Module 19: WWI
Gallipoli Campaign
(1915) Failed attempt by the Allies in World War I to take control of the Dardanelles -Allies (Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France) move to defeat Ottoman Empire, a Central Powers ally, and capture Ottoman Dardanelles to open a supply line to Russia -Turkish troops commanded by German officers vigorously defend the region -The Allies are defeated (250,000 casualties) and retreat
Women and the War
-At home, thousands of women fill jobs previously held by men -Many women also experience the war firsthandby working as nurses
Russia Withdraws
-Civil unrest in Russia forces Czar Nicholas II to step down from throne in 1917 -Provisional government is put into place and the war effort continues -Nearly 5.5 million Russian soldiers are wounded, killed, or taken prisoner; as a result the weary Russian army refuses to fight any longer -Communists led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin take control of Russia's government -Russia signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in March 1918; pulls out of war (allowing Germany to focus their full efforts on the eastern front)
Rise of Nationalism
-Europe enjoys peace in the late 1800s, but problems build up -Growing nationalism leads to growing competition among nations -Nationalism in Balkan Region leads many groups to demand independence (such as Greeks and Armenians)
Imperialism and Militarism
-European countries face tense competition to imperialise less-developed nations and create colonies -this stirs distrust and causes hostility between countries, causing them to compete in an arms race to have the strongest army and weapons -they begin the policy of militarism- glorifying military power and growing the army
Technological Innovations
-Germany develops synthetic rubber -Germans and Britain develop new chemical weapons and protection against them -Advances in firearms (machine guns could fire multiple rounds of ammunition quickly) -Fighter planes are developed -ALL innovations greatly increased the number of causalties -Medical advancements included mobile x-rays, rudimentary blood banks, and reconstructive surgery
America Joins the War
-Germany used unrestricted submarine warfare, which killed many U.S. citizens and restricted their trade -Also, the U.S. is angered after intercepting the Zimmerman telegram by a German foreign secretary to Mexico; it offered them their land previously conquered by the U.S. back in exchange for help in war -This was the last straw for the U.S. and they declared war against Germany, joining the Allies
Bismarck's Alliance System
-Germany's Otto Von Bismarck works to keep peace in Europe after unifying his country -He believes France wants revenge for their loss of land in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War -Seeks to politically isolate the French with a series of alliances: he signs a peace treaty with Russia in 1881 and forms a TRIPLE ALLIANCE with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882
Kaiser Wilhelm II
-He becomes the German ruler in 1888 -he carries out foreign policy changes in 1890 and dismisses Bismarck -He drops his alliance with Russia, who then allies with France (Bismarck's fear- a conflict with either country would pull them into a two-front war) -Germany makes an effort to strengthen their navy, which alarms Britain
Europe Descends into War
-In response to Austria's declaration of war against Serbia, Russia (Serbia's ally) moves troops to Russian-Austrian border -Expecting Germany to join Austria, Russia mobilizes along the German border too -Germany views Russian mobilization as a declaration of war and declares war on Russia -Russia looks to ally France for help, Germany quickly declares war and attacks France -Britain, an ally of France and Russia, declares war on Germany -Most of Europe is now locked in battle
Economic Rivalry
-Industrialization creates competition against Europe's great powers (especially Germany and Britain) -However, other nations struggle to catch up economically
Russia Struggles
-Russia's war effort suffering by 1916; many casualties and few supplies due to lack of industrialization -Ally supply shipments were limited due to German and Ottoman control of seas -Huge size of Russian army keeps it a formidable force; prevents Germany from sending more troops to the Western Front -War eventually spreads to Africa and Asia
Ferdinand's Assassination
-Serbian rebel, Gavrilo Princip, kills Austro-Hungarian heir, Archduke Frans Ferdinand and his wife in June 1914 -Princip was a member of the Black Hand, a group dedicated to ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule -Austria uses the assassinations as an excuse to punish Serbia, present them with an ultimatum -Serbia, hoping to avoid war, agrees to MOST demands -However, Austria did not want to negotiate and rejects Serbia's offer, declaring war, and Russia mobilizes in aid of Serbia
Treaty of Versailles Successes
-The newly created League of Nations holds their first meeting in January 1920 -the International Labor Organization (ILO) introduces restrictions on lead paint and convinced several nations to adopt standards for work days and weeks -They make progress on ending slavery worldwide -Sets up commission for Refugees to help some of the millions displaced by the war
