World War I
1914-1918
Lecture Notes
Major Players
I. Germany
A. Socialist-like government programs for German workers (instituted pension,
welfare and insurance)
B. Popular plans were implemented by Bismarck
C. 1888-Kaiser William II came to the throne and was very headstrong.
D. 1890- Bismarck forced to resign from his office of Prime Minister.
II. Great Britain
A. Irish home rule question still unsettled.
B. House of Lords limits its own power.
1. Accepts some social reforms
2. Big step toward a more truly democratic government
III. France
A. Fairly stable under the Third Republic established in 1875 but with many political contentions and factions.
B. All united in their hatred of Germany over the taking of Alsace and Lorraine!
IV. Russia
A. Multinational empire of Slavic peoples.
B. Russia saw itself as the "protector of all Slavic peoples."
C. Lagged behind industrially and militarily.
D. Constant Threat to Austria-Hungary in the Balkan Peninsula.
E. Jews in Russia under relentless persecution.
V. Austria-Hungary
A. Multinational empire.
B. Not advanced militarily or industrially.
VI. Balkan Peninsula
A. Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Albanians, Bulgarians & Romanians, etc. wanted their independence from A/H.
B. "War" broke out for independence.
C. Crises solved without a general war being fought.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated!!!
· Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne with his wife
Sophie. June 28, 1914-Sarajevo excited about royal
visit. Most Bosnians were Serbs (Slavic) and many
wanted Bosnia to be a part of Serbia instead of
Austria-Hungary. Serbian nationalists threw a bomb into the car as many people threw flowers. The Archduke
deflected the bomb with his arm and it exploded in the
street hurting many people! He visited the hospital to
see those who were hurt and returned to the same
motorcade. They made a wrong turn down the street
and Gavrilo Princip shot both of them. This
assassination after many others from 1900-1914 set
Europe off into war!
Causes of WWI:
A. The murder of the Archduke was not enough to trigger war but tensions built during a 50-year span in Europe between Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Russia.
B. Entangling Alliances
1. Bismarck had already allied with A/H and Italy.
a. Triple Alliance: Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary.
b. He had made a SECRET treaty with Russia not to attack each other!
c. Russia and A/H argued over the Balkans. This was a problem for Germany.
d. William II in 1890 was in power and Bismarck was gone. He let the treaty with Russia lapse and France was happy with that!
2. In 1984 Russia made a treaty with France and if a third county attacked either they would give aid to the other!
3. William II envied Great Britain's world empire. He was ½ English! He joined them in a naval arms race.
4. Britain sought allies and by 1907 had ententes (friendly alliances) with France and Russia!
5. Triple Entente: Russia, France & Great Britain.
C. Balkans
1. Many nations wanted independence.
2. Serbia wanted one big nation and that threatened A/H.
3. Russia agreed to help Serbs but they were not ready for a war.
4. When Germany stood behind A/H- Russia backed down.
5. All of the nations were humiliated.
D. Militarism (glorification of armed strength)
· Everyone in Europe felt war showed patriotism and was the only way to solve their problems.
· Poet: "Happy are those who have died in great battles, lying on the ground before the face of God".
WWI Opening Engagements
1. Austria-Hungary gave an ultimatum to Serbia:
a. Stop all Anti-Austrian activity.
b. Allow Austrian government to investigate the assassination.
c. Serbia knew if NO- war was imminent with a more powerful nation.
d. But if YES- no more independence.
e. Instead of just saying NO they let the 48-hour time limit lapse.
2. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
3. Russia mobilizes and would get even for backing down earlier.
a. It normally took weeks to mobilize
b. Russia moved to German border because they expected Germany to help Austria (July)
4. Germany saw as a declaration of war and declared war on Russia first!
5. Russia tried to as France to help but Germany would not wait and declared war on France too!
6. Schlieffen Plan- quick move on France while Russia mobilized to avoid a two-front war.
a. Germany to go through Belgium to France-threatening British ports.
b. Britain declares war on Germany.
c. Russia mobilized much quicker than Germany thought.
d. Germany took some troops to fight on East and somewhat weakened their own army.
e. Britain given a chance to get help to France.
7. September 6, 1914- Battle of the Marne ***Most important event so far***
a. Every soldier fighting-no more army trucks so taxi drivers got involved and started to haul troops and supplies to and from the front lines!
b. September 12, 1914 Germany forced to retreat and Paris was saved!
c. Schlieffen Plan ruined. NO quick victories anywhere.
d. Germany now faced a long and difficult two-front war.
Four-Year War
Western Front: after the Battle of the Marne there was a stalemate. Tunnels, shelters and trenches kept soldiers at war for years.
Eastern Front: Russia's sheer numbers kept Germany fighting thus keeping their full force out of the west.
Battle of Tannenburg: (August 1914)-
Germany crushed Russians and
they never recovered. Russians had one
asset. (numbers!!!)
Ottoman Front: (October 1914) Ottoman Turks enter the war on Central Powers side.
(February 1915) Allies attack the nerve center in the Black and Mediterranean Seas to send supplies to Russia and the campaign failed miserably.
Allies (Br.) organized Arab nationalists in the Middle East to gradually revolt ending Turkish rule.
The Italian Front: (May 1915)
Italy joined the Allies- could not help as much as they hoped. Italians were divided and lacked equipment but did help to divert some Austrian forces in the East.
War in Asia & Africa:
Japan declared war on Germany and took over Germanic China and Germany's Pacific Island holdings.
