💣European History – 1890 to 1945 Unit 4 – The Course of World War I

Key Events and Timeline

• June 28, 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo triggers a chain of events leading to World War I
• July 28, 1914: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, marking the official start of the war
• August 1-4, 1914: Germany declares war on Russia and France, while Britain declares war on Germany, escalating the conflict into a global war
• 1914-1915: Trench warfare becomes the dominant form of combat on the Western Front, characterized by stalemate and high casualties
• April 25, 1915: Allied forces land at Gallipoli, Turkey, in an unsuccessful attempt to secure the Dardanelles and aid Russia
• May 7, 1915: Sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat, leading to increased tensions with the United States
• February 21, 1916: Battle of Verdun begins, one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war
• July 1, 1916: First day of the Battle of the Somme, resulting in heavy casualties for the British and Allied forces
• April 6, 1917: United States declares war on Germany, providing a significant boost to the Allied war effort
• November 7, 1917: Bolshevik Revolution in Russia leads to the eventual withdrawal of Russia from the war
• November 11, 1918: Armistice signed, ending fighting on the Western Front and effectively concluding World War I

Major Battles and Campaigns

• Battle of Tannenberg (August 1914): Decisive German victory over Russia on the Eastern Front
• First Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Allied victory halts German advance towards Paris
• Gallipoli Campaign (1915-1916): Failed Allied attempt to capture the Gallipoli peninsula and secure a sea route to Russia
  • Campaign resulted in heavy casualties and a strategic defeat for the Allies
• Battle of Verdun (February-December 1916): Longest battle of the war, resulting in massive casualties for both French and German forces
  • Became a symbol of French resistance and determination
• Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916): British-led offensive on the Western Front, characterized by heavy casualties and limited territorial gains
• Brusilov Offensive (June-September 1916): Russian offensive on the Eastern Front, initially successful but ultimately failed to achieve decisive results
• Battle of Passchendaele (July-November 1917): Also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, a British offensive resulting in high casualties and minimal gains
• Spring Offensive (March-July 1918): Final German offensive on the Western Front, initially successful but ultimately failed to achieve a decisive victory
  • Exhausted German resources and manpower, contributing to their eventual defeat

Technological Advancements

• Machine guns: Became a dominant weapon in trench warfare, contributing to high casualty rates and defensive stalemates
• Artillery: Improved range, accuracy, and destructive power, playing a crucial role in bombardments and infantry support
  • Introduction of new artillery pieces (howitzers, mortars) enhanced tactical flexibility
• Poison gas: First used by Germany at the Second Battle of Ypres (1915), causing widespread fear and suffering among soldiers
  • Various types of gas (chlorine, phosgene, mustard gas) employed by both sides throughout the war
• Tanks: First introduced by the British at the Battle of the Somme (1916), providing a means to break the stalemate of trench warfare
  • Initially unreliable and limited in number, but gradually improved in design and effectiveness
• Aircraft: Evolved from reconnaissance roles to fighter planes and bombers, engaging in aerial combat and strategic bombing
  • Iconic aircraft (Sopwith Camel, Fokker D.VII) and famous aces (Manfred von Richthofen, Eddie Rickenbacker) emerged
• Submarines: German U-boats conducted unrestricted submarine warfare, targeting Allied merchant ships and contributing to the entry of the United States into the war
• Flamethrowers: Introduced by Germany, used to clear enemy trenches and instill psychological terror

Political and Diplomatic Developments

• July Crisis (1914): Series of diplomatic maneuvers and ultimatums following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, ultimately leading to the outbreak of war
• Secret alliances and treaties: Complex web of alliances (Triple Alliance, Triple Entente) contributed to the rapid escalation of the conflict
• Schlieffen Plan: Germany's pre-war strategy to quickly defeat France and then focus on Russia, ultimately failed in execution
• Zimmermann Telegram (1917): Intercepted German message proposing an alliance with Mexico against the United States, contributing to U.S. entry into the war
• Russian Revolution (1917): Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia led to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Russia's withdrawal from the war
  • Allowed Germany to focus its efforts on the Western Front
• Fourteen Points (1918): U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's post-war vision for a new international order based on self-determination and collective security
• Paris Peace Conference (1919): International conference to establish the terms of peace, resulting in the Treaty of Versailles and the formation of the League of Nations
  • Controversial decisions (war guilt clause, reparations) sowed seeds for future conflicts

