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WORLD HISTORY II
Mrs. Bailey
World War I (1914-1918)
For further exploration, check out http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/chapters/index.html
In the summer of 1914, a complex set of circumstances led European countries into a destructive war over issues
of nationalism, imperialism, alliances, and growing militarism. These powder keg issues erupted into war,
dramatically altering the global status quo, in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 when a Serbian nationalist named
Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II,
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and Queen Victoria of England were all first cousins and at first it was thought the
family ties would prevent war. Russia went to the aid of their Slavic brothers in Serbia and Germany declared
war on Russia August 1, 1914. The war brought an end to European aristocracies and monarchies and helped
launch the United States to the forefront of international politics. The war created new nations and set the
stage for ongoing conflicts.
The following image is a political cartoon of pre-war Europe. How are the different countries depicted and what
do you think it means?
http://www.catalog.socialstudies.com/pdf/ZP925EX.pdf
Major Allied Powers:
Major Central Powers:
Who made up the Triple Entente?
Who made up the Triple Alliance?
Long Term Causes:

Unification of Germany – Threatened English industrial dominance and their military buildup
threatened all of Europe

Imperialism – Competition for possessions overseas

Alliances – Designed to balance power in Europe

Militarization – Military buildup/continually training troops and development of new weapons such as
tanks, machine guns, howitzer cannons, airplanes, chemical weapons)

Industrialization – led to swifter, stronger, more mobile and deadly armies

Social Unrest – enlightenment saw people lose faith in divine right and begin to question government and
did not believe they were destined to be poor and oppressed, so worked for labor unions, freedoms, and
democracy or voice in government

Nationalism – united people with sense of greatness but it was like patriotism with a strong helping of
superiority, which was used to justify/rationalize conquering the “inferior”
See this link and select “Play Animation” to discover how the alliances led the different countries into war:
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/maps/
http://www.cosmeo.com/images/pictures/player/ef6db001-9420-04e5-a47810993e6f2327.jpg
“The Lamps are going out all over Europe” – What is the point of this cartoon?
Key Battles:

Marne – French and British forces prevented Germany’s plan for a swift and decisive victory

Verdun – 1 million dead or wounded, demoralized both sides, first extensive use of flamethrower, ½ of the
German army in France and ¾ of the French army fought here

Somme – first use of tanks (British) and drew Germans from Verdun

St. Mihiel – first battle using American troops under American commanders

Hindenburg Line – deep, wide trenches, barbed wire, concrete machine gun positions, concrete bunkers,
tunnels, and command posts – considered impregnable by the Germans but British offensives proved
otherwise
Changing Warfare:

Trench Warfare – 475 mile front with 8 foot deep networks of trenches protected by barbed wire and
the trenches were plagued with disease, lice, water, and mud and the soldiers often had to sleep standing
up or leaning in corners, however German trenches were more sophisticated and had sleeping rooms (a
few had wallpaper and painted ceilings)

Shell Shock – aka battle fatigue caused by long periods of shelling and the mental stress of living in
constant dangers in trenches, which sometimes caused psychiatric trauma and the symptoms could include
trembling, tearfulness, and damaged memory – in the beginning it was thought they were cowards and
many were executed.

Christmas Truce – Christmas 1914, enemies joined together for caroling, soccer games, conversation,
and exchanging tokens of war

Scorched Earth – In order to leave nothing behind the opposing forces might use, both sides used this
practice of burning buildings, ravaging crops, cutting down trees, and forcing people to flee their homes
and it devastated the countryside leaving citizens (especially peasants) homeless and desperate

Espionage – information regarding enemy plans and strategies was very valuable and spies would try to
break enemy secret codes and obtain information through phone tapping and interrogating prisoners

