Factors making WWI Unlikely

Last major war in Europe was in 1870- Franco Prussian War

The Royal Houses intermarried World became smaller due to improvements

in communication Anti- War Societies International conferences for prevention of

war

International Conferences for prevention of War

Pan-American Union = organization of American States, Western Hemisphere

Conference of all Americans Agreed to discussion and arbitration of difference

Created to promote international cooperation, it offered technical and informational services to all the American republics, served as the repository for international documents, and was responsible through subsidiary councils for the furtherance of economic, social, juridical, and cultural relations.

Pan American Union Building

The cornerstone was laid on May 11, 1908, by Theodore Roosevelt, Elihu Root, and Andrew Carnegie

First Hague Conference 1899

Called by Czar of RussiaHeld in the NetherlandsAgreed to arbitration and mediationThought war was something of the past Hague Conventions were among the first

formal statements of the laws of war and war crimes in the body of secular international law. A third conference was planned for 1914 and later rescheduled for 1915, but it did not take place due to the start of World War I.

Second Hague Conference 1907

Called by Czar and Teddy RooseveltSet rules for conduct of warfareAdopted Drago Doctrine- lending money to

countries at your own risk, could not use force to collect it

• Applied to any country• A country which could not settle its debts had to

submit to arbitration

Drago Doctrine

Addressing the Monroe Doctrine and the influence of European imperial powers, it set forth the policy that no foreign power, including the United States, could use force against an Latin America nation to collect debt.

The doctrine held that international law did not authorize European powers to use armed intervention to force American republics to pay public debts.

Beginning in the late 1800’s, however, cooperation among nations broke down as intense rivalries increased. These rivalries grew both within Europe as new nations were formed, and overseas as a result of imperialism.

As rivalries intensified in the early 1900s, the great powers plunged toward war, pressed forward by four factors:

NationalismImperialismMilitarismSystem of Alliances

Nationalism

The desire to unite all the people of a nation under a single government, however, had explosive possibilities in a Europe where a single government often ruled many nationalities.

It caused intense competition for materials, markets, and territories.

Nationalism

This over-confidence gave birth to a fatal misconception: that in the event of war in Europe, one’s own country would be victorious inside a few months. This arrogance was fuelled by the jingoistic press in every country.

The pages of newspapers, even usually sedate broadsheets, were often packed with stories and editorials filled with nationalist rhetoric. Heightened nationalism could also be found in other cultural expressions, like literature, music and theatre

Nationalism European populations became

convinced of two things: that their nations and governments were right and that their military would win any conflict.

Nationalism led to the creation of two new powers - Italy and Germany - through the uniting of many small states.

Austro-Hungarian Empire

Empire loosely tied togetherFranz Joseph = forceful rulerMany nationalities within the empire all

struggling for a homeland

He divided his empire into the Dual Monarchy, in which Austria and Hungary coexisted as equal partners. In 1879 he formed an alliance with Prussian-led Germany, and in 1914 his ultimatum to Serbia led Austria and Germany into World War I.

Rivalry between Germany and England

Before the unification of Germany in 1871, Britain was often allied in wartime with Prussia. The royal families often intermarried.

German people dream of getting a great empire. They believe that to become a world power, Germany must gain land overseas. This is needed to allow its overflowing population to emigrate. An empire requires Germany to build up a great navy. When told there are no colonies left, they reply that the world belongs to the strong. Such ambition is a clear threat to Britain.

Weltpolitik or the desire for world power status was very popular in Germany.

Franco Prussian War

Germany/Prussia won

The French desire for revenge over Alsace and Lorraine was very strong.

German Persecution Complex

Constant feeling of being mistreated or threatened

Surrounded by Russia, France, and EnglandAfraid of their positions

Definition: An irrational and obsessive feeling or fear that one is the object of collective hostility or ill-treatment on the part of others.

Boundary Dispute in the Balkans

Russian and Austria both wanted to dominate the region

Throughout the 19th and early 20th century the Ottoman Empire had lost land in the Balkans to the peoples who lived there.

The great powers were also interested in extending their influence in the region. Austrian and Russian relations were poor over their rivalry in the Balkans.

