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TRANSCRIPT
UNIT 6 THE MOST RECENT CENTURY 1914–2010
Chapter 21—The Collapse and Recovery of Europe, 1914–1970s
World War I
Causes of WWI
What aspects of Europe’s nineteenth-century history contributed to the First World War?
The “MAIN” Reasons:
Militarism
+
Alliances +
Imperialism
+
Nationalism
+
Assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand
What aspects of Europe’s nineteenth-century history contributed to the First World War?
Militarism, policy of building up strong military forces to prepare for war and glorifying war as a culture.
•Military values and goals take over civilian society.
•Generals became influential in government and political leaders speak in belligerent terms regarding geo-politics.
•Ex: Germany and Britain competed to build the most powerful navy
•Ex: Otto Von Bismarck had united Germany through Prussia’s military power
“The means…for a people of almost 60 million…to battle its way through in the strugglee for existence without strong armaments on land and at sea, have not yet been found. In the coming century the German people will be a hammer or an anvil.”
German Chancellor Bernhard von Bulow, 1898.
Alliances, agreements between nations to aid and protect on another
•Alliances sought to preserve the existing balance of power, any dispute threatened to drag in all the others.
•Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary & Italy (+Ottomans)– formed 1882
•Triple Entente – Russia, France, Britain – formed 1902
What aspects of Europe’s nineteenth-century history contributed to the First World War?
Imperialism, Europe’s Great Powers competed for economic and political control over colonies and their markets.
•Competing claims to territory and economic interests created an atmosphere of tension between the major powers
•Colonial holdings provide manpower and resources.
What aspects of Europe’s nineteenth-century history contributed to the First World War?
“In our 19th century, England has increased its colonial empire – the largest the worldd has seen since the days of the Romans…the French have put down roots in North Africa and East Africa…Russia has begun its mighty course of victory in Asia…We don’t want to step on the toes of any foreign power, but at the same time we don’t want our own feel tramped by any foreign power..”
German Chancellor Bernhard von Bulow, 1898.
The British and French colonial
empires reached their peaks after
WWI, a reflection of the power of
this new alliance.
A 1904 French postcard showing Britannia and Marianne dancing together, symbolizing the two nations' newly found sense of co-operation.
Nationalism, is pride and devotion to ones nation and the belief that each ethnic group should have its own nation.
•The promotion of ones own nation’s interest, assertion that their nation is superior to others
•This was problematic in 1914 because within the Balkan region of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, different ethnic minorities wanted independence from Austria-Hungary and their own nation-states – difficult to devise a solution that would appease all the interests at stake.
•Volatile situation, often referred to as a powder keg.
What aspects of Europe’s nineteenth-century history contributed to the First World War?
The Spark that Ignites the War
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
•June 1919 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian Empire and political moderate, was assassinated by a member of the Black Hand a Serbian nationalist group and terrorist organization.
•In response, Austria-Hungary invaded tiny Serbia.
•The various alliances set off a chain reaction
•Within weeks all the major European powers were at war
•What began as a minor regional crisis in the Balkans quickly escalated into a major conflict
After being arrested with his accomplices, Princip was too youngg to receive the death penalty at only 19 years old. After several failed suicide attempts, Princip died in jail of Tuberculosis.
The Spark that Ignites the War
The Insane Asylum (Old Song, Newly Wise (or 'new tune'?) by Louis Raemaekers 1915)
Characteristics and Events of WWI
Total War
• German Schlieffen Plan, called for a two-front war with France & Russia. By declaring war on France, Germany brought Great Britain into the war.
• Expected war of movement and attack that might end before Christmas turned out to be a war of attrition and a total war, requiring the mobilization of each country’s entire population towards the war effort.
• Gov’t agencies expanded to produce propaganda and manage resources for the war.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Trench Warfare
•Both sides dug ditches to create fortified positions
•Trenches separated by fields of barbed wire and mines known as “no man’s land”
•The Western Front turned into a stalemate, with neither side able to push the other out of the system of trench warfare they had begun.
•The trenches stretched from the English Channel nearly to the Swiss border.
•For four years both sides remained in almost the same positions.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Trench foot is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions.
Craters from shelling and British trenches from the Battle of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium 100 years later.
New Weapons
•Rapid industrialization of warfare generated an array of new weapons
•Submarines
•Tanks
•Airplanes
•Chemical Weapons
•Machine guns
•Barbed wire
•Long range artillery
•Zeppelins/Dirigibles
•New military technology contributed to a the staggering causalities of the war, including some 10 million deaths and maybe twice as many wounded, crippled, or disfigured, widowed and orphaned.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Wounded soldiers playing croquet in wheel chairs. England, 1915.
