Download World War I

World War I
SOL WHII.9
Tensions for WWI
•Traced back to age of
unification and
imperialism
•5 major factors that
caused WWI
5 Major Factors That Caused WWI
1. Nationalism
2. Imperialism
3. Militarism
4. Alliances
5. Powder Keg
• Nationalism
• Tension between
Germany and
France over the
territory of AlsaceLorraine, which
had been taken
away from France
after their loss in
the FrancoPrussian War
• Loyalty to one’s
nation; desire for
unity
Militarism
Mobilization
and build up
of army and
navy due to
industrializati
on
Germany
rivaled Britain
• Glorified
war—
countries not
afraid to
prepare for
war
Imperialism
• Competition
• Countries did not forget
the resentment over lost
colonies
Alliances
Triple EntenteTriple AllianceRussia, France,
Germany,
Great Britain
Austria-Hungary,
(would give
and Italy
Germany a war on
two fronts)
--Russia needed a
loan and France
needed an ally in
the early 1900’s
Alliances
• Reinsurance Treaty:
provided for neutrality
in case either Russia
or Germany became
involved in a defensive
war. Treaty dissolved
after William II forced
Bismarck out
Powder Keg
• THE BALKANS;
Serbia wanted to
create a united Slavic
state on the Balkan
Peninsula
• Would include the
provinces of BosniaHerzegovina, but
Austria controlled
them
• Russia supported Pan
Slavism—union of
Assassination of the Archduke
• The Last Straw!!!
• The spark that
was needed to
start a war
• Became a
world war due
to the Alliance
System
Assassination of the Archduke
• Gavrilo Princip
• Black Hand
• Member of the
Black Hand
(assassinated
the Archduke)
• A Serbian
terrorist group
which means
Union of Death
• Austria gave Serbia an
ultimatum—with 48 hours to
comply.
• Serbia accomplished all but 2
demands
• Austria declared war on Serbia
July 28, 1914
• Because of alliances, WWI was
under way!
• Belgium declared neutrality in
1839.
• Would not help any
belligerents—or warring
nations—as long as no one
attacked them
• Belgium’s geography is flat, so
Germany asked Belgium if they
could walk through to France—
Belgian King said “NO”
• Germany did it anyway—
destroyed much of Belgium
• Great Britain declared war on
Germany on behalf of neutral
Alliances Soon Expand!!
• Japan entered
entente
• Italy switched
sides to the
Triple Entente
in May 1915
• November 1914,
the Ottoman
Empire entered
the Alliance to
block Russia and
the Black Sea
• Oct. 1915,
Bulgaria entered
on the Alliance
Central Powers
• Advantages that
• Everyone
the Central
thought it would
Powers had:
be quick
–Easy
• Alliances change
communication
to Central
Powers, because
–Rapid troop
they had created
movement
a central block in
–Well-organized,
Europe.
equipped army
Allied Powers
• Allied Powers
• AKA Triple
advantages:
Entente—Great
– More soldiers
Britain, France,
– Greater industrial
Italy,
potential
Russia…made
– Control of the
up strongest, but
seas, which
there were a
gave them more
total of 32
food, supplies,
powers!!!
and they could
Innovations
• Due to the IR
and mass
production the
weapons needed
for WWI could
easily be
manufactured!!!
• Most important
innovation:
machine gun
• Trench Warfare
• Tank
• Airplanes
• U-boats
• Poison Gas
What made this war different?
• Innovations
• Drafted Soldiers—not professional
soldiers
• WWI was a total war—everyone was
involved from the government, soldiers,
to women and children at home.
• Propaganda—used to stir patriotism
and it was effective in motivating the
U.S. into war
• WWI known as the "Great War”
Propaganda Posters
• Trench
Warfare
WAR!!!!
• Germans—planned to get rid of a war on two
fronts
• General—Von Schlieffen—”Swinging
Hammer”
– Take out western front 1st—biggest
threat—made it to France, French saved
Paris; Stalemate
– Next take out eastern front—Russians
advanced-Germans pushed back; Allies try
to take Constantinople, but fail
• British try a
blockade of the
North Sea, but
Germans
responded with
the U-boat.
• Submarine
warfare hurt the
allies
5 Events for U.S. Entry
•
•
•
•
1. Lusitania = ended neutrality
2. British Propaganda = sympathy
3. Zimmerman Telegram = anger
4. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare =
threatening behavior
• 5. Russian Revolution = confidence
U.S. Declares War!!
• Woodrow Wilson went to Congress
on April 2, 1917, and asked for a
declaration of war against Germany.
• April 6th he got it
Zimmerman Telegram
Problems in Russia
• Russia was facing
problems at the home
front
• Revolution of 1905—did
not cause any changes—
people still unhappy
• Many joined secret
societies to act against
the gov’t
• Nicholas II taking all
blame—would be the last
absolute monarch in
Europe
Problems in Russia cont…
• Spring 1917, strikes broke out in St.
