World War I
A war to end all
wars…?
World War I- The Great War
Underlying Causes
“MANIA”
Militarism
Alliances
Nationalism
Imperialism
Anarchy (international)
Militarism:
Glorification of War & Military
 Build up of large reserve armies
 Mobilization - organize resources for
combat (triggers other nations
mobilizing)
 Naval Expansion - William II (GR)
fires Bismarck and expands navy
– wants to be equal to G.B. (most powerful)
– G.B. feels threatened, expands, develops
new battleship - Dreadnought
Alliances
Defense Agreements Among Nations
 Three Emperors’ League: (1881) Germany, Russia,
Austria-Hungary - doesn’t last b/c of A-H rivalry with
Russia in Balkans
 Triple Alliance - (1882) Germany, Italy, AustriaHungary - attempt to isolate France
 Triple Entente - (1907) France, Russia, G.B.
Entente: Friendly understanding
between nations
Nationalism
Extreme Pride in One’s Nation or
Desire to Form a Nation
 French Nationalists sought revenge
against Germany for loss of AlsaceLorraine
 Slavic Nationalism - Pan-Slavism:
Unify all Slavic people under one
empire
Imperialism
domination of one country by
another
 Germany and France came close to war
over control of Morocco
 Germany wanted to create Berlin to
Baghdad Railway - caused resentment
among British and Russians
– British feared interference with India and
reduce traffic thru Suez Canal
Anarchy
International Anarchy
Nations of Europe pursue policies
without regard for the wishes of
their neighbors
Crisis - No international
organization to monitor
Immediate Causes of WWI
 Assassination of
Archduke Francis
Ferdinand of A-H
(June 28, 1914) by
Gavrilo Princip member of Serbian
nationalist group
“Black Hand”
Why the Assassination?
Ferdinand planned to give Slavs
of Bosnia-Herzegovina a voice in
the gov’t equal to that of AustroHungarians
This threatened the movement for
a separate Slavic state
What Happens Next?
 A-H hold Serbians responsible
 A-H seeks assurance (backup) from
Germany in event of war
 Germany issues “Blank Check” to
A-H
– William II gives full support to any
actions A-H might take against Serbia
Tensions Build!!
 A-H issues ultimatum (set of final conditions
that must be accepted to avoid severe
consequences) to Serbia
 Demands that Serbia allow A-H officials into
country to suppress all subversive movements &
conduct investigation
 Gives Serbia 48 hours to agree or face war
 Serbia does not agree to all parts
 A-H declares war on Serbia! (July 28, 1914)
The Tangled Web of War
Declarations of War
 Germany declares war on Russia (Aug
1, 1914)
 Germany declares war on France
(Aug 3, 1914)
 Great Britain still hoped to remain
neutral and not go to war, but…
Germany Invades Belgium!
 Germany demands passage across Belgium
to fight France (*Part of Schlieffen Plan)
 British protest demand made by Germany
upon neutral nation of Belgium
– 1839 Treaty signed by G.B., Russia, France &
Germany guaranteed Belgium’s neutrality
 Germany invades
Belgium
 G.B. demands they
withdraw
 Germany responds
calling treaty,
“a scrap of paper”
 G.B. declares war
on Germany (Aug
4, 1914)
*The Schlieffen Plan
 Germany’s invasion of Belgium was part of
this plan
 Germany had enemies to East & West & did
not want to fight a war on both fronts at the
same time
 Believed Russia would be slow to mobilize
and that they could fight & defeat France
(W. Front) first in 6 weeks & then fight
Russia on Eastern Front
 THE RACE TO THE SEA!
Expectations
 Both sides thought the
war would be a quick
ordeal…
 Kaiser told his soldiers,
“you’ll be home before
the leaves have fallen
from the trees.”
 They underestimated the
role industrialization
would play in this war.
French troops
marched off
shouting, “We’ll
be home by
Christmas”
 United states in the War
 Lusitania
 Zimmerman Telegram
Life During the War
The British government
wanted to encourage
men to enlist for war.
