Post on 04-Jan-2016
World War I
World War I
• Essential Questions1. What role did nationalism and imperialism play
in causing World War I?2. How did ethnic diversity in the Balkans
contribute to war?3. What impact did innovations in science and
technology have on World War I?
World War I
• As the 1900s began, the people of Europe had enjoyed nearly a century of peace
• Under the surface, forces were pushing the continent toward war
M.A.I.N.
• When trying to remember the causes of WWI, remember M.A.I.N.!–M for Militarism– A for Alliances– I for Imperialism– N for Nationalism
M.A.I.N.
• Militarism– The glorification of military power– Occurred in many European nations in the late
1800s– This development led to fear and suspicion as
nations became more willing to use military force to attain their national goals
– Arms race– Fiercest rivals were Germany and Great Britain
M.A.I.N.
• Alliance Systems– Increased tensions and suspicions led nations to
form alliances– Nations agreed to defend each other in case of an
attack– Triple Alliance and Triple Entente• Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy• Great Britain, France, and Russia
M.A.I.N.
• Imperialism– Great Britain, France, Germany, and other nations
competed for colonies and economic power– France vs. Germany for Africa– Germany vs. Great Britain for industrialization– Great Britain and France become close because of
common enemy
M.A.I.N.
• Nationalism (Germany and France)– Nationalism was strong in both France and
Germany– Germany was unified and proud of its industrial
and military might– France was embarrassed in the Franco-Prussian
War in which it lost land to Germany– France wanted to regain its position as top dog in
Europe and take revenge on Germany
M.A.I.N.
• Nationalism (Pan-Slavism)– Russia encouraged Pan-Slavism– Russia was the largest Slavic country– Serbia and other small nations in the Balkans
identified as Slavic and wanted ties with Russia– The Austro-Hungarian empire discouraged these
ties
Other Causes• Decline of the Ottoman Empire– The Armenian Massacres• Distrust between Muslim Turks and Christian Armenians
– The Balkan Powder Keg• Serbia declared itself independent from the Ottoman
Empire in 1878• Tension between Serbia and the Ottomans grew as
Serbia sought to gain land from the Ottomans• In 1912, Serbia attacked the Ottoman Empire to gain
more land for access to the Adriatic Sea• On June 28, 1914, the Archduke and his wife were
assassinated which set off a chain reaction that led to war
World War I• The Outbreak of War
1. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the murders of the archduke and his wife and made harsh demands in Serbia
2. Serbia refused to comply with all of the demands3. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia July 284. Russia, a Slavic nation and friend of Serbia, mobilized its
forces in preparation for war5. Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declares war on
Russia6. Germany declared war on France, an ally of Russia7. Germany invaded Belgium on August 3, 1914, so that
German forces could enter France more easily8. Great Britain declared war on Germany
World War I: Who Was to Blame?
Who was to blame for World War I?
Russia• Supported Slavic people• Feared Austria-Hungary
wanted to rule Slavic people
Austria-Hungary• Blamed Serbia for
terrorism• Wanted to crush
Serbian nationalism
Germany• felt it must stand
behind its ally, Austria-Hungary
Great Britain• Felt a duty to protect Belgium• Feared power of Germany just
across English Channel
France• Backed Russia
• Felt it might someday need Russian support
against Germany
Central Powers vs. Allied Powers
• Central– Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman
Empire
• Allied – Great Britain, France, Russia– Later joined by Italy and the US
Battle Fronts
World War I• An Industrialized War– New technology made this war particularly destructive
and gory– Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1867– Engine– Airplane– Communication
devices
World War I
• An Industrialized War– Trench Warfare• Heavy fighting took place along the Western Front, a
600-mile stretch from the English Channel to Switzerland• For four years the French, British, and German troops
gained very little ground but many soldiers were killed
Trench Warfare
German soldiers in a trench
Trench Warfare
Russian soldiers in a trench
Trench Warfare
British soldiers in trench at Battle of the Somme
Trench Warfare
World War I• Civilian Life and Total War– War fought at home and on the battlefield
referred to as a Total War• Governments created a draft• Governments raised taxes and borrowed money to pay
for war• Governments rationed or limited goods so military
could be provided for• Governments widely circulated propaganda• Women at home took jobs that men left behind
Technology Changes WarfareInvention Description Uses in World War IAutomatic Machine Gun
Mounted gun that fires a rapid continuous stream of bullets
Made it possible for a few gunners to mow down waves of soldiers
Tank Armored vehicle that travels on a track and can cross many kinds of land
Protected advancing troops as they broke through enemy defenses; Early tanks were slow and clumsy
Submarine Underwater ship that can launch torpedoes or guided underwater bombs
Used by Germany to destroy Allied ships; submarine attacks helped bring United States into war
Airplane One or two-seat propeller plane equipped with machine gun or bombs
At first, mainly used for observation; later, flying ‘aces’ engaged in air combat
Poison Gas; Gas Mask Gases that cause choking, blindness, or severe skin blisters; gas masks can protect soldiers from poison gas
Lobbed into enemy trenches, killing or disabling troops; gas masks lessened the importance of poison gas
World War I
• Turning Points in the War– The United States sold arms to the Allied forces
but remained neutral though 1916– In 1917, after repeated attacks by German U-boats
on US ships carrying civilians, the US entered the war
– The entry of the Americans helped the Allies win the war
– Why?
World War I
• Turning Points in the War– In Russia, morale was so low that a revolution
broke out in 1917– In 1918, the new leader in Russia signed a treaty
with Germany that took Russia out of the war
Costs of the War
• On November 11, 1918, an armistice was declared
• On June 28th 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed which officially ended the war
Costs of the War
• Human Casualties– 8.5 million killed– More than 27 million
wounded– Famine threatened many
regions– Disease was widespread
in many regions
• Economic Losses– Factories, farms, and
homes had been destroyed
– Nations had huge war debts to repay
– The Allies, bitter at the destruction, forced the Central Powers to make reparations