1. U4C12 World War I:
World History

2. Main Idea
A variety of powerful forces-including growing nationalism, a tangle of alliances, and decades or rivalry and competition-created conditions that transformed a single assassination into a worldwide war. After years of unprecedented bloodshed and political upheaval, the warring nations finally reached an uneasy peace.

3. Essential Question
What are the causes and effects of World War I?

4. Europe on the Brink of War
1914: 4 causes of World War I:
Militarism: European nations engage in a massive military buildup
Alliances: European countries form partnerships to protect themselves
Imperialism: Rival empires seek to keep power
Nationalism: People feel loyalty and devotion to their country or culture

6. War Breaks Out
The Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand visited the Bosnian city of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.
He and his wife Sophie were killed by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the “Black Hand” terrorist group.
A-H declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914
Russia, with many Slavic people, had vowed to support the Serbs in A-H
An A-H ally, Germany, saw this action as a threat, and declared war on Russia and its ally France

7. Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan: with a war on 2 fronts, against Russia in east and France in west, Germany planned to quickly defeat France in the west, then head east to fight Russia

8. Fighting Begins
Germany first attacks Belgium, a neutral country on its way to France
Great Britain declares war on Germany due to this
Main players were now in place:
Central Powers: Germany and Austria-Hungary
Allied Powers: Britain, France, Russia, Serbia

9. Fighting in 1914 By 1914 the Great War had become a bloody stalemate
Early battles: Battle of the Frontiers-heavy losses on both sides resulting in a German victory, Battle of Tannenberg-Germany crushed a Russian invasion
Trench warfare begins: Sept Batte of the Marne-Allies drove Germans back, and they dug a series of trenches along the Aisne (AYN) River, which allowed the Germans to fight back
The Allies soon dug their own trenches, and the deadlocked region in northern France became known as the Western Front

13. World War I Battlefield
Trench Warfare: not new but main method of WWI, neither side could significantly advance
New Weapons: gas, machine guns, high-explosive artillery and shells
Tanks and aircraft: both first used in WWI; tanks developed by British not useful until the end of the war, aircraft useful from the beginning

14. War on the Home Front
Government actions: total war-using all of a society’s resources; factories produced military equip.; civilians conserved; public opinion controlled by use of propaganda
Women and the war: replace men at jobs back home; worked as nurses; changed public perception of women’s abilities

15. Battles on the Western Front
The Italian Front: joined Allies in 1915, not effective
The Battle of Verdun: 1916, 400,000 casualties on each side, stalemate
The Battle of the Somme: main Allied assault in 1916, Brits lost 60,000 on first day, stalemate
The Third Battle of Ypres (ee-pruh): British offensive, was a disaster, front lines unchanged
Other areas: Gallipoli-failed British campaign to supply Russia; Armenian Massacre- Ottoman leaders forcibly removed Christian Armenians resulting in 600,000 dead

39. Rasputin illiterate and believed insane
self proclaimed holy man and healer
trusted advisor to Russia’s Czarina Alexandra
When Czar Nicholas II was fighting WWI, he helped make decisions on political appointments and military actions
December 1916 murdered by nobles for hurting the country

41. Russia and World War I
Russia was a troubled nation economically on the eve of WWI
Marxist group known as Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin planned to overthrow Czar
in 1914 the war caused economic conditions and patriotism to improve
Russian army was unprepared, outdated; Russian transportation inadequate
In 1915 Czar Nicholas took control of army, with disastrous results; left wife Czarina Alexandra in control with Grigory Rasputin to advise her

42. The Russian Revolution
Revolution: March 8, 1917, the Duma, Russia’s legislature disbanded
March 15, Nicholas stepped down; Russian monarchy ended
Known as “February Revolution” in Russia
Lenin returned in April 1917, with revolutionary idea of Marxism-Leninism (Bolshevism)
The “October Revolution” brought communism to Russia, Lenin was the new leader

43. After the Revolution
Russia negotiated for peace in WWI but lost large parts of territory, upsetting many Russians
the “White Army” opposed the Bolsheviks and the Red Army; a civil war resulted for 3 years
Bolsheviks triumphed in 1920
Russian economy boosted in 1921 with Lenin’s “New Economic Policy”
1922: Russian reunited with neighboring land to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or Soviet Union
Lenin died in 1924, leading to a struggle for control

44. United States Enters the War
American Neutrality: President Woodrow Wilson did not want to enter war, but it helped him get re-elected
Trouble on the Seas: German policy was “unrestricted submarine warfare;” Lusitania sunk in 1915 under this policy
The Zimmerman Note: In 1917, Germany attempted to get Mexico involved against U.S.
Question #1: Germany broke its promise to the United States to stop attacking passenger ships.

45. The End of Fighting
A New German Offensive: tried a decisive blow before U.S. got involved; moved soldiers to western front, lost 800,000 troops
German Collapse: Second Battle of the Marne-German assault stopped
Armistice: 11/11/1918
Queston #2: The Allies used tanks and aircraft at the Marne, then broke through the Hindenburg Line, and Germans sought an armistice.

46. A Difficult Peace Wilson’s Vision Allied Goals
Although peace had come to the battlefield, the leaders of the war’s major countries still had to work out a formal peace agreement. This task would prove difficult.
Wilson announced his vision of world peace, Fourteen Points
Included reduction of weapons, right of people to choose own government
Proposed organization of world nations, protect from aggression
Wilson’s Vision
Leaders of four major Allies all had different ideas of peace treaty
French wanted to punish Germany, reparations for cost of war
British wanted to punish Germany, but not weaken it
Allied Goals
Question #3: because each of the four major Allies had different goals
Italy’s leader hoped to gain territory for his nation, but was disappointed to find himself mostly ignored by other leaders during peace talks.

47. The Treaty of Versailles
After difficult negotiations, the Allies finally compromised on the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was named after the French Palace of Versailles, where the treaty signing took place.
Germany forced to pay enormous amount of money to war’s victims
Treaty also assessed responsibility for the war on Germany
Key points
Military size limited
Return conquered lands to France, Russia
German land taken to form Poland
Other colonies given to various world powers
Weaker Germany
Furious, though no choice but to sign
Reparations crippled economy
Bitterness would affect German politics in years to come
German reaction

48. The Costs of the War Economic Costs Political Changes Human Costs
war cost the world’s nations an estimated $332 billion
8.5 million soldiers died
13 million civilians died
21.2 million soldiers were wounded
Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire were broken apart
Germany was greatly weakened
The Russian monarchy was overthrown
New countries and colonies formed in Europe and the Middle East
European colonies in Africa and Asia changed hands
Question #4: ): Millions of people died or were wounded. Some nations' economies were devastated while others prospered. Some people enjoyed the benefits of freedom and democracy after the war, but others remained under the control of colonial rulers.