Boundary Dispute in the Balkans

Both hoped to expand there at the expense of the Ottoman Empire. Another important factor was the growth of Slav nationalism among the people who lived there, especially Serbia.

Russia encouraged Slav nationalism while Austria worried that this nationalism could undermine her empire. Russia supported Serbia which was very bitter at the annexation of Bosnia and saw herself as Serbia’s protector.

As a result of the Balkan Wars (1912 - 1913) Serbia had doubled in size and there was growing demands for the union of south Slavs (Yugoslavism) under the leadership of Serbia. Austria had a large south Slav population in the provinces of Slovenia, Croatia, the Banat and Bosnia. Austria was very alarmed at the growing power of Serbia. She felt Serbia could weaken her own Empire.

Italy and Germany became Imperialistic

Imperialism

In the early 1900’s, the imperialist nations came to the brink of war several times as they scrambled for Africa.

Managed to settle each incident with makeshift compromises that usually left one of the participants dissatisfied.

Germany and Italy entered the race for colonies later than most

Kaiser Wilhelm II felt it was his duty to get more land or colonies for Germany

Militarism

Dominated the thinking of many European leaders before WWI

Leaders believed that only the use of force could solve problems among nations

Idea: Military strong nations got what they wanted

European nations believed it was necessary to keep its armed forces stronger than those of a potential enemy

Countries began spending billion on weapons

Militarism Race for armsNaval Race on the high seas

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1914

94 130 154 268 289 398

1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures

France 10%

Britain 13%

Russia 39%

Germany

73%

The System of Alliances

The unification of Italy and Germany shifted the balance of power in Europe

Agreements between nations pledging mutual support and protection against all enemies

Desire for securitySecret treaties Balance of power

Triple Entente

EnglandFranceRussia

Entente- an agreement or understanding between two or more nations agreeing to follow a particular policy with regard to affairs of international concern.

Triple Entente

France began searching for alliesEconomic crisis shook Russia, and France

hurried to lend the money and took other steps to win Russia’s friendship

1894 France and Russia formed an alliance, making Bismarck’s fear of facing potential enemies on two sides a reality

Triple Entente

1904 British and the French reached an agreement over the control of Morocco and Egypt

In order to counterbalance the Triple Alliance Great Britain and Russia had to come to an agreement

1907 The Triple Entente was formed

Both France and Russia also had a secret understanding with Italy, which meant that the Italians had a foot in both camps

Triple Alliance

GermanyAustriaAustria-Hungary ItalyBulgaria and Turkey secretly allied

Triple Alliance

Bismarck feared that France would seek revenge for its 1871 defeat in the Franco Prussian War

Bismarck dedicated his foreign policy to keeping France isolated and without allies

He also wanted to prevent a Franco-Russian alliance because alliance because it would serve to isolate Germany diplomatically and Germany would have to fight on both eastern and western borders in the event of a war

Triple Alliance

1879 Dual Alliance- mutual defense pact between Germany and Austria-Hungary

1881 Three Emperors League- secret agreement among the emperors of Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary

1882 – Bismarck agreed to Italy’s request for the Triple Alliance a pact among Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Italy

Balkan Crisis

Russian nationalist who resented Germany’s support of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans, demanded that the Russian government make an alliance with France

Russia insisted Germany enter a new treaty that would exclude Austria-Hungary

The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887- provided for neutrality in case either Russia or Germany become involved in a defensive war.

United States Remains Neutral

Woodrow Wilson: “Remain neutral in thought as well as deed”

To protect international trading rights“He kept us out of war.” 1916 presidential

campaign slogan

Dangers of the Alliance System

By 1907 the alliance system threatened world peace because it divided Europe into two armed camps

Should hostilities develop between any two rival powers, all six nations would become involved

The Balkan Powder Keg The many conflicts that plagued the Balkans

gave rise to the region’s nickname- “power keg of Europe”

Amid the growing system of alliances, the powder keg threatened to explode.

Nationalists in Serbia, which had become independent in 1878, hoped to make their country the center of a large Slavic state.

The Balkan Powder Keg

The Serbian nationalists especially wanted the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina because Serbia was landlocked and these two provinces would provide an outlet on the Adriatic Sea.

