Allies quickly followed the German
example. This deadly gas settled in the trenches and blinded and choked the soldiers there.
But gas was risky. If the wind suddenly shifted, the gas could drift back to the troops using
the gas.
The tank was another new weapon. The British introduced it in 1916 to smash through the
barbed wire that protected the trenches. By the end of the war, both sides were using tanks.
Who Fought on the Eastern Front?
Russians and Serbs fought Austrians, Germans, and Ottoman Turks along the eastern front.
Allied soldiers were poorly prepared and sometimes went to battle without weapons. The
Central Powers forced the Russians to retreat. But the Russian army kept thousands of
German troops fighting for over three years.
In 1916, a million Russian soldiers died in an attack on Austria. Short on food, guns, and
supplies, the Russians grew tired of war. They blamed their problems on the czar.
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Unrestricted warfare
War that is not limited to a certain area or boundary
In 1918, after a revolution in Russia, Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest Litovsk.
It ended the war for Russia. Because of the treaty, Russia had to give Finland, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, the Ukraine, and part of Poland to Germany.
Where Else Did Fighting Take Place?
As the war expanded, fighting broke out in many places besides the western and eastern
fronts. There was fighting in Italy and Asia. Japan moved to take over areas of China that
were under German influence. Australia and New Zealand forces took over some islands
Germany held in the Pacific. Some of the heaviest battles were fought in Turkey, part of the
Ottoman Empire. The war even extended into Africa, where British and French troops took
over former German colonies.
When Did the United States Enter the War?
In 1917, Germany announced that it would begin unrestricted warfare in waters around
Britain. That is, German U-boats would sink any ship—even ones from neutral countries—
that sailed into the waters surrounding the British Isles.
Technology Connection
German U-boats
German’s launched their first U-boat (for the German word Unterseeboot, meaning
“undersea boat??) in 1906. During World War I, Germany used U-boats in many successful
attacks on British ships. Germany built more than 400 new, larger, and more powerful Uboats that sank more than 4,000 ships.
The Germans put hundreds of U-boats into use in World War II. During three days in
October 1940, eight of these vessels destroyed 38 British ships. Not one of those U-boats was
damaged. However, Germany was eventually overcome by the Allied forces. By the end of
World War II, Germany had lost 821 U-boats. Its largest remaining boat, the U-234, was
forced to surrender by an American destroyer in the North Atlantic as the war ended.
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Armistice
An agreement to stop fighting
Germany knew that this plan would lead to war with the United States, which had been a
neutral country. Its leaders thought that they could force Britain to surrender before
American troops and supplies arrived in Europe. On April 6, 1917, the U.S. Congress
declared war on Germany. Soon more than a million American soldiers landed in Europe.
When Did World War I End?
By 1918, after four long years of war, both the Central Powers and the Allies were tired.
Germany no longer had trained troops to replace those killed in battle. The fresh American
troops tipped the balance in favor of the Allies. On November 11, 1918, Germany agreed to
an armistice, or an end to fighting. On the 11th day at the 11th hour of the 11th month, the
great war ended.
Then and Now
The World War I “Doughboy??
In the early 1900s, most men became soldiers just for the length of a war. Then they returned
to civilian life. World War I soldiers were called “doughboys.?? This may be because the
buttons on soldiers’ uniforms looked like doughboys—what we now call doughnuts. When
America entered the war, the army was very small. A draft law was passed in 1917, calling
up all men between 21 and 30. The ages later became 18 to 45. Draftees received combat
training. They learned how to be part of a bayonet charge, use a gas mask, and fire a rifle.
Today, the United States has a professional volunteer army. Volunteers sign up for a set
number of years. They can then choose whether or not to re-enlist. Besides combat training,
the army trains people in medicine, languages, computers, and other fields. It has changed in
other ways, too. The military was segregated in World War I. African Americans served in
separate army units. In 1918, there were no black marines and few women in the military.
Today, these groups make up almost 25 percent of the army.
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Lesson 2 Review
On a sheet of paper, write the letter of the answer that correctly completes each sentence.
1. _____ fought on the Allied side in World War I.
