History
Stage 6
World War 1 1914–1919
A Source-based Study
MH/HSC 44423
POO30786
Acknowledgments
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in good faith.
Writer
Martin Mansfield
Editor
Wendy De Vries
Illustrators
Kim Drummond and Martin Mansfield
Desktop publisher
Dina Harsudas
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Contents
Module overview
3
Outcomes
4
Indicative time
6
Icons
6
Module glossary
7
Source sheets
8
Part 1
War on the Western Front
Part 2
The home fronts in Britain and Germany
Part 3
Changing attitudes of soldiers and civilians to the war
Part 4
Turning points
Part 5
Allied victory
Part 6
Additional resources
World War 1 1914-1919
1
Module overview
World War I was in many ways the foundation event for the whole of the
twentieth century. It led to much of what happened during the rest of the
century. It was during the war that a communist government came to power
for the first time, in Russia. Subsequently many other countries became
communist in several parts of the world, especially after World War II. This
laid the foundation for the ‘Cold War’ between the Soviet Union and the
United States which occurred from 1945 until about 1990.
Similarly World War I was a factor in the rise to power of Hitler and the
Nazis in Germany in 1933 and in the outbreak of World War II six years
later. These events have had a significant impact on the history of Europe
ever since.
This module is the only one which is studied by all Modern History students
in the HSC Course. It is therefore called the Core Study. In the other three
Parts of the Course, the National Studies, Personalities in the Twentieth
century and the International Studies in Peace and Conflict, students in
different schools study different modules.
In this module you will look at World War I itself which went from August
1914 until November 1918 and then the Treaty of Versailles which was
signed by the victorious Allied powers and Germany.
The Principal Focus of the module is to use different types of sources and
acquired knowledge to investigate key features, issues, individuals, groups
and wants in the study of World War 1.
You will undertake your investigation of this topic by using a wide variety
of sources: some written and some pictorial; some primary and some
secondary. You will consider different perspectives and interpretations
about World War I and its aftermath. You will use your knowledge and
skills to respond to the different types of sources and historiographical
issues that you will encounter in this module.
Many of the sources are on a series of back-to-back Source sheets which
accompany this module and focus on the key features of World War I and
its aftermath. There is a list of these sheets and you will find them at the
end of the module overview. Check to make sure that you have them all. It
would be helpful for you to have a look at them before you start using them.
This will help you familiarise yourself with them and assist you in your
study of this topic. If you have done the module on ‘The world at the
World War 1 1914-1919
3
beginning of the twentieth century’ by distance education, you will
remember that this is the same approach that you followed for that topic.
Much of the work in this module will involve you answering questions
using one or more of the sources on the Source sheets. Some of the
questions will require you to use only one source or one Source sheet while
others will require the use of more than one source or more than one Source
sheet.
In order to achieve the outcomes of the module, it is important that you do
the work in the order in which it is set out in this workbook.
The answers to most of the questions in the body of each Section are
provided after the questions in order for you to gain an indication of how
you are progressing.
On the other hand, your answers to the questions which are at the end of
each section or are assignments in the TAFE Learner’s guide are to be sent
to your teacher. Your investigation of World War I will culminate at the
end of the module in an Exercise that will assess your overall knowledge
and understanding of the topic. It will be similar in format to the question
you will have to answer for the Core Study in the HSC exam for Modern
History.
If you have access to the Internet, you will find that the NSW HSC
ONLINE site contains lots of very useful material on World War I which
can be found at:
http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/modern_history/core_study/ww1/
Good luck for this module. We’re sure you’ll find it interesting and
enjoyable!
Outcomes
You will need to have a good knowledge and understanding of the following
outcomes for the Core Study question in your HSC exam.
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
4
H1.1
describe the role of key features, issues, individuals, groups and
events of selected twentieth-century studies.
H1.2
analyse and evaluate the role of key features, issues, individuals,
groups and events of selected twentieth-century studies.
H3.2
locate, select and organise relevant information from different
types of sources
Module overview
H3.3
analyse and evaluate sources for their usefulness and reliability
H3.4
explain and evaluate differing perspectives and interpretations of
the past
H3.5
plan and present the findings of historical investigations, analysing
and synthesising information from different types of sources
H4.1
use historical terms and concepts appropriately
H4.2
communicate a knowledge and understanding of historical features
and issues, using appropriate and well-structured oral and written
forms.
You will learn about:
War on the Western Front
–
the reasons for the stalemate on the Western Front
–
the nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with
experiences of Allied and German soldiers
–
overview of strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key
battles: Verdun, the Somme, Passchendaele
–
changing attitudes of Allied and German soldiers to the war over time.
The home fronts in Britain and Germany
–
total war and its social and economic impact on civilians in Britain and
Germany
–
recruitment, conscription, censorship and propaganda in Britain and
Germany
–
the variety of attitudes to the war and how they changed over time in
Britain and Germany
–
the impact of the war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain.
