World War I

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World War I
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Underlying Causes (excuses)

• Militarism
• Arms racing and keeping an army prepared for war
• Creates Tension BUT ... What is the intent?
  defensive or hostile actions?
• Alliances
• Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and
  Italy)
• Triple Entente (G.B., France, and Russia)
• Causes chain reaction and a much bigger conflict
  - world war
• Imperialism
• Taking over other nations/territories
  (motivations vary)
• Creates instability and violates sovereignty
  (self-determination)
• Nationalism
• Intense feeling of pride/loyalty to ones own
  group
• Problematic when taken too far ... Ex.
  Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism (Assassination)(Sove
  reignty)

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How does it all start?

• Where does it start?
• Balkan Peninsula
• Powder Keg of Europe
• Why called Powder Keg?
• Ethnic/religious disputes in region (explosive
  situation)
• The Spark
• Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophie
  assassinated by Serb nationalist
• Part II

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War Declared

• Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia after
  issuing an ultimatum
• War Declared - July 28th 1914
• Sets off chain reaction due to alliance system
• Russia, Germany, France, and finally Britain
  (major powers directly involved)

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MAJOR NATIONS INVOLVED IN WAR

• Allies
• Great Britain, France, Russia (until 1918),
  Serbia, Japan, Italy (1915), U.S. (1917)
• Central Powers
• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

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INITIALLY NOT SEEN AS A MAJOR WAR

• Most believe it will be over quickly
• Patriotic fervor sweeps Europe

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SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

• Quick victory in France then turn on Russia
• Paris for lunch dinner in St. Petersburg
• Does not turn out that way
• Why not?
• With help from Belgium, and Russian attack
  France and Britain are able to mobilize and halt
  German advance at Battle of the Marne

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WESTERN FRONT

• Trench Warfare basically a stalemate
• Why?
• New Technology (weapons) too costly to use old
  battle tactics

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EASTERN FRONT

• Russians had to mobilize (outdated army)
• Germany forces Russian retreat (Tannenberg)
• Russians sign treaty in 1918 (Brest-Litovsk)
• Why?
• Revolution (1917)

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UNITED STATES

• Why does it take so long for the U.S. to enter
  the war?
• Isolationism
• Why?
• Tradition (Washington, Jefferson, others)
• Ethnicity (British or Germans???)
• Why does U.S. finally enter the war on the Allies
  side?
• Public sentiment changes toward Allies
• Propaganda (mostly from British)
• Sinking of the Lusitania 1915
• What ultimately brings US into the War
• Resumption of unrestricted U-boat warfare
• Zimmerman telegram (1917)

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U.S. DECLARES WAR APRIL 6, 1917

• World must be made safe for Democracy
• Not well prepared (non-intervention)
• Americans turn the tide of war
• Change way war is waged
• Devil Dogs (Marines)

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ARMISTICE

• Symbolic
• November 11, 1918 at 1100 am Eleventh hour of
  the eleventh day of the eleventh month
• Becomes Veterans (Armistice) Day
• Why does Germany surrender?
• Economy in poor shape
• New Leadership takes over in Germany (Weimar
  Republic)
• Revolution
• Weakens economy further
• No choice but to surrender to Allies?
• Hitlers November Criminals

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Short Term Consequences of War

• Death- 30 million people
• Slaughter, disease, starvation
• Destruction
• Farmland, homes, and villages
• Economic Impact
• National treasuries drained debt figures vary
  much owed to U.S. (creditor nation v. debtor
  nation)
• Psychological Effect- despair, insecurity

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Long Term Consequences

• Peace Process (Versailles Treaty)
• Big Four dominate proceedings
• Wilson U.S. (14 Points)
• Wilson had attempted earlier to negotiate peace
  settlement a peace without victory
• Clemenceau France (Revenge!)
• David Lloyd George G.B. (Punish Germany!)
• Orlando Italy (Land)
• End Result Germans must pay!!
• Their excuse for not listening to Wilson?
• U.S. had not sacrificed as much as other Allies

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Long Term Consequences (cont.)

• Treaty creates bitterness and resentment
• Germany - as a result of Versailles Treaty
• Must accept full responsibility for the War
• Must pay war reparations (severe)
• Loses territory (Alsace/Lorraine and other)
• Military limited (100,000 man army)
• Italy ... did not gain territory
• League of Nations
• U.S. does not join (severely weakens
  organization)
• Why not?
• President needs Senate approval not approved
• Only Senate has power to declare war not League
  of Nations
• World Wide Economic Crisis (Depressions)
• Belfour Declaration Zionism
• Homeland for Jews (Israel)
• Does not become a state until 1948
• (Holocaust)