The decision of the Congress of Berlin in 1878 to make the two provinces protectorates of Austria Hungary severely disappointed the Serbs.

The Balkan Powder Keg

After Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnian and Herzegovina in 1908, infuriated Serbian nationalists distributed propaganda against Austria-Hungary to win sympathy for their cause. The rivalry between the two groups intensified.

June 28,1914 The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As they rode in an open automobile a young man fired a revolver.

Assassination at Sarajevo

The assassin, Gavrilo Princip, belonged to the Black Hand, one of the many secret societies of Serbian nationalists opposed to Austro-Hungarian rule.

The Austro-Hungarian government was determined to punish the Serbs. But beofre Austria-Hungary acted, it wanted to make sure of German support in case the Russians tried to help Serbia. Black Hand - was a secret military society

formed on 6 September 1901 by members of the Serbian Army in the Kingdom of Serbia

The Ultimatum

The Austro-Hungarian presented an ultimatum to the Serbian government.

An ultimatum puts forth the final terms offered for a settlement.

It states that if the ultimatum is rejected, negotiations will end and the country that issued the ultimatum will use force.

The Ultimatum Austria Hungary made the following

demands:1. Serbian government would condemn all

propaganda against Austria-Hungary and suppress publications and societies that oppressed Austria-Hungary

2. Serbia would ban from its schools books and teachers who did not favor Austro-Hungary

3. Serbia would dismiss any officials who had promoted propaganda against Austria-Hungary

4. Austro-Hungarian judges would conduct the trial of those accused of the crimes at Sarajevo

5. Serbia had to accept all of these terms within 48hrs or Austria-Hungary would declare war.

Response to the Ultimatum

Serbia accepted all the terms except the last two, but offered to submit the entire dispute to the international court at The Hague.

In spite of the Serbian reply, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, after the time limit on the ultimatum had elapsed.

Mobilization in Europe All attempts to persuade Austria-Hungary to continue

negotiations proved futile, especially since Germany continued to support Austria-Hungary.

Russia prepared to defend Serbia by mobilizing troops along the Russian-Austro Hungarian border. Expecting Germany to join Austria-Hungary, Russia also sent troops to the German border.

Germany immediately demanded that Russia cancel mobilization within 12 hours or face war. Russia ignored this ultimatum, and August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia. Then declared war on France 2 days later.

Schlieffen Plan

Like the Russian’s Germany had a military plan

General Alfred von Schlieffen helped draw up a plan

It called for a two-front war with France and Russia because the two had formed a military alliance

They would invade France by moving quickly along the level coastal area through Belgium

After France was defeated Germany would move to the east against Russia

Great Britain Enters the War

Belgium agreed to stay out of any European war, and not help any belligerents, or warring nations. In return the other nations agreed to not attack Belgium.

Belgium’s location was of great importance to Germany’s military plans. Germany wanted to mobilize, strike, and knock France out of the war before Russians could attack from the east.

After the German government declared war on France, it sent an ultimatum to Belgium, demanding that German troops be allowed to cross Belgian territory.

Great Britain Enters the War

The British protested, insisting that Germany observe Belgian neutrality. The German foreign minister replied that surely Great Britain would not fight over “a scrap of paper.”

German soldiers marched into Belgium on August 4, 1914, secure in the Kaiser's message- “You will be home before the leaves have fallen from the trees.”

Great Britain declared war on Germany later that day.

Expansion of the War

Within 6 weeks after Gavrilo Princip had assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife at Sarajevo, the rapidly modernizing nation of Japan had entered the war on the side of Great Britain and France.

Expansion of the War

The Central Powers- countries of the Triple Alliance:

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey

The Allies- Triple Entente:England, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, China, U.S., Serbia, Belgium, and others.

Italy’s Position

Italy remained neutral for nine months, while each side pleased desperately for its help.

Finally Italy signed secret treaties with Great Britain, France, and Russia that guaranteed Italy a share of the spoils of war in case of victory over Germany and Austria-Hungary

May 1915 Italy entered the war against Germany and Austria-Hungary, its former allies.

