1. Events and Ideas #2 The Begining of WWI
World History
Unit 5

2. Contains One Crash Course Video:
Episode #209: How WW1 Began

3. Essential Question/Reflection:
Looking in hindsight, what things could have been done differently to avoid the start of WWI?

4. The Balkans

5. The Balkans Late 1800s, the Ottoman Empire was in decline.
By 1888, Greece, Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro were independent.
Bulgaria operated independently with protection from Russia
Bosnia and Herzegovina were under the protection of Austria- Hungary.
In the late 1800s, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) continued its decline.
By 1888, Greece, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro were independent.
Bulgaria operated independently but with protection from Russia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina were under the protection of Austria-Hungary.
Serbia wanted to expand but did not have military strength, so they used terrorizm.
Russia backed the Serbs.
Austria could not invade because Russia had their back.

6. Members of the Black Hand “Unification or Death”
The Balkans
Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina outright.
Look up and write down the definition of annexed (as it refers to a country annexing another)
Serbia was looking for a larger kingdom and had their eye on those two countries.
Russia supported the Serbs in their quest for a larger kingdom.
The Black Hand was a Serbian terrorist organization that wanted to free Bosnia from Austria-Hungary.
Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina outright.
Serbia wanted that territory and was looking for a larger kingdom and had their eye on those two countries.
Russia supported the Serbs in their quest for a larger kingdom.
Emperor William II demands that Russia back down or face war with Germany.
Russia had just lost the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 and was in no position to fight another war.
Serbia blamed Austria-Hungary for the loss of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Austria-Hungary was convinced that Serbia needed to be crushed.
The Russians were determined not to back down from German bullying again.
Enter the Black Hand
Members of the Black Hand “Unification or Death”

7. Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Ferdinand is the heir to the throne of Austria- Hungary.
Ferdinand and his wife visited Sarajevo in Bosnia for a “states visit.”
Early on June 28th, 1914, six members of the Black Hand lay in wait for the motorcade carrying the Archduke and his pregnant wife, Sophie. The motorcade passed the 1st two assassins, but they failed to act. The third assassin, Nedeljko Čabrinović, threw a bomb at the carriage of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife. The bomb glanced off the auto carriage and because it had a 10 second delay, it exploded under the auto carriage of the accompanying car behind them, seriously injuring the occupants and bystanders. Having failed, Cabrinovic swallowing cyanide and then jumped in the near by river to escape, but it was only 5” deep. The cyinide was too old and just made him throw up. He was grabbed by police and severely beaten before being taken into custody.
Archduke Ferdinand continued on and gave his speech. After the speech the Archduke and Sophie decided on visiting the hospital where the victims of the bombing had been taken. When leaving his driver took a wrong turn and had to reverse the car, causing it to stall by a café. Gavrilo Princip, a member of the back hand was coming out of the café right when the car stopped. Gavrilo took a gun from under his coat and fired twice. The first round struck the archduke’s wife in the stomach. The second round struck the archduke near the heart. Archduke Ferdinand is said to have said, “Sophie, my Sophie, don’t die, live for our children.” and then he died.

8. The Assassination (Just read the story on the next two pages and summarize it in a few sentences in your notes)
Early on June 28th, 1914, six members of the Black Hand lay in wait for the motorcade carrying the Archduke and his pregnant wife, Sophie. The motorcade passed the 1st two assassins, but they failed to act. The third assassin threw a bomb at the carriage of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife. The bomb glanced off the auto carriage and because it had a 10 second delay, it exploded under the auto carriage of the accompanying car behind them, seriously injuring the occupants and bystanders. Having failed, the assassin swallowed cyanide and then jumped in the near by river to escape, but it was only 5” deep. The cyanide was too old and just made him throw up. He was grabbed by police and severely beaten before being taken into custody.

9. The Assassination
Before the attack
Archduke Ferdinand continued on and gave his speech. After the speech the Archduke and Sophie decided on visiting the hospital where the victims of the bombing had been taken. When leaving his driver took a wrong turn and had to reverse the car, causing it to stall by a café. Gavrilo Princip, a member of the back hand was coming out of the café right when the car stopped. Gavrilo took a gun from under his coat and fired twice. The first round struck the archduke’s wife in the stomach. The second round struck the archduke near the heart. Archduke Ferdinand is said to have said, “Sophie, my Sophie, don’t die, live for our children.” and then he died.

11. Gavrillo ends up dying in prison of tuberculosis.
The Start of WWI
Gavrilo Princip’s assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was the “spark” that started World War I
Gavrillo ends up dying in prison of tuberculosis.