Weapons – warships, airplanes (first used to gather intelligence and later were armed with the interrupter
which allowed nose mounted guns to shoot bullets in between the propeller motion and eventually as
bombers) submarine technology able to launch torpedo attacks without surfacing, machine guns (originally
the Maxim), howitzers (long range, large shelled weapon) artillery more accurate with longer ranges,
flamethrowers, tanks (British innovation), telephone/radio to help with communication, first war films and
chemical weapons (poison gas which attacked the nervous system and caused a painful death or long
lasting mental disturbances – chlorine gas was the worst and within seconds would destroy respiratory
organs causing choking attacks – mustard gas was almost odorless but caused blisters internally and
externally several hours after exposure)
Zimmerman Telegram - Sent January 1917 by German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the German
ambassador in Mexico outlining an alliance between Mexico and Germany against the United States and in
return he promised to help Mexico “reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.” The
British intercepted the message and tried to convince the Americans to abandon their position of neutrality and
enter the war as an ally. President Woodrow Wilson saw the telegram February 24th and then the contents
became public soon afterwards resulting in a growing number of Americans wanting to enter the war.
April 6, 1917 – The U.S. officially declares war against Germany. Reasons attributed to obtaining Americans
to support the war include:

U.S. news received from Britain was strongly biased to favor the Allies

British propaganda focused on supposed German “atrocities” during the war to increase U.S. support

Germany’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare (especially the Lusitania)

Zimmerman Telegram

German subs sank two U.S. ships in mid-March 1917

April 2, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war and the resolution passed April 6
The Draft aka “Conscription” – June 5, 1917 the government implemented a draft for men age 21 to 31 and
they were chosen by lottery at a ceremony in the Senate office building on July 20. While 6,400,000 men were
drafted into service, an overwhelming 24 million men registered.
Liberty Bonds – Four Liberty Bond drives and one Victory Bond drive raised over $20 billion for the war
effort. Top artists were recruited to create posters urging people to buy the bonds, which also stirred patriotism.
The bonds were used to finance the war and to increase public support for the war effort.
Propaganda – The government formed the Committee of Public Information and began producing propaganda
posters that demonized the Germans. People started to rename food items like sauerkraut to liberty cabbage,
frankfurters to liberty sausages, and hamburger to Salisbury steak. People also started to target and ostracize
Americans with German ancestry, including an event in April 1918 when a mob lynched a German-born citizen
named Robert Prager.
Changing Roles of Women and the right to vote (FINALLY!!!) – With many young men off at war, women
began to fill some of their jobs, especially factory jobs. Women demonstrated their competence and skill in the
workforce, women found some independence, and society began to reconsider its view of women and their roles in
society. Governments began granting suffrage: Denmark (1915), Netherlands and Russia (1917), Austria, Br,
Canada, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Sweden (1918), Germany and Luxembourg (1919) and the United
States (1920)
Russian Revolution – In Russia there had been years of Tsarist oppression, one example includes the slaughter
of people in Odessa in 1905, resulted in their unpopularity. In 1915 Tsar Nicholas took command of the army
and on March 8, 1917 riots broke out in Petrograd and the soldiers refused to support the Tsar and instead
joined the revolution. By March 12, Tsar Nicholas abdicated and the tsarist rule in Russia came to an end.
Soviet Union and the War – The provisional government created after the fall of the Tsars was hit by bread
shortages, devaluation of the ruble, the inability to maintain the country’s infrastructure, and the growing support
for communism. Vladimir Lenin and the communists gained control of the government in 1917 and marked the
beginning of the Soviet Union. The Soviets signed a treaty with Germany, withdrew from the war and
Germany then focused its attention on the Western Front.
Arabs in the War – The Turkish dominated Ottomans had long ruled over various Arab tribes in the Middle
East. The tribes, while historically fighting amongst themselves, banded together to help the British to
overthrow Ottoman rule and establish an Arab nation. Arab forces, undersupplied and under trained, were able
to disrupt Turkish supply lines and attack outposts, which distracted Turkish forces from the British.
Armistice – November 11, 1918 (11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month) – temporary agreement to stop the
fighting officially ended the Great War though peace negotiations and the treaty would be problematic.
Paris Peace Conference – January 1919 – Peace talks were dominated by the “Big Three” Allied leaders:
President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Premier George Clemenceau of France, and Prime Minister
David Lloyd George of England. Representatives from 27 countries participated in the talks; defeated powers
were not invited, nor were Russia, who was engaging in a civil war. A treaty was agreed upon and signed by
Germany 6 months later. Soon after, 4 other treaties dealing with Austria, Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria
soon followed.
Versailles Treaty – June 28, 1919 – Germany had to sign the treaty without providing input into the terms. The
treaty, signed on the anniversary of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, contained harsh
conditions and unrealistic expectations for reparations which angered German people, helped contribute to the
economic depression, and failed to resolve the underlying reasons for the conflicts on the continent. The basic
conditions include:

Germany had to cede the region of Alsace-Lorraine (won in the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s)
back to France, the Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia, and the “Polish Corridor” to Poland.

