WORLD WAR I

WWI

What? War invovling nearly all the nations

of the World. When? 1914-1918

Causes

M-Militarism A- Alliances N- Nationalism I- Imperialism A- Assassination of Archduke Francis

Ferdinand

Militarism

• Massive military buildup in European countries, late 1800s and early 1900s

• Wanted to protect overseas colonies from other nations

• Growing power of armed forces left all sides ready to act at first sign of trouble

• Minor disagreements had potential to turn to armed conflict

Alliances

• Nations formed partnerships to protect against opposing forces

• Central Powers united Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

• Great Britain joined France, Russia in Allied Powers

• Believed no one nation would attack another, because allies would join fight

Imperialism

• Late 1800s and early 1900s saw quest to build empires

• Created rivalry, ill will among European nations

• Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain vied to become great imperial nations

• Each did not want others to gain power

Nationalism

• Strong devotion to one’s national group or culture, increased in late 1800s

• Led to formation of new countries, struggles for power

• Most visible in Balkan Peninsula, southeastern Europe

• Home to many ethnic groups trying to break free from Ottoman Empire

Assassination

June 28, 1914: Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand and wife assassinated in Sarajevo by Serbian nationalist group called the Black Hand

Fighting Begins

• Germany faced war on two fronts: Russia to east, France to west

• Decided to strike France quickly then move to Russia

• Began with quick strike into neutral Belgium

• Attack on neutral country led Great Britain to declare war on Germany

Key Players

Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary

Allied Powers Great Britain France Russia Serbia

Trench Warfare

A new fighting style in which each side fights from deep ditches, or trenches dug into the ground

Retreating Germans dug series of trenches Waited in trenches for Allied attack Trenches elaborately constructed, cleverly concealed

Allies dug trenches of their own Major battles for months with little change in

positions Deadlocked region became known as Western

Front

Trench Warfar

e

New Weapons

Machine gun Poison gas Airplane Submarine Tank Why these weapons? Why now?

Russian Revolution

Unhappiness with the war among the Russian people Germany/Austria beating Russians

Changes in government Lenin transported Mensheviks (moderates) victorious

Bolshevik counter revolution Russia withdraws from war

Germany ready to have a single front war

New German Offensive

•Wanted to deal decisive blow to Central Powers before U.S. had time to ready for war

•Opportunity came with Russia’s withdrawal from war– Russia out by end of 1917– German troops no longer needed on Eastern front– Could launch new offensive in the west

Assault on West

• Launched major assault, March 1918• Made progress, advanced to within 40 miles of Paris

• High cost to Germany, lost 800,000 troops

• By June, 1918, U.S. troops arrived in Europe

• Gave Allies hope, discouraged Germans

End of the War

Battle of Argonne broke German morale Versailles Peace Treaty

70 nationalities Woodrow Wilson (League of Nations) Britain and France desires

Fence Germany in Reparations Mandates over other territories

Division of German colonies German reaction

Too harsh Felt justified in the war

Seeds of WWII planted

Economic Costs Political Change

• War destroyed national economies

• Farmland, cities devastated• Economic chaos in much of

Europe• Cost Europe role as

dominant economic region of world

• U.S., Japan, others prospered during war

• World War I caused widespread political unrest

• Communist revolution in Russia

• Monarchies in Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire overthrown

• Political, social turmoil would shape world in years to come

Human Costs• Nearly 9 million soldiers killed in battle• Millions wounded, taken prisoner• Almost an entire generation of young German, Russian, French men

died, were wounded in war• Deadly outbreak of influenza spread by returning soldiers killed

some 50 million worldwide, spring 1918

Treaty of VersaillesAfter difficult negotiations, the Allies finally compromised on the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was named after the French Palace of Versailles, where the treaty signing took place.

• Germany forced to pay enormous amount of money to war’s victims

• Treaty also assessed responsibility for the war on Germany

Key points

• Military size limited

• Return conquered lands to France, Russia

• German land taken to form Poland

• Other colonies given to various world powers

Weaker Germany

• Furious, though no choice but to sign

• Reparations crippled economy

• Bitterness would affect German politics in years to come

German reaction

AftermathLeague of Nations

• Organization of world governments proposed by Wilson

• Established by Treaty of Versailles

Main goals• Encourage cooperation, keep

peace between nations• Germany excluded• U.S. did not ratify treaty, not

member, weakened League

Other treaties• Separate agreements with all

defeated Central Powers • Made important changes to

Europe

Changes in Europe• Austria-Hungary, Ottoman

Empire lands broken apart • Independent nations created:

Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Turkey