Propaganda

Government propaganda ideas that are spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause- had stirred national hatreds before the war

Most people seemed genuinely convinced that their nation’s cause was just

Aug 1914 many people believed the war would be over in just a few weeks

Nations fought a new kind of War

The Triple Alliances geographical proximity gave them an advantage for easy communication and rapid troop movements

Germany had a well=organized, well-trained, and well equipped army

Central Powers had more soldiers, greater industrial potential, and controlled the seas. Therefore they could obtain food and raw materials more easily and could blockade and attempt to starve the Triple Alliance

Innovations in Warfare

WWI was an industrial warMost important weapon of WWI = machine

gun Trenches= to protect themselves from the

machine guns raking fire and from artillery bombardments

Both sides used weapons that had never been tried before

1916 the tank was introduced- enabled troops to tear through barbed wire and break through enemy lines

Innovations in Warfare

Airplane were primarily used for observing troop movements and dropping explosives

Germany became the first nation to make extensive use of submarines. U-boats to defeat the English Navy

To stir the patriotism of the people, government made wide use of propaganda- ideas, facts, or rumors spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposite cause.

Northern France Germany’s attack on France, launched

through neutral Belgium, nearly succeeded. By September, German troops had reached the Marne River near Paris. But the French army stood fast and Paris was saved.

The Battle of Marne changed the entire nature of the war. Germany’s hope of swift victory ended. Both armies dug trenches on the western front, which stretched from the Swiss border to the shores of the North Sea.

Trench Warfare Miserable conditionsNetwork of trenches stretched 500 miles

from Switzerland to the English Channel“No Man’s Land”- between the trenches“Over the Top”- all out attack across no man’s

land

The Western Front

The war quickly turned into a stalemate as neither the Germans nor the French could dislodge each other from the trenches they had dug for shelter.

Two lines of trenches soon reached from the English Channel to the frontiers of Switzerland

The Western Front had become bogged down in trench warfare.Both sides were kept virtually the same position for four years

The Eastern Front

Eastern front was marked by mobility

At the beginning of the war, the Russian army moved into eastern Germany but was defeated at the Battle of Tannenberg and the Battle of Masurian Lakes. After these defeats Russia was no longer a threat to Germany

By 1917 the war had truly become a world conflict. That year while stationed in the Middle East, a British officer known as Lawrence of Arabia urged Arab princes to revolt against their Ottoman overlords.

In 1918 British forces from Egypt mobilized troops from India, Australia, and New Zealand and worked to destroy the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East.

America Neutral CountryAs a strong industrialized neutral nation the

US became a supplier of food, raw materials, and munitions.

The government insisted on the right of American citizens and business firms to trade freely with either side

However, if an American ship carried contraband the goods could be seized

Because of their neutrality the US could not lend money to either side

America At the beginning of the war, America

investors and business people dealt with both sides

However, as the British blockade tightened American trade became more one sided

Soon the US only traded with the AlliesBritain’s propaganda impressed Americans

far more than did Germany’s1917 – the issue of American involvement

was settled

Lusitania May 1915 – without warning, a German

submarine sank the British passenger liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland

Lusitania carried cargo of war materials to England

Killed 1200 people including 128 AmericansWoodrow Wilson warned Germany the US

would not tolerate another such incident

War of Stalemate 1916 the war had reached a stalemate on

land as well as at sea Each side realized they could not break

through the other’s line of trenchesThe conflict had become a war of attrition- a

slow wearing-down process in which each side tries to outlast the other

Most famous example of such warfare occurred at Verdun

Sussex Pledge Promise made in 1916 during World War I by

Germany to the United States prior to the latter's entry into the war

After sinking the French ship SussexLeaving 80 casualtiesThe German government responded with the

so-called Sussex pledge, agreeing to give adequate warning before sinking merchant and passenger ships and to provide for the safety of passengers and crew.