Petersburg and Petrograd
• Nicholas II ordered troops to put the
strikes and riots down—troops ended up
joining in
• March 15, 1917, Nicholas II abdicated
throne
• He and his entire family executed
• Romanov dynasty had come to an end
Russia has no gov’t!!
• Until a gov’t could be
established, a
temporary gov’t
established
• Nicholas II
• Soviet
• Mensheviks –whites
(moderate socialists)
• Bolsheviks--reds
(radicals-communists)
Bolsheviks
• Leader—Lenin
• Advocated Marxism
(communism)
• Nov. 1917, overthrew
temp. gov’t—known
as Bolshevik
Revolution
• 1918, became known
as the Communist
Party
• Communists signed
peace treaties with all
Central Powers in
1918—to focus on
internal problems
• Lost a lot of land!
• With Russia out of the
war—U.S. help is
crucial!!
14 Points!!
• After Russia withdrew for war many
people question the motives for war.
• Woodrow Wilson continued his plea of
making world safe for democracy.
• Wilson announces his Fourteen Points to
Congress in Jan. 1918
• Plan to preserve peace and democracy
around the world
14 Points cont…
• Mostly peace-keeping plans
• 14th point called for the creation of a
general association of nations to keep
world peace
Final Defeat of Central Powers
• Final defeat came w/the help of U.S.
• Bulgaria—defeated Sept. 1918
• Austria-Hungary—breakup of the Dual
Monarchy and both form separate peace
agreements
• Germany—most Germans wanted peace.
Nov. 9, 1918, Kaiser William II abdicated
and German Republic proclaimed
Final Defeat of the Central Powers
• Nov. 11, 1918 (11th hour, of the 11th
month, on the 11th day) armistice was
signed. (NOW VETERAN’S DAY)
• Armistice severe and were created to keep
Germany from fighting again.
Great War Devastation
• Costs of the War—One of the reasons for
the name: Great War
• Total: 10 million dead; 20 million wounded
• Russia suffered most—2 million
• Germany very close behind
• France lost 1.5 million
• U.S. lost 115,000
• An estimated total cost for the war is 400
billion dollars
Peace Conference
• Big Four:
– David Lloyd George—Prime Minister of
England
– Georges Clemenceau—Premier of France
– Woodrow Wilson—President of the U.S.
– Vittorio Orlando—Premier of Italy
Peace Conference
(Foreshadow of WWII)
• Big Four quarreled over territorial claims
• France had the biggest demands
• Italy had a few requests, but Big Four
would not give Italy what they wanted,
they left
• Everyone wanted pieces of Germany
Peace Conference
(Foreshadow of WWII)
• Japan wanted permanent control over the
islands they controlled during the war, as
well as, a major influence in China.
• A fight broke out and Japan almost left
Peace Conference
(Foreshadow of WWII)
• Real destruction—Germany forced to pay
reparations
• Germany punished most severely
• 14 Points suggested a “Peace of Justice”
• All the territorial claims “Peace of Vengeance”
• Most of the allies wanted to teach the Central
Powers a lesson
• U.S. did not understand—they had only been
involved for a year.
Treaty of Versailles
• Germany
• Had to admit guilt and pay reparations, but
the allies did not specify how much, but
the Germans had no choice (blank check)
• Pay $5 billion within 2 years and an
unspecified amount later
• 1921, they ordered another $28 billion
• Lose Rhineland and Saar Valley for 15
years
Treaty of Versailles
• Germany forced to downsize military
• Could not manufacture artillery
• Austria-Hungary dealt with separately. Both
countries lost territory, but new territories were
created.
• Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were created
• Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire lost territories—
new nations created: Iraq, Palistine, TransJordan, Syria—governed by an allied power or
League of Nations
Problems after the War
• Russia, an allied power, lost territory.
• Poland got larger and Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania were all created.
• This will make Russia very mad (WWII)
• Colonies’ participation in the war,
increased their demands for independence
League of Nations
• League (according to Wilson) had two
goals:
– International cooperation
– Settle disputes peacefully and reduce world
armaments
League of Nations
• Would include all independent, sovereign
nations
• 3 agencies made up the League and
would work w/the World Court in Hague.
– Secretariat: conduct League business
– Assembly: 1 vote for each member—lower
house
– Council: 9 member nations (later 15) 5 would
be permanent (Br., Fr., It., Jp., U.S.)
Mandates
• League would watch over areas not ready
for independence and they would be
assigned a governing power
• Mandate: area assigned an advanced
nation to administer their government
– Lebanon and Syria—French Mandates
– Palestine and Trans-Jordan—British
mandates
Mandates
• The division of the Ottoman Empire
through the Mandate System planted the
seeds for future conflicts in the Middle
East
League of Nations
• The League could punish member nations for
breaking “rules” by imposing economic
sanctions (restrictions) such as embargoes and
military force was always a last resort
• U.S. never joined the League
• U.S. never ratified the Treaty of Versailles until
later either
• Germany joined in 1926, Russia in 1934.
• In 1935, 62 nations had joined the LON