They said the war
would be safe, hardly
any fighting, a good
lark and over by
Christmas.
A picture of soldiers going
‘Over the Top’
They used advertising
posters to encourage
this idea!
The reality of ‘going over the top’ was
very different!
Soldiers were expected to carry all of
their equipment with them at all times.
They were supposed to keep it clean and in
good condition – they were British after all.
How the uniform and equipment changed
after just three weeks in the trenches…
Posters always
showed men ready
and willing to fight.
They never showed
the boredom of the
trenches or actual
fighting taking place.
Why do you think the
government showed
no fighting?
What hidden message
is in this image?
No smiling and relaxed faces…
No clean uniforms…
Their equipment is
scattered everywhere…
Boredom and sleep are
obvious…
The soldiers had very
little decent food,
and what food they
had was often
attacked by rats.
These rats were the
size of small rabbits
and badgers because
they had fed on the
decomposing bodies
of dead soldiers.
WARNING,
TRENCH FOOT
NASTINESS ON
THE NEXT SLIDE!
WWI Comes to an End
German Surrender
 On the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th
Month the war comes to an end (November
11, 1918), as Germany accepts an
armistice.
 Allies meet to discuss a treaty.
The Treaty of Versailles with
Germany
The Big Four-all had
different allied objectives
David Lloyd George-Great
Britain
 Prime minister who wanted to expand Britain's
Colonial Empire, preserve its naval and
industrial supremacy and make Germany pay
for the war.
Georges Clemenceau
 French Premier
 Wanted to ensure
security against
future German
invasion
 Weaken Germany by
imposing military
limitations, financial
payments, and
territorial losses.
Vittorio Orlando
 Premier of Italy
 Sought to enlarge
Italy's territory in
Europe and expand
its empire overseas
Woodrow Wilson
 President of the
United States
 Sought to provide a
just and lasting
peace and create a
better world by
implementing the
Fourteen Points*
*Fourteen Points-Wilson’s Plan
for a Lasting Peace
 1. Open covenants (treaties) of peace
openly arrived at.
 2. Freedom of the seas
 3. Removal of international trade barriers
(such as tariffs).
 4. Reduction of armaments
 5. Impartial adjustment of colonial claims
with regard for the interests of native
peoples
Fourteen Points Cont.
 6-13. Adjustment of European boundaries in
accordance with the principle of nationality, that
is, the right of any national group to selfdetermination regarding its own government and
independent state.
 14. Establishment of a League of Nations to
handle international disputes.
 European nations approved of the 14 Points only
sparingly because of their nations interests.
Treaty of Versailles
 Of Wilson’s Fourteen Points, only a few
were taken seriously.
 One of them was the League of Nations,
 What others were taken seriously?
Differing Views of the Treaty
 Arguments Against: a harsh treaty that
planted the seeds of WWII- The treaty
transferred German-inhabited territory,
seized all colonies of Germany, and
compelled Germany to accept sole war
guilt. It forced Germany to be unarmed
while other nations remained armed, and it
wounded German pride. By attacking the
treaty the Nazi party gained support of the
German people, achieved power, and
brought on WWII.
Arguments For: A fair treaty that
was not enforced
 The treaty transferred German territory
chiefly on the basis of nationality,
assigned German colonies as League of
Nations mandates with the objective of
eventual disarmament, and provided a
League of Nations. The treaty alone
cannot be blamed for the German
people’s support of Nazism.
Furthermore, if the military provisions of
the treaty had been enforced, Nazi
Germany would not have been able to
wage war
Results of WWI-Social
 A. almost 10 million soldiers were killed
and over 20 million soldiers were wounded
 B. Millions of civilians died as a result of
the hostilities, famine and disease.
 C. The world was left aflame with hatred,
intolerance, and extreme nationalism.
 D. debt and economic dislocation caused
the depression of 1929.
