World War I

Causes NationalismNationalism Economic Rivalries & ImperialismEconomic Rivalries & Imperialism The Alliance SystemThe Alliance System MilitarismMilitarism The SparkThe Spark

Causes Continued… Nationalism: Caused Rivalries between France, Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. The spread of nationalism had also led to the creation of new independent nations in the Balkans-Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, and Rumania – where the Ottomans once ruled.

Causes Continued… Economic Rivalries & Imperialism: Behind the nationalistic rivalries of the European great powers lay competing economic interests. German industrialization threatened British economic supremacy. Russian interests in the Balkans threatened both Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Turks. Competing colonial claims in Africa and Asia created an atmosphere of tension between the major powers.

Industry takes over…

The Alliance System Triple Entente Triple Alliance GermanyGermany Austria- HungaryAustria- Hungary ItalyItaly Great BritainGreat Britain RussiaRussia FranceFrance

Causes Continued… Militarism: Military planning and arms races played key roles in the outbreak of World War I. Germany and Britain competed to build the largest most powerful Navy. Military leaders thought it better to attack first, rather than wait to be attacked. Howitzer Gun

Arms Race Begins

Fighting Across The Ocean

Fighting in the Water

Imperialism has a lasting impression…

The Spark… 1914…Assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria Hungary in Sarajevo by a member of a Slav nationalist group. Believed to have been supported by Serbian officials prompting invasion of Serbia by A-H. Resulting in the Alliance System.

NATIONS AT WAR 1914

A New Type of War  Trench warfare  Use of Gas  Planes  Submarines(U-boats)  Machine Guns  Draft  Tanks

Trench Warfare

Fighting in the Air

Major Battles… The Battles of the Marne, 1914, 1918The Battles of the Marne, 1914, 1918 On September 4, 1914, the rapid advances of the German army through Belgium and northern France caused panic in the French army and troops were rushed from Paris in taxis to halt the advance. Combined with the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) the Germans were eventually halted and the War settled into the familiar defensive series of entrenchments. Ironically, by the end of May, 1918, the Germans had again reached the Marne after the enormous successes of Ludendorff’s offensives of that year. The intervening four years had cost hundreds of thousands of lives and the armies were still, literally, exactly where they had started.

Major Battles Continued… The Battles of Ypres, 1914, 1915, 1917 There were in fact three battles fought around the Ypres salient during the War. The first, in 1914 was an attempt by the BEF to halt the rapid advances made by the Germans. The second, in 1915, was notable for the first use of poison gas by the Germans. However, it is the long-planned offensive of July 31, 1917, that holds the most significance. Here, a combination of over- ambitious aims, appalling weather conditions, and misguided persistence by Haig led to horrific losses. By the time the offensive was called off total casualties for both sides had been approximately 250,000. The horrors of the battle, in which men drowned in liquid mud has become synonymous with the images of the War. One of the central objectives, the village of Passchendale (eventually taken on November 6 by the Canadians), lent its name to the whole conflict. poison gasHaigpoison gasHaig

Major Battles Continued… The Battle of the Somme, 1916… At 0730 hours on the 1st July, 1916, after a week-long artillery bombardment; Haig launched the now infamous "Big Push" attack across the river Somme. With the French Army being hard-pressed to the south at Verdun the British intended to breakthrough the German defences in a matter of hours. artillery bombardmentHaigartillery bombardmentHaig The mistrust that High Command had of the so-called "New Armies" manifested itself in the orders to the troops to keep uniformed lines and to march towards the enemy across no-man's land. This, coupled with the failure of the artillery bombardment to dislodge much of the German wire, or to destroy their machine- gun posts, led to one of the biggest slaughters in military history. When the attack began the Germans dragged themselves out of their dugouts, manned their posts and destroyed the oncoming waves of British infantry. After the first day, with a gain of only 1.5km, the British had suffered 57,470 casualties. Despite this, Haig pressed on with the attack until November 19th of the same year. For the meagre achievements, total losses on the British and Imperial side numbered 419,654 with German casualties between 450,000 and 680,000. When the offensive was eventually called off the British were still 3 miles short of Bapaume and Serre, part of their first-day objectives.

Major Battles Continued… The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 On November 20, 1917, the British launched the first full-scale offensive that was designed exclusively to accommodate the British secret weapon, the tank (so-called because when the first shipment came from England they were described as water tanks to maintain secrecy). A surprise artillery barrage started the offensive and 476 tanks, packed tightly for a mass attack moved against the German lines. Supported by infantry the gains were dramatic, breaching the almost impregnable Hindenberg line to depths of 4-5 miles in some places. However, these gains seemed to surprise British High Command equally as much as the Germans, and the following cavalry failed to take advantage. Nevertheless, Cambrai demonstrated how a well-thought out attack, combining tanks en masse with surprise, could be used to break the trench deadlock. tank

NATIONS AT WAR 1918

France is Liberated

Peace in Europe??? Treaty of Versailles:

Provisions of Peace Treaty of Versailles  May 1919  Admission of guilt by Germany.  $5 Billion in Reparations in two years and an unspecified to be paid later! (1921 set at $33 Billion)  Germany lost considerable territory on all borders.(The Saar valley-lost for 15 years as well as caol mined there-went to France for Reparations.)  Poland (Polish Corridor-link to Baltic Sea.)  Germany had to abolish conscription and could not build army. (Machinery, etc.)  Not very enforceable! Fourteen Points 1.No secret Treaties 2.Freedom of the Seas for all nations 3.Removal of all economic barriers or tariffs. 4.Reduction of national armaments. 5.Fair adjustment of all colonial claims, with equal consideration given to the people of a region and the nation Dealt with specific countries and regions such as Russia, Belgium, Alsace-Lorraine, and the Balkans. 14. Establishment of “a general association of nations,” which would guarantee political independence and protection to large and small states alike.

Effects of the War

Aftermath of Artillery Shell British Amputees