The First World War

Causes for War Militarism (arms race) Alliances Imperialism Nationalism

Causes for War Alliance: Agreement

between 2 or more countries to give help if needed.

Impact: 1879-1914: Alliances

among many nations Pulls non-aggressor

nations into war

Causes for War Imperialism: When a

country takes over new lands or countries and makes them subject to their rule.

Impact: Growth of European

Empires (nation building) Rise of Industrialization Competition among nations

Causes for War Militarism: Army and

military forces are given high priority by their nations government

Impact: Competition for Arms Willingness to use new

weapons More aggressive approach to

foreign policy

Causes for War Nationalism: Supporting the

rights and interests of one’s country

Impact: Congress of Vienna - 1814

Redrew Europe after Napoleon Ignored nationalism; pressed for

peace Appeared successful; peace in

Europe for 40 years Alsace-Lorraine

Franco-Prussian War gives territory to newly unified Germany

Unstable peace for 40+ years Displaced Nationalists

Did not support their new rulers Often abused by ruling governments

Causes for War Crises: Moroccan Crisis

Germany united with Austria-Hungary

France keeps majority of rule over Morocco

Germany tries to stir rebellion; fails Bosnian Crisis

Bosnia and Herzegovina annexed by Austria-Hungary

Serbia forced to yield to annexation Treaty benefits Austria Hungary and

Germany; hurts Serbia and Russia Assassination of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand (not the band) Gavrilo Princip Member of “The Black Hand”

World War IWeapons of War

Rifles Bolt-Action Rifle Effective killing range 1,400 meters (4,500 ft) Examples: German Mauser; British Lee-Enfield; U.S.

Springfield

Machine Guns Personified the War Primarily Defensive weapon

(grouped together); develops into an offensive weapon (1 gun = 80 rifles)

Crew of 4-6 Fired in short bursts Problems: Cooling

Mechanisms Water or air cooling

Chemical Warfare Germans 1st to use Chlorine Gas Effects: Burning in throat; chest pains;

painful, suffocating death Problems: Wind

Chemical Warfare Mustard Gas

Most deadly weapon Fired into trenches in shells Colorless; effects take 12 hours

Effects: Blistering skin, vomiting, sore eyes, internal/external bleeding; Death up to 5 weeks No reliable antidotes

Air Warfare Zeppelins a.k.a. Blimps

Introduced early by Germans Used in bombing raids; carried machine guns

and bombs Early raids created fear/panic Artillery guns had little effect Abandoned – Easy targets

Airships with incendiary bullets

Air Warfare Planes Early use for recon and observation

Pilots would use pistols, rifles, darts and hooks on string to rip cloth

Evolved into aircraft fighters Mounted machine guns

Air fights called “dogfights”

Tanks (Landships) Could cut through

barbed wire entanglements

1st Tank – Little Willie 3 mph

Developed for the Western Front

Battle of the Somme

Naval Developments HMS Dreadnought German U-Boats Naval Escorts and Blockades German U-Boats draw U.S. into war

Trench Warfare Created a stalemate

on the western front Trenches dug from

English Channel to Switzerland

6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both

sides for 4 years

Trench Warfare Trench Cycle

Typical life for a battalion (1 year cycle) Front line (70 days) Move to support (30 days) Reserve lines (120 days) Short period of rest (70 days)

Often determined by necessity of the situation

Morning ‘stand to’ Awake 1 hr before dawn to protect against am raids

Bayonets fixed; adopted by both sides Aka morning hate

Trench Warfare Movement

Restricted to night due to snipers and look outs Most read, wrote, and got brief periods of sleep Assigned tasks frequently to keep movement and life in the trench

Dusk ‘stand to’ Patrolling no mans land

Sent to repair barbed wire, check listening posts, etc If opposing patrols met, either finish work or engage in hand to hand

fighting Gun shots might draw attention from machine gun nests

Artois France, 7:15 pm; 22 July, 1917

German trenches

British trenches

The War

The Schieffen Plan Stall Russia Invade Western

front/defeat France Push all forces east Avoid 2 front war

The Schieffen Plan Encircling movement

through Belgium to enter Paris

British mobilized quickly; supported French

Sept 6-10, 1914 Battle of Marne Stopped the Germans but

French troops were exhausted

Both sides dug trenches for shelter

Ended in stalemate

Tannenberg Where: Tannenberg, East Prussia,

Germany When: 23-30 August, 1914 Combatants: Germany vs. Russia Casualties: Germans 12,000; Russians,

30,000 (95,000 prisoners)

Tannenberg Germans outnumbered on both fronts Need speedy victories to neutralize threats Russia mobilized quickly; entered German

territory

Tannenberg Positions

G: Advanced toward Konigsberg; fell to River Vistula (defensive)

R:2 Pronged invasion; 1st Frontal assault; 2nd Flank German rear

G: Defeated flank by falling back

Positions – Aug. 26th

G: Used trains to stop Russian thrust NE R: Russian 1st army stop moving to help 2nd G: Counterattack on right Russian pincer; forced its retreat

Tannenberg Positions

R: Only center line holding; orders thrust into Tannenberg; fails due to supply problems and Russian railroad gages

Aug. 28 R: Begins retreat G: Cuts off Russian center; pounds with artillery Can’t make it to Russian border; many get lost

(Samsonov)

The Eastern Front Russian army moved into

Eastern Germany on August 30, 1914 Defeated

Austrians kicked out of Serbia

Italy attacks Austria - 1915 Germany/Austria push

Russians back 300 miles

The Eastern Front Much more mobile more than the West

Loss of life still very high 1915: 2.5 million Russians killed, captured, or

wounded

Germany and Austria Hungary joined by Bulgaria in Sept. 1915 Attacked and eliminated Serbia from war

The Eastern Front 1917 – Russia surrenders (a separate

peace) U.S. joins the war on the Allied side Nov. 11, 1918 Armistice

The Home Front Women took war factory jobs Received lower wages than males Food shortages made running a

household difficult

The Home Front Censorship

Not told about high death toll Romanticized the battlefields

“soldiers have died a beautiful death, in noble battle, we shall rediscover poetry…epic and chivalrous”

“Newspapers described troops as itching to go over the top.”

“Government reported to the press that life in the trenches promoted good health and clear air”

The Home Front Impossible to hide death

Women in mourning Badly wounded soldiers returned home Opposition began to emerge

Death Toll of War

Allied Powers Central Powers

42 million served 23 million served

22 million casualties 15 million casualties

Social Impact Men lost limbs and were mutilated Birthrate fell markedly Invalids unable to work Ethnic hostility Influenza epidemic

Psychological impact “Never such innocence again” Bitterness towards aristocratic officers

whose lives were never in danger