Demilitarization of the Rhineland.

Germany’s Saar coal region was placed under international control for 15 years.

Disarmament: Germany was limited to only 100,000 army troops; no reserves, tanks, aircraft, warships, or
subs were permitted.

Germany to pay $5 billion in immediate reparations and future reparations determined by May 1921.
Many saw this treaty as overly punitive and instead of being designed to bring lasting peace to Europe to
instead humiliate and cripple Germany. Germany would be expected to pay over $33 billion in reparations total,
which would be impossible for the war-devastated country.
President Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” – President Wilson outlined a plan for peace referred to as the
“Fourteen Points” in his address to Congress on January 8, 1918. European leaders either dismissed most of
the ideals of the Fourteen Points or diluted them in the final peace agreement. The Fourteen Points were:
1. Open diplomacy; no secret treaties.
2. Freedom of the seas in war and in peace.
3. Removal of all economic barriers.
4. Reduction in national military forces.
5. Colonial disputes judged impartially. Subjected peoples have equal voice with colonial powers.
6. Withdrawal of all German and Austrian forces from Russian territory.
7. Restoration of Belgian sovereignty.
8. Occupied French territory restored, including Alsace-Lorraine.
9. Borders of Italian frontiers redrawn according to national identity.
10. Peoples of Austria-Hungary were given opportunity for autonomy.
11. Autonomous Balkan states.
12. Non-Turks within Ottoman Empire were given opportunity for autonomy.
13. Establish a Polish state with sea access.
14. Formation of the League of Nations.
League of Nations – 1919 to 1939 – President Woodrow Wilson wrote the League’s covenant and countries
which signed would be part of the new world organization (except Germany and Russia). However, the U.S.
Senate refused to ratify the Versailles Treaty; primarily due to the League of Nations which they felt committed
the U.S. to comply with League decisions and undermined U.S. sovereignty. Wilson worked hard to try and
gain support for the treaty touring the country speaking to the issues, but suffered a stroke (many believe due to
the strain of the tour). In21, the U.S. finally put a formal conclusion to the war by signing separate treaties with
Germany, Austria, and Hungary, but did not join the League of Nations, which proved to be powerless and was
manipulated by countries to achieve their own goals instead of administer justice. There were inconsistencies in
purpose and administration which prevented the League from becoming a world-governing body to settle
disputes, promote disarmament, and supervise world health.
Number of Wounded
Central Powers:
Allied Powers:
Germany
4,126,000
Russia
4,950,000
Austria-Hungary
3,620,000
France
3,600,000
Ottoman Empire
1,565,000
British Empire
2,111,000
Italy
947,000
United States
204,000
Number of Deaths
Central Powers:
Allied Powers:
Germany
1,935,000
Russia
1,700,000
Austria-Hungary
1,200,000
France
1,368,000
Ottoman Empire
725,000
British Empire
942,000
Italy
680,000
United States
116,000
Physical and Financial Costs of the War – The war was devastating for the people of Europe, causing entire
villages and even cities to be wiped out by the fighting. Valuable farmland was destroyed causing farmers to lose
both animals and land (especially in France), which contributed to food shortages. The fighting stopped, but
bitterness remained between nations and ethnicities, food shortages continued, economic depression was
widespread, and trade issues continued. France and Great Britain had borrowed heavily to finance the war and
were not deeply in debt to countries like the United States.
Social/Political Costs of the War – The political map of Europe was redrawn, often along ethnic lines, but
some of these boundaries would create future unrest (one example - several Balkan states united into one
Yugoslavia) and led many people to leave familiar lands to find “their own kind.” Relocated refugees were often
rejected by their ethnic kin due to the increased competition for food and jobs. The loss of land by oncepowerful European Empires like Austria-Hungary led to bitter feelings toward neighboring countries.
New Nations and Incidents of Genocide: Europe – To gain freedom for Ireland, the Irish Republican party
(Sinn Fein) and its leader, Michael Collins, agreed not to fight for the 6 counties of Northern Ireland, leading to
the conflict between Northern Ireland and England which continues today. In an attempt to resolve ethnic
