Chapter 26 - Notes (War and Revolution, 1914-1920)

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

1. Technology would prevent a long war
2. Social Darwinism
3. Franco-Prussian war
4. 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

1. Germany: Schlieffen Plan – time table and strength of the right wing key to success
2. France: Plan XVII, attack through Alsace and Lorraine to severe the German right wing
3. 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:

1. Austria-Hungary held the Serbian govt. responsible, made unreasonable demands on them as an ultimatum
2. Serbians attempted to meet the ultimatum, A.H. rejects attempt and cut off diplomatic relations
3. Germany gave A.H. a “blank check” of support
4. Russia had a secret alliance with Serbia
5. A.H. declared war on Serbia
6. Russia mobilized on Serbia’s behalf
7. Germany demanded that Russia stop mobilization
8. Russia refused
9. Germany declared war on Russia and France
10. Germany invaded Belgium
11. England declared war on Germany
12. Ottoman Empire joined Germany and A.H.
13. Italy joined Allies

 Battle of the Frontiers: Germany conquest of Belgium and defeat of the French offensive

• Terrible treatment of Belgians embittered both sides

1^st 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

1. 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

1. Women finally attained the right to vote at the end of the war

• Government repression: put down workers protests and labor unrest

1. At times govt. cooperated with protest groups
2. 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.

1. 43% of the labor force in Russia
2. 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

1. 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

1. 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.

1. ·        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

1. ·        Austria surrendered on Nov. 3
2. ·        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)

1. Central powers excluded from negotiations; France concerned with its future security
2. Italy left the conference angry it would not get some territories promised in 1915

• Versailles Treaty, 1919

1. mandates for former colonies and territories of the Central Powers
2. 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

1. 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

1. Hapsburg dynasty removed in Austria (had lasted 500 years)
2. Romanov dynasty removed in Russia (had lasted 300 years)
3. Hohenzollern dynasty removed in Germany (had lasted 300 years)
4. Ottoman Empire destroyed (had lasted 500 years)

• Political map of Europe redrawn: creation of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia

1. 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

1. 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