A Turkey
B Bulgaria
C Austria
D Great Britain
2. On the western front, soldiers lived in _____ and faced one another across a “no man’s
land.??
A tanks
B airplanes
C trenches
D U-boats
3. World War I lasted for _____ years.
A two
B four
C six
D seven
4. The United States entered the war in _____.
A 1914
B 1915
C 1916
D 1917
5. World War I ended in _____.
A 1917
B 1918
C 1919
D 1920
What do you think?
Germany decided to attack any ship in the waters around Britain. Why did this lead to war
with the United States?
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Lesson 3: Making Peace
Objectives
To identify Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
To describe what other countries wanted after the war
To describe the League of Nations
Reparation
Payment for war damage
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
As you read, look for words like first, then, next, and finally. These words will help you
understand the order of the text
World War I ended in November 1918, and the Allies won. The next year, the Allied leaders
met at Versailles in France to create a peace treaty. The “Big Four??—Britain, France, Italy,
and the United States—made most of the big decisions. Each of them wanted something
different from the peace meeting.
What Did the United States Want?
President Woodrow Wilson represented the United States at the peace meeting. He had
written a peace plan called the Fourteen Points. Part of his plan was to end secret treaties
between nations. He also wanted to reduce the size of armies and navies in each nation. Most
of all, Wilson wanted to organize a league of nations to keep the peace.
What Did Other Countries Want?
The leaders from France, Great Britain, and Italy had plans that were different from Wilson’s
Fourteen Points. France had suffered greatly during the war. Premier Clemenceau, who
represented France, wanted Germany to make reparations for the war. That is, he wanted
Germany to pay for the cost of the war. He also wanted Germany to return land to France.
Prime Minister Lloyd George of Great Britain also wanted Germany to pay for the war. In
addition, Britain wanted Germany’s African colonies. However, they did not want the French
to become too powerful. Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando represented Italy at the meeting.
He wanted the Allies to honor a treaty that had been signed in 1915. The Allies had promised
to give Italy more land if it entered the war on the Allied side.
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Treaty of Versailles
The treaty that ended World War I
League of Nations
A group of leaders from many nations who met to solve problems between countries
What Happened to Germany?
The leaders at Versailles finally agreed to a treaty. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany
to accept responsibility for causing the war. Germany also had to pay for the cost of the war.
In addition, Germany gave the land of Alsace and Lorraine to France. It divided its African
colonies between France and Great Britain. It also gave its colonies in the Pacific to Japan.
Even though the German leaders thought the Allies had treated them unfairly, they signed the
treaty in 1919.
What Happened to the Austro-Hungarian Empire?
The Treaty of Versailles broke up the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria and Hungary
became two countries. The treaty also created two new countries—Yugoslavia and
Czechoslovakia. Some Austro-Hungarian land went to Poland, Latvia, and Romania. The
treaty carved Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania out of the western part of the old
Russian Empire.
What Was the League of Nations?
The Treaty of Versailles created the League of Nations to try to keep peace. This was a
group of leaders from many nations who met to solve problems between countries. These
leaders met in Geneva, Switzerland, to talk over their problems. However, the League was
weak because some countries did not join. Also, the League could not force countries to obey
its rulings.
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Lesson 3 Review
On a sheet of paper, write the answer to each question. Use complete sentences.
1. What countries were represented at the peace meeting in France?
2. What were the Fourteen Points?
3. Why did Germany think the Treaty of Versailles treated it unfairly?
4. What two new countries were created by the Treaty of Versailles?
5. Why was the League of Nations weak?
What do you think?
The Treaty of Versailles treated Germany and the other Central Powers poorly. What were
the problems this caused for those countries?
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Map Study: Europe Before World War I
Map Study: Europe Before World War I
The top map shows what Europe looked like just before World War I. The bottom map
shows Europe after the war. Were there more countries in Europe before or after the war?
What happened to Austria-Hungary after the war?
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Lesson 4: World War I Changed the World
Objectives
To explain the loss of life and financial cost of the war
To identify the problems caused by the Treaty of Versailles
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
As you read this lesson, use a graphic organizer to list the social, economic, and political
effects of World War I
What Were the Social and Economic Effects of the War?
