Download 1 PART I: 1914 Europe is divided. Tensions mount. Rivals vie for

WORLD WAR I
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PART I: 1914 Europe is divided. Tensions mount. Rivals vie for POWER. War threatens. Europe is a mess.
1914 EUROPE goes to war for these MAIN reasons; M A I N
#1 - Militarism, the expansion of national armed forces, escalates so countries can prepare for war if necessary.
#2 - Alliances or unions are made between countries, who agree to support one another case of war.
#3- Imperialism or the act of one country dominating another, sets up rivalry among the nations who feel
threatened by countries with greater colonial wealth. IMPERIALIST WORLD POWER threatens war.
#4- Nationalism or extreme patriotism, caused discontent between rival governments.
CAUSES of WWI
Militarism: By the 1890s Europe was in an arms race. By 1914, all the Great Powers had large armies and built
navies. Germany and France had armies of 800,000. Russia had 1.2 million. Generals developed detailed plans to
move their militaries quickly in case of war. Kaiser Wilhelm II, of Germany, built a navy to rival Great Britain’s by
1911. So Britain enlarged its fleet to remain the #1 navy in Europe. This competition to build up militaries in a
time of peace was called militarism.
Alliances: Rivalries led to military alliances or partnerships in Europe. These alliances were designed to keep
peace in Europe by creating powerful allies so no one would dare attack. In 1882, Germany, Italy, and AustriaHungary formed the Triple Alliance. In 1907, Britain formed an alliance with France and Russia called the Triple
Entente. Alliances did not prevent attacks – instead they started a war.
The Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy became known as the Central Powers during WWI
The Triple Entente of Great Britain, France, and Russia became the Allies in WWI.
Imperialism: Imperial European nations competing for colonies in Africa & Asia, pushed them to the brink of war.
All wanted colonies to give them better trade, raw materials, and power.
In 1905 & 1911, Germany and France nearly fought over Morocco, in northern Africa. Most of Europe
supported France so Germany backed down, but the rivalry caused mistrust between the nations.
Nationalism: Intense competition between nations caused countries to feel extreme patriotism called
nationalism. Nations with their own unique culture, language, customs, and beliefs became rivals. This rivalry
stemmed from competition for raw materials and trade markets. For example, Great Britain’s industrial power
was challenged by Germany. In turn Germany’s 1870 takeover of France’s Alsace-Lorraine, on its western border
caused conflict between Germany and France. The Balkan states’ intense nationalism had them longing for
independence. Nationalism made countries, who wanted more, to dislike countries who had too much.
What led to the start of WWI:
Nationalism Grows in Serbia: The 1908 Austria-Hungary took a Balkan state called Bosnia. Its neighbor, Serbia,
was angry. It worried that Serbia might be taken over next. So in 1911 nationalist Serbians formed a secret
society, the Black Hand. It worked to free Bosnia & unite it with Serbia. It was made up of radicals, intellectuals,
and Serbian army officers. It trained its terrorists in sabotage & assassination. They made themselves heroes.
Assassination: On June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, a 19 year-old rebel from
Serbia, Gavrilo Princip, shot Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the next in line to
be emperor of the Austrian-Hungary Empire. The archduke was visiting Bosnia,
which had been annexed by Austria. Serbia wanted all the Slavic countries to unite,
including Bosnia.
Russia, Serbia’s ally, did not like Austria-Hungary’s takeover of Bosnia and
supported nationalism for all the Balkan states. Russia knew the Serbians felt
threatened by Austria Hungary, who might try to annex Serbia too.
So on June 28th, the archduke and his pregnant grand-duchess, rode in the streets
of Sarajevo, Bosnia, when Princip fired at the couple. The duchess died immediately.
The archduke, died at the hospital.
Define the BOLD words.
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Answer the following:
1. What does the acronym MAIN stand for? 2. Why did alliances form among European nations? 3. Why did Serbian
nationalists form the Black Hand? 4. Describe the action that triggered World War I.
PART II: WAR: After the assassination, Austria accused the
Serbian government of being behind the murder. In July,
1914, Austria issued an ultimatum - a list of demands to be
met, these were: stop terrorism; remove army officers
hostile to Austria; end anti-Austrian propaganda. It ordered
Serbia to let Austria go to Serbia & investigate the murder.
The Serbian government was given 48 hours to reply.
Serbian leaders agreed to most of Austria’s demands.
However, they asked for an international group to intervene
instead of allowing Austrian investigators to go to Serbia.
Austria refused. Russia, Serbia’s ally, told Austria to back off.