Suspended unconditional submarine warfare

Gallipoli Russia had a large army, but it lacked enough

guns and ammunition to properly equip its soldiers

1915 Great Britain and France decided on a daring venture to try to help Russia

They would attempt to force their way through the Dardanelles and capture Constantinople on the Bosporus and Sea of Marmara

It turned into a disastrous loss for the allies, and Winston Churchill was fired

145,000 men killed or wounded

The Arab War Arab nationalists rebelled against the

Ottoman Turk Empire in the Middle EastT.E. Lawrence who became known as

“Lawrence of Arabia” lead daring guerrilla attacks

Allies armies with Arab helpCaptured Baghdad, Jerusalem, and Damascus

The Russian Front

On the eastern front Russia completed mobilization much more quickly than the Germans had expected

One Russian army moved westward toward Budapest, the capital of Hungary

A second army moved through East Prussia, threatening the important Baltic seaport of Danzig

Battle at Tannenberg

In East PrussiaThe Russians retreated after suffering a

humiliating defeatSoon afterward the Germans launched an

offensive in the east and drove the Russians completely out of Germany and eastward into Russian Poland.

Public Opinion

As the war continued and casualties worsened, the patriotic enthusiasm that marked the early stages of the war began to wane.

War governments however fought back against growing opposition to the war.

The British Parliament passed the Defense of the Realm Act (DORA) – it allowed the government to arrest protesters as traitors.

Wartime governments made active use of propaganda to increase enthusiasm for the war

Influenza

Fall of 1918 a deadly influenza struck, adding to the horrors of WWI.

Influenza became the deadliest epidemic in history

50 million people died worldwide

RUSSIA

Russia was unprepared militarily and technologically for the total war of WWI

Russia had no military leaders, Czar Nicholas II insisted on taking personal charge of the armed forces despite his lack of ability and training

Russian industry was unable to produce the weapons needed for an army. Many soldiers were training using broomsticks.

Rasputin

Rasputin- known to be a mysticBegan to influence czar’s wife, AlexandraIt was rumored that Alexandra made all of the

decisions after consulting RasputinRasputin made him an important power behind the

throne

Russian people grew more upset with the czarist regime- they assassinated Rasputin in 1916 but it was too late to save the monarchy

Russia in World War I

Exposed Russia’s weaknesses The country lacked enough railroads, developed roads,

and its industry could not adequately equip or supply its army

Steamroller- the great masses of soldiers in the Russian army

When war came Russian troops proved to be poorly equipped and badly led

For more than 3 years Russian troops held back more than half the troops of the Central Powers

During the period 2 million Russians were killed and 5 million wounded and 2 million taken prisoner

If the Russians had not fought so well the allies might have lost the war

Czar Nicholas Spring 1917 Russian people weary of hardships

and disheartened by the appalling causalities they had suffered in the war

People lost all faith in their government and in Czar Nicholas II

Strikes and demonstrations broke out in Russia, Czar ordered the troops to crush the protests

March 15, 1917 unable to control either his subjects or his army Nicholas II abdicated. He and his family were executed the following year

The Romanov Dynasty that had maintained Russian autocracy for 300 years was finished

Soviets

The government also faced a challenge to its authority- the Soviets.

The Soviets were councils comprised of representatives from the workers and soldiers

The Soviet’s were largely made up of Socialists, represented the more radical interests of the lower classes.

One group – the Bolsheviks- came to play a crucial role

Lenin and the Bolsheviks

The Bolsheviks began a small fraction of a Marxist party called the Russian Social Democrats

Bolsheviks were under the leadership of V.I. Lenin The party was dedicated to violent revolutionLenin believed that only violent revolution could

destroy the capitalist systemActivists must form a small party, well disciplined,

professional revolutionaries to accomplish the task

Communist Revolution

Bolshevik Revolution of 1917Leader of the Bolshevik’s Nikolai Lenin Radical Socialist, favored a modified Marxism November 7, 1917 the Bolsheviks over-threw

the provisional government and seized control of Russia

1918 Bolsheviks renamed themselves the Communist Party

Bolshevik Program

3 simple slogans

“ Peace, Land, Bread”“Worker Control of Production”

“All Power to the Soviets”

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Allowed the Germans to withdraw troops from the eastern front and concentrate their efforts on a huge offensive in the west during 1918

This offense represented a last desperate gamble to break through the Allies lines, capture Paris, and end the war before Americas could arrive in strength

The Communists signed peace treaties with each of the Central Powers early in 1918 as Brest-Litovsk

Russia anxiously made peace on any terms, since its army exhausted from three years of bitter fighting

The harsh treaties forced Russia to give up a sizable amount of territory

Treaty of Bucharest

Peace treaty between Romania on one side and Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany and the Ottoman Empire on the other, following the stalemate reached after campaign of 1916–17 and Romania's isolation after Russia's unilateral exit from World War I (see Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).

