World War I -Key Concepts-

I. Hopes for a World Order of Progress and Peace Benefits of modern science as solutions for social problems Material wealth filtering down to the poor Era of permanent, international peace seemed to have dawned Growth of international cooperation Creation of a wide variety of international organizations

II. Origins of World War I Competitive Nationalism Entangling Alliances --Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria- Hungary, Italy --Triple Entente: England, France, Russia A Growing Arms Race --1 st German Navy Bill (1897): Von Tirpitz -- “Risk Theory”

II. Origins of World War I (cont) “General Mobilization” Theory Problems: --Rigid Planning --Geared for Large- Scale War --Never Practiced --No Margin for Error --Little consultation with civilian leaders The German “Schlieffen Plan” International Crises between

III. Pan-Slavic Nationalism: The Catalyst for War Russia’s Support for Pan-Slavism Austria’s Problem with Serbian nationalism Assassination in Sarajevo -- “Black Hand” --Archduke Franz Ferdinand --June 28, 1914

III. Pan-Slavic Nationalism (cont) The Austrian Response The Russian Reaction --General Mobilization on July 30 th Mobilization out of control --German Declaration of War on August 1 st (Russia) and August 3 rd (France) --British Declaration of War on August 4 th Popular War Enthusiasm

IV. A Fundamentally Different War

A. A Massive “Meat Grinder”: The Western Front Early Battles of the War --The Battle of the Marne (September 6, 1914) Immovable front for two and a half years Trench warfare --25,000 miles of trenches Cavalry gives way to infantry

A. The Western Front (cont) “The Race with Death” -- “Going over the top” -- “No Man’s Land” Gap between officers and enlisted men Daily routine of the World War I soldier

B. Industrial Death Impact of Heavy Artillery The importance of the hand grenade and the machine gun Tanks and airplanes Increasingly not seeing the enemy—the dehumanization of warfare All Quiet on the Western Front

B. Industrial Death (cont) The role of poison gas --Chlorine --Phosgene --Mustard Gas The emotional toll of gas warfare The use of pets

V. Case Studies in Industrial Warfare Battles of Attrition The Battle of Verdun (February-June, 1916) --German attack opened by most massive military bombardment in history --longest single battle of the war --The “sacred road” --600,000 men died

V. Case Studies of Industrial Warfare (cont) The Battle of the Somme (July- November, 1916) --Seven Days and Seven Nights of British bombardment --60,000 British dead in 12 minutes --1 million dead for just 7 miles of land The Changing atmosphere of War --complete breakdown of human existence

“Going Over the Top” at the Battle of the Somme

VI. The “Home Front” The concept of total Government management of the war effort Food and energy shortages Increasingly demoralized and disillusioned No realistic war aims

VI. The “Home Front” Brings changes in hair length and fashions World War I innovations --Chanel #5 --Spam --Deodorant Impact on language and culture -- “Dud” -- “Lousy” -- “Rats!” -- “Gas Attack”

VII. The End of the War American Entry into the War: April of 1917 The illusion of German strength The realization of German military disaster Formation of the Weimar Republic (November, 1918) The Collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

VIII. The Costs of the War A Generation of Men Lost International Flu Epidemic A Leadership Vacuum was created in Western Europe European Economies were destroyed Individual Emotional Damage “The Great Interruption”

IX. The Paris Peace Conference The Emotional Atmosphere The Popularity and Idealism of Woodrow Wilson --The Fourteen Points Wilson’s Political Handicaps Attempt at Self- Determination Provisions of the Treaty of Versailles German Reaction to the “Diktat”