Turning points
–
impacts of the entry of the USA and of the Russian withdrawal
–
Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the Allied response.
Allied Victory
–
events leading to the Armistice, 1918
–
reasons for the Allied victory and German collapse
–
the roles and differing goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson
in creating the Treaty of Versailles
World War 1 1914-1919
5
You will learn to:
•
Ask relevant questions in relation to World War 1
•
Locate, select and organise information from different types of
primary and secondary sources, including ICT, about key features
and issues related to World War
•
Make deductions and draw conclusions about key features and issues
of World War 1
•
Evaluate the usefulness, reliability and perspectives of sources
•
Account for and assess differing historical interpretations of World
War 1
•
Use historical terms and concepts appropriately
•
Present the findings of investigations on aspects of World War 1,
analysing and synthesising information from different types of
sources
•
Communicate an understanding of the features and issues of World
War 1 using appropriate and well-structured oral and/or written
and/or multimedia forms including ICT.
From: Modern History, Stage 6 Syllabus, Preliminary and HSC courses,
Board of Studies NSW 2004.
Indicative time
This module is 25% of the HSC Course and should take approximately
30 hours.
Icons
The following icons are used within this module.
This icon is to remind you that it is now time to find one
of the Source sheets for the first time in a particular
Section.
This icon is to remind you that it is now time to do an
activity. An answer is normally provided for these
activities.
This icon is to remind you that it is now time to do an
Exercise which is to be returned to your teacher for
marking.
6
Module overview
Module glossary
The following words, listed here with their meanings, are found in this
module. They appear in bold type the first time they occur.
Anarchy
political and social disorder due to an absence of government
control
annex
take possession of an area of land and add it to one’s existing
territory
arbitration
the settling of a disagreement by a person or persons not involved
in the dispute, often appointed by the government
armistice
a cessation of fighting in order to discuss peace
biased
when someone holds a viewpoint or opinion which prevents them
from fairly considering a particular matter
blithe
joyous; cheerful
coalition
government
a government which consists of two or more political parties
coronation
the ceremony of crowning a king, queen etc
decree
a command or decision, often made by one person such as a
monarch or a president
demobilisation
the disbanding of a military force; when soldiers, sailors, etc
leave the armed forces
emissary
an agent or representative sent on a mission
fervour
enthusiasm
Freemasons
members of a secret order
gaiter
covering for the ankle and lower leg made of cloth or leather
isolationist
keeping out of international affairs especially in Europe
joviality
fun and friendship; merriment
King’s
Commmision
an appointment to a higher rank in the armed forces
Ku Klux Klan
a racist organisation in the United States
latrine
a toilet
mark
German currency
martial law
law imposed on an area by military forces when civil authority
has broken down
megalomania
a mental disorder marked by a false belief in one’s own
greatness, wealth, power, etc
mine
a bomb on or just beneath the surface of the water
morale
how someone is thinking and feeling with regard to cheerfulness,
confidence, etc
mutiny
a revolt or rebellion by soldiers or sailors against their officers
null and void
having no legal force or effect
on their mettle
determined to do their best
risqué
daringly close to being improper or indelicate, for example a
story or a joke
World War 1 1914-1919
7
sabotage
deliberate damage to, or interference with, machinery, buildings,
etc
shirker
someone who avoids doing work, their duty, etc
shrapnel
small pieces of metal which come out of a bomb such as an
artillery shell when it explodes
simultaneous
at the same time
sleet
icy rain
sniper
a soldier who fires at an enemy individual, usually from a hidden
or long-range position
sovereignty
power; authority
subsidy
a sum of money given by a government to a private company or
organisation
territorial
integrity
when the territory of a country is free from another country
wanting to seize it
turnip
a root vegetable which some people think is not particularly tasty
unambiguous
not confusing, very clear
war cabinet
a small group of government ministers who exercise a lot of
power during a war
widower
a man whose wife has died
Source sheets
You will be using Source sheets to complete this module. They are at the
end of the Module Overview. The table below lists the Source sheets
(arranged in pairs back-to-back) in the order of initial use.
The Schlieffen Plan fails (1)
The Schlieffen Plan fails (2)
‘From movement to stagnation’
Reasons for stalemate
The trenches
Nature of trench warfare
Life in the trenches
The enemy and the officers
Death in the trenches
Attempts to break the stalemate (1)
Attempts to break the stalemate (2)
Attempts to break the stalemate (3)
Total war – introduction
Increased government control
Censorship and propaganda
Recruitment
Women (1)
Women (2)
Attitudes to war (1)
Attitudes to war (2)
Attitudes to war (3)
Attitudes to war (4)
The Peace Conference
The Treaty of Versailles
Remember to check that you have all of these Source sheets. Let your
teacher know if you don’t.
8
Module overview