The Spark - Beginning of World War One

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The Spark - Beginning of World War One
Assassination ! Death to the Tyrant!
Archduke Francis Ferdinand and wife
Sophie (heir to the Austrian/Hungarian
throne) June 1914 - Sarajevo (Bosnia)
Gavrilo Princip (Black Hand - Serbian
Nationalist )
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Declaration of War - Beginning of World War One
Austrian Ultimatum Check w/Germany first to see
if they have back up. Serbian appeal for
Russian help. Slavic support Russian
Mobilization Germany demand to cease. Reason?
Declaration of War - August 1914
Germany - Wilhelm II
Serbia - King Peter (Slavic)
Russia - Nicholas II (Slavic)
Austria - Franz Joseph
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Background - Beginning of World War One
Inquiry - Review the locations of nations
belonging to the Triple Alliance and Triple
Entente. What problem did Germany face if war
broke out in 1914? Define Mobilization/Standin
g Army
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The Schlieflen Plan - Beginning of World War One
War Strategy of General Alfred Von Schllieffen
- Invade France through neutral Belgium (This
brings in Britain, Belgium is an ally) - Defeat
France within 6 weeks before the time needed
for Russia to mobilization. - Transport Western
Front forces to east and defeat Russia.

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Sides/Fronts - Beginning of World War One
Allied Powers (Entente) France, Great Britain,
Russia, Italy Central Powers (Triple All.)
Germany, Austria/Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman
Empire Fronts - Western/Eastern First Battle
of the Marne Stalemate Difference between
fronts Trench Warfare
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Trench Warfare

• Machine gun and artillery made remaining on
  surface impossible
• Each side created huge networks of trenches, easy
  to defend, very difficult to take.
• Life in the trenches
• Poor food and medical care
• Little sleep
• Trenchfoot
• Cold

Russian Soldier
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War in the Industrial Age

• Industrialization allowed better farming
  techniques population boom
• Industrialization allowed nations to organize,
  train, and equip millions of men
• Industrialization allowed nations to kill
  millions and lose millions, yet still keep
  fighting
• New means of slaughter
• Machine Gun
• Artillery
• Poison Gas

British Munitions Factory
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Russia Withdrawals from War

• Food and fuel shortages in Russia due to the war
  caused civil unrest forced Nicholas II to step
  down. March 1917
• New government promised to continue the fight,
  but 8 months later the soldiers refused to fight
  anymore.
• Nov. 1917, Communist leader, Vladimir Lenin,
  seized power and wanted a truce with Germany.
• March 1918, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was
  signed.
• Germany could now focus on the Western Front.

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U.S. Enters the War

• U.S. makes billions from selling goods to the
  British and French.
• Germany practices unrestricted submarine warfare.
  (Sinking the Lusitania, 1200 dead, 128
  Americans)
• Zimmerman note- Telegraph from German foreign
  secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, stating that Germany
  would help Mexico reconquer the lands they lost
  if Mexico would ally itself with Germany.
• April 2, 1917, U.S. declares war on Germany,
  joins the Allies.

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The Treaty of Versailles

• Nov. 9 Kaiser Wilhem II Steps down
• Nov. 11, 1918 Armistice
• Wilson and the 14 points- No secret treaties,
  self determination (choose their own government)
  and League of Nations
• Allies refused to lift economic sanctions until
  Germans sign a treaty
• Feb. 1919 Germans met at Weimar, and drafted a
  new constitution, the Weimar Republic is formed.
• Treaty of Versailles- Germany had to take blame
  for the war. Must pay reparations. Clemenceau
  wanted to punish Germany, reparations really gave
  the new Weimar government in Germany no chance to
  succeed.

Lloyd-George, Clemenceau, Wilson At Versailles
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Consequences of the War

• 37.5 million casualties, over 10 million dead
• An entire generation of European men were wiped
  out on the battlefield.
• France and Britain owed billions of to the U.S.
  
• Germany owed billions to the victors in
  reparations
• European Economies devastated

Ruined French Church
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Territorial changes after the Treaty of Versailles