1. Eastern Front & The End of the War
Mr. Meester
AP European History

2. Eastern Front
Serbia repulsed the Austro-Hungarian army and forced a stalemate
Russia had success invading Austria but were stopped at the Vistula River in Germany (September 1914)
The combined Austro-Hungarian and German armies pushed the Russians back into Russian territory in 1915
Battle of Tannenburg
Russian casualties were over 2.5 million during the first year of the war
Russia ran out of artillery shells and rifles, forcing Russian soldiers to try and find weapons among the dead

3. The Russian Revolutions
Initial changes in government
Heavy Russian casualties turned the people against the war
A progressive, democratic block, in Russia called for a new government with a stronger Duma
Czar Nicholas II, under pressure from his wife and Rasputin, adjourned the Duma (1915)
Rasputin murdered (1916)
Bread riots in St. Petersburg (March 1917)

4. “March Revolution”
Duma reassembled and declared a provisional government (March 1917)
Power was shared with a council of workers and soldiers called the Petrograd Soviet
Czar Nicholas abdicated (March 1917)

5. “October Revolution” Bolsheviks (Communists)
Lenin returned from exile in Switzerland (with German help) and denounced the provisional government (April 1917)
Lenin and his associates (Trotsky) convinced the Petrograd Soviet to issue Army Order No. 1
Stripped army officers of their authority
Placed power in the hands of elected committees of common soldiers
The Bolsheviks were elected leaders of the Soviets and then used that power to take control of the government

6. Russian Withdrawal
The war was very unpopular with the Russian people and the Communists immediately sought peace terms from the Germans
This was why the Germans helped Lenin return to Russia
The Germans made large demands for territory as a condition of peace (Lenin balked on the demands)
The Germans then intensified their attacks on the Eastern Front
The Russians realized they did not have the means to keep up the war
The Russians agreed to the German demands and withdrew from the war (Brest-Litovsk Treaty)

7. The Role of the United States
American neutrality
Propaganda
Interference with shipping - sinking of the Lusitania
Economic motives
American entry into war
Zimmerman Note
April, 1917, Wilson pledges to 'make the world safe for democracy”
US troops led by John J. Pershing

8. Failure of the Submarine
In 1917: Germans destroyed shipping faster than it could be rebuilt
Purpose: starve England before U.S. help counted
Convoy system saved the day
Allied success in the Middle East
Allenby takes Jerusalem in December 1917
Turks forced out of Asia Minor in 1918
Allied forces move up from Salonika against Bulgaria in September surrender follows
Whole German southeast began to crumble

9. The Final German Effort
March - July - create pockets in allied lines
800,000 casualties for French and British
Ludendorff destroys the German army and the Allies hold on
War of Attrition
Americans tilt the balance - bring in 100,000 troops - second Battle of the Marne - Chateau Thierry

10. The New War
Total War – A war involving all the human and material resources of the countries taking part.
Civilians were killed as a direct result from the conflict
Millions died from the war, hunger, and the influenza outbreak
People on the "home front" sacrificed whatever they could to make sure their armies had enough supplies (daylight savings time was invented in Europe to save fuel)
Governments used propaganda to boost public support for the war
Governments steadily took more control over the economy, turning resources to the war effort

11. Reasons the Central Powers Fell
Shortage of food and fuel
Failure of Ludendorff's offensive
Austria-Hungary on the brink of revolution
Foch drives German army back in the West
German soldiers on the Eastern Front infected with Bolshevism
US Entry convinced Germans that the war is lost and that peace had to be made
The Armistice - November 11, 1918

12. The Peace Treaties The Paris Peace Conference
Wilson’s Fourteen Points (5 key ideas are listed below)
Self-determination - nationalities should have the right to establish their own governments, free of foreign control.
Peace without victory - Allies should treat their former enemies generously.
Disarmament - wanted all nations of the world to disarm and end militarism.
Fair treatment of colonial peoples - wanted imperial nations to look out for the welfare of their colonies.
League of Nations - international organization meant to help large and small nations settle quarrels

13. Problems in Paris Obstacles to a settlement Separate peace treaties
Stiff opposition by allies, especially France.
Difficulty of self-determination.
Secret treaties on how to share the spoils of war.
Separate peace treaties
Peace settlement made in Paris consisted of five separate treaties - one with each defeated states (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire).
Treaty of Versailles - settlement with Germany

14. The Versailles Treaty
Germany was forced to take the blame for starting the war
Territorial changes - Germany lost land to France and Poland and was forced to dismantle most of its military
De-militarized western Germany
Mandates - Germany lost control of its overseas territories which became mandates of French, Britain, and Japan
Reparations - payment of war damages to other nations 33 billion
Designed to punish Germany and keep it weak.

15. The New Geography
Various nationalities in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire carved out their own states
Czechs and Slovaks formed Czechoslovakia
Croats and Slovenes joined with Serbia to form Yugoslavia
Italy and Romania gained land from the old empire
Hungary became a separate nation
The new Austria was forbidden to united with Germany

16. Geographic Changes

17. The League of Nations US Senate persuaded a policy of isolationism
More than 60 countries joined.
The US did not join the League of Nations.
US Senate persuaded a policy of isolationism
Felt that the League might drag them into future European conflicts