1. Germany Erupts Europe into a War

2. The Great War
Europe has been investing money into imperialism, military, etc.
Nationalism caused rivalries
Competition for materials and markets
Territorial disputes
Alliances form in Europe during imperialism

3. Cousins
The King of Great Britain (George V), the Kaiser of Germany (Wilhelm II) and the Czar of Russia (Nicolas II) were all grandchildren of Queen Victoria.
George V and Nicholas II
George V and Wilhelm II

4. Triple Alliance
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

5. Triple Entente Russia had become suspicious of Germany’s alliance
Russia needs an alliance so they look to France
Great Britain joins in and the Triple Entente is formed in a DIRECT response to the Triple Alliance

7. Alliances
If Germany, Italy, A-H attack Russia, France will counter attack
If Germany, Italy, A-H attack France, Russia will counter attack

8. Oh Germany… Navy battle with Great Britain
Exporting price battle with Russia

9. Balkans Natural resources are insignificant
Nobody wants the land, but don’t want anyone else to get it
Serbians want independence

10. Balkans cont.
Russia sympathizes with Serbia and sends in troops to help
After 2 Balkan Wars, there is no outcome
Serbs mad at Russia, Russia couldn’t fight because they are not really industrialized

11. Armenian Genocide
By 1880, 2.5 million Christian Armenians in Ottoman Empire began to demand freedom
In 1914, Turks deported nearly 2 million Armenians
600,000 died of starvation or were killed

12. Willy-Nicky Correspondence just read!
Telegrams between Wilhelm II and Nicholas II
during June 16, 1914 to Aug 2, 1914
The telegrams start with a plea from the Tsar to the Kaiser to try to stop the serious developments that led up to World War I. An excerpt:
I foresee that very soon I shall be overwhelmed by the pressure forced upon me and be forced to take extreme measures which will lead to war. To try and avoid such a calamity as a European war I beg you in the name of our old friendship to do what you can to stop your allies from going too far. Nicky.

13. Ultimately, the correspondence changes tone and the two leaders warn each other of impending mobilization due to factors out of their control, while retaining the notion that mobilization does not mean war. An excerpt of the last telegram:
Immediate affirmative clear and unmistakable answer from your government is the only way to avoid endless misery. Until I have received this answer alas, I am unable to discuss the subject of your telegram. As a matter of fact I must request you to immediately [sic] order your troops on no account to commit the slightest act of trespassing over our frontiers. Willy

14. Eve of War Austrian Archduke comes to visit Sarajevo
June 28, he is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip (member of the Black Hand)
All countries condemn the assassination
Germany wants Austria to “get even”

15. War breaks out Dates are given only for a timeline, you will not be asked them.
July 28- Austria declares war on Serbia
July 29- Russia mobilizes (but they need 90 days)
Russia lines up on their Western border (Germany)
Nicky tells Willy they aren’t going to attack
Willy doesn’t believe Nicky

16. July 31- Germany is completely mobilized
August 1- French mobilize
Germany declares war on Russia and France
August 4- GB declares war on Germany

17. Causes of the Great War M A I N B S Militarism Alliances Imperialism
Nationalism
Balkans
Serbia

18. WHY??
Germany- wants to start a war for nationalism and to show their power (and awesome new navy)
Serbia- want independence
France- see a way to get social and political status back into their country
GB- mad about Germany's navy, having internal conflict and feel war will unite the people
When war breaks out, everyone cheers! They are all elated because they all think they will win.

19. Allied Powers Central Powers: Neutral Nations Ireland Russia Germany
Portugal
Serbia
Romania
Greece
Great Britain
Italy
France
Japan
U.S. (1917)
Central Powers:
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Bulgaria
Ottoman Empire
Neutral Nations
Spain
Netherlands
Switzerland
Albania
Denmark
Sweden

21. Schlieffen Plan Germany had to fight a two front war
Plan was to invade France, defeat them in 6 weeks
Then move troops to Russia

22. Western Front

23. Battle of the Marne- Germans were defeated, ended the Schlieffen plan
Russia was now fully mobilized
Germany had to split its army and fight a two front war
Stalemate- deadlock: no one winning or losing (on Western Front)

24. Trench warfare- soldiers fought from trenches
Armies traded huge losses for small gains
“No man’s land”- space between trenches
just read below
One soldier wrote, “The men slept in mud, washed in mud, ate mud, and dreamed mud.”
Another wrote, “…the air was unbreathable. Our blinded, wounded, crawling, and shouting soldiers kept falling on top of us and died splashing us with blood. It was a living hell.”

25. just read!
An aerial reconnaissance photograph of the opposing trenches and no-man's land between Loos and Hulluch in Artois, France, taken at 7.15 pm, 22 July German trenches are at the right and bottom, British trenches are at the top left. The vertical line to the left of centre indicates the course of a pre-war road or track.

30. Trench foot

31. Major Battles on the Western Front
Battle of Verdun: 1916
Germany launched a massive attack against the French.
300,000 casualties on each side, Germany gained 4 miles (they later lost it)
Battle of the Somme: 1916
British tried to relieve pressure on French
500,000 casualties on each side, British gained 5 miles

32. Eastern Front
Battle of Tannenberg- Russia was heavily defeated by Germans; Russia never recovered

33. Christmas Truce just read!
The truce began on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium, for Christmas. They began by placing candles on trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols, most notably Stille Nacht (Silent Night). The Scottish troops in the trenches across from them responded by singing English carols.

