European Paradigm 1914
- Society was progressing towards the state of perfection
- Society was essentially harmonious and stable
- War was a useful extension of diplomacy and limited in nature
o Technology would prevent a long war
o Social Darwinism
o Franco-Prussian war
o Popular military philosophy
Outbreak of the war:
- Militarism: intense increase in the production and planning for military operations
- Planning developed strict timetables for actions
- Served to restrict the flexibility of governments once the plans came into action
- Germany: Schlieffen Plan – time table and strength of the right wing key to success
- France: Plan XVII, attack through Alsace and Lorraine to severe the German right wing
- Russia: Planned to mobilize before war to over come organizational difficulties – Problem: Mobilization forced other plans to commence
- SPEED THE KEY TO ALL PLANS
- Assassination of Franz Ferdinand and wife
- Gavrilo Princip acting outside the Serbian government
- 5 weeks prior to declaration of war:
- Austria-Hungary held the Serbian govt. responsible, made unreasonable demands on them as an ultimatum
- Serbians attempted to meet the ultimatum, A.H. rejects attempt and cut off diplomatic relations
- Germany gave A.H. a “blank check” of support
- Russia had a secret alliance with Serbia
- A.H. declared war on Serbia
- Russia mobilized on Serbia’s behalf
- Germany demanded that Russia stop mobilization
- Russia refused
- Germany declared war on Russia and France
- Germany invaded Belgium
- England declared war on Germany
- Ottoman Empire joined Germany and A.H.
- Italy joined Allies
Battle of the Frontiers: Germany conquest of Belgium and defeat of the French offensive
- Terrible treatment of Belgians embittered both sides
1st Battle of the Marne
- Stopped the German Offensive
Battle of Tannenbery and Battle of Masurian Lakes: Russians lost two entire armies in the east
- Russian military poorly led, lack of supplies and training
Begin Trench Warfare
Russians suffered tremendously, but did fulfill their purpose (took pressure off Fr)
Failure of Offensive War:
Verdun
- 10 month German offensive resulting in close to a million total deaths
- Petain commanded brilliantly and became a French hero
The Somme
- Combined Br. / Fr. Offensive again 1 million deaths
- No significant movement
Warfare in Europe became defensive (War of Attrition)
Balkans:
- A.H. and the Bulgarians defeated the Serbian (suffered tremendously)
- Drew in Romania and Greece
Ottoman Empire:
- Threatened the supply line to Russia, oil fields of the M.E. and the Suez Canal
- Failed amphibious warfare at Gallipoli
- War expanded
Naval Warfare:
- Battle of Jutland only major engagement – indecisive results
o Both sides afraid to risk their fleets
- Submarine warfare was used to counter British blockade
- Sinking of the Arabic, Sussex (and ensuing pledge) and Lusitanian
1917 “Blackest year of the war”
- Italy suffered massive defeat at Caporetto, effectively out of the war
- Russians dropped out due to revolution
- Germans could focus all efforts on the Western Front
- Resumed Submarine warfare
- Germans attempted to achieve offensive victory before the US could enter the war
- Ludendorff Offensive, failed – surrender was a matter of time
War on the Home Front
- Women filled the void in every sector of the economy
o Women finally attained the right to vote at the end of the war
- Government repression: put down workers protests and labor unrest
o At times govt. cooperated with protest groups
o Balfour Declaration: England would “look favorably” upon the establishment of a Jewish home land in Palestine
"Total war": involved mass civilian populations in the war effort
· Massive conscription drafted most able-bodied men in their youth
· News was censored; propaganda lionized the men at the front and dehumanized the enemy
· Economic production was focused on the war effort
· Women replaced male factory workers who were now fighting the war.
· 43% of the labor force in Russia
· Changing attitudes about women resulted in increased rights after the war (Britain, Germany, Austria and U.S.)
· Rationing of food and scarce commodities was instituted.
· People financed the war by buying bonds.
· Each side aimed at “starving out” the enemy by cutting off vital supplies to the civilian population.
· In France, Georges Clemenceau created a dictatorship during the war
· Germany became the world's first totalitarian regime in order to control the war effort
· British economy was largely planned and regulated
· Labor unions: saw increased influence and prestige due to increased demand for labor
· War promoted greater social equality, thus blurring class distinctions and lessening the gap between rich and poor
Diplomacy during the war
· Wilson’s 14 Points (Jan. 1918) -- plan to end the war along liberal, democratic lines
· Provisions:
· Abolish secret treaties
· Freedom of the seas
· Remove economic barriers (e.g. tariffs)
· Reduction of armament burdens
· Promise of independence (“self-determination”) to oppressed minority groups (e.g. Poles, Czechs), millions of which lived in Germany and Austria-Hungary.
· Adjustment of colonial claims in interests of both native peoples and colonizers
· German evacuation of Russia; restoration of Belgium; return of Alsace-Lorraine to France; evacuation and restoration of the Balkans; return of Schleswig to Denmark
· Adjustment of Italy’s borders along ethnic lines.
· Autonomy for non-Turkish parts of the Turkish Empire.
· 14th point: International organization to supply collective security
· Foreshadowed League of Nations
End of the War
· Argonne offensive (spring 1918: Germans transferred divisions from east (after defeating Russia) to the western front and mounted a massive offensive.
· Also known as the Ludendorff Ofensive
· U.S. entered war in time to help stop the German offensive
· Central Powers sought peace based on 14 Points (believing they would get fair treatment)
· Germany and Austria-Hungary wracked with revolution
· Austria surrendered on Nov. 3
· Germany surrendered on Nov. 11; Wilhelm II abdicates and flees to Holland
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
· Big Four: Lloyd George (Br.), Clemenceau (Fr.), Wilson (US), Orlando (It)
· Central powers excluded from negotiations; France concerned with its future security
· Italy left the conference angry it would not get some territories promised in 1915
· Versailles Treaty, 1919
· mandates for former colonies and territories of the Central Powers
· Article 231: placed sole blame for war on Germany; Germany would be severely punished
· Germany forced to pay huge reparations to Britain and France
· German army and navy severely reduced
· Rhineland would be demilitarized; Saar coal mines taken over by France
· Germany lost all its colonies
· League of Nations: U.S. Senate failed to ratify resulting in U.S. isolationism
Results of WWI
· Massive casualties: 10 million soldiers dead; 10 million civilians dead, many from influenza epidemic; 15 million died in Russian Revolution
· End to political dynasties
· Hapsburg dynasty removed in Austria (had lasted 500 years)
· Romanov dynasty removed in Russia (had lasted 300 years)
· Hohenzollern dynasty removed in Germany (had lasted 300 years)
· Ottoman Empire destroyed (had lasted 500 years)
· Political map of Europe redrawn: creation of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia
· Germany split in two by Polish corridor (East Prussia separated from rest of Germany)
· Russian Revolution resulted in world's first communist country
· German nationalist resentment of harsh Versailles Treaty doomed the Weimar Republic
· German anger with treaty partially responsible for rise of Hitler in early 1930s
· The U.S. became the world’s leading creditor and greatest producer due to the drain of Europe’s resources.
· Unresolved differences lead to WWII