Political
 A. The U.S. emerged as a leading world power
 B. 3 major European powers dethronedGermans, Austria-Hungary, and Russia
 C. New national states arose…Poland and
Czechoslovakia
 D. League of Nations established to solve
international problems
 Many European nations turned to dictatorship
because of economic and political discontent–
Russia, Italy, Germany.
Economic
 A. total cost of the war was 350 billion
dollars. Led to heavy taxation of the
people of Europe.
 B. International trade suffered because of
increased tariffs
 C. Russia became communist, thus a new
economic system was introduced
League of Nations
Destruction
Famine
Russia
unemployment
1923 German
money so
worthless
they burn it
to keep
warm
Glamour
The Charleston
Louis
Armstrong
- Jazz
Silent movies
Picasso - cubism
Rise of
fascism in
Italy Benito
Mussolini
Stalin
Dictators between
the Wars
Hitler
Mussolini
1930’s World-Wide Depression
Unemployment
& Food lines
“Walking over the League”
Hitler (Der
Führer) &
Nazis come
to power in
Germany
Nazi book burnings
Francisco Franco - fascist Spain
German annexation of Austria
Concentration
Camps
Established Dachau
Chamberlain and Daladier
Sudetenland
falls to Hitler
Anti-semitism
Kristallnacht -7500 businesses
destroyed
Nazi Soviet
NonAggression
Pact
Molotov & Ribbentrop sign pact
World War II
The inevitable war
Part I
Axis Aggression
1) Invasion of Poland German
invasion of the Polish corridor
finally led to a declaration of war
by Britain & France
 2) “phony War” - France & Britain
stand by defensively while
Germany conquers Poland,
Denmark, Norway, Netherlands &
Belgium……..
Invasion of Poland
Occupied Warsaw
3) Dunkirk - French & British troops
trapped by Germany’s rapid
advance through France are
evacuated to Britain
Blitzkrieg……...
Dunkirk after evacuation
France surrenders……
4) Vichy Regime - S. France which
became a fascist collaborating
“puppet government”
N. France occupied by Germany
Armistice
signed in
the same
train car...
6) Battle of Britain - Germany began a
massive bombing campaign to
demoralize the British
RAF successfully defended • radar!
British bomb shelter
America’s support role expands
7) Cash & carry - Allies could buy war
goods from the US to transport in
their own ships
Lend-Lease - Allies could buy war
goods from US on credit in
exchange for leases on military
base
The Atlantic Charter - Churchill and
Roosevelt agree on war
aims…August 1941
8) Germany invades Balkans - when
Mussolini unsuccessfully invades
Greece, Hitler has to divert
attention to the Balkans to help
Germany takes Hungary, Romania,
Yugoslavia, Bulgaria
9) North Africa - Italians and Germans
attack French & British holdings in
North Africa
Operation Barbarossa
Invasion of the Soviet UnionHitler
needs raw materials - oil & grain
Three pronged German attack:
Leningrad Moscow Stalingrad
Stalin responds with scorched earth
policy
Leningrad
Moscow
Stalingrad
Germans invade Russia
(contradiction of previous treaty)
Japanese in Asia - Japan moves to take
Dutch & French colonial holdings
US responds with trade embargo
against Japan
 Pearl Harbor Japanese
bombers attacked
US Pacific fleet
based in Hawaii
 sank
battleships…but
aircraft carriers
were not at port!
Destroyed US battleships...
BELLIGERENTS ……...
Axis:
Germany
Italy
Japan
 Allies:
 Great Britain
 Soviet Union
(Russia)
 United States
 govts in exile “Free French”
The Axis Powers seem invincible!
World War II
The Inevitable War
Part II
Allied Advance
Gradual gains for the
allies
 1. The Bismarck - “unsinkable” new
German battleship
 British sink it - ends German ability to
dominate the Atlantic with surface ships
The Battleship Bismarck
2.
Battle of Stalingrad - prolonged
German offensive
Russians hold city against
unbelievable odds
Russian counteroffensive encircles
entire German 6th army & forces
its surrender
Begins Russian offensive
Trapped German 6th army
3. German advance in North
Africa……..