34. just read!
The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were calls for visits across the "No Man's Land" where small gifts were exchanged — whisky, jam, cigars, and chocolate. The soldiers exchanged gifts, sometimes addresses, and drank together. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Proper burials took place as soldiers from both sides mourned the dead together and paid their respects.

35. just read!
The truce spread to other areas of the lines, and there are many stories of football matches between the opposing forces.
In many sectors, the truce lasted through Christmas night, but in some areas, it continued until New Year's Day.
The truce occurred in spite of opposition at higher levels of the military. Earlier in the autumn, a call by Pope Benedict XV for an official truce between the warring governments had been ignored.

37. German and Russian soldiers on the Eastern Front on Christmas 1914

38. British soldiers bringing in Holly

39. German officer in a British trench during the Christmas truce

41. The Germans and British even played soccer. The Germans won 2-1.

42. Scottish and German soldiers

43. New Weapons

44. Petrol Driven Engines
Trucks, motorcycles

45. Air
Zeppelin, airplanes

46. Zeppelins

48. Airplanes Reconnaissance and photography Bombing
Armed with machine guns
Dog Fights
The Red Barron

49. Machine gun

50. Trench Warfare
Barbed wire, mortars

51. Artillery

52. Grenades

53. Gas Mustard gas and chlorine gas- introduced by Germans just read!
Country
Total Casualties
Death
Austria-Hungary
100,000
3,000
British Empire
188,706
8,109
France
190,000
8,000
Germany
200,000
9,000
Italy
60,000
4,627
Russia
419,340
56,000
USA
72,807
1,462
Others
10,000
1,000

54. Submarines
German U-boats

55. Tanks Tank Production 1916-18 just read! Year UK France Germany Italy
USA
1916
150 -
1917
1,277
800
1918
1,391
4,000 20 6 84

56. Flamethrowers

57. Gallipoli Campaign Feb 1915
Allied effort:
to take the Dardanelles
Topple the Ottoman Empire
Control Constantinople and supply line into Russia
Huge Allied loss
Over 250,000

58. Russia Surrenders Russia went through a Revolution in 1917
New leader (Lenin) promised to end the war
March Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between Russia and Germany
Russia lost Riga, Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia and some of Russia.
areas of economic importance , fertile farming
Germany was allowed to exploit lands to support their military effort in the west.

59. US enters WWI
By 1917, the Germans used submarine warfare throughout the Atlantic
Germany put a naval blockade around GB
Unrestricted submarine warfare- Submarines would sink any ship WITHOUT warning

60. February 1917- British intercepts the Zimmerman telegram
May 7, German boats sunk the Lusitania- passenger ship from US to England
February British intercepts the Zimmerman telegram
Sent from Germany to Mexico
Mexico become an ally with Germany and Germany would help Mexico regain land lost to US.

61. just read!
This is what the Zimmerman telegram looked like prior to it’s decoding by the British.

63. President Wilson had been reluctant to join the war until his country was threatened.
On April 2, America entered WWI on the side of the Allies.

64. Total War Devoting all resources to the war effort
Rationing- people could only buy small amounts of those items needed for the war effort (from butter to shoe leather)
Censorship and propaganda- intended to boost morale and support the war

67. Women’s roles
Women replaced men in factories, built tanks, supplied troops with
Women will gain the right to vote (suffrage) in the 1920’s

68. Allies win
Russia withdrew from the war and had a communist revolution in 1917
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
signed by Germany and Russia
Russia surrendered Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania

70. Second Battle of the Marne
Germans lose and begin retreating
July 1918: Bulgarians, Ottoman Turks surrender
October 1918: Austria-Hungary surrenders
November 9, 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm forced to abdicate
German representative signed an armistice on November 11, 1918 (Veterans Day)

71. Paris Peace Conference
Met at Versailles from January to June 1919.
Goal was to establish a lasting peace in Europe.

72. The “Big Four” Woodrow Wilson—United States Georges Clemenceau—France
David Lloyd George—Great Britain
Vittorio Orlando—Italy

73. Wilson’s Plan for Peace
Known as the “14 Points”.
End to Secret Treaties
Freedom of Seas
Free Trade
Reduced Size of Militaries
14. Establishment of a “General association of nations” to guarantee political independence and protection to all countries— The League of Nations.

74. Treaty of Versailles France wanted to punish Germany.
Created the League of Nations
Germany lost territory
Set limits and restrictions to Germany’s military.
“War Guilt”—Germany bore the sole responsibility for causing WWI.

75. Economic Results Heavy taxation High tariffs
Russia began a socialist communist economic system.
Led to 1929 depression.

76. Political Results U.S. emerges as leading world power.
Austrian, Russian, and German dynasties fell.
New nations in Eastern Europe created.
League of Nations established.
Countries with economic and political problems turn to dictatorships—Russia, Germany, Italy.

77. Social Results 8.5 million soldiers dead.
21.5 million soldiers wounded.
Problems that caused WWI were not solved—hatred, intolerance, and extreme nationalism.
Left a legacy of bitterness and hatred in the hearts of the German people.