World War I was the first total war. Cities, farms, factories, and people living at home all
become part of a total war. Because of this, there were many social effects of the war. The
years between the wars were difficult for people everywhere. Russia, Germany, AustriaHungary, and France lost a whole generation. A generation is all the people born around the
same time. In fact, France lost one out of every five men between the ages of 20 and 44.
World War I also had economic effects. Historians do not know what the war cost. One guess
is about $350 billion. Many governments raised taxes and borrowed large sums of money to
pay for the war. However, by the end of the war, every major European country was
bankrupt. They could not pay off their debts because they had no money. Cities and farms lay
in ruins. Many people had no jobs. Because of the war, Europe lost much of its power and
wealth. Countries like the United States and Japan took over the European markets.
What Were the Political Effects of the War?
Democracy spread because of the war. In Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia,
governments elected by the people replaced monarchies. However, in Russia, a dictatorship
soon replaced the new democratic government.
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The Treaty of Versailles created new countries. But some of these had large numbers of
foreign people. For example, Poland and Czechoslovakia had large groups of Germanspeaking people. This caused problems in the future.
As a result of World War I, the United States emerged as a world power. Its economy was
healthier than that of other countries. However, many Americans wanted the United States to
stay out of world affairs.
Lesson 4 Review
On a sheet of paper, write the answer to each question. Use complete sentences.
1. What is a “total war???
2. How did World War I affect the economy of Europe?
3. What happened to the new democratic government of Russia?
4. What was one problem that the Treaty of Versailles caused?
5. What were three effects of World War I?
What do you think?
How do you think the deaths of so many people in World War I made soldiers feel about the
war?
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Lesson 5: Life in Czarist Russia
Objectives
To explain what an autocracy is
To identify changes that Alexander II and III made
To describe what happened under the rule of Czar Nicholas II
To explain what happened on Bloody Sunday
Autocracy
A government in which one person rules with unlimited power
Standard of living
A way to judge how well a person or a family is living
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
Choose an event in this section. Use a graphic organizer to illustrate cause and effect for that
event.
One important result of World War I was the Russian Revolution of 1917. In less than a
week, rebels overthrew the czar. But people before them had planted the seeds of the
revolution.
What Was the Autocracy of Russia?
In the 1800s, Russia was an autocracy—a government in which one person rules with
unlimited power. In Russia, that person was the czar. He controlled the lives of his people
and expected them to obey without question.
In 1855, Alexander II became czar. He ended serfdom and introduced the jury system. He
gave Russians more rights, and allowed more people to attend school. Around the same time,
the Industrial Revolution reached Russia. When this happened, many farmers left their land
to go to the cities to work. Russian cities of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Baku became
centers of industry. The Russian standard of living—a way to judge how well a person or
family is living—also improved.
People in Russia were experiencing their first taste of freedom. But they wanted more. When
the czar refused to give them more rights, the Russian people revolted. During one of these
revolts, a young revolutionary killed Czar Alexander.
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Democratic
Having to do with a government in which all people have equal rights
Duma
The Russian parliament
In 1894, Nicholas II became czar. He faced many problems. Educated Russians wanted a
more democratic government in which all people had equal rights. Instead of listening to his
people, Czar Nicholas II tried to get them to think about something else. Nicholas II declared
war on Japan in 1904. This was called the Russo-Japanese War. When Russia lost the war,
people demanded more change.
In 1905, another revolt took place. Russians call this day Bloody Sunday. Workers had
marched in peace to the czar’s palace in St. Petersburg. They wanted better working
conditions, more freedom, and an elected national assembly. The czar’s soldiers fired on the
crowd and killed hundreds of workers.
After Bloody Sunday, Russian workers refused to work. Riots broke out. Peasants attacked
the nobles and burned their estates. The czar promised to give the people more freedom if
they would stop the violence. He even agreed to the election of a Russian parliament, or
Duma. However, Czar Nicholas dismissed the Duma after three months. He believed that he
alone had the right to govern.
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Lesson 5 Review
On a sheet of paper, use the words from the Word Bank to complete each sentence correctly.
