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The First World War
Causes for War Militarism (arms race) Alliances Imperialism Nationalism
Causes for War Alliance: Agreement
between 2 or more countries to give help if needed.
Impact: 1879-1914: Alliances
among many nations Pulls non-aggressor
nations into war
Causes for War Imperialism: When a
country takes over new lands or countries and makes them subject to their rule.
Impact: Growth of European
Empires (nation building) Rise of Industrialization Competition among nations
Causes for War Militarism: Army and
military forces are given high priority by their nations government
Impact: Competition for Arms Willingness to use new
weapons More aggressive approach to
foreign policy
Causes for War Nationalism: Supporting the
rights and interests of one’s country
Impact: Congress of Vienna - 1814
Redrew Europe after Napoleon Ignored nationalism; pressed for
peace Appeared successful; peace in
Europe for 40 years Alsace-Lorraine
Franco-Prussian War gives territory to newly unified Germany
Unstable peace for 40+ years Displaced Nationalists
Did not support their new rulers Often abused by ruling governments
Causes for War Crises: Moroccan Crisis
Germany united with Austria-Hungary
France keeps majority of rule over Morocco
Germany tries to stir rebellion; fails Bosnian Crisis
Bosnia and Herzegovina annexed by Austria-Hungary
Serbia forced to yield to annexation Treaty benefits Austria Hungary and
Germany; hurts Serbia and Russia Assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand (not the band) Gavrilo Princip Member of “The Black Hand”
World War IWeapons of War
Rifles Bolt-Action Rifle Effective killing range 1,400 meters (4,500 ft) Examples: German Mauser; British Lee-Enfield; U.S.
Springfield
Machine Guns Personified the War Primarily Defensive weapon
(grouped together); develops into an offensive weapon (1 gun = 80 rifles)
Crew of 4-6 Fired in short bursts Problems: Cooling
Mechanisms Water or air cooling
Chemical Warfare Germans 1st to use Chlorine Gas Effects: Burning in throat; chest pains;
painful, suffocating death Problems: Wind
Chemical Warfare Mustard Gas
Most deadly weapon Fired into trenches in shells Colorless; effects take 12 hours
Effects: Blistering skin, vomiting, sore eyes, internal/external bleeding; Death up to 5 weeks No reliable antidotes
Air Warfare Zeppelins a.k.a. Blimps
Introduced early by Germans Used in bombing raids; carried machine guns
and bombs Early raids created fear/panic Artillery guns had little effect Abandoned – Easy targets
Airships with incendiary bullets
Air Warfare Planes Early use for recon and observation
Pilots would use pistols, rifles, darts and hooks on string to rip cloth
Evolved into aircraft fighters Mounted machine guns
Air fights called “dogfights”
Tanks (Landships) Could cut through
barbed wire entanglements
1st Tank – Little Willie 3 mph
Developed for the Western Front
Battle of the Somme
Naval Developments HMS Dreadnought German U-Boats Naval Escorts and Blockades German U-Boats draw U.S. into war
Trench Warfare Created a stalemate
on the western front Trenches dug from
English Channel to Switzerland
6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both
sides for 4 years
Trench Warfare Trench Cycle
Typical life for a battalion (1 year cycle) Front line (70 days) Move to support (30 days) Reserve lines (120 days) Short period of rest (70 days)
Often determined by necessity of the situation
Morning ‘stand to’ Awake 1 hr before dawn to protect against am raids
Bayonets fixed; adopted by both sides Aka morning hate
Trench Warfare Movement
Restricted to night due to snipers and look outs Most read, wrote, and got brief periods of sleep Assigned tasks frequently to keep movement and life in the trench
Dusk ‘stand to’ Patrolling no mans land
Sent to repair barbed wire, check listening posts, etc If opposing patrols met, either finish work or engage in hand to hand
fighting Gun shots might draw attention from machine gun nests
Artois France, 7:15 pm; 22 July, 1917
German trenches
British trenches
The War
The Schieffen Plan Stall Russia Invade Western
front/defeat France Push all forces east Avoid 2 front war
The Schieffen Plan Encircling movement
through Belgium to enter Paris
British mobilized quickly; supported French
Sept 6-10, 1914 Battle of Marne Stopped the Germans but
French troops were exhausted
Both sides dug trenches for shelter
Ended in stalemate
Tannenberg Where: Tannenberg, East Prussia,
Germany When: 23-30 August, 1914 Combatants: Germany vs. Russia Casualties: Germans 12,000; Russians,
30,000 (95,000 prisoners)
Tannenberg Germans outnumbered on both fronts Need speedy victories to neutralize threats Russia mobilized quickly; entered German
territory
Tannenberg Positions
G: Advanced toward Konigsberg; fell to River Vistula (defensive)
R:2 Pronged invasion; 1st Frontal assault; 2nd Flank German rear
G: Defeated flank by falling back
Positions – Aug. 26th
G: Used trains to stop Russian thrust NE R: Russian 1st army stop moving to help 2nd G: Counterattack on right Russian pincer; forced its retreat
Tannenberg Positions
R: Only center line holding; orders thrust into Tannenberg; fails due to supply problems and Russian railroad gages
Aug. 28 R: Begins retreat G: Cuts off Russian center; pounds with artillery Can’t make it to Russian border; many get lost
(Samsonov)
The Eastern Front Russian army moved into
Eastern Germany on August 30, 1914 Defeated
Austrians kicked out of Serbia
Italy attacks Austria - 1915 Germany/Austria push
Russians back 300 miles
The Eastern Front Much more mobile more than the West
Loss of life still very high 1915: 2.5 million Russians killed, captured, or
wounded
Germany and Austria Hungary joined by Bulgaria in Sept. 1915 Attacked and eliminated Serbia from war
The Eastern Front 1917 – Russia surrenders (a separate
peace) U.S. joins the war on the Allied side Nov. 11, 1918 Armistice
The Home Front Women took war factory jobs Received lower wages than males Food shortages made running a
household difficult
The Home Front Censorship
Not told about high death toll Romanticized the battlefields
“soldiers have died a beautiful death, in noble battle, we shall rediscover poetry…epic and chivalrous”
“Newspapers described troops as itching to go over the top.”
“Government reported to the press that life in the trenches promoted good health and clear air”
The Home Front Impossible to hide death
Women in mourning Badly wounded soldiers returned home Opposition began to emerge
Death Toll of War
Allied Powers Central Powers
42 million served 23 million served
22 million casualties 15 million casualties
Social Impact Men lost limbs and were mutilated Birthrate fell markedly Invalids unable to work Ethnic hostility Influenza epidemic
Psychological impact “Never such innocence again” Bitterness towards aristocratic officers
whose lives were never in danger