Legacy of the War
-WWI takes a heavy toll on countries: about 8 million soldiers are dead and 21 million are wounded, leaving the total death toll around 20 million -War devastates European economies, drain national treasuries -Many acres of land, homes, villages, and towns are destroyed -Total cost is estimated at $338 billion -Survivors suffer disillusionment and despair, which is reflected in the period's arts
Central Powers Collapse
-With Russia gone, Germany moves most of its force to Western front -Engage in major fighting at the Second Battle of the Marne; Allies force Germans to retreat -The Central Powers crumble; a revolution weakens Austria-Hungary and soldiers start a mutiny, forcing Kaiser Wilhelm II to step down -Germany declares itself a republic -Allies win war; sign armistice- end of fighting-in November 1918 -WWI ends on November 11, 1918
Causes of WWI
1. Militarism- each country had greatly grown their army in preparation for attack and mobilization which created tension and a mood of unease 2. Alliances- this caused many countries to be pulled into war because they each had agreements with the original conflicting territories 3. Imperialism- countries became highly competitive for land in Asia and Africa and almost dived into conflict 4. Nationalism- a nation's extreme pride caused them to be more aggressive in their actions
Battle of Marne
A battle in which the French and British (Allies) defeated Germany (Central Power) in France. -This meant that the Schlieffen Plan became impossible as the war on France would continue and Germany would have to fight on two fronts
Militarism
A policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war to defend or promote national interests
Fourteen Points
A series of proposals in which U.S. president Woodrow Wilson outlined a plan for achieving a lasting peace after WWI. -Points 1-4 detailed an end to secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, and reduced national armies and navies. -Point 5 was an adjustment of colonial claims with fairness towards colonial people -Points 6-13 were specific instructions for changing borders and creating new nations -He promotes self-determination, where people would be allowed to choose their own government. -Point 14 proposed a "general association of nations" that would protect "great and small states alike"
Versailles Treaty
Agreement in 1919 ending World War I that creates feelings of bitterness and betrayal -At the peace talks, Woodrow Wilson worked towards creating lasting peace, but Britain and France oppose his ideas and just want to punish Germany -Russia nor Germany and its allies were represented -Eventually, Germany and Allies sign the accord -It adopts ONLY 14th point- League of Nations -Blames Germany for the war and places severe restrictions on their military -"War guilt" clause forces Germany to accept sole responsibility for WWI, resulting in them paying huge reparations -League ready to rule German colonies until deemed ready for independence
Armistice
Agreement to stop fighting
Triple Entente Alliance
Alliance between Britain, Russia, and France -formed due to Wilhelm's lapse of a treaty with Russia, who then allied with France, and Germany's strengthening of their navy (which alarmed Britain with their powerful navy)
Triple Alliance
Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in 1882
Treaty of Versailles Failures
Allies disagreed on how best to treat Germany Germany refused to accept the terms of reparations; Germany's refusal to accept the "war-guilt" clause -Germans feel bitter and betrayed when they have to take the blame for the war -America never signs the treaty; many nations opposed the League of Nations and their involvement of Europe but the group can't take action due to lack of support -Some former colonies express anger over not winning independence -Japan and Italy criticize agreement because they got less land than expected -The treaty's legacy of bitterness leads to WII
League of Nations
An international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations -based off of Woodrow Wilson's 14th point- a "general association of nations" to protect "great and small states alike"
Second Battle of the Marne
Battle where Allies defeat Germans outside of Paris, causing the Central Powers to crumble; Victory mainly due to Americans joining the war -With Russia gone, Germany moves most forces to Western front for one final massive attack -German forces crush the Allies and reach the Marne River (again), but their army is severely weakened -Taking advantage of their weakness, the Allies (with the help of 140,000 new U.S. troops) launch a counterattack and defeat the German army
Self-Determination
Concept allowing people to choose their own form of government
Trench Warfare