Word Bank
serfs
Alexander II
Baku
Japan
Sunday
1. In the late 1800s, the nobles completely controlled the _____.
2. In 1855, _____ ended serfdom.
3. During the Industrial Revolution, the Russian cities of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and _____
became centers of industry.
4. In 1904 Czar Nicholas II declared war on _____.
5. Russian solders killed hundreds of workers on January 22, 1905; Russians call this day
Bloody _____.
What do you think?
Why would both Russian serfs and Russian nobles want reform?
Biography
Grigori Rasputin: c. 1872–1916
Rasputin was a Siberian peasant who became a monk and healer. Later, he moved to St.
Petersburg. Although Rasputin lived an immoral life, he had an interesting personality.
The royal heir, Alexei, had hemophilia. With this disease, even minor bumps can cause
severe bleeding. At that time, the bleeding could not be controlled. Rasputin was somehow
able to help Alexei. Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra then began taking Rasputin’s
advice about officials and policies. However, Rasputin’s advice was not very good, and it
caused many problems. To end Rasputin’s influence, some nobles assassinated him. First,
they poisoned him, but he survived. Then they shot him several times and drowned him.
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Lesson 6: Russia Moves Toward Revolution
Objectives
To describe socialism
To explain why Nicholas II gave up his power
Reading Strategy: Text Structure
The section headings are written as questions. After you read each section, try to answer the
question asked in the heading
After the Revolution of 1905, the spirit of rebellion continued to grow in Russia. But the
revolutionaries could not agree on how change should happen. Some wanted to limit the
czar’s power and create a constitutional monarchy like Great Britain’s. Others thought a
completely new form of government was needed.
How Did World War I Affect Russia?
World War I was probably the single most important cause of the Russian Revolution of
1917. Millions of Russians were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. The people had to live
with little food, fuel, and other needed supplies. They became very angry at Czar Nicholas.
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Abdicate
To give up power as a ruler
Socialism
An economic and political theory in which the government owns and controls the major
means of production
Then and Now
The Russian Orthodox Church
Byzantine missionaries took Christianity to Russia in the 900s. By the 1400s, the Russian
Orthodox Church was self-governing. The patriarch, the head of the church, lived in
Moscow. For centuries, Orthodox priests and monks had great influence. The church was
central in the lives of many ordinary Russians. They kept icons in their homes. Some czars
used the church to support their absolute rule.
The Russian Revolution was a disaster for the church. It lost power and property. Still,
millions of people remained faithful. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia had a
great religious revival. Some Russians have joined other churches. The Russian Orthodox
Church, however, remains the most important.
Why Did Czar Nicholas II Abdicate?
On the morning of February 24, 1917, news came that stores in St. Petersburg had no bread.
Women became angry. “We want bread! We want bread!?? they shouted. Soon a crowd
formed. They carried banners, shouted, and sang. Some of their signs said “End the War??
and “Down with the Czar.??
His troops even refused to obey him. He had to abdicate as ruler. That is, he gave up his
power. After the czar abdicated, no one was sure who would govern Russia. Many Russians
thought socialism would solve the country’s problems. Socialism is an economic and
political theory in which the government owns and controls the major means of production
What Do Socialists Want?
Under socialism, the government controls the economy of a nation. Representing the people,
the government owns all the land, industries, and transportation. The most influential of all
the early socialists was a German named Karl Marx.
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Lesson 6 Review
On a sheet of paper, write the letter of the answer that correctly completes each sentence.
1. Under _____, a government owns all the land, the industries, and the means of
transportation.
A democracy
B monarchy
C socialism
D constitutional monarchy
2. _____ was a German who influenced the Russian Revolution.
A Czar Nicholas II
B Karl Marx
C Alexander II
D Rasputin
3. Probably the single most important cause of the Russian Revolution was _____.
A World War I
B Bloody Sunday
C a provisional government
D the Duma
4. During World War I, conditions in Russia got worse because _____.
A factories could not produce bullets and guns
B food was scarce
C millions of soldiers died or were wounded
D all of the above
5. In 1917, the Russians forced _____ to abdicate.
A Czar Nicholas II
B Karl Marx
C Alexander II
D Rasputin
What do you think?
