“The Great War”

“A war to end all wars”

World War One: Basic Facts A monumental event of heavy artillery and trench fighting 37.5 million casualties (15 million soldiers killed) Chemical weapons (poison gas) deployed Four empires destroyed –German –Austria-Hungarian –Russian –Ottoman

 Nationalism  Imperialism  Alliances  Militarism  International Anarchy

 The Great Powers  Great Britain  Germany  Austria  Russia  Italy  France

The Major Players: Nicholas II [Rus] George V [Br] Pres. Poincare [Fr] Allied Powers: Franz Josef [A-H] Wilhelm II [Ger] Victor Emmanuel II [It] Central Powers: Enver Pasha [Turkey]

Background: German Unification War with Denmark (1864) War with Austria (1866) War with France (1870-1)

II. Aggressive Nationalism Germany became a military and industrial power, while the French were bitter about losing Alsace and Lorraine The French were especially bitter about their 1871 defeat in the Franco- Prussian War and the German occupation of the border provinces of Alsace and Lorraine

Bismarck’s Revived Concert ( )

II. Aggressive Nationalism Russia sponsored Pan-Slavism and felt that it had a duty to lead and defend all Slavs

II. Aggressive Nationalism Austria-Hungary worried that nationalism might lead to rebellion within its empire

II. Aggressive Nationalism Ottoman Turkey felt threatened by new nations on its borders

Kaiser Wilhelm II: Moroccan Crises Crisis One (1905-6) –German opposition to French claims Crisis Two (1911) –Gunboat diplomacy

II. Aggressive Nationalism By 1914, the Balkans were the "powder keg of Europe"

Austria-Hungary’s Franz Josef: The Bosnian Crisis (1908) Young Turks come to power Bulgaria claims independence Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia- Herzegovina

Balkan Crises First war (1912): Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece against Turkey Second war (1913) Serbia, Greece, and Romania against Bulgaria

Bismarck’s Revived Concert ( )

 The Three Emperors’ League (1872)  The Russo-Turkish War of  The Dual Alliance  The Triple Alliance  The Reinsurance Treaty (1887)

 The Franco-Russian Alliance (1894)  Deterioration of Anglo-German Relations  The Anglo-French Entente (1904)  The Anglo-Russian Entente (1907)  The Triple Entente

III. Rivalries Among European Powers There was a rise in militarism and nations expanded their armies and navies

Competing explanations

Realism: Balance of Power Classical Realists: State leaders locked themselves into inflexible alliances Neo-Realists: Germany’s rise upset the existing balance of power

Realism: Balance of Threat Stephen Walt: Perceptions (not merely resources) matter

Liberalism: Domestic Politics Domestic conflict in Germany and UK –Germany: class divisions lead “iron and rye coalition” to launch “social imperialism” –UK: divisions with Liberal Party led to waffling

Constructivism: Nationalism Pan-Slavism challenged two empires Anti-Slavic sentiment in Germany Stronger than family ties

Marxism-Leninism: Imperialism Monopoly capitalism Imperalism: Competing for overseas territories Problems with this explanation

 Sarajevo, Bosnia – June 28, 1914

COUNTRIES TAKE A SIDE Shocked Francis Joseph blames Serbia, feels serb gov’t knew of the plot Believed that Serbia wanted south Slav empire Wanted to deal harshly with the Serbs Needed German backing first Kaiser Wilhelm II told Austria that Germany would support any action they saw fit Essentially giving Austria a blank check to do anything.

AUSTRIA ANSWERS SERBIA Austria sends Serbia a severe ultimatum or final set of demands 7/23/14 Serbia must end all anti-Austrian agitation and punish and Serbian official involved in the murder. Dismiss all officials hostile to Austria-Hungary Allow Austrian officials into Serbia to investigate the Archduke’s murder themselves Serbia agrees to all of the terms except the last, rejecting it as an infringement on Serbian sovereignty. 7/28/14 Austria balk at Serbia and declare war on the Serbs

 July 28, 1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia  July 30, 1914 – Russia prepared to defend Serbia  August 1, 1914 – Germany declares war on Russia

 August 3, 1914 – Germany declared war on France  August 3, 1914 – Germany invaded neutral Belgium  August 4, 1914 – British declared war on Germany

 Ready Since 1905  Response to possibility of a Two front war  France on the West  Russia on the East  Paris in Six Weeks  March Against Russia

German Atrocities in Belgium

II. The Conflict Widens Outraged by the invasion of Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany

"The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime” British politician Sir Edward Grey

German trench

FRENCH STRONGHOLD AT VERDUN. - IDEA WAS TO BLEED FRANCE TO DEATH AND BREAK THERE SPIRIT

German first assault, February 21, artillery bombardment, -five months of fighting causes -430,000 German dead -540,000 French dead -Germans bleed French white but, not to death and hurt there military in the end

THEY SHALL NOT PASS FRENCH HOLD THE LINE. -FORCE GERMAN STALEMATE -CREATE PROBLEMS FOR GERMAN HIGH COMMAND

Somme, France

Tennenberg German army quickly isolates and destroys the Russian forces, at the end of August. Galicia Austria, ends the war for Russia

OTTOMAN EMPIRE SIDES WITH GERMNY. CLOSE DARDANELLES TO ALLIED SHIPPING BRITAIN GOES TO OPEN AREA AND WINDS UP STAYING FOR A YEAR AND LOSING 65,000 MEN

American Neutrality Wilson—neither threatened vital American interest American against the war Pacifists, Isolationists, Socialist Edward M. House and Robert Lansing –Wilson’s pro-British advisors William Jennings Bryan –Against pro-British tilt Germany had no advocates in government British blockade of Germany –Violates American neutrality, Wilson protests (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved

U.S. Enters the War (1917)

British navy blocks German coast and starves people Germany counters with U-boats British Big naval advantage countered by hidden boats

RAF (British) aviators

Downed German Zeppelin

Submarine Warfare Unterseeboot (U-boat) Lusitania (May 1915) –1198 killed, 128 Americans –Germans had warned the passenger was a target Bryan resigns when Wilson refuses to criticize both British blockade and U-boats Sussex pledge (1916) 1916 preparedness measures (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved

German Escalation Russia’s imminent collapse Germany concentrates on Britain and France –Renew U-boat war "Zimmerman telegram“ American declaration of war: “make the world safe for democracy” (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved

American Intervention Russian revolution (1917) –Vladimir Lenin and Bolshevik Party Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) –Publication of secret Allied treaties German 1918 offensive American Expeditionary Force (AEF) –John J. Pershing Allied 1918 offensive Armistice (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved