1/9 Objective: Identify the countries and leaders involved in the Great War Bell Ringer: World War I, which came to be known as the Great War, started in Europe in 1914. Most historians would argue that a series of factors led to the start of war—militarism, imperialism, alliances, nationalism and an assassination. Which of these factors had the GREATEST impact on the start of World War I? Explain and give evidence from this week’s lessons.
Transcript
1/9Objective: Identify the countries and leaders involved in the Great WarBell Ringer:World War I, which came to be known as the Great War, started in Europe in 1914. Most historians would argue that a series of factors led to the start of war—militarism, imperialism, alliances, nationalism and an assassination. Which of these factors had the GREATEST impact on the start of World War I? Explain and give evidence from this week’s lessons.
Inevitability of war• June 28, 1914 Archduke
Francis Ferdinand of Austria assassinated
• July 5, 1914 Germany issues A-H “blank check” – pledging military
assistance if A-H goes to war against Russia
• July 23, 1914 Austria issues Serbia an ultimatum
The inevitability of war• July 28, 1914 A-H
declares war on Serbia• July 29, 1914 Russia
orders full mobilization of its troops
• August 1,1914 Germany declares war on Russia
• August 2, 1914 Germany demands Belgium declare access to German troops
“Belgium is a country, not a road”
• King Albert I of Belgium denied permission
• August 2, 1914 Germany declared war on France– Why??? – The Schlieffen
Plan!• August 4, 1914 Great
Britain declared war on Germany for violating Belgian neutrality
The Schlieffen Plan• German Military Strategy
• Designed by German General Alfred von Schlieffen
• Attempt to avoid a “2 front” war – (France=West; Russia=East)
• The Plan- move against France first before Russia has time to mobilize.– Fight the “Western Front”
first, then concentrate on the East.
The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
• Germany made vast encircling movement through Belgium to enter Paris
• Underestimated speed of the British mobilization– Quickly sent troops to
France
The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
• Sept 6-10, 1914– Battle of Marne– Stopped the Germans but
French troops were exhausted– Both sides dug trenches for
shelter
-resulted in a STALEMATE- -a deadlock in which neither side is able to defeat the other
-Ended Germany’s hopes for a quick victory on the Western Front
Why the Schlieffen plan failed…
• Russia mobilized more quickly than expected– German military had to send some troops to east,
weakening their force in the west
• Pushed back by British and French at Marne
The British government wanted to encourage men to enlist for war.
They said the war would be safe, hardly any fighting, a good lark and over by Christmas.
They used advertising posters to encourage this idea!A picture of soldiers going
‘Over the Top’
The Reality of War
The Reality of War
The Reality of going “over the top” was very different
The Reality of War• Posters always showed
men ready and willing to fight.
• They never showed the boredom of the trenches or actual fighting taking place.
• Why do you think the government showed no fighting?
• No smiling and relaxed faces…
• No clean uniforms…
Their equipment is scattered everywhere…
Boredom and sleep are obvious…
Freezing Winters
Mass Devastation
The changes of war
• New weapons crippled the “frozen front”– Poison gas (mustard gas)– Hand grenades– Flame throwers– Tanks– Airplanes– Subs
• Germany= “U-Boats”
The changes of war
• Airplanes– Dog fights in the air– Bombing inaccurate– Romanticized the
battlefields– Paris and London
bombed– Pilots fired pistols and
threw hand grenades
The Eastern Front
• Much more mobile more than the West– But loss of life still very
high
– 1915: 2.5 million Russians killed, captured, or wounded
The Eastern Front
• Germany and Austria Hungary joined by Bulgaria in Sept. 1915– Attacked and eliminated
Serbia from war
Concept mapping time!
• On a blank piece of paper, do exactly what I do on the board.
• This will demonstrate your understanding of relationships between nations/alliances/leaders and events of World War I.
Exit Ticket: Create a similar map on your paper!
next to country they led [A ]next to allies . Note whether they were allied or central forces.
