The World on the The World on the Eve of the World Eve of the World WarsWars

1914-Present Lesson 11914-Present Lesson 1

Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• A competitive environment in Europe A competitive environment in Europe

increased the chances for hostility in the increased the chances for hostility in the 2020thth Century Century

• European alliance systems guaranteed European alliance systems guaranteed that conflict between a few would lead to that conflict between a few would lead to world warworld war

• Industrialism & imperialism put European Industrialism & imperialism put European colonies in a position to play a critical colonies in a position to play a critical role in the coming conflictrole in the coming conflict

Sources of TensionSources of Tension• EconomicEconomic

– industrialismindustrialism

• PoliticalPolitical– West vs. EastWest vs. East– ImperialismImperialism

• IdeologicalIdeological– NationalismNationalism– DarwinismDarwinism

Role of the ColoniesRole of the Colonies• Raw MaterialsRaw Materials

– haves & haves & have-notshave-nots

• Project Project superiority of superiority of mother countrymother country

• ““My Empire Is My Empire Is Bigger than Bigger than Yours”Yours”

The British Empire, 1900The British Empire, 1900

Close Calls: Potential Close Calls: Potential “World Wars”“World Wars”• ““The Great Game”The Great Game”

– GBR & RUSGBR & RUS

• FRA & GBR in the FRA & GBR in the SudanSudan

• The Moroccan CrisesThe Moroccan Crises– FRA & GERFRA & GER

• Naval Arms RaceNaval Arms Race– GER & GBRGER & GBR

New PlayersNew Players• The United StatesThe United States

– Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny– Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War– Luxury of IsolationismLuxury of Isolationism

• JapanJapan– “ “Asia for the Asians”Asia for the Asians”– Russo-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War,

19051905

Europe’s Alliance Europe’s Alliance SystemsSystems• Advantage/DisadvantageAdvantage/Disadvantage

• GermanyGermany– isolate Franceisolate France– Three Emperors’ PactThree Emperors’ Pact

• GER, AUS, RUSGER, AUS, RUS– Lapse on Russia & Triple Lapse on Russia & Triple

AllianceAlliance• GER, AUS, ITAGER, AUS, ITA

• France & RussiaFrance & Russia– squeeze Germanysqueeze Germany– Triple Triple ÉntenteÉntente

• FRA, RUS, GBR FRA, RUS, GBR (kind of)(kind of)

The Balkan Crisis, Part The Balkan Crisis, Part 11• Serbian nationalism & Ottoman declineSerbian nationalism & Ottoman decline

• Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary– GER now major C European powerGER now major C European power– looking to spread into former looking to spread into former

Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Herzegovina)Herzegovina)

• RussiaRussia– “ “protector of Slavic peoples”protector of Slavic peoples”

• Assassination of Archduke Franz-Assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, 1914Ferdinand, 1914– The Black HandThe Black Hand– Austria’s ultimatumAustria’s ultimatum

The Balkan Crisis of The Balkan Crisis of 19141914• Serbian nationalism & Ottoman Serbian nationalism & Ottoman

declinedecline• Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary

– GER now major C European GER now major C European powerpower

– looking to spread into former looking to spread into former Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Ottoman lands (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1908)Herzegovina, 1908)

• RussiaRussia– “ “protector of Slavic peoples”protector of Slavic peoples”

• Assassination of Archduke Franz-Assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, 1914Ferdinand, 1914– Gavrilo Princip & The Black Gavrilo Princip & The Black

HandHand– Austria’s ultimatum, Serbia’s Austria’s ultimatum, Serbia’s

answeranswer

Final Steps to WarFinal Steps to War• Germany’s “Carte Germany’s “Carte

Blanche”Blanche”– ““blank check” in dealing blank check” in dealing

with Serbiawith Serbia

– AUS-HUN withdraws AUS-HUN withdraws offer to SRB--this offer to SRB--this guaranteed war in 1914guaranteed war in 1914

Final Steps to WarFinal Steps to War• Mobilization:Mobilization: moving men & materials into moving men & materials into

position for war (considered an act of war)position for war (considered an act of war)– Aug. 1, 1914: RUS mobilizes on AUS-HUN Aug. 1, 1914: RUS mobilizes on AUS-HUN

bordersborders– GER mobilizes vs. RUS in responseGER mobilizes vs. RUS in response

August 1, 1914August 1, 1914Germany & France--Germany & France--students race to enlist students race to enlist

and serve the and serve the fatherlandfatherland

General belief was that General belief was that war would be over in a war would be over in a

few weeks--no one few weeks--no one wanted to miss it!wanted to miss it!

Limited War vs. Limited War vs. Total WarTotal War• Total WarTotal War: virtually all : virtually all

aspects of society factor in aspects of society factor in to war effortto war effort

• Factors allowing for Factors allowing for movement toward more movement toward more total wartotal war– DemocratizationDemocratization

– IndustrializationIndustrialization

– Philosophical concessionsPhilosophical concessions

ExamplesExamples• Embargoes & Embargoes &

blockadesblockades– ““economic economic

asphyxiation”asphyxiation”• North on South in Civil North on South in Civil

WarWar• GBR on GER in World GBR on GER in World

War IWar I

• Civilian bombingsCivilian bombings– Disrupt life, terrorize Disrupt life, terrorize

pop., cripple moralepop., cripple morale• Battle of Britain, WWIIBattle of Britain, WWII• Hiroshima & NagasakiHiroshima & Nagasaki

ExamplesExamples• Espionage & Espionage &

sabotagesabotage– War of informationWar of information– Covert opsCovert ops

• French Resistance in French Resistance in WWIIWWII

• Cold WarCold War

• PropagandaPropaganda– Control infoControl info– Boost morale & Boost morale &

spread fearspread fear

ExamplesExamples• TerrorismTerrorism

– Typical when Typical when conventional force is conventional force is too weaktoo weak

– Violent political actionViolent political action• Reign of TerrorReign of Terror• Palestinians vs. Palestinians vs.

IsraelIsrael• Mass DestructionMass Destruction

– Chemical, biological, Chemical, biological, nuclearnuclear

– Cripple war effort Cripple war effort through mass civilian through mass civilian deathdeath

• Hiroshima & Hiroshima & NagasakiNagasaki

The Great War as The Great War as Total WarTotal War• Military exemptions for Military exemptions for

factory workers, soldiers factory workers, soldiers as “labor”as “labor”– PoiluPoilu Mutiny, 1917 Mutiny, 1917

• British blockade of British blockade of Germany—starve them Germany—starve them out!out!– Maintained until Aug. 1919Maintained until Aug. 1919

• Controlling information Controlling information (esp. Germany)(esp. Germany)

• Colonial production vital Colonial production vital to war effortto war effort

German, German, 19141914

American, American, 19181918

American, American, 19171917

German German (Bavaria), (Bavaria),

19141914

British, British, 19141914

German, German, 1918-191918-19

American, 1917American, 1917

German, 1914-15German, 1914-15