tensions, Austria-Hungary was carved into four new nations: Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and
Yugoslavia and other parts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire was provided to Romania, Poland, and
Italy. The effort did create some homelands for some ethnicities, but it created other problems as the new
majority ethnicities oppressed the remaining minorities. Widespread ethnic cleansing accompanied the Yugoslav
War from 1991 to 1999 (eastern Croatia, Krajina, and most of Bosnia from 1992 to 1995, Albanian dominated
province of Serbia called Kosovo in 1999). Large numbers of Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, and Albanians were
forced to flee their homes and were expelled from their countries. In 2004, following an upsurge in violence,
Serbs were forced by Albanian rioters to flee their homes in the province.
New Nations: The Middle East - The British had promised self-determination to the Arab nation in return for
their help in the war, however the Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France allowed the two nations
to divide and control Arab lands as they saw fit and they established “mandates” or trustees over the former
Turkish-controlled territories. In a 1917 document called the Balfour Declaration (after the British Foreign
Secretary Arthur Balfour) stated in a letter to Jewish leader Lord Rothschild that Britain supported the idea
of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Most Arab states opposed the creation of a Jewish state, and when the
United Nations voted to establish Israel, the Arab countries immediately attacked the new state and were
defeated. Arab feelings of betrayal at this time set the stage for the anti-western views which still dominate many
Arab nations.
Rise of Extremism: Japan and Russia –
Japan - East Asian colonies were ignored by their European imperial nations during WWI and Japan seized
this opportunity to expand its influence over mainland China and benefit from the natural resources. Japan
expanded its empire and militaristic extremists gained popularity and power.
Russia – Lenin died in 1924 and Joseph Stalin assumed leadership of the Soviet Union, consolidated all state
power to himself, and set the U.S.S.R. on a course of modernization bringing industry and order to the country.
He was paranoid and imprisoned or murdered millions of people who disagreed with his policies or threatened his
power.
Rise of Extremism: Germany - The Weimar government was very unpopular with the people. To pay for the
$33 billion in reparations the government simply printed more paper money which created hyperinflation (at one
point one billion deutschmarks equaled about one American cent). Germans, who had been humiliated by the
Versailles Treaty concessions, worked to rebuild national pride and joined extreme right-wing and nationalistic
political movements (including the National Socialist Party, the Nazi’s). Adolf Hitler became leader Nazi party
and eventually became dictator of Germany in 1933.
Rise of Extremism: Italy – Fascism took root in Italy and set out to distinguish itself from socialists and
communists by promoting an extreme nationalism and promising to restore to the nation the glory of ancient
Rome. Benito Mussolini became dictator of Italy in 1924 and the Fascists employed brutal, repressive tactics.
However, Mussolini’s government also brought efficiency and productivity to the factories. Life improved, so
citizens became tolerant of the Fascist’s heavy-handed regime.
Rise of Extremism: United States – The U.S., worried about having too close of ties with Europe, returned
to an isolationism and not taking any major role in European affairs. When the Great Depression hit in the
1930s, the U.S. became even more isolationist as it struggled to solve economic problems at home. As socialist
and communist groups gained power in Europe, the U.S. became more suspicious of “reds”. In 1919, bombs
were set off in several American cities; one of them damaged the home of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer
who believed the bombings were an attempt by “radicals” and “subversives” to overthrow the government. In 1919
and 1920, Palmer directed the Justice Department to conduct raids and arrest many communists, socialists, and
anarchists. Most people arrested were innocent and only a few were convicted, however more than 500 were
deported.
Post-War Europe – Europe was unstable due to the creation of new nations, new governments, emergence of
dictators, and poor economic conditions. These conditions were ripe for contributions to World War II.