World War ISOL WHII.9

Tensions for WWI

•Traced back to age of unification and imperialism

•5 major factors that caused WWI

5 Major Factors That Caused WWI

1. Nationalism

2. Imperialism

3. Militarism

4. Alliances

5. Powder Keg

• Nationalism• Tension between

Germany and France over the territory of Alsace-Lorraine, which had been taken away from France after their loss in the Franco-Prussian War

• Loyalty to one’s nation; desire for unity

MilitarismMobilization

and build up of army and navy due to industrialization

Germany rivaled Britain

• Glorified war—countries not afraid to prepare for war

Imperialism

• Competition• Countries did not forget

the resentment over lost colonies

Alliances

Triple Alliance-Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy

Triple Entente-Russia, France, Great Britain (would give Germany a war on two fronts)

--Russia needed a loan and France needed an ally in the early 1900’s

Alliances

• Reinsurance Treaty: provided for neutrality in case either Russia or Germany became involved in a defensive war. Treaty dissolved after William II forced Bismarck out

Powder Keg• THE BALKANS; Serbia

wanted to create a united Slavic state on the Balkan Peninsula

• Would include the provinces of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but Austria controlled them

• Russia supported Pan Slavism—union of Slavic states

Assassination of the Archduke• The Last Straw!!! • The spark that

was needed to start a war

• Became a world war due to the Alliance System

Assassination of the Archduke

• Gavrilo Princip

• Black Hand

• Member of the Black Hand (assassinated the Archduke)

• A Serbian terrorist group which means Union of Death

• Austria gave Serbia an ultimatum—with 48 hours to comply.

• Serbia accomplished all but 2 demands

• Austria declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914

• Because of alliances, WWI was under way!

• Belgium declared neutrality in 1839.

• Would not help any belligerents—or warring nations—as long as no one attacked them

• Belgium’s geography is flat, so Germany asked Belgium if they could walk through to France—Belgian King said “NO”

• Germany did it anyway—destroyed much of Belgium

• Great Britain declared war on Germany on behalf of neutral Belgium.

Alliances Soon Expand!!

• Japan entered entente

• Italy switched sides to the Triple Entente in May 1915

• November 1914, the Ottoman Empire entered the Alliance to block Russia and the Black Sea

• Oct. 1915, Bulgaria entered on the Alliance

Central Powers

• Everyone thought it would be quick

• Alliances change to Central Powers, because they had created a central block in Europe.

• Advantages that the Central Powers had:–Easy

communication–Rapid troop

movement–Well-organized,

equipped army

Allied Powers

• AKA Triple Entente—Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia…made up strongest, but there were a total of 32 powers!!!

• Allied Powers advantages:– More soldiers– Greater industrial

potential– Control of the seas,

which gave them more food, supplies, and they could blockade easier

Innovations

• Due to the IR and mass production the weapons needed for WWI could easily be manufactured!!!

• Most important innovation: machine gun

• Trench Warfare• Tank• Airplanes• U-boats• Poison Gas

What made this war different?• Innovations• Drafted Soldiers—not professional soldiers• WWI was a total war—everyone was

involved from the government, soldiers, to women and children at home.

• Propaganda—used to stir patriotism and it was effective in motivating the U.S. into war

• WWI known as the "Great War”

Propaganda Posters

• Trench Warfare

WAR!!!!• Germans—planned to get rid of a war on two

fronts• General—Von Schlieffen—”Swinging

Hammer”– Take out western front 1st—biggest threat

—made it to France, French saved Paris; Stalemate

– Next take out eastern front—Russians advanced-Germans pushed back; Allies try to take Constantinople, but fail

• British try a blockade of the North Sea, but Germans responded with the U-boat.

• Submarine warfare hurt the allies

5 Events for U.S. Entry

• 1. Lusitania = ended neutrality• 2. British Propaganda = sympathy• 3. Zimmerman Telegram = anger• 4. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare =

threatening behavior• 5. Russian Revolution = confidence

U.S. Declares War!!

• Woodrow Wilson went to Congress on April 2, 1917, and asked for a declaration of war against Germany.

• April 6th he got it

Zimmerman Telegram

Problems in Russia• Russia was facing

problems at the home front

• Revolution of 1905—did not cause any changes—people still unhappy

• Many joined secret societies to act against the gov’t

• Nicholas II taking all blame—would be the last absolute monarch in Europe

Problems in Russia cont…• Spring 1917, strikes broke out in St.

