AP Euro: CH. 25 and 26 Test
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Donald Sterrett
4/5/2010
WWI Major Events
 The 4 MAIN causes of WWI were
 Militarism
 Alliances: Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance
 Imperialism
 Nationalism
The spark that set off the war was the murder
of Austria-Hungary’s Archduke Franz
Ferdinand by a Serbian.
WWI Major Events Continued
 After the murder of the Archduke, AustriaHungary invades Serbia.
 Russia comes to the aid of Serbia and
Germany comes to the aid of Austria.
 Germany is worried about fighting Russia
and France at the same time so they
devise the Schlieffen Plan which is to
invade France through Belgium and then
invade Russia. It fails because it does not
knock France out of the war.
WWI Continued
 The war was divided into two parts or
fronts: Western Front and Eastern Front.
 Western Front: Germany vs. France,
England and the U.S.
 Eastern Front: Russia vs. Germany,
Austria
 War becomes known for trench warfare
where neither side can make much
progress.
WWI: Battle of Verdun
 One deadly example of trench warfare
was the Battle of Verdun.
 It was fought on the Western Front
between France and Germany and may
the longest and deadliest battle in history.
 The one battle take almost a year and had
an estimate 700,000 casualties.
 France wins but has huge losses.
US enters and end of war
 The U.S. entering the war is the big turning
point in the war.
 They enter because of Germany’s
unrestricted sub warfare and Zimm telegram.
 U.S. helps the Triple Entente win the war.
 Russia had already surrendered to Germany
and so the victorious powers were England,
France, U.S., and Italy.
Treaty of Versailles
 The Treaty of Versailles is made by the
winners: U.S., England, France, Italy.
 Germany and Russia are left out.
 France and England want to punish
Germany
 U.S. under Woodrow Wilson want to
prevent war by solving underlying
problems.
Treaty of Versailles Cont.
 Wilson has his 14 points that include a
League of Nations, freedom of the seas,
self-determination for all (No more
colonies), limited military for all etc.
 The Treaty ends up punishing Germany
and not solving the problems.
 Major Points: League of Nations but
Germany and Russia can’t join.
Treaty of Versailles cont.
 Germany has to reduce its army, get rid of
its subs and airforce, pay reparations to
rebuild France.
 Germany has to take full responsibility for
the war.
 Germany loses its colonies and can’t join
with Austria.
 New countries are created out of Austria
and Germany.
U.S. Foreign Policy
 Open Door Policy: Everyone else was
trading with China through agreements but
the U.S. was left out.
 The U.S. makes Open Door Policy which
says that everyone can trade with China.
 Monroe Doctrine: U.S. is afraid of Europe
taking over America’s so they say no more
European imperialism in the Americas
U.S. policy continued
 Roosevelt Corollary: Said the U.S. would
enforce the Monroe Doctrine with our
military. It made the U.S. the police of the
Americas and the dominant country in the
Region.
Russia becomes Soviet Union
 Nicholas was unpopular due to his lack of
giving people rights, poor leadership and
losses in wars. Due to his lack of
successs in the WWI he is replaced by the
members of the Duma who set up a
provisional government. This is the March
Revolution.
 The provisional government led by
Kerensky fails to get Russia out of the war
and they fall to the Communists in the
October Revolution.
Russia becomes USSR
 The October Rev. sets off the Russian
Civil War between the Reds (Communists)
and the Whites (Provisional Govt.)
 Reds end up winning and instead of
creating a democracy they have a one
party dictatorship with the Communist
Party controlling everything.
 Lenin is dictator and replaced by Stalin.
NEP
 Communists have the government control
everything but it doesn’t work as production
goes way down especially food.
 In the NEP they allow people to sell their
crops and it is a little more successful.
Weimar Republic Falls
 After the War Germany loses its monarchy
and becomes a republic (Weimar republic)
 Unfortunately the Republic has inherited
the problems of the monarchy (huge debt
and it is unpopular because it signed the
Treaty of Versailles).
 Also the Republic is weak because the
constitution allows for a person to be ruler
for an extended time.
 It falls to Hitler and his Nazi party.
Fascism: A way out of chaos
 After the war there is a lot of chaos, poverty,
crime and fear of Communism.
 A new party shows up that promises
strength, order, wealth, a strong military and
a return to greatness.
 It is the fascist party and it glorifies strength
and the military while being anti-democracy
and anti-Communist.
 Mussolini is fascist leader in Italy and Hitler
in Germany