Conflict in WWI descended into this form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield. -Battles result in huge losses of life for tiny land gains -Life in trenches is miserable, difficult, and unsanitary -The space between opposing trenches was called "No Man's Land" -New weapons only lead to more efficient deaths in a greater number (rather than mobilizing the war) -More than 500,000 casualties at the battles of Verdun and Sommes- but German and Britain gained just 4 and 5 miles respectively
Allies
France, Britain, Russia (Japan joins, Italy follows after accusing Triple Alliance of unfairly declaring war)
Schlieffen Plan
Germany's plan to defeat France quickly and move to fight Russia in hopes Russia would be slow to mobilize -However, it is ruined by Germany's loss at the Battle of Marne, forcing them to fight a two front war in the west and east
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Germany's policy to sink ships near Britain without warning to stop supplies from reaching the country -They halted the policy in 1915 after the sinking of Lusitania kills American citizens angers the U.S. -In 1917, however, Germany ignored President Wilson's protest and renewed the policy in hopes of starving Britain quickly before U.S. interference
Central Powers
Germany, Austria-Hungary (Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire join with hopes of regaining land)
Western Front
Heavy deadlocked battle zone in Northern France (bordering Germany) -German army following the Schlieffen Plan quickly advances to the outskirts of Paris; their victory looked certain -However, France and the Allies regroup and attack Germany in the Battle of Marne; Germany is defeated -When reinforcements were needed, 600 taxicabs took soldiers to front line from Paris -The Schlieffen plan fails, Germany has to fight 2-front war in West and East
The War Starts
In late 1914, soldiers march off to battle expecting it to last a few months; few see horror ahead -Britain's foreign minister Sir Edward Gray stated "The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime. -It is not long before his predictions come true
Zimmerman Telegram
Message sent by a German foreign secretary to encourage a Mexican attack against the United States in exchange for their northern land that had taken by the U.S. -Intercepted by the U.S. in 1917 and caused the U.S. to declare war against Germany
Mandate
Official territories that were administered by the League of Nations following WWI
Eastern Front
Region along German-Russian border where much fighting took place -The war in the east was much more mobile than in the west, but slaughter and stalemate were still common -Russians launch an attack on both Germany and Austria-Hungary -Germans counterattacked at Tannenberg and crushed the invading Russian army, driving it into full retreat -Russia fared better against Austria, driving them deep into their country, but were still defeated and pushed out
Rationing
Restricting the amount of food and other goods people may buy during wartime to assure adequate supplies for the military
Political Rivalry
Territorial disputes cause tension: -Franco-German tensions over France's loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany -Austria-Hungary and Russia both sought to dominate in the Balkans
Balkan Tension
The Balkan region had a long history of nationalist uprisings and ethnic clashes, causing them to be known as the "powder keg" of Europe -Many groups in the Balkans win independence during the early 1900s -New nation of Serbia is made up largely of Slavs -Austria-Hungary annexes Slavic regions Bosnia and Herzegovina, causing Serbia to be outraged because they believed they were the ruler of these lands due to their high Slavic population
New Nations and Mandates
The Versailles treaty and other peace accords change the look of Europe -Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire lose all lands -Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia were all recognized as independent nations -Ottoman Empire loses most of its land, only retains Turkey (lands in southwest Asia turn into mandates) -Britain receives Palestine and Iraq, France receives Syria and Lebanon -Russia lost its land to Romania and Poland -Finland, Estonia, Latvia, And Lithuania, formerly part of Russia, become independent nations
Gavrilo Princip
The assassin of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria; he was a member of the Black Hand; a group dedicated to ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule
Total War
The channeling of a nation's entire resources into a war effort; most nations involved in WWI faced this type of conflict -Governments took control of the economy and told factories what to produce -Nations turn to rationing- limiting purphases of war-related goods -Propaganda- one sided information to build morale and support for war- grows common
Big Four
The four most important leaders at the Paris Peace Conference. -U.S. President Woodrow Wilson -French ruler Georges Clemenceau -David Lloyd George of Great Britain -Vittorio Orlando of Italy
Woodrow Wilson
The leading figure at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. -Suggested the Fourteen Point plan for World Peace but was mostly unsuccessful
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Treaty between Russia and Germany that would end Russia's involvement in WWI in 1917