Why do you think the czar’s soldiers joined the workers who were rebelling on February 25,
1917?
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Document-Based Reading
The Next War
In August 1914, European nations plunged into the Great War. World War I ended four
years later. It had destroyed millions of lives. Many soldiers had gone to war with grand
ideas of honor and glory. The reality was different. War was wet trenches, poison gas, and
artillery fire. Soldiers saw lives being wasted. Their views quickly changed. This change is
clear in the poetry written during the war. Early poems are often about heroism. Later poems
show shock and anger.
Britain had many fine soldier-poets. One was Siegfried Sassoon. He wrote bitterly, “when it
was all said and done, the war was mainly a matter of holes and ditches.?? The poem that
follows is by Wilfred Owen, a young British officer. He was killed a week before the war
ended.
War’s a joke for me and you,
While we know such dreams are true. Out there, we’ve walked quite friendly up to Death;
Sat down and eaten with him, cool and bland, Pardoned his spilling mess-tins in our hand.
We’ve sniffed the green thick odour of his breath,
Our eyes wept, but our courage didn’t writhe. He’s spat at us with bullets and he’s coughed
Shrapnel. We chorused when he sang aloft; We whistled while he shaved us with his scythe.
Oh, Death was never enemy of ours! We laughed at him, we leagued with him, old chum.
No soldier’s paid to kick against his powers. We laughed, knowing that better men would
come,
And greater wars; when each proud fighter brags
He wars on Death for lives; not men for flags.
Document-Based Reading Questions
1. How have the soldiers in this poem become friendly with Death?
2. What weapons has Death used against the soldiers?
3. Death is often pictured with a scythe, a long blade used for cutting grass. How does Owen
use that image?
4. Many soldiers could not talk about the war. Would civilians think of death like Owen did
in this poem?
5. Owen says that a proud fighter, “Wars on Death for lives; not men for flags.?? What does
he mean?
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Spotlight Story: Death at Sarajevo
June 28, 1914, was a hot Sunday in Sarajevo. Despite the heat, crowds of people filled the
streets. They were waiting for Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. People were
curious to see the archduke. He would be the next emperor of Austria-Hungary. His visit was
supposed to improve Austria’s image.
Sarajevo was the capital of Bosnia, a small Balkan state. Bosnia’s people were Slavs. They
had become independent of the Ottoman Empire less than 40 years earlier. Then the AustroHungarian Empire had taken control of the area. Many Bosnians hated Austrian rule. They
wanted to be part of nearby Serbia, a Slav state. Some joined a secret society known as the
Black Hand. Its slogan was “Union or Death.??
That June morning, the archduke and duchess rode to the town hall in an open car. With them
was the military governor of Bosnia. No one realized that several Black Hand members were
waiting along the route. Suddenly a man stepped forward and threw a bomb. It exploded in
the street and wounded officers in the next car. The official party went on with the scheduled
program. At its end, the archduke decided to visit a wounded officer in the hospital. The duke
had his driver stop while he gave him new directions.
Standing only a few feet away was 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip. He was one of the Black
Hand members in the plot. Princip pulled out a small gun and fired twice. The first shot
struck the Duchess Sophie. She died instantly. The second bullet struck Franz Ferdinand near
the heart. He uttered a few last words, then his head fell back. He died a few minutes later.
Police seized Princip, kicking and beating him. They took him to jail. Next, the Austrians
arrested every known revolutionary in Sarajevo. Because he was young, Princip was
sentenced to only 20 years in jail. That was the maximum sentence.
The sudden, brutal murders shocked the world. Austrian officials blamed Serbia. They were
determined to punish Serbia. Austria called on its ally, Germany, for help. Then Austria
declared war on Serbia. Serbia asked its ally, Russia, to come to its aid. Within a few days,
Russia and Germany had declared war. Soon most of Europe was involved. Members of both
European alliances immediately got ready for war. The shots in Sarajevo triggered World
War I.
Wrap-Up
1. Who was Franz Ferdinand?
2. Why did many people in Sarajevo dislike Austrian rule?
3. What was the Black Hand?
4. Who killed the archduke and duchess? How was he punished?
5. What were the effects of the shootings at Sarajevo?
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Chapter 25 SUMMARY
In the late 1800s, powerful European nations competed for both land and military power.