Coffins with the excavated bodies of English prisoners of war, being prepared for transportation to England. Germany, 1923.
New Weapons: U-Boats/Submarines
•Although u-boats were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, Germany most effectively used in an economic warfare role enforcing a naval blockade against enemy shipping.
•The primary targets of the U-boat campaigns in both wars were the merchant convoys bringing supplies from Canada, the British Empire, and the United States to the islands of the United Kingdom
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
New Weapons: Tanks
•Tanks were developed as an adaptation to the stalemate of trench warfare as a way cross no-man’s land with some protection.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
A new weapon appears: “We heard strange throbbing noises, & lumbering slowly towards us came three mechanical monsters… They finally realized they were on the wrong trench and moved on, frightening the Germans out of their wits and making them scuttle like frightened rabbits." - British soldier on the front lines in France. September 15th, 1916
New Weapons: Aeroplanes
•Planes were initially, they were used mostly for reconnaissance.
•Pilots and engineers learned from experience, leading to the development of many specialized types, including fighters, bombers, and ground-attack aeroplanes.
•Ace fighter pilots were portrayed as modern knights, and many became popular heroes.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
New Weapons: Chemical Weapons
•Used to demoralize, injure, and kill entrenched soldiers.
•Ranged from disabling chemicals, such as tear gas and the severe mustard gas, to lethal agents like phosgene and chlorine.
•Use of gas masks diminished its effectiveness over time.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Gassed John Singer Sargent
New Weapons: Machine Guns
•Favored due to its rapid fire and portability.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
New Weapons: Barbed Wire
•Used as a barrier and deterent between enemy lines.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
New Weapons: Long Range Artillery
•Used to cross long distances such as “no-man’s land” and attack enemy trenches
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
New Weapons: Zeppelins and Dirigibles
•Used for surveillance and air bombing.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Stalemate •Wars of attrition led to stalemate and extended battles such as those at Verdun and the Somme
•Verdun - Germans attach of ancient fortified town resulted in approx. 1 million casualties over 11 months -longest battle in World War I & one of the most devastating in world history.
•The Somme -. • British and French gained 6 miles of German
territory after 5 month battle and approx 1 million casualties
Verdun Tableau de Guerre, 1917, Felix Vallotton
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Colonial Soldiers •Europe’s imperial reach around the world shaped the scope and conduct of the war
•Hundreds of thousands of troops and laborers joined the war effort from Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.
•Battles took place in colonial possessions
•Japan entered on the side of Britain and seized German possessions in China.
•The Ottoman Empire entered on the side of Germany sparking Arab revolts against Ottoman rule
Sikh Regiment arrive in Marseille, France on their way to fight the German army.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Women in the War •WWI temporarily brought a halt to the women’s suffragette movement.
•Most women on both sides actively supported their countries war effort. •Many women worked as munitionettes, employed in munitions factories -80% of munitions used by Britain were produced by women.
•Many women became nurses. •Women filled vacancies left behind by men, especially as conscription drew more men onto the battlefield.
•Support at home with various drives. •Typically women lost these opportunities once the war was over.
Women in a munitions facotry.
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
The United States Enters The War WWI The Sinking of the Lusitania •Though President Wilson urged the US to remain neutral, sent supplies to the Britain and France •German U-Boats attacked supply ships. •U-Boat attack on the passenger ship the Lusitania led to public outrage. The Zimmerman Telegraph •Germany tried to setup a conflict between Mexico and US to divert American entry into WWI. • It was not taken seriously but did serve to inflame anti-German and anti-Mexican sentiment in the U.S. •The US finally entered the war in 1917
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
The Spanish Influenza
• The Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than WWI, 20-40 million people.
• A global disaster.
• ½ of the soldiers that died in Europe died of the flu
• The pandemic affected everyone – ¼ of the US and 1/5 of the world infected with the influenza
In what ways did World War I mark new departures in the history of the twentieth century?
Impact of WWI
Armenian Genocide
•The massacre and deportation of one million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire set a precedent on which Nazi Germany later built.
•Some Armenians sought an independent Armenian State
•Armenian political leaders, educators, writers and clergy were jailed and then hanged or shot
•Over a million Armenian men, women and children were sent on death marches into the Syrian desert.
In what ways did World War I impact society and global political systems?
The Ottoman Empire
• Empire collapsed during World War I resulting in the political fragmentation of the Middle East and the emergence of the states of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine.
•Uprisings in Egypt and Arabia led to their independence
•General Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk, organized resistance to Allied attempts to dismember Turkey.
•A secular state of Turkey emerged in 1920.
•Set the stage for an enduring struggle over that ancient and holy land.
