The Great War

Marching Toward War: Rising Tensions in Europe The Rise of Nationalism –Deep devotion to one’s nation –Unifying force –Causes intense competition among nations –Germany, Austria- Hungary, Britain, Russia, Italy & France Imperialism and Militarism –Fierce competition for colonies in Africa & Asia –Dangerous arms race –Large standing armies Quickly able to organize and mobilize for war –Patriotism

1879: The Dual Alliance Germany and Austria- Hungary made an alliance to protect themselves against Russia 1881: Austro- Serbian Alliance Austria-Hungary made an alliance with Serbia to stop Russia gaining control of Serbia 1882: The Triple Alliance Germany and Austria- Hungary made an alliance with Italy to stop Italy from taking sides with Russia 1894: Franco-Russian Alliance Russia formed an alliance with France to protect herself against Germany and Austria- Hungary European Alliances 1904: Entente Cordiale This was an agreement, but not a formal alliance, between France and Britain 1907: Anglo-Russian Entente This was an agreement between Russia and Britain 1907: Triple Entente This was made between Russia, France and Britain to counter the increasing threat from Germany 1914: Triple Entente Britain, Russia, and France agreed not to sign for peace separately

Marching Toward War: Rising Tensions in Europe Tangled Alliances –Designed to “keep peace” –Triple Alliance (Central Powers) Germany, Austria- Hungary, Italy (Ottoman Empire) –Triple Entente (Allies) Britain, France, Russia, (Italy & US)

Marching Toward War: Crisis in the Balkans Balkan Peninsula –Assortment of ethnic groups –“powder keg of Europe” –Ottoman Empire in decline –Nationalism –Austria annexes Bosnia & Herzegovina A Shot Rings Throughout Europe –June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand –Sarajevo assassination Gavrilo Princip, 19 yr old Black Hand –Serbia tries to negotiate –Austria declares war on Serbia –Russia declares war on Austria The Great War Begins

Europe Plunges Into War

The Great War Begins: Nations Take Sides Mid-August 1914 battle lines drawn Central Powers (Triple Alliance) & Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire Allies (Triple Entente) & Japan and Italy War to be short-lived

The Great War Begins: A Bloody Stalemate Fall of 1914 –Stalemate emerges on the Western Front Germany’s Schlieffen Plan –Plan to attack and defeat in the West and quickly rush East to fight Russia –Russia lagged behind in railway technology –Quick victory in the West needed

The Great War Begins: Germany’s Advance Outskirts of Paris by September Battle of the Marne –Allied victory preserves Paris –Schlifflen Plan abandoned –Germany forced to fight a war on two fronts

The Great War Begins: Western Front Early 1915 Miles of parallel trenches dug for protection Huge loss of life for pitiful inches –“No Man’s land” –“Over-the-Top” –“Terrain of Death” –500 mile front from the North Sea to the Swiss border

The Great War Begins: The Slaughter 1916 Verdun (Germans advance 4 miles) –300,000 men lost on each side Somme (Brits gain 5 miles) –British lose 20,000 in one day –Total casualties= 500,000 men

The Great War Begins: New Weapons of War Poison Gas –Introduced by Germans –Used by both sides –Blindness, severe blisters, death by choking Machine Gun –Improved –Wiped out waves of attackers –Difficult for forces to advance Tank –Armed combat vehicle moved by chain tracks –Cross many types of terrain –Introduced by the British in 1916 at the Battle of the Somme Submarine –Introduced by Germany in 1914 as an effective warship –Torpedo was primary weapon

Stalemate Along the Western Front: Trench Warfare

I've a Little Wet Home in a Trench I've a little wet home in a trench Where the rainstorms continually drench, There's a dead cow close by With her feet in towards the sky And she gives off a terrible stench. Underneath, in the place of a floor, There's a mass of wet mud and some straw, But with shells dropping there, There's no place to compare, With my little wet home in the trench.

The Eastern Front

The Great War Begins: The Eastern Front German- Russian Border –Russia/ Serbia versus Germany/ Austria-Hungary –Although front is more mobile than the West, slaughter and stalemate common Early Fighting –Tannenberg Russians retreat 30,000 Russians killed in 4 day battle

A Global Conflict: War Affects the World The Gallipoli Campaign –Dardanelles Strait –February 1915 –British/ Australian/ New Zealand/ French troops versus Ottomans –May 1915 stalemate –Allies evacuate in December- 250,000 casualties Battles in Africa & Asia –German colonial possessions came under assault –Japan & England/France –Colonial soldiers join war effort

The Great War Begins: The Eastern Front Russia Struggles –1916 Russia near collapse lags in industry –Shortages on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets –Allied supplies limited by German control of the Black Sea and Ottoman control of the straits leading to the Mediterranean –Suffered a staggering number of losses –Enormous population still able to tie up German troops War Spreads –Africa –Southwest/ Southeast Asia –World War

A Global Conflict

A Global Conflict: America Enters America Joins the Fight –1917 –Atlantic Ocean –Unrestricted submarine warfare –Zimmerman telegram –April 2, 1917 US declares war

A Global Conflict: War Affects the Home Front Governments Wage Total War –Devotion of all resources to the war effort –Governments take control of the economy Rationing Propaganda –Women and the War Replaced men in factories nurses

A Global Conflict: The Allies Win the War Russia Withdraws –March 1917 Czar steps down –5.5 million Russians dead –November 1917 Revolution –March 1918 Treaty of Brest- Litovsk Central Powers Collapse –Fresh US troops –2 nd Battle of the Marne Tanks 2 million more US troops arrive –Central Powers Mutiny 11/9/1918 Kaiser abdicates 11/11/1918 Armistice

CountryMen mobilizedKilledWounded POW’s + missing Total casualties casualties in % of men mobilized Russia12 million1.7mill4.9mill2.5mill9.15mill76.3 France8.4 mill1.3mill4.2mill537,0006.1mill73.3 GB + Empire8.9mill908,0002mill191,0003.1mill35.8 Italy5.5mill650,000947,000600,0002.1mill39 USA4.3mill126,000234,0004,500350,0008 Japan800, Romania750,000335,000120,00080,000535,00071 Serbia700,00045,000133,000153,000331,00047 Belgium267,00013,80045,00034,50093,00035 Greece230, , ,00012 Portugal100, ,70012,00033,00033 Total Allies42million5 million13million4 million22million52% Germany11million1.7million4.2million1.1million7.1million65 Austria7.8million1.2million3.6million2.2million7 million90 Turkey2.8million325,000400,000250,000975,00034 Bulgaria1.2million87,000152,00027,000266,00022 Total Central Powers 22.8mill3.3million8.3million3.6million15 million67 Grand Total65 million8.5mill21million7.7mill37million57%