1914 1918 THE GREAT WAR Long Term Causes

1914 -1918 THE GREAT WAR

Long Term Causes �Nationalism- Extreme pride in ones nation or state �Imperialism - nations compete for control of colonies, raw materials, and markets �Militarism - buildup of the military, military aggression ○ Arms race began in Europe

Long Term Causes � The Alliance System �European nations make alliances promising to protect each other if attacked - Often enter into alliances in an attempt to avoid war � Began with Otto Von Bismarck wanting to forge alliances to protect itself from France. ○ Brought many nations into war ○ When a nation went to war, their allies and their enemies’ allies joined as well �Triple Entente: France, Britain, Russia (also had alliance with Serbia) �Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Alliance System before the Great War Germany previously had an alliance with Russia but failed to renew that alliance. Russia then made an alliance with France – giving Germany a two front war if it were to break out

The Powder Keg of Europe During this time tension on the Balkan Peninsula was high. Therefore nicknamed “The Powder Keg of Europe” � There were many nationalities in the Balkans and each began to form new nations as the Ottoman Empire declined. � Serbia, with a mostly Slavic population, wanted to absorb all the Slavs on the Balkans. � � Austria-Hungary feared this would cause an uprising within their own boarders

The Powder Keg of Europe Austria-Hungarian annexed 2 former Turkish provinces in 1908 - Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Slavic nations) � Serbia had sought to rule these provinces and threatened war on Austria-Hungary. � Russia had pledged their support to Serbia, so they began to mobilize, which caused Germany, allied with Austria-Hungary, to threaten war on Russia. (Russia backed down) �

“The Spark” � June 28, 1914— Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Austrian throne) and his wife Sophie were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip � Princip was a 19 year old Serbian nationalist and member of the Black Hand Society � Secret society committed to ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule

� Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia (for the assassination) and issued an ultimatum (answer within 48 hours) �Serbia was to suppress all anti-Austrian newspapers/organizations �Austrian police would help control rebellions in Serbia �Austrian courts would help prosecute accused conspirators in Serbia � Serbia could not agree to all of it

The Great War Begins July 28, 1914—Austria -Hungary declares war on Serbia (exactly one month after the assassination) � The Alliance system of the previous years begins dragging other nations into the war as well � � turned into the domino effect

Nations Take Sides � Allies : France, Britain, Russia, Japan (previously had a treaty with Britain), Italy (changed sides…possibly because they were losing and wanted a port in Austria Hungary), USA (joined in 1917) � Australia, Belgium, Greece, India, Montenegro, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Etc. . . � (Approximately 25 nations) � Central Powers : Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire (hoped to regain lost territory)

War Begins � Germany has two enemies to it’s left and right. To avoid a two front war they develop a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan: � A full attack against France in the west then rushing east to fight Russia � Western Front – Germany’s border with France � Eastern Front – Germany’s border with Russia

A Bloody Stalemate Early on Germany was making quick work of France until they came to the outskirts of Paris. � Germany was defeated at the Battle of Marne and a quick victory in France was no longer possible. � The Schlieffen Plan was ruined and Russia had already invaded eastern Germany. � Germany settled into a stalemate along the Western Front �

Trench Warfare Along the Western Front armies dug miles of parallel trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire – trench warfare � Between the trenches – “no man’s land” � To attack men went over the top of the trenches and usually met rounds of machine gun fire. � Staying put meant that you would suffer through heavy artillery. � � Heavy casualties for very little land gains

Life in the Trenches � Many describe it as pure misery � Muddy (all the time) � Lice � Rat infested � Diseases � Spoiled food � Trench foot http: //www. bbc. co. uk/guides/zggy kqt

A Deadly War: Weapons of War � New weapons and technology killed greater numbers of people more effectively. The Zeppelin Machine Gun

Weapons of War Poison Gas & Gas Masks

Weapons of War Barbed Wire Tanks

Weapons of War Airplanes Field Guns / Artillery

A Deadly War New weapons combined with trench warfare made WWI slow moving and deadly. � Slaughter reached a peak when Germans launched a major attack against the French - Battle of Verdun � � Each side lost more than 300, 000 men and 750, 000 wounded � Germans gained only 4 miles in 10 months https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=4 oabxo. P_j. VM http: //www. history. com/topics/worl d-war-i/battle-of-verdun/videos

The Great War becomes a World War � The Gallipoli Campaign: Allies try to take the Dardanelles strait (controlled by Ottomans) in order to get supplies to Russia � Russia is behind in industrialization � Campaign fails � German colonies come under attack by the Allies � Japan takes over possessions in China � Britain and France fight to gain colonies in Africa

America Joins the War Germany issued unrestricted submarine warfare – subs would sink any ship in the waters around Britain. � U-boat sank British passenger ship Lusitania on May 7, 1915. � � 1, 200 people killed, including 128 Americans � Germany says the ship was carrying war materials - true https: //www. yout ube. com/watch? v=P 10 Gxd. NVj. Ms

America joins the War � The Zimmermann Note: � January 1917—Britain intercepted a telegram from Germany to Mexico � Germany asked Mexico to invade the US to keep us out of the war � Germany would return to them lands lost during the Mexican War ○ Present-day Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas � April 4, 1917—US declares war on Germany

Russia Withdraws Russia was lacking in food and supplies and civil unrest forced Czar Nicholas to step down. � The provisional government wanted to keep fighting – but the Russian army refused to fight. � That coupled with the Bolshevik revolution, Russia makes peace with Germany �

Central Powers Collapse Both the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary pulled out of the war. � Germany runs out of money and supplies. Then after experiencing a revolution as well, ousting the Kaiser, Germany signs an Armistice – agreement to stop fighting. � � Armistice was signed November 11 th, 1918 � 11 th day in the 11 th month at the 11 th hour. Surrender

Foreshadowing… � During the war several revolutions broke out in Germany led by radical socialists – drastically hurts the war effort � Many members and leaders were Jewish Same groups also helped and encouraged strikes in factories – hurt the war � Both of these actions caused Germany to hate communism and Jews. Germans associated the two together. �

The Treaty of Versailles � “The Big Four” � Georges Clemenceau France � David Lloyd George Britain � Vittorio Orlando Italy � Woodrow Wilson USA Wilson wanted the treaty to be lenient, but Britain and France wanted Germany punished � Signed June 28, 1919 � � Officially ends the Great War � Signed 5 years to the day after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Provisions of Treaty � Creation of new Nations: � From Austria-Hungary: Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia � Ottoman Empire was reduced to what is today Turkey � Germany and Russia lost land to other countries � League of Nations – peace keeping organization � President Wilson’s idea and plan but the US never joined

Provisions of Treaty � Demilitarized Germany � Greatly reduced army (only enough to keep law and order in Germany), no navy or air force. � War Guilt Clause � Germany was forced to accept full blame for the war � War Reparations � Germany war forced to pay $33 billion to the Allies

“Peace Built on Quicksand” � Created more anger and resentment than peace � Italy and Japan felt cheated in the land divisions � Russia lost land otherwise ignored � Too harsh on Germany! Led to the rise of Hitler; people were looking for someone to pull them out of their disaster � 1918 1922 1923 Major cause of WWII • 1 mark • 163 marks • 200, 000, 000 marks

Legacy of the War • War on a grand global scale • 8. 5 million soldiers died • 21 million wounded • 10 million refugees • Europe’s economy devastated – countries treasuries depleted • Total cost of the war - $338 billion • Acres of farmland, homes, villages, and towns destroyed • Peace treaty created more anger and resentment