Alliances: On July 28th Austria-Hungary declared war on
Serbia. So Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary. Now
allies of the countries at war declared war. This is called the
Domino Effect, when one nation declares war on another, then an ally declares war & another ally goes to war,
etc. Germany declared war on Russia because it was Austria-Hungary’s ally. France declared war on Germany
because it was Russia’s ally. Then Belgium, Great Britain, & Italy declared war. World War I started. 65 million
people & 35 nations fought the war on 3 continents. Italy left the Triple Alliance in 1915 but the Ottoman Empire
& Bulgaria sided with the Central Powers. The Triple Entente was joined by Japan, Greece, Romania, Portugal,
Italy and the US [in 1917].
Militarism: Attack Plans: Germany used the Schlieffen Plan which called for a two-front war [a war fought on 2
opposing borders of a country]. Germany attacked France first, then it would hit Russia. The Germans counted on
speed to defeat France, before going to Russia. Speed was
vital. German troops went through neutral Belgium to get to
France. This brought Belgium & Great Britain into war in 1914.
Germany’s lightning-quick strike called Blitzkrieg, didn’t
work in France. The war fought in this bloody region of France
became known as the WESTERN FRONT. By 1915, armies on
the Western Front dug miles of trenches [ditches] avoid enemy
gunfire. This trench warfare where soldiers fought each other
from within long ditches, shot over their heads at the enemy
who were in parallel trenches in front of them. Both armies
Trench Warfare
suffered big losses. The stalemate lasted through 1916.
New tools of war, machine guns, poison gas, armored tanks, &
new artillery killed thousands. The slaughter peaked in 1916. At the town of Verdun Germans attacked French.
600,000 died. Then British forces attacked Germans in Somme. On day one, 20,000 British soldiers died. By the
end of the battle, more than 500,000 died or were wounded.
Define: bold faced words
Answer the following:
1. Why did Austria issue a 48-hour ultimatum and then reject Serbia’s reply? Why did Russia go to war?
2. How did the Domino Effect work to start WWI? Who were in the Central Powers? the Allies?
3. What was the Schlieffen Plan and why and where did it fail?
4. What was the results of all the new technological warfare in battle?
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PART III: The EASTERN FRONT, on the Russian border, where Russians & Serbs battled Germans, Austrians, &
Turks, was brutal. Millions of troops were sent to fight. In early August 1914, the Russians attacked Germany. By
the end of August, the Germans counterattacked near Tannenberg, Germany. More than 30,000 Russians were
killed. In December 1914, Austrians pushed back the Russians from the border. As a result, the Russian army
suffered more than 2 million casualties. Its army was short on food, clothes, guns, ammunition, boots, and
blankets. Due to its isolation from its allies, no needed supplies from Britain or France could get through to
Russian ports. German ships blocked the Baltic & Ottomans blocked the straits between the Mediterranean and
Black seas. The Russian war effort collapsed. In 1917, due to unrest at home, Russia withdrew from the war.
Allied Losses: In 1915 Britain/France needed Constantinople [Istanbul] in Turkey a key city in the Ottoman Empire
to start a supply line to Russia. The allies’ Gallipoli Campaign to take the city, combined British, Australian, New
Zealand, and French troops who assaulted the Gallipoli Peninsula. Turks defended. Both sides dug in and battled
to no end. It was a stalemate. In December, the Allies left, after suffering 250,000 casualties.
The Allies had to stop the Ottomans. With the help of Arab nationalists in the Middle East, Allies took Baghdad,
Iran, Jerusalem, Israel, and Damascus, Syria. In Africa, the French & British took German colonies. The Japanese
took German posts in China and the Pacific Islands. Allied troops from South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and
Indochina defeated the German troops. By 1917 more than 1.2 million Indians joined the Allies. After Russia
withdrew from the war in March 1917, the US declared war in April, supporting the Allies. World War I was now
a total war, meaning countries devoted all their resources to win the war.
The Russians withdrawal was caused by unrest at home. War-related food and fuel shortages made Russians
revolt against Czar Nicholas II who gave up his throne. Russian war casualties totaled 5.5 million. The army
refused to fight. Vladimir Lenin, a socialist and communist, took over the government, made a truce with
Germany & signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which ended the war between them in 1918. The treaty called for
Russia to surrender borderlands to Germany. Russia, without a czar, started a new socialist government.
War’s End: March 1918, the Germans mounted one
final attack in France. Germans used new cannons &
won. By May, the Germans were 40 miles from Paris.
But they were weak, its army exhausted. Supplies
were scarce. The US sent 140,000 fresh troops to
Paris, counterattacking. Two million more Americans
arrived in July. Germany crumbled in defeat. The
Ottoman Empire surrendered. A revolution in Austria
ended that empire. The Kaiser stepped down. On the
11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, World
War One ended. November 11, 1918 an armistice, or
ceasefire, ended the Great War.