Petersburg and Petrograd• Nicholas II ordered troops to put the

strikes and riots down—troops ended up joining in

• March 15, 1917, Nicholas II abdicated throne

• He and his entire family executed• Romanov dynasty had come to an end

Russia has no gov’t!!• Until a gov’t could be

established, a temporary gov’t established

• Nicholas II• Soviet

• Mensheviks –whites (moderate socialists)

• Bolsheviks--reds (radicals-communists)

Bolsheviks• Leader—Lenin• Advocated Marxism

(communism)• Nov. 1917, overthrew

temp. gov’t—known as Bolshevik Revolution

• 1918, became known as the Communist Party

• Communists signed peace treaties with all Central Powers in 1918—to focus on internal problems

• Lost a lot of land!• With Russia out of the

war—U.S. help is crucial!!

14 Points!!• After Russia withdrew for war many

people question the motives for war.• Woodrow Wilson continued his plea of

making world safe for democracy.• Wilson announces his Fourteen Points to

Congress in Jan. 1918• Plan to preserve peace and democracy

around the world

14 Points cont…• Mostly peace-keeping plans• 14th point called for the creation of a

general association of nations to keep world peace

Final Defeat of Central Powers• Final defeat came w/the help of U.S.• Bulgaria—defeated Sept. 1918• Austria-Hungary—breakup of the Dual

Monarchy and both form separate peace agreements

• Germany—most Germans wanted peace. Nov. 9, 1918, Kaiser William II abdicated and German Republic proclaimed

Final Defeat of the Central Powers• Nov. 11, 1918 (11th hour, of the 11th month,

on the 11th day) armistice was signed. (NOW VETERAN’S DAY)

• Armistice severe and were created to keep Germany from fighting again.

Great War Devastation• Costs of the War—One of the reasons for

the name: Great War• Total: 10 million dead; 20 million wounded• Russia suffered most—2 million• Germany very close behind• France lost 1.5 million• U.S. lost 115,000• An estimated total cost for the war is 400

billion dollars

Peace Conference• Big Four:

– David Lloyd George—Prime Minister of England

– Georges Clemenceau—Premier of France– Woodrow Wilson—President of the U.S.– Vittorio Orlando—Premier of Italy

Peace Conference(Foreshadow of WWII)

• Big Four quarreled over territorial claims• France had the biggest demands• Italy had a few requests, but Big Four

would not give Italy what they wanted, they left

• Everyone wanted pieces of Germany

Peace Conference(Foreshadow of WWII)

• Japan wanted permanent control over the islands they controlled during the war, as well as, a major influence in China.

• A fight broke out and Japan almost left

Peace Conference(Foreshadow of WWII)

• Real destruction—Germany forced to pay reparations

• Germany punished most severely• 14 Points suggested a “Peace of Justice”• All the territorial claims “Peace of Vengeance”• Most of the allies wanted to teach the Central

Powers a lesson• U.S. did not understand—they had only been

involved for a year.

Treaty of Versailles• Germany• Had to admit guilt and pay reparations, but

the allies did not specify how much, but the Germans had no choice (blank check)

• Pay $5 billion within 2 years and an unspecified amount later

• 1921, they ordered another $28 billion• Lose Rhineland and Saar Valley for 15

years

Treaty of Versailles• Germany forced to downsize military• Could not manufacture artillery• Austria-Hungary dealt with separately. Both

countries lost territory, but new territories were created.

• Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were created• Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire lost territories—

new nations created: Iraq, Palistine, Trans-Jordan, Syria—governed by an allied power or League of Nations

Problems after the War• Russia, an allied power, lost territory.• Poland got larger and Estonia, Latvia, and

Lithuania were all created.• This will make Russia very mad (WWII)• Colonies’ participation in the war,

increased their demands for independence

League of Nations• League (according to Wilson) had two

goals:– International cooperation– Settle disputes peacefully and reduce world

armaments

League of Nations• Would include all independent, sovereign

nations• 3 agencies made up the League and

would work w/the World Court in Hague.– Secretariat: conduct League business– Assembly: 1 vote for each member—lower

house– Council: 9 member nations (later 15) 5 would

be permanent (Br., Fr., It., Jp., U.S.)

Mandates• League would watch over areas not ready

for independence and they would be assigned a governing power

• Mandate: area assigned an advanced nation to administer their government– Lebanon and Syria—French Mandates– Palestine and Trans-Jordan—British

mandates

Mandates• The division of the Ottoman Empire

through the Mandate System planted the seeds for future conflicts in the Middle East

League of Nations• The League could punish member nations for

breaking “rules” by imposing economic sanctions (restrictions) such as embargoes and military force was always a last resort

• U.S. never joined the League• U.S. never ratified the Treaty of Versailles until

later either• Germany joined in 1926, Russia in 1934.• In 1935, 62 nations had joined the LON