They formed alliances to aid each other in case of war. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
made up the Triple Alliance. Great Britain, France, and Russia were the Triple Entente.
A Serbian nationalist killed Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914.
This act triggered World War I. The alliance system brought the major European nations into
the war.
The nations in World War I divided into the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Germany,
Bulgaria, and Turkey) and the Allied Powers (France, Russia, Britain, Italy, and smaller
nations). Japan and the United States later joined the Allies.
World War I relied on trench warfare. New weapons were also used: airplanes, submarines,
machine guns, poison gas, and tanks.
The United States was neutral until April 1917, when Germany declared unrestricted war on
shipping. The United States joined the Allies. In November 1918, Germany agreed to an
armistice.
The “Big Four??—Britain, France, Italy, and the United States—shaped the peace treaty.
Each nation had different goals.
The Treaty of Versailles gave Germany’s colonies to France, Britain, and Japan. Germany
had to give land back to France and pay the costs of war. The treaty broke up the AustroHungarian Empire.
In the 1800s, Russia was an autocracy. The czar was an absolute ruler. More than 80 percent
of Russians were serfs.
In the mid-1800s, Czar Alexander II freed the serfs, reformed education, and gave people
more rights. Revolutionaries killed him. His son Nicholas II ignored calls for reform.
The Industrial Revolution reached Russia in the late 1800s. The standard of living for factory
workers improved, but most people remained poor.
In 1894, Nicholas II became czar. He declared war on Japan in 1904. Russia lost.
In 1905, workers held a peaceful march in St. Petersburg. Soldiers killed hundreds on that
“Bloody Sunday.??
Many Russians wanted socialism, a system in which the government runs a nation’s
economy.
World War I made things worse for the Russians. In 1917, a revolution forced Nicholas II to
resign. Leaders of the Duma formed a government.
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Chapter 25 REVIEW
On a sheet of paper, use the words from the Word Bank to complete each sentence correctly.
Word Bank
Alexander II
alliance
armistice
bankrupt
Italy
neutral
Nicholas II
reparations
Russia
U-boat
1. Before the war, many countries made a(n) _____ with one another and agreed to help one
another.
2. Belgium was a(n) _____ country during the war because it chose neither side.
3. The Treaty of Brest Litovsk ended the war for _____.
4. The Germans used the _____, a type of submarine, to destroy Allied ships.
5. On November 11, 1918, Germany agreed to a(n) _____, or an end to the fighting.
6. After World War I ended, the “Big Four?? nations—Britain, France, _____, and the
United States—met to create a peace treaty.
7. As a result of the war, all the major European countries were _____ and had no money to
pay their debts.
8. At Versailles, France demanded that Germany make _____, or payments for war debts.
9. Czar _____ introduced change into Russia and gave his people some freedom.
10. “Bloody Sunday?? took place during the rule of Czar _____.
On a sheet of paper, write the letter of the answer that correctly completes each sentence.
11. _____ fought as part of the Central Powers in World War I.
A Japan
B France
C the United States
D Germany
12. During World War I, the industrial nations developed _____.
A tanks
B poison gas
C machine guns
D all of the above
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13. _____ represented France at the Versailles peace meeting.
A Clemenceau
B Wilson
C George
D Ferdinand
14. _____ represented Britain at the peace meeting.
A Orlando
B George
C Wilson
D Clemenceau
15. Under the czars, Russia was a(n) _____.
A democracy
B constitutional monarchy
C autocracy
D duma
On a sheet of paper, write the answer to each question. Use complete sentences.
16. What were the causes of World War I?
17. What were three terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
18. Why did the Russians revolt against Czar Nicholas II?
Critical Thinking
On a sheet of paper, write your response to each question. Use complete sentences.
19. If you had been a German in 1919, how would you have felt about the Treaty of
Versailles?
20. Do you think having a large and powerful military causes or prevents war? Explain your
answer.
Test-Taking Tip: For multiple-choice or word bank questions, cross off answers you know
are wrong. Then choose the correct answer from the remaining choices.
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