Introduction to Modern Germany

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Introduction to Modern Germany
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Dropping the PilotLink to last weeks lecture
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Causes of WWISome Theories

• German war guilt (Treaty of Versailles)
• Pre-War, Great Power rivalry
• Griff nach der Weltmacht (F. Fischer)
• Social imperialism

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Combination of Elements

• Shift in German Foreign Policy post- Bismarck
• Weltpolitik required to defend German Kultur
• Shift in alliances Triple Alliance France
  Russia, Britain
• German fear of encirclement
• General sense of impending war

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Arms Race

• Expansion of German Fleet
• Russian railway building
• Increase in manufacture of arms

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Series of International Crises(examples)

• Morocco in 1905 1911
• Trouble in the Balkans an area where Germany,
  Austria Russia all had interests
• Nationalist movements in crumbling Ottoman Empire
• Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Balkan Wars of 1912-1913

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Ignition

• 28.6.1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
  by Bosnian backed by Serb-nationalists
• German Kaiser gives blank cheque support
• Austrian ultimatum to Serbia
• 31.7 Russian Forces Mobilize (seen as act of
  aggression)

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German Mobilisation

• Swift and Smooth
• In accordance with the Schlieffen Plan(violation
  of Belgian neutrality) and fear of Zweifronten
  Krieg
• Britain enters war

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Cf. 19th Century Wars

• Brief with decisive battles
• Limited casualties
• Early end to hostilities
• (e.g. Austro-Prussian, Franco-Prussian)

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Impact of modernity

• Mechanised
• Machine gun/ tanks
• Air force
• High-power artillery
• Chemical weapons
• Barbed wire
• U-Boats (Unterseeboote)

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Political Situation in Germany in 1914

• Home Front in a condition of strain
• Severe tensions between progressive and
  conservative forces
• Burgfrieden (political truce)
• Expectations of a speedy end to war
• Kriegsbegeisterung

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War of AttritionExamples

• Battles of Ypres (1914-15 1917)
• Champagne - 1915
• Loos - 1915
• Verdun - 1916
• Battle of the Somme 1916
• Click for animation

• Indecisive
• Massive loss of life