The War to End All Wars-WWI
I. Long Term Causes of WWI.
A. Nationalism-#
B. Imperialism-#
C. Militarism-#
D. Alliance System # (Balance of Power)
II. European Origins
A. Congress of Vienna(1815)-where the 5 great powers{(Great Britain, Austria, France, Russia, and Prussia(Germany)} met to discuss the future of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars
B. Three Principles of the Congress
1. Compensation for Victors
2. Legitimacy-(royal governments)
3. Balance of Power (alliances)
C. Revolutions and Wars 1815-1875
1. Crimean War (1854-1856)[Russia vs GB, France, OE, &Austria]-ended Russian domination of SE Europe and cooled relations between Austria and Russia
2. Italy-Unified 1861-under the leadership of Cavour & Garibaldi
3. German Empire (2nd Reich)
a. Otto von Bismarck-German Chancellor determined to unite the German States through “blood and iron” if necessary
b. Austro-Prussian War (Seven-weeks War 1866)-Prussia defeated Austria, guaranteed Prussian dominated Germany
c. Franco-Prussian War- (1870-71)
i. Began over the release of the Ems memo and secession of the Spanish throne
ii. United Southern German States with North to defeat France
iii. Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)
a. Pay war indemnity (payment) within 3 years
b. Cede all of Alsace-Loraine
D. Europe 1875-1914
1. Alliances system
a. Triple Entente (alliance)-Britain, France, & Russia (Serbia)
b. Central Powers (Triple Alliance)-Germany, Austria-Hungry, & Ottoman Empire
2. German Navy 1898-threatened Britain (militarism)
3. Self determination-#
4. Austrian-Hungary annexed Bosnia-(1908)
5. Schieffen Plan(Germany)-defeat France in less than 6 weeks then divert to Russia
E. The Trigger of War
1. Sarajevo-Gautilo Princip- (June 28, 1914) shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, while he was visiting Serbia(Short Term Cause)
2. Austria-Made unrealistic demands on Serbia; when they were not met Austria declared war on July 28, 1914
3. Russia honored its Alliance and mobilized, prompting Germany to declare war on 8/1 and on France & Belgium on 8/3
4. Great Britain-honors entente after neutral Belgium invaded
F. Outset of War-Changes in Technology
1. 1903 Springfield bolt action rifle-5 to 10 rounds load with a stripper could fire with concealment
2. Machine Gun-gave defensive side the advantage, a lot of firepower with concealment
a. Browning, John B.-1917 MG belt ammo, water cooled
b. B.A.R. -light weight MG
4. Gas- blister, inhaled intended to incapacitate
5. Motor cars-armor to heavy, engine not powerful enough, too slow and undependable
6. Heavy and light tanks-advanced to be able to support a breakthrough in lines
7. Artillery-New shells make most deadly new technology-breech loading, long range
a. Exploding Shells
b. Multi-Purpose-delay fuse
c. Air burst
d. Creeping barrages
e. Mobility not enough for a breakthrough
8. Air power-good for pictures and information
a. Folkner-propeller by 1915 allowed planes to fire through propeller
b. Balloons-German Zeppelin most famous-dropped bombs as well
c. Eddie Rickenbacker (US) Red Baron-(Germany) Aces
9. Naval advances
a. U-boats-German submarines (wolf packs)
b. New ships with better guns that could shoot up to 25 miles
10. Wrist watches-coordinate massive attacks with artillery
F. Tactics-
1. Western Front
a. Trench Warfare-defending a position from deep trenches
b. No Man’s Land- area in between opposing trenches
c. Snipers and saboteurs
d. Why the Stalemate continued
2. Eastern Front-more fluid with some trench warfare
G. Battles
1. Western Front-Germany tried to fulfill Schieffen plan
a. 1st Battle of the Marne-British and French forces countered attacked to halt initial German advance, TW from North Sea to Switzerland
b. 2nd Battle of Ypres-4/22/15-1st use of poison gas on Western front, 1st used in war on 1/31 on Eastern front
c. Gallipoli-(2-12/1915)-Turks block British attempt to supply Russia
d. Battle of Verdun- (12/1915)-Germans attack the fortified French city trying to break the stalemate, battle lasted 10 months with Death toll almost 1 million (138 per hour)
e. Battle of the Somme-British Counter attack that tried to divert German troops from Verdun., 1st use of tanks in war
f. Battle of the Atlantic-battle between U-boats and British Navy
1. Battle of Jutland- (5/31-6/1) British defeated the German fleet and confined it to port for the rest of the war
2. Lusitania- (5/7/16) German U-boats sank a British passenger liner killing 1200 people and 128 Americans
2. Eastern Front-
a. Battle of Tannenburg- (8/17 to 8/27/1914)-German forces defeated the Russian’s, which secured the border and halted the Russian initial attack
b. 1915-1917-Heavy Russian losses without, adequate supply lines led to demoralization of Russian Army and eventual Revolution.
c. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk-3/3/18-Russian Bolsheviks make peace with Germany
III. The US and World War I
A. Wilson-declared the US neutral
1. US public was conflicted-sympathized with Allies
2. US still traded with warring nations
B. The US Enters WWI
1. Election of 1916-Wilson Defeated Hughes, with promise to maintain peace
2. After USS Sussex was attacked by Germany, US threatened to cut all diplomatic ties with Germany
3. Sussex Pledge-#
4. 2/1 Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare (ships by 3/21)
5. Zimmerman note- (2/24/17)#
6. US declared war 4/6/17
C. Americans Prepare for War
1. Committee on Public Information-#
a. Propaganda-spread of ideas that help one side & hurt another
b. Four Minute men-#
2. Sedition and Espionage Act of 1917-#
-Schenck v. US & Abrams v. US-#
3. Women-Mexican Americans & African Americans(Great Migration) enter work force
D. Mobilizing for War
1. Selective Service Act-5/18/17-#
2. African Americans-Segregated-most non combat positions
-92nd & 93rd-combat unit’s w/distinction
3. Women-Joined military-non combat
4. Volunteers and Draftees
5. Influenza Epidemic of 1918-19 (25-50 million world wide)
E. Organizing & paying for War
1. Taxes & Liberty Bonds-#
2. War Industries Board-#
3. Food Administration-#
-Victory Gardens-#
4. National War Labor Board-#
D. Americans “Over There”
1. American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.)-regular Army, Marines, National Guard, new volunteers, and draftees-sent to Europe
2. John J. Pershing-Commander of AEF and highest ranking U.S. Officer
3. Doughboys-nickname given to US soldiers in Europe
4. US Soldiers get into the Fight
a. Cantigny-(5/18) 1st Major US battle
b. Belleau Wood-6/25/18-Where Marines drove Germans out of forest and gained the nickname “Devil Dogs”
c. Chateau-Thierry-7/14/18-US 3rd Division helped halt the Germans by holding the Bridge
5. St. Mihiel-9/12-916-1st US offensive that drove Germans from the town
6. Meuse-Argonne Offensive-(9-11/1918)
-Battle of Argonne Forest- Battle that lasted 47 days where US forces drove the German’s back trying to take the city of Sedan
7. Armistice-A cease fire that started on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month
E. Establishing Peace
1. Wilson’s 14 Points-1/8/18-Wilson’s plan to avoid further conflict
a. First five-remove causes of war: end secret treaties, freedom of seas, remove international tariffs, reduce # of weapons, settle colonial claims
b. 2nd Eight-promoted Self-determination (right of a nation to decide how they want to be governed)
c. League of Nations-Congress of nations designed to settle international disputes
2. Paris Peace Conference-conference to decide terms of peace, no Central powers invited
3. Treaty of Versailles-6/28/19
a. Reparations-payment for war damages (33 billion)
b. War guilt clause-Germany agreed to take complete blame for war
c. DMZ and weapons restrictions-Germany had to stay out of the Rhineland and had restrictions on its Army
d. Redrew European country boundaries(according to self determination, except for Germany)
e. Set up League of Nations
5. Treaty Ratification-
a. Reservationist-Senators opposed to the League of Nations
b. Failed twice
c. US signed a separate treaty with the Central powers(21)