12. Murder and the Summer of 1914
The Black Hand assassinates Archduke Ferdinand on June 28th.
Austria-Hungary is afraid of dragging Russia into war.
Germany gives its “full support” to Austria- Hungary.
War is declared on Serbia on July 28th.
Summer 1914
Serbia wants a independent Slavic state. Russia supports Serbia. Austria-Hungary does not want an independent Slavic state. It has its own ethnic minority Slavs it has to deal with and an independent Slavic state would threaten Austria.
The Black Hand assassinates Archduke Ferdinand on June 28th.
Austria-Hungary wants to attack Serbia but is afraid of dragging Russia into war.
Germany gives its “full support” to Austria-Hungary.
Austrian leaders send an ultimatum to Serbia on July 23rd. Do this, this, and this, or we will declare war. Their demands were ridiculous.
War is declared on Serbia on July 28th.
Ethnic distributions in Austria-Hungary

13. The Russian Response
Czar Nicholas II wants to “partially” mobilize his forces against Austria.
All war plans require a full mobilization.
Czar Nicholas II orders the full mobilization.
Mobilizing an army is considered an act of war.
Germany considers Russia’s movement of troops to the border… WAR
Czar Nicholas II wants to “partially” mobilize his forces on July 28th against Austria.
Russian army leaders tell the Czar that they can’t “partially” mobilize their armies.
All war plans require a full mobilization.
Nicholas II orders the full mobilization.
Germany sees this as an act of war.
Russian troops in camp

14. The German Ultimatum
Germany gives Russia 12 hours to stand down its armies.
On August 1st, Germany declares war on Russia.
The Schlieffen Plan is put into operation.
The German Ultimatum
On August 1st, Germany declares war on Russia.
The Schlieffen Plan is put into operation.
Though at war with Russia, Germany violates Belgium neutrality to attack France!
On August 4th, Great Britain declares war on Germany. England blocks all ships going to Germany.
All the main powers of Europe are now at war.
Picture: “Live and Let Live.” Sometimes at meal time they would just all stop fighting. When they wanted to begin again, someone would throw a rock signifying fighting was to resume.
1914 – Christmas time, Germans started singing, soon everyone from all the trenches joined in. Soccer games were even played in “no-mans” land.

15. German infantry in position
Germany’s Attack
Though at war with Russia, Germany violates Belgium neutrality to attack France!
On August 4th, Great Britain declares war on Germany.
German infantry in position

16. General Schlieffen German General His Plan:
Holding action against Russia.
Rapid strike into France through Belgium.
With France out of the war, turn all forces against Russia.
The execution of the Schlieffen Plan ends up a failure but General Schlieffen’s theories on warfare live on.
His book Cannae is instrumental in changing how war is fought from that point on…
A Focus on maneuverability over entrenched positions.
His book is translated into English and disseminated to all U.S. Army Officers at cost.
His tactics inspire the development of the blitzkrieg style of warfare that Germany perfected in WWII.
“Breakfast in Paris, lunch in St. Petersburg”
The Schlieffen Plan

17. Schlieffen Plan Two-front war with France and Russia
France had formed alliance with Russia 1894
Rapid invasion of France, then move against the Russians – had to cut through Belgium, which was a neutral country
Germany planned to defeat France rapidly and then turn to the eastern front for a major offensive on Russia.  This was the basis for the Schlieffen Plan. The Germany Army Chief of Staff, Alfred von Schlieffen was asked to plan a way of preventing a war on two fronts. He believed that it was a priority to defeat France quickly, forcing them to surrender before Russia had a chance to mobilize her armed forces. Von Schlieffen
Schlieffen planned to use 90% of German military forces to deliver a knock out blow to France. The remaining 10% would defend the eastern border of Germany against Russian attack.
The Reality On 2nd August 1914, the German army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium according to the Schlieffen Plan.
The Germans were held up by the Belgium army, backed up by the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) which arrived extremely quickly.
Russia mobilised in just 10 days and Germany was forced to withdraw troops from the Schlieffen Plan to defend her eastern border.
Germany did not take the chance to take Paris, instead decided to attack east of the capital.  They were met by French at the battle of the Marne (5-11 Sept) which halted the German advance

18. Crash Course: How did the War start
Episode 209 -Complete the worksheet that goes with the following video:

19. Essential Question/Refection:
Looking in hindsight, what things could have been done differently to avoid the start of WWI?