The War’s Cost was tremendous. The total number
casualties is estimated at 37 million. Sixteen million died and twenty million were wounded that equaled about
7050 losses/ day. Nine million soldiers died. Germany lost 1.9 million. Russia lost 1.8 million and France lost 1.3
million. Thirteen million died of starvation, disease, and massacres. An entire generation of Europeans was wiped
out. The war devastated Europe’s economy. The total cost of the war was estimated at $338 billion. The war
destroyed acres of farmland, homes, and whole cities and towns. The final cost of the war is estimated at $400
billion.
Identify/ define: Eastern Front Gallipoli Campaign total war armistice
Answer the following:
1. Why did the Russians loose to the Central Powers and what effects did their defeats have on Russia? 2. Where did the
allies loose in the Ottoman Empire and why? Where did they win in the Ottoman Empire and why? 3. What specific actions
turned the tide for the Allies in 1918? 4. What were the final costs of this war to Central Powers and Allies alike?
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PART IV: PEACE: The allied nations met in Versailles,
France to write a peace treaty. Britain and France
wanted national security and to stop Germany’s war
machine in the future. They wanted Germany to pay
the price of war. So Germany was not invited to the
peace talks. Russia was also excluded because the
new government had withdrawn from the war. The
allied countries attending sent representatives. The
four major powers, Great Britain, France, Italy & the
US led the talks. These representatives were called
The BIG FOUR.
The Big Four: David Lloyd George of Britain, Vittorio Orlando of
Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France, & President Wilson of the US
US President Woodrow Wilson drew up the Fourteen Points Plan, an outline of a just and lasting peace. The
first five points included an end to secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, and reduced national armies/
navies. The fifth concerned colonial claims with fairness toward colonial peoples. The sixth through thirteenth
points were suggestions for changing borders and creating new nations. It also proposed that these new nations
would allow people to decide for themselves under what government they wished to be ruled. This proposal was
called self-determination. The Fourteenth Point proposed a League of Nations, which would world countries’
representatives meet in a central location in order to protect “great and small states alike.” This plan reflected
Wilson’s hope for an organization that could peacefully negotiate solutions to world conflicts and avoid war. All
points but the Fourteenth Point were rejected. France was not interested in anything but making sure Germany
never had power again
The 1919 Treaty of Versailles was finished. Germany was forced to sign. All allied powers signed it except the
US and Russia. The Central Powers of the Ottoman and the Austria-Hungary Empires no longer existed so they did
not sign. Wilson’s Fourteenth Point was accepted and a League of Nations was to start. The league was to be an
international association whose goal was to keep peace. The five Allied powers—the US [which did not join in the
end], Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, were to be permanent members. The General Assembly would
consist of representatives of 32 allied and neutral nations. Germany was excluded. Also left out was Russia.
The treaty punished Germany. It was not a peace treaty, it was a treaty of revenge. Germany lost all its colonial
territories in Africa and Asia. Its military was reduced and limited to 100,000 troops and only 36 ships. It lost all its
submarines and its air force. Germany could not make or import weapons of any kind. Thus much of its foreign
markets, trade and manufacturing were devastated and its economy collapsed.
The treaty insisted that Germany sign an agreement, the war-guilt clause, which said Germany would take full
responsibility for the war. Germany had to admit that it caused the entire devastation to the world. In addition,
Germany had 30 years to pay $33 billion in reparations or compensation for damages done to the Allies. The
majority of the reparations was to be paid to France, whose country was literally destroyed in the war.
The Western powers signed separate peace treaties in 1919 and 1920 with each of the other defeated nations:
Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. These treaties, too, led to huge land losses for the Central
Powers. The Austria-Hungary Empire ceased to exist, several new independent nations were created out of it:
Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia [which absorbed the Balkans]. The Ottoman Empire dissolved
and Turkey was created. The Allies carved up the lands that the Ottomans lost in Southwest Asia into mandates
or territories administered by the League of Nations. Palestine, Iraq, and Trans-Jordan came under British control;
Syria and Lebanon went to France.
Russia, alienated by the Allies for pulling out of the war, suffered land losses as well. The Russian Empire was
no more. Romania and Poland both gained Russian territory. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, formerly part
of Russia, became independent nations. Some Allied powers, were embittered by the outcome. Both Japan and
Italy, which had entered the war to gain territory, had gained less than they wanted. Lacking the support of the
US, and other world powers, the League of Nations had no power to act on complaints.
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Identify/ define: The Big Four Wilson’s Fourteen Point Plan [in detail] self-determination League of
Nations Treaty of Versailles
war-guilt clause reparations
mandates
Answer the following:
1. What was the final peace plan like? How did it differ from Wilson’s?
2. Why was only Germany punished in the treaty? What parts of the treaty were fair to Germany? Unfair to
Germany?
3. Why were the Central Powers and Russia omitted from the peace talks?
4. What allies were disappointed with the results of the treaty and why?
5. List the new countries in Europe created after WWI’s end