World War I Basics and Outcome
I.
There were four MAIN causes of
WWI
a) M – Militarism:
• Glorification of the ideals
of a professional military
class.
• Predominance of the
armed forces in the
administration or policy of
the state.
• A policy in which military
preparedness is of primary
importance to a state.
I.
There were four MAIN causes of
WWI
b) A – Alliance systems: multiple,
interlocking, secret alliances that, if
followed, can expand a small conflict
I.
There were four MAIN causes of
WWI
c) I – Imperialism: Building empires
causes conflict among empire
builders and resentment among
those being subjugated
I.
There were four MAIN causes of
WWI
d) N – Nationalism:
•
Devotion to the
interests or culture of
one's nation.
•
The belief that nations
will benefit from acting
independently rather
than collectively,
emphasizing national
rather than
international goals.
•
Aspirations for national
independence in a
country under foreign
domination.
II.
Background
a) Sharply competing European powers
i.
Arms Race – English and Germans
engaged in competition to build most
battleships; continental states (Germany,
France, Austria-Hungary, Russia) all
building huge armies
ii. Overseas crises over colonial competition
(Fashoda, Morocco)
II.
Background
b) Increasing nationalism throughout Europe –
especially bad in weakening empires of east
– Austria-Hungary (A-H), Russia, Ottoman
Empire
i.
Ottomans called “Sick Man of Europe” – slowly
falling apart in Balkans
1) Some areas become independent (Serbia, Greece, etc.)
2) Some areas fall to Russia or A-H (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
II.
Background
b) Increasing…
ii. Slavic nationalism begins to undermine
A-H regions (long-standing as well as
new areas from Ottomans) – also pits
Russians against them
iii. Only time until interlocking alliances
drew all into war over assassination of AH Archduke Franz Ferdinand
• Or maybe not…
• But does that matter? No! Crowds still
cheered all over Europe! Yay! War!
• “Now, God be thanked Who has
matched us with His hour!” – R. Brooke
The War Itself
1914
• June 28 Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
• June 28 - Aug. 28 Most European belligerents
involved (Japanese on Allied side)
• Aug. 31 Battle of Tannenburg – Russians
stopped by Germans
• Sep. 6-10 Battle of Marne – Germans stopped
by French
• Nov. 5 French and UK declare war on
Ottomans
1915
• Feb. 10 – Russians defeated at Masurian
Lakes
• Trench lines solidify
• Apr. 22 – Poison gas first used at Ypres
(major battle site for rest of war)
• May 7 – Lusitania sunk
1915
• May 23 – Italy enters war on Allied side –
only back and forth fighting in N. Italy
near Isonzo River (11 Battles of the
Isonzo)
• May 31 – First air raid on London
(Zeppelins)
• Fall – Gallipoli campaign failing
1916
• Feb 21 – Battle of Verdun begins (kills c.
500,000 men by Dec)
• Apr – Irish Rebellion
• May 31 – Battle of Jutland – only major naval
battle; draw
• June - Brusilov Offensive; successful but bogs
down under strain (kills 1 million Russians
alone by Sept)
• July 1 – Battle of Somme begins (1.2 million
casualties by Nov)
1917
• Feb – Stepped up German submarine warfare
• Feb – Zimmerman Telegram; fake? Maybe,
maybe not - doesn’t matter anyway.
• Mar – Czar abdicates; no successor but war
gov’t still in place (Lvov then Kerensky Gov’ts)
• Apr – US joins war
• Apr – Chemin de Dames Offensive fails
(120,000 French killed); Army mutinies
1917
• May – French go into hold waiting on
American reinforcements
• Fall – Germans pull back to defenses in West;
begin to grind down Russians in East
• Fall – British have successes in Mid East vs
Turks
• Nov – Bolshevik Revolution; Russians pull out
of war
1918
• Mar – Final German offensive; almost gets to
Paris
• May – Germans stopped at Marne (again)
• Summer – Germans pushed back
• Sept – Nov – Breakthroughs on German lines
(lines still in France/Belgium)
• Nov 11 - Armistice
Effects
I.
WWI ended at 11:11 am on Nov. 11,
1918 - Immediate Results
a) 20 million dead
b) Industrial
regions of
France and
Belgium
destroyed
c) All gov’ts deep
in debt
(borrowed to
pay for
weapons)
I.
WWI ended at 11:11 am on Nov. 11,
1918 - Immediate Results
d) People had ideas
of glorious war
and European
superiority
seriously
weakened or
destroyed
II.
Longer term outcomes
a) Vengeful Treaties (Versailles between
Germany and Allies – others with
other powers)
i. New nations – created out of Central
Powers (Poland, Yugoslavia, etc.)
ii. Land taken from Central Powers given to
Allies (European regions to France,
“mandates” to Allies)
1914-1918 Borders
II.
Longer term outcomes
a)
Vengeful…
iii. Reparations – Money
charged to Central
Powers for losing war –
weakened their
economies severely
iv. Restrictions on military
– meant to punish and
weaken
II.
Longer term outcomes
b) Anger and
disruption
in Germany
– led to
political
instability
II.
Longer term outcomes
c) Colonial nations begin process of
resistance in earnest