In what ways did World War I impact society and global political systems?
The Russian Revolution
•The strains of WWI added to a volatile situation in Russia.
•Triggered a vast revolutionary upheaval led the Bolsheviks.
•Bolsheviks took Russia out of the war in 1917 to fulfill part of the promise of “Peace, Bread, and Power to the Soviet.”
•Launched global communism
•Since Russia had the largest army and were fighting on the eastern front, this weakened Allied army.
In what ways did World War I impact society and global political systems?
Disillusionment
• The war left widespread
disillusionment among intellectuals in its wake
• led to questioning of Enlightenment values
• led to questioning of the superiority of the West and its science
• Impacts literature an artistic movements.
• The “Lost Generation”
In what ways did World War I impact society and global political systems?
“Albert expresses it: ‘ The war has ruined us for everything.’
He is right. We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces. The first bomb, the first exlosion, burst in our hears. We are cut off from activity, from striving, from progress. We beilieve in such things no longer, we believe in the war.”
All Quiet on the Western Front
Erich Maria Remarque
Note, J.R.R. Tolkien author of
The Lord of the Rings was a World War I veteran.
So was C.S. Lewis, author of the Narnia Series.
Friends and Oxford, their had emotional depth.
“They bonded over their harrowing experiences in
the trenches of World War I…Sorrow over their
pasts and their retreat from modernity gave them no
where to go but their imaginations. They lost
themselves in anachronistic tales and created
make-believe places — engaging in what today we
might disparagingly call “escapism.” Of course, the
realms of Lewis’ Narnia and Tolkien’s Middle-earth
are fraught with troubles, wars, and imperfections,
at least as much as our so-called real world.
“http://www.literarytraveler.com/articles/tolkien_lewis_england/
Otto Dix’s painting Skat Players (1920)
Outcomes of WWI
The Treaty of Versailles
•The Treaty of Versailles, brought the war to a close & established the conditions that generated the Second World War.
•Germans agreed to end the war and to overthrow the Kaiser
•Allied leaders Woodrow Wilson (US), David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France) met in Paris to negotiate the peace.
•Allied public opinion was eager for revenge.
•The Treaty of Versailles (1919) turned out to be extremely harsh on Germany -lost its navy, army was reduced, forced to accept blame for the war, and were required to pay huge reparations (payments for damages) to the Allies.
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Amateur Historian: Based on your knowledge of social science
and this map, what area or areas on this map do you predict will
be problematic in the
Fourteen Points/League of Nations
•President Wilson announced his war aims in the Fourteen Points
•He wanted to redraw the map of Europe so each nationality had its own state.
•He demanded freedom of the seas, an end to secret diplomacy and the creation of a League of Nations , an organization of nations pledged to promote diplomacy defend each other against aggressors.
•The League severely weakened when the United States and Russia failed to join.
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Mandate System
•German colonies were given to Britain and France as mandates, territories ruled like colonies but subject to the supervision of the League of Nations
•Also created a system of administration of former Ottoman territory
•Leads to the State of Israel and Western claims to oil
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Colonial Relationships
•Millions of colonial subjects participated in the war & gained new military skills and political awareness.
•Returned home with less respect for their rulers and with expectations for better treatment as a reward for their service.
•Will lead to independence movements.
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Ho Chi Minh of French Indochina attended the
Paris Peace Conference and later led the Vietnamese
Independence movement. Gandhi of India led Indian Independence movements
from Britain
Rise of the United States and
Japan
•World War I brought the United
States to center stage as a global
power because of military and
diplomatic presence.
•Japan had emerged strengthened
from the war, with European
support for its claim to take over
German territory and privileges in
China.
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Chinese Communism
•Japan’s increased influence in China enraged Chinese nationalists.
•Among a few like Mao Zedong, grew an interest in Soviet-style communism, because only the new Communist rulers of Russia seemed willing to end the imperialist penetration of China.
What were the legacies of the Great War?
Related Videos
• We will be watching some of these together in class but feel free to watch on you own as well.
YouTube: Crash Course WH Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War One
New Crash Course
• HOW World War I Started: Crash Course
World History 209
• WHY World War I Started: Crash Course
World History 210
The War of the World
Episode 1: Clash of Empires
Niall Ferguson's incredible documentary
series details the deep reasons and
complexity of the 20th century wars.
In episode one (47 minutes on the next
slide), he argues that the conflict
sparked racial hatred which was
exploited by nation states for their own
ends. Not class, but race was the
dominant idea of the 20th century.
Empires clashed as they declined
giving rise to more terrible empires.
The real story was not the rise of the
West, but rather the emergence of the
East.
YouTube: Ferguson's War of the World - Epsiode I - Clash of Empires