Erwin
Rommel
- the Desert
Fox
Halted by British and American
Tanks in North Africa…...
British
General
Bernard
Montgomery
“Monty”
British troops advance at
3. El Alamein
Germans & Italians surrender
in North Africa
4. Allied invasion of Italy
Allies launch invasion of Sicily
from North Africa
Mussolini is denounced and
arrested by Italian government
Italy announces declaration of war
against Germany
Mussolini & mistress
5. American Victories in the Pacific
Battle of Midway - Americans
sink Japanese aircraft carriers
Americans begin “island
leapfrogging”
Japanese “kamikazes” -
Battle of Midway
Kamikaze about to hit Intrepid
6. D-Day June 6, 1944
 American led Allied forces launch a
surprise invasion of German-occupied
France at Normandy
paratroopers
Germans
expect
landing at
Calais
Transport ships ferried
troops for the largest
amphibious attack in
history
high casualties
7. Allied Drive from West
Allied paratroopers land in the
Netherlands- largest ever
German counteroffensive in the
Ardennes
The Battle of the Bulge
8. Soviet Drive from East
 Supported by industry beyond the Ural
Mountains
 Soviets Drive towards Berlin
 The Soviets reach Berlin FIRST
9. Yalta
Churchill
Roosevelt
Stalin
The Big Three agree that:
 Germany would be divided.
Part of Poland would go to the
Soviet Union.
 The Soviet Union would declare
war on Japan two to three
months after defeating Germany.
10.
V-E DAY
Montgomery
presides over
German
Surrender
 Germans sign unconditional
surrender
 War in Europe is over! (May 8,
1945)
11. Potsdam
New “Big Three”
Stalin
(still there)
Clement Attlee
(replaced Churchill)
Harry Truman
(replaced Roosevelt)
At Potsdam, the Big Three
finalized plans for
administration of Europe
Germany & Berlin to be divided
into four zones of occupation
administered by Big Three
countries plus France
free elections to be held later for
self -determination
Now to focus on the Pacific!
12. Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Little Boy and Fat Man
Devastation
Innocents
Nagasaki
13. V-J Day
Soviet Union declares war on
Japan day after Hiroshima
bombing
Japanese won’t agree to
unconditional surrender
2nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki
unconditional surrender by the
Japanese (Sept 2, 1945)
FEMINISM
INTERNATIONAL
ROLES CHANGE
–Why?
STATUS OF EQUALITY
WORLDWIDE SUFFRAGE
–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffr
age
NEW FEMINISM
–NOW
–Equality
–Role Rejection
Definition of the Holocaust
 Refers to the systematic murder of almost
6 million Jews by the Nazis.
 Also included the murder of Gypsies,
Homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, The
Disabled, and other people.
Why did it happen?
 Traditional anti-Jewish prejudice in Europe.
– Jews blamed for the betrayal and the death of Christ.
– Blamed for the Bubonic Plague and other bad things.
– This prejudice lead to the:
• Forcing Jews to live in ghettos.
• Forcing Jews to wear a yellow star for
identification.
• Violence being committed against Jews.
Why did it happen?
 The situation in Germany during the 1930s.
– Great Depression leads to rise of Hitler.
– Hitler and the Nazis EXTREMELY anti-Jewish.
– Blame Jews for Germany’s lose in World War I and for
the Great Depression. “Scapegoat.”
– Laws passed in Germany to strip Jewish people of their
Civil Rights (Nuremberg Laws).
– Forced Jews into ghettos and wear the yellow Star of
David.
– Laws passed to strip disabled people of their rights.
Forced sterilizations. Murder of sick children.
Why did it happen?
 World War II
– Leads to German conquest of large parts of
Eastern Europe with large numbers of Jews.
– Germans in control. With the help of locals,
put the“Final Solution” put into effect.
 Role of ordinary men and women.
 In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a
Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade
unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.