The Great War

1914 - 1918

Causes Web of Alliances Nationalism

Imperialism Militarism

*Web of Alliances

*Nationalism – devotion to one’s nation

What is a “nation”? Sharing common history, culture,

language and ETHNICITY France – Alsace-Lorraine The Balkans

*Imperialism – one country dominating others

Social DarwinismThe best nation would come out ahead in the competition between counties

*Militarism – glorification of military

Not a question of “if”, it’s a question of “when” Increases in

Size of Armies Stockpiles of weapons

New Weapons Machine guns Mobile artillery Gas Submarines Tanks Airplanes

The Spark to start the Fire

Austria-Hungary’s Ultimatum

AH Empire sends Serbia an ultimatum Stop anyone who speaks ill of the AH

Empire Newspapers, army and gov’t officials, etc

Do not hinder AH’s investigation of the assassination

Report everything to AH What is Serbia giving up?

Do you think Serbia accepted this?

The Start of the War

AH Empire declares war on Serbia July 28th, 1914

Russia mobilizes for war Seeing Russia is mobilizing, Germany

declares war on Russia France’s alliance w/Russia makes

them declare war on Germany Germany declares war on Belgium

??? The *Schlieffen Plan

*Trench Warfare

Machine Guns Mobile artillery Gas Later on, Tanks

How did the US enter the war?

President *Woodrow Wilson Urges neutrality

Britain sets up a blockade against Germany so Germany uses *U-Boats against allied ships

*Lusitania and Sussex

The Last Straw

*Zimmermann Telegram January of 1917

April 2, 1917 President Wilson asks Congress to

declare war on Germany

Commies!

*Russian Revolution Democratic revolution overthrows Czar

Nicholas II but keeps Russians in war Communists have new revolution

Led by *Vladimir Lenin Russia stops fighting and makes peace

with Germany Germany sends eastern front troops

to the west

American troops turn the tide

Germany attacks and attacks With the incoming American troops,

French, British and Italian troops were able to resist the German attacks

German offensive collapses Armies get cut off and Germany

surrenders

Armistice and Treaty of Versailles

Armistice – No more fighting November 11th, 1917 5 million Allied troops dead 8 million Central power troops dead 6.5 million civilians dead

Treaty of Versailles – Peace treaty June 28th, 1919

Wilson and his 14 points

*14 points “Peace without victory”

Wilson goes to the peace negotiations personally Europeans loved him Wilson could not convince European

leaders to accept his plan Kept League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles punishes Germany Germany claims sole responsibility for

starting World War I Limited Germany’s army to 100,000

Enlisted men must be in army for 12 years; Officers – 25 years

Limited to tiny navy NO SUBMARINES

Germany loses territory Germany must pay reparations

$54 billion ($663.9 billion today)