1914 - 1919

The War to End all Wars

Bonkers about the Balkans

Serbia wanted to unite all Slavic (ethnicity) states

Because Russia was a predominately Slavic nation, they backed Serbia

Austria-Hungary had just annexed Bosnia and Herzegovinian and refused to let this happen

June 28, 1914

Archduke Franz Ferdinand – heir to Austria-Hungarian throne

Campaign to Sarajevo

Assassinated by a Serbian terrorist

AH blames Serbia

June 28, 1914

Germany, allied with AH says they will give any help necessary

July 28th – AH declares war on S

Russia mobilizes army against AH and Germany

Germany gives Russia 12 hours to stop; Russia ignores; Germany declares war on Russia – August 1

Under Germany’s Schlieffen Plan (attack France to West and Russia to the East, speedy end to the war), France – August 3

Germany enters France through neutral Belgium

Great Britain, allied to France and honoring Belgium’s neutrality declares war on Germany – Aug. 4

Alliance Dominoes…

New Face, New Names

Triple Entente – Allied Powers Italy joined when

Germany disregarded Belgium’s neutrality

Most of the Balkan nations joined

Japan joins Triple Alliance –

Central Powers The Ottoman Empire

(Turkey) and Bulgaria joined in 1915

New Weapons

Machine gun Poison gas (Mustard gas)

Carried by the wind Burned out soldier’s

lungs Deadly in the trenches

where it would sit at the bottom

Submarine Airplane Tank Hand grenades Flame Throwers

New Weapons

Western Front, the beginning

Germany invaded France through Germany trying to capture Paris

Battle of the Marne, September 1914 Stopped German

advances towards Paris

Stalemate – no longer advancing, enter Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare

both sides dug trenches protected by mines and barbed wire

6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both

sides for 4 years Life

Bored, shell shock, unsanitary

Trench Warfare

Christmas Truce, 1914

unofficial truce lasted for several days

“We shook hands, wished each other a Merry Xmas, and were soon conversing as if we had known each other for years…”

Total War - 1915

Mobilizing ALL resources Draft – soldiers Rationing of resources

at home so troops would be taken care of

Propaganda – divert attention to war and influence public opinion

Targeting civilians (non – military), too

Western Front, 1916 -1917

Battle of Verdun Longest battle 21 February-18

December 1916

Battle of the Somme Bloodiest battleNationalit

yTotalcasualties

Killed &missing Prisoners

United Kingdom 350,000+ - -

Canada 24,029 - -

Australia 23,000   < 200

New Zealand 7,408  - -

South Africa 3,000+ - -

Newfoundland 2,000+ - -

Total British Empire

419,654 95,675 -

French 204,253 50,756 -

Total Allied 623,907 146,431 -

Germany 465,000 164,055 31,000

Total War – German Subs

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare – Germans did not care if it was a civilian liner, they would fire – wanted to keep Allies from supplies

Lusitania was a British ship believed to be carrying goods from the US to Great Britain

May 1915, Germanyfired, killing about 120 Americans

President Wilson had no choice but to consider war

Eastern Front

August 1914, Battle of Tannenberg almost complete

destruction of the Russian Second Army

Russia is getting destroyed – moral and confidence in government of Tsar Nicholas II is wavering

Eastern Front – Russia leaves

Internal Affairs War and

government = unpopular with people

Rise of Vladimir Lenin – promised to get Russia out of war

Russia leaves WWI to combat an internal revolution

Zimmerman Telegram

Germany sends telegram to Mexico saying if you help against US and Japan, we will help you get Texas/other land lost back form US

United States intercepts

President Wilson and Congress declare war on Germany, April1917

1917-1918

Allied forces moral and supplies renewed “drafted 2.8 million

men and by summer 1918 was sending 10,000 fresh soldiers to France every day.”

Allied victories become increasingly common and more frequent than Central Powers

Last Chance for Success

Spring 1918, Germans sought to divide British and French troops before large amounts of US forces arrive

Allies response: Hundred Day Offensive

September 1918, German General admits defeat and asks government for peace

Central Powers Collapse

Allies wouldn’t bargain with autocratic imperial government Kaiser Wilhelm II

abdicated Nov. 9 November 11, 1918,

Democratic Republic of Germany signs armistice A truce, an agreement

to end the fighting

Austria-Hungary collapsed under revolution

New states formed Austria Hungary Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia

Peace Settlements of 1919

27 Allied nations met in Paris to make final settlements

Wilson’s Proposal – Fourteen Points (1st US President to Europe)

Openly reaching peace with nations, not secret alliances

Reducing armaments Ensure self-determination

(right of each people to have its own nation)“making the world safe for

democracy”

Paris Peace Conference

Many nations wanted Germany to “pay for this dreadful war”

Georges Clemenceau (France) desired revenge and wanted Germany to loose all

weapons Pay reparations Separate buffer state

between France/Germany

Big Three made all the decisions United States –

Wilson Great Britain –

David Lloyd Georges

France – Clemenceau

Peace Settlements

League of Nations, Jan. 25, 1919 June 28, 1919 – Treaty of Versailles

Germany took responsibility for starting war Germany pay reparations Germany reduce army to 100,000, cut navy

and eliminate air force Germany gave Alsace and Lorraine back to

France Germany lost eastern land to Poland

New Map of Europe