TOTAL WAR

M.A.I.N. Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism 4 Primary Causes of World War I

Assassination of Archduke June 1914 The Start of War Austria gives Serbia ultimatumAustria declares war on Serbia Russia assembles troops on Austria & Germany border Germany Declares war on Russia & France

Kaiser Wilhelm’s 2 Critical Mistakes He let Germany’s alliance with Russia collapse [1890] Built a large Navy to compete with Great Britain [1897]

Alliances

Allied vs. Central Powers

Crisis in the Balkans Home to various ethnic groups Formerly controlled by Ottoman Empire Known as Europe’s Powder Keg

The Schlieffen Plan What: German military plan for 2-front war Strategy: A quick attack on France through Belgium followed by an attack on Russia Speed was critical for plan’s success General Alfred Schlieffen

1914

Great Britain Outraged over attack on Belgium, England declares war on Germany (August 1914)

The Schlieffen Plan worked well at first: –swept through Belgium into France Battle of the Marne France & Germany each lose 250,000 men Germany retreats

Western & Eastern Front STALEMATE occurred on Western Front –Develops into Trench Warfare Russia attacks on Eastern Front –Russia’s army is very poorly equipped –Soldier’s are not motivated and eventually rebel

Trench Warfare

This was an infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and insanitary conditions. In the trenches men stood for hours on end in waterlogged trenches without being able to remove wet socks or boots. The feet would gradually go numb and the skin would turn red or blue. If untreated, trench foot could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. TRENCH FOOT

Trench Foot

Life in the trenches?

New “Modern” War Poison Gas Machine Gun Airplanes Tanks Submarines

Total War Effort Gov’t took over most industry Entire country’s economic and industrial output to support war effort Home-front sacrifices had to be made –Meatless Monday –Wheat less Tuesdays –victory gardens This expanded the role of government permanently

WWI Summary World War I was supposed to be short & Glorious –It turned into slow, deadly Trench Warfare –Stalemate lasted for years on Western Front –Eastern Front more mobile but demonstrated a deteriorating Russia –People felt disillusioned after the war-no clear war aims or reason for the destruction Modern Warfare was deadly –Industrialization had forever changed the nature of war

All Quiet on the Western Front by E. M Remarque, was a critical look at WWI and disconnect between the leaders of each country and the soldiers who were actually fighting. One of the first anti-war novels and movies created in US. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

Poison Gas Deaths: CountryNon-FatalDeathsTotal British Empire180,5978,109188,706 France182,0008,000190,000 United States71,3451,46272,807 Italy55,3734,62760,000 Russia419,34056,000475,340 Germany191,0009,000200,000 Austria-Hungary97,0003,000100,000 Others9,0001, Total1,205,65591,1981,296,853 POISON GAS