It was signed at Buftea, near Bucharest, on 7 May 1918.

Romania Surrendered

Battle of Copporetta

On the Austro-Italian front of World War IGermans wonStalemate along the Italian front The one-sided battle resulted in some

300,000 casualties and 265,000 prisoners

Battle of Verdun Germans attacked Verdun in February 1916,

hoping to use the Verdun offensive to bleed the French army to death

After 6 months of fighting the Germans gave up

Germany lost 330,000 solidersFrench lost 350,000

France General Ludendorf wanted to knock out

France and England before the US could interfere

US had to declare war because Germany had resumed unrestricted U-boat warfare

American Expeditionary Forces- in France = Doughboys

AEF headed by BlackJack Pershing

France Under a newly organized joint command,

headed by the French general Ferdinand Foch, the Allied forces stopped the Germans in June at Chateau-Thierry

In July the Allies began to counterattack St. Mihiel and in the Argonne Forest forced

the German armies back to the borders of Germany

Lafayette Escadrille

French Air Service, during World War I composed largely of American volunteer pilots flying fighters.

The onset of war in Europe in 1914 many Americans travelled to Europe and offered their volunteer services to the Allied nations

Battle of Cantigny

First American offensive of World War I. The U.S. 1st Division, the most experienced of the seven American divisions then in France and in reserve for the French Army near the village of Cantigny, was selected for the attack. The objective of the attack was both to reduce a small salient made by the German army in the front lines but also to instill confidence among the French and British allies in the ability of the inexperienced American Expeditionary Force.

Result: Allied victory

Battle of Chateau-Thierry

Fought on July 18, 1918 and was one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) under General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing. It was a battle in World War I as part of the Second Battle of the Marne, initially prompted by a German offensive launched on 15 July against the AEF, the newest troops on the front.

Result: Allied victory

Marines In Battle at Belleau Wood

First real taste of battle for the US Marines in World War One with General Pershing calling Belleau Wood the most important battle fought by US forces since the US Civil War.

Location: Belleau Wood near Paris, France ---Result: Allied victory

1918, German offensive penetrated the Western Front within 45 miles of Paris. U.S. forces helped halt the German advance, and on June 6 Pershing ordered a counteroffensive to drive the Germans out of Belleau Wood. U.S. Marines under led the attack against the Germans positioned in the woods and by the end of the first day suffered more than 1,000 casualties.

For the next three weeks, the Marines, backed by U.S. Army artillery, launched many attacks into the forested area, but Germany was determined to deny the Americans a victory. On June 26, the Americans prevailed but at the cost of nearly 10,000 dead, wounded, or missing in action.

Second Battle of the Marne

Last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by French forces and including several hundred tanks overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank, inflicting severe casualties. The German defeat marked the start of the relentless Allied advance which culminated in the Armistice about 100 days later. Thus the Second Battle of the Marne can be considered as the beginning of the end of the Great War.

Argonne Forest Long strip of rocky mountain and wild woodland in north-

eastern France.The attack was launched on September 26, 1918. The

combined attack was a success, with the French capturing over five miles of enemy territory and the Americans moving ahead by two miles.

Pershing called off the Meuse-Argonne offensive on September 30; it was renewed again just four days later, on October 4. Exhausted, demoralized and plagued by the spreading influenza epidemic, the German troops held on another month, before beginning their final retreat. Arriving U.S. reinforcements had time to advance some 32 kilometers before the general armistice was announced on November 11, bringing the First World War to a close.

Argonne Forest The casualties recorded by the Americans at

the Battle of Argonne Forest totaled 117,000, while the French lost 70,000 men and the Germans 100,000 soldiers. The battle was known for the Lost Battalion – 500 soldiers of the Seventy-seventh Division, who fought a brave battle between Bois d’Apremont and Charlevaux against impossible odds. Only about two hundred of them survived the battle.

Middle East and Austria Hungary

Conditions worsened in the Middle East for the Central Powers

Bulgaria Surrenders 1918Turks soon asked for peace alsoNovember 1918 a revolution in Austria-

Hungary had brought the old Empire to an end

Austria and Hungary then formed to separate governments

Germany

The government of Kaiser William II soon collapsed

Woodrow Wilson had said he would deal only with a government that truly represented the German people

November 11, 1918 the chancellor of the new German Republic signed an armistice- an agreement to stop fighting until a treaty can be drawn up

11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month all fighting would cease

Reasons for American Involvement in WWI

Long and close historical ties with England and France

Unlimited submarine warfare angered USZimmerman NoteWilson’s Philosphy

Zimmerman Note

German Ambassador to Mexico –Arthur Zimmerman

Offered Mexican government an alliance against the US

Mexico was to re-conquer Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, ect

Note intercepted and decoded by British and given to the US

Wilson released note to Associated Press

Wilson’s Philosophy

No one expressed more idealist reasons for war better than the president of the US

Wilson outlined the “Fourteen Points”- his basis for a peace settlement that he believed justified the enormous military struggle being waged

Wilson became a spokesperson for a new world order based on democracy and international cooperation

Fourteen Points 6 of the points contained plans of a general nature8 remaining points dealt with specific countries and

regions, such a Russia, Belgium, Alsace-Lorraine, and the Balkans

The six general proposals may be summarized as follows: 1) No secret treaties 2.) Freedom of the seas for all nations 3.) Removal of all economic barriers or tariffs 4.) Reduction of national armaments 5.) Fair adjustments of all colonial claims, with equal

consideration given to the people of a region and the nation6-13 = redrew map of Europe 14.) Establishment of a general association of nations which

would guarantee political independence and protection to large and small state alike

Fourteen Points Caught the imagination of people everywhere

and raised the morale of Allies troopsCopies dropped behind the German lines

made the German people willing to surrenderSome historians believed Wilson made a

mistake – He did not make the Allies promise to accept the Fourteen Points.

Paris Peace Conference

1919 delegates met in Paris to determine the peace settlement

The most important decisions were made by Wilson, Clemenceau, and Lloyd George. They were called the Big Three.

Russia could not be present because of its own civil war

Paris Peace Conference

Wilson wanted to create a world organization- The League of Nations to present future wars

Clemenceau and Lloyd George wanted to punish Germany

The Treaty of Versailles

The final peace settlement of Paris consisted of five separate treaties with the defeated nations of Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey

Germany was especially unhappy with the War Guilt Clause which declared that Germany was responsible for starting the war. Germany had to reduce its army to 100,000 men, cut back its navy, and eliminate its air force.

Alsace and Lorraine taken by Germany in 1871 was returned to France

Terms

Germany had to cancel the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Germany had to surrender all its submarines and a large part of its surface fleet

Had to release all war prisoners and turn over munitions that might make additional fighting possible

The Allies reserved the right to occupy all German territory west of the Rhine River

Costs of the War 10 million soldiers dead20 million woundedRussia suffered the most severely losing more than 2

million people Germany lost almost as manyFrance and its colonies lost 1.5 millionAustria-Hungary lost 1.25 millionGreat Britain lost 1 millionAmerica lost 115,000For the first time in history civilian casualties

numbered almost as many as those in the armed forcesTotal cost of property destruction estimated at 400

billion

Legacies of the War

Central Powers redrew the map of eastern EuropeGerman and Russian empires lost considerable

territory Austro-Hungarian Empire disappearedNew Nation-states emerged from the lands of 3

empires: Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Hungary.

Romania acquired additional lands.Serbia formed the nucleus of a new state called

Yugoslavia which combined Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.

Legacies of the War

The mixtures of peoples in eastern Europe made it impossible to draw boundaries along strict ethnic lines. Almost every eastern European state was left with ethnic minorities

The problem of ethnic minorities within nations would lead to many conflicts later

The Ottoman Empire was broken up by the peace settlement. To gain Arab support against the Ottoman Turks during the war the Western Allies had promised to recognize the independence of Arab states, however the Western nations changed their minds- France controlled Syria and Britain controlled Iraq and Palestine