Britain and France conquered Germany's African possessions.
Russian Effort:
Supplies were depleted, men not into the war anymore. Overthrew czar and set up a provisionary government in 1917.
US Enters the War:
Germany forces were failing and there were severe food shortages.
They had practiced unrestricted submarine warfare in the beginning of the War.
1915- Lusitania was sunk with 139 Americans on board.Germany backed down because of the American threat to enter the war.
1917- Germany is failing so badly they again use unrestricted submarine warfare even though the US will probably enter the war.
Zimmerman note- German telegram to Mexico promising land for Mexico if they helped Germany attack the US. The British intercept this note, decode it and give it to the US.
1917- The US Enters the War against Germany
War's End
1. Convoys protect Allied goods.
2. Germany helped Lenin get to Russia and to lead the political party.
3. 1918- Treat of Brest-Litovsk ends the war between Russia and Germany.
4. Germany able to send all forces to the Western Front.
5. Germany troops were exhausted and now the Americans were here.
6.
French Commander of Allied troops was
Ferdinand Foch.
7. Bulgarians & Ottomans want peace.
8. Austria-Hungary has internal revolts and their empire was ended.
9. Germany in 1918 became a republic and the people wanted peace!
10. November 11, 1918 armistice signed to
end the fighting.
11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month- 1918
World War I was very expensive. Millions were dead and deep emotional scars were left. "Lost Generation"
New Inventions Used in WWI:
Automatic machine-gun
Poison gas-unpredictable (gas masks)
Tanks- effectively used after 1917
Airplanes- scouting, bomb dropping, machine guns used through propellers.
U-boats/Submarines (although not new used more
effectively than ever before)
Lifestyle Changes:
Civilians used for the first time ever in War. (trenches dug to help war effort)
Rationing- war effort goods used elsewhere than at home
Propaganda- One-sided information. (Germany best at this use!)
Peace???!!!!
Versailles meeting of the Allied Powers to propose treaties.
A. Wilson's Plan for Peace
1. Fourteen Points- goals of Wilson for lasting and just peace.
a. 1-5= general rules for post-war world
b. 6-14= suggestions on changing national borders and creating new nations peacefully.
c. Self-determination- own decision
2. League of Nations- wanted an organization to guide countries through problems by negotiation.
3. Both sides accepted his plan.
B. Conference in Versailles
1. Many arguments over the same pieces of land.
2. Over two-dozen countries were invited to the conference.
3. Britain, France and the US made all the decisions. (Russia in civil war and not invited)
C. Big Three
1. Georges Clemenceau- France
2. David Lloyd George- Britain
3. Woodrow Wilson- US
4. No defeated countries could attend the debates
or listen to decisions. They just had to listen to
the verdict.
5. German officials were horrified.
6. Final signing ceremony- Hall of Mirrors -Versailles. (Same room Germany forced France to sign a humiliating treaty to end the Franco-Prussian War and lost Alsace and Lorraine in 1871.)
7. June 28, 1919- Peace treaty signed on the 5th Anniversary of assassination!
D. Terms of Peace Treaty
Territories
1. Germany lost 13% of their land to France, Poland, Belgium and Denmark.
2. France rec'd Alsace and Lorraine and rights to the Saar mine for 15 years.
3. Poland once again was an individual nation.
4. All of Germany's territories in Africa and Pacific given to Britain, France & Japan. Mandates- territories administered on behalf of the League of Nations. Allies govern until ready for independence.
Military Restrictions
5. German army size strictly limited.
6. No manufacturing of War materials in Germany!
(Whole industry & economy!)
7. Subs and airplanes banned in Germany.
8. No German troops in the Rhineland! (Their own country!!!)
War Guilt Clause
9.
The sole blame for WWI was laid at Germany's feet. They were obligated to pay
$31 Billion in reparations
(money to compensate for expenses of war) to the Allies over the next
30 years!
E. League of Nations
1. No hope for a just and lasting peace.
2. Five largest nations (most powerful/winners): US, Britain, France, Japan and Italy were permanent members of the Executive Council.
3. General Assembly consisted of 42 Allied or neutral nations.
4. Germany was left out.
5. Russia was in civil war and revolution.
F. Other Treaties for Central Powers
1. Turkish Treaty-
a. Ottoman Empire taken away and only Turkey's land was left.
b. Independent nations formed: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan, were mandates of Greece, Britain and France.
2. Austria-Hungary:
a. Empire collapsed and they were again individual nations.
b. Poland got some of their land.
c. Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia created.
d. Romania doubled in size
e. Tyrol & Trieste given to Italy.
3. Bulgarian Treaty
a. Gave up land to Romania
b. Had to pay ½ billion dollars in reparations.
4. Russian Losses because they were not at the conference
a. Southwest territory given to Romania
b. Poland got some of their original land back
c. Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania become independent!
5. Clauses of these treaties that effected Germany
a. Sudetenland- Czechoslovakia received this land even though 3 million Germans were living there.
b. No alliances between Austria and Germany ever again even though they share a language, culture and history!
G. US Rejects Treaty
1. Works out own treaty with Germany
2. Opposes League of Nations (Wilson's creation)
a. Could undermine Congress
b. No American soldiers to go to war without American Congressional Approval.
The Treaty of Versailles left bitterness and hatred in Germany. Other countires were dissatisfied with the settlements as well. Everyone was waiting for any excuse to settle disputes and the groundwork for WWII is laid out in whole!