Home Front and Social Impact

• Total war: Mobilization of entire societies and economies to support the war effort, blurring the lines between civilian and military spheres
• Women in the workforce: As men were conscripted into the military, women took on new roles in factories, agriculture, and public services
  • Contributed to changing gender roles and the advancement of women's rights in some countries
• Rationing and shortages: Governments implemented rationing systems to manage limited resources and ensure fair distribution of essential goods
• Propaganda: Widespread use of propaganda to maintain morale, demonize the enemy, and encourage enlistment and support for the war effort
  • Posters, films, and other media employed to shape public opinion
• Conscription: Many countries introduced conscription to bolster their military ranks, leading to social and political tensions
• Civilian casualties: Aerial bombardment, naval blockades, and other tactics resulted in significant civilian casualties and hardship
• Influenza pandemic (1918-1919): Spread rapidly in the aftermath of the war, claiming millions of lives worldwide and compounding the war's toll on public health

Military Strategies and Tactics

• Trench warfare: Dominant form of combat on the Western Front, characterized by static defensive positions, artillery barrages, and infantry assaults
  • Led to prolonged stalemates and high casualty rates
• Attrition: Strategy employed by both sides to wear down the enemy through continuous assaults and battles of endurance
  • Exemplified by battles such as Verdun and the Somme
• Combined arms: Integration of infantry, artillery, and later, tanks and aircraft, to achieve breakthroughs and overcome the stalemate of trench warfare
• Infiltration tactics: Developed by Germany, emphasized small, highly-trained units to penetrate enemy lines and disrupt rear areas
  • Employed during the Spring Offensive (1918)
• Blockades: Naval blockades used to disrupt enemy trade and supply lines, most notably the British blockade of Germany
  • Contributed to shortages and hardship on the home front
• Unrestricted submarine warfare: German U-boats targeted Allied merchant ships without warning, leading to civilian casualties and diplomatic tensions
• Scorched earth: Tactic employed by retreating armies to deny resources and shelter to the advancing enemy, particularly on the Eastern Front
• Creeping barrage: Artillery tactic involving a slowly advancing curtain of fire to provide cover for advancing infantry
  • Improved coordination between infantry and artillery

Key Figures and Leaders

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, his assassination on June 28, 1914, sparked the outbreak of World War I
• Kaiser Wilhelm II: German Emperor during World War I, played a significant role in the country's aggressive foreign policy and military decisions
• Tsar Nicholas II: Last Emperor of Russia, his ineffective leadership and the strains of the war contributed to the Russian Revolution and his abdication in 1917
• Woodrow Wilson: President of the United States during World War I, initially pursued a policy of neutrality but later led the U.S. into the war in 1917
  • Proposed the Fourteen Points as a basis for post-war peace
• Georges Clemenceau: Prime Minister of France during the latter part of the war, known as "The Tiger" for his fierce determination to defeat Germany
• David Lloyd George: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the latter part of the war, played a key role in the management of the British war effort
• Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff: German military leaders who effectively controlled the country's war effort in the latter stages of the conflict
• Ferdinand Foch: French general who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the final year of the war, coordinating the Allied offensives that led to victory
• John J. Pershing: Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), oversaw the deployment and combat operations of U.S. troops in Europe

Aftermath and Consequences

• Treaty of Versailles: Peace treaty signed in June 1919, imposed harsh terms on Germany, including significant territorial losses, military restrictions, and war reparations
  • Widely criticized for its severity and sowing the seeds of future conflict
• Dissolution of empires: The war led to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian empires, redrawing the political map of Europe and the Middle East
• Formation of new nations: New countries (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia) emerged from the former empires, based on the principle of self-determination
• League of Nations: International organization established to promote peace and collective security, but ultimately failed to prevent future conflicts
• Economic devastation: The war left many countries with massive debts, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted trade, contributing to economic instability and the Great Depression
• Social and cultural changes: The war accelerated social changes, including the advancement of women's rights, the rise of consumerism, and the emergence of new artistic and literary movements
• Lost Generation: Term used to describe the generation that came of age during the war, characterized by disillusionment, alienation, and a sense of loss
• Rise of totalitarianism: The political and economic instability in the aftermath of the war contributed to the rise of totalitarian regimes (Nazi Germany, Soviet Union)
  • Set the stage for World War II
• Remembrance and commemoration: The scale and impact of the war led to the establishment of numerous memorials, cemeteries, and traditions to honor the fallen and commemorate the conflict