The Great War
World War I
1914-1918
Reasons #1: Nationalism
Definition: Extreme Pride in
one’s country/nation –
willing to do anything to
help their nation
a. Franco-Prussian War:
unites Germany and sets
France as an enemy
b. Alsace Lorraine: land
fought over between France
and Germany
c. Pan-Slavism: Slavs in
Austria-Hungary want
independence – Balkan
Wars!
Reason #2: Imperialism
Imperialism: one country
controls another country
(directly or indirectly)
Germany vs. British
Economy: Germany is
trying to catch up with GB
– need natural resources
and land!
Scramble for Africa:
European nations claimed
chunks of Africa – caused
tension between European
nations
Morocco Crisis: France and
Germany fought over
control – furthers disdain
for each other.
Reason #3: Militarism
Definition: building up
your military to massive
sizes to show superiority.
Germany vs. British
Naval Race – Germany
wants to compete with
Britain’s navy – Germany
seen as a threat now.
Other events: Russia
doubled military
spending, US doubles
navy size, France
requires military service.
Everyone is threatened and
scared of potential
attack!
Reason #4: Alliances
Definition: group of nations pledged to support each other in
case of invasion – a response to militarism
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Triple Entente: France, Great Britain, and Russia
Also…Russia is allied with France to protect against Germany
AND has a non-aggression pact with Germany – it is very
confusing!
The Spark!
Who: A Serbian nationalist
(who wanted a
independent Serbian
state) named Gavrilo
Pincip assassinated the
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
(heir to Austrian Throne).
Where: Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Snowball: A-H declared
war on Serbia, Russia is
ready to defend Serbia
(both slavic nations),
Germany backs up A-H,
France backs up Russia,
Great Britain backs up
France – War is on!
The Alliances
The Central
Powers: AustriaHungary,
Bulgaria,
Germany (some
help from the
Ottoman Empire)
The Allied
Powers: France,
Great Britain,
Russia…and later
the US.
Schlieffen Plan
Germany’s Plan – thought it would only take a few weeks.
1. Take France first and very fast
2. Then turn all attention to attacking Russia
Trench Warfare
Definition: A system of defensive ditches that characterized WWI
fighting.
Three Main Fronts: East (Russia v. Germany), West (France/GB/US v.
Germany), and Southern (Italy vs. A-H)
Conditions: Trenches are unsanitary with no fresh water and large
vermin – led to trench foot and mouth, Dysentery, other diseases,
and “Shell shock.”
How Trenches Work
In the Trenches...
US gets involved…Why??
At First...US is isolationists
Then...They are forced to get
involved!
1. U-boats: Germany is using
“unrestricted” U-boat warfare
which means anyone is fair
game (including noncombatants).
2. Propaganda: posters,
media, etc that made
Germany look ruthless and
savage (“Rape of Belgium”
and “Yellow Journalism”) both made US citizens mad!
US gets involved…Why??
3. German Hostility:
a. Zimmerman Note –
note from Germans to
Mexico saying if they
attack the US for them,
they will give them all the
land they lost in the
Mexican-American War.
b. Sinking of the
Lusitania – British ship
that was sunk by a
German U-boat (128 US
citizens died)
 US is ANGRY!
US gets involved…Why??
4. American Economic
Interest: US gave loans
to Allies and needed to
protect their investment –
Allies needed to win to get
their money back!
5. American Idealism: US
thought the world would
be better if Allies win “The world must be made
safe for democracy”
The US turns the war for the Allies!
1917 - Turning point in the War!
1. Naval power and shipment control (convoy system)
2. Revitalized western front and morale
3. Men – 300k a month
Weapons of WWI
The First
Mechanized War!
1. Machine Guns
2. Poison Gas
3. Tanks
4. Submarines
5. Airplanes –
”dogfights”
6. Trench Warfare
Mass death and depersonalizes killing Warfare will never
be the same!
Wilson’s Plan for Peace
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Speech
1. open treaties – no secret
alliances!
2. Freedom of the seas and
trade (no u-boats and tariffs)
3. Limit the size of militaries –
no one is ready for war
4. Borders based on Ethnicity –
not on Imperialist desires
5. Peaceful colonies – that selfgovern!
14. Peace keeping organization
– League of Nations
This addressed all the reasons
for the war starting and
didn’t place blame
Treaty of Versailles
Instead…The Big Four (David
George of GB, Vittorio Orlando of
Italy, Georges Clemenceau of FR,
Woodrow Wilson of U.S.) come up
with another plan…
Part One: Germany
1. Reduction of Army to 100k
2. No manufacturing on new weapons
3. Giver Alsace-Lorraine and
Rhineland to France (raw materials
there)
4. Independent Poland – no Germany
control
5. War Guilt Clause – must accept full
blame
6. War Reparations – 33B to be paid!
Treaty of Versailles
Part Two: Colonies
1. All colonies from the
losing side were taken
and divided by Allies
2. No Self-Determination
granted!
Part Three: Disarmament
1. Banned Conscription –
no draft!
2. Give over Merchants
Ships – lessen navy
Part Four: League of
Nations
- Only thing saved from 14
Points Speech and
ATTEMPTED to keep
international peace
Results of the War
I. Social
1. Germany is resentful and will want revenge
2. The US becomes Isolationists again
3. False Sense of Security with the League of Nations
II. Economic
1. Global Depression!
2. US boom until 1929 – Great Depression
3. Germany is worse than everyone!
III. Political
1. US becomes a world power
2. Germany is resentful – opens the door for Nazism
3. League of Nations is ineffective
4. Russian Revolution (Communism is born!)