HL Topic 13: The First World War

Question 1

Causes & Origins of WW1

Answer 1

• Long and Short term causes of WW1
• Imperial Expansion in Africa/Asia
• Congress of Berlin and Alliance System
• Weltpolitik
• Decline of Ottoman Empire
• Balkan Nationalism
• July Crisis

MAIN

Question 2

Long term causes of WW1

Answer 2

Industrialization
Colonial Rivalries/Economic Imperialism
Bismark’s web of Alliances
Weltpolitik
Alsace-Lorraine
British Alliance System

Question 3

Short and immediate causes of WW1

Answer 3

The Bosnian Crisis
The Moroccan crises
The Balkan Wars

The July Crisis
Austro-Hungarian Ultimatum to Serbia
Blank Check
Austro-Hungarian declaration of war
German invasion of Belgium

Question 4

Imperial Expansion in Africa/Asia

Answer 4

Germany had a late entry into the colonial race
Weltpolitik encouraged imperialism
Anglo-German arms race
First Moroccan crisis (1905-1906)
Second Moroccan Crisis (1911)
Jameson Raid and Krueger Telegram (1895 - 1896)
German trading station sin South West Africa

Question 5

Congress of Berlin and Alliance System

Answer 5

Congress of Berlin:
June 13 to July 13 - 1978
Revised the San Stefano Treaty
Stripped the turks of European possessions and refused to grant them to russia.
Ottomans were humiliated
Russia resented the revision
Led to the destruction of the Dreikaiserbund

Alliance System:
1. Dreikaiserbund (Three Emperor’s league) - 1873
Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary
2. Dual Alliance - 1879:
Austria-Hungary and Germany
3. Three Emperor’s Alliance - 1881:
Revised Dreikaiserbund
4. Triple Alliance - 1882:
Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy
5. The Reinsurance Treaty - 1887:
Russia and Germany

Question 6

Weltpolitik

Answer 6

Assertive and Imperialistic approach to foreign policy.
Aimed at securing Germany’s place as a Global Power.
Naval Expansion: Anglo-GErman Arms race
Agressive Colonial Ambitions

Question 7

Decline of the Ottoman Empire

Answer 7

Due to social, political and economic instability:

Territorial Losses caused power vacum and led to European Rivalries.
Increased tension n Europe
Balkan wars (changing regional balance)
Strategic importance of Ottoman territories (Proximity to oil regions, Dardanelles and the Bosphorous)

Question 8

Balkan Nationalism and the July Crisis

Answer 8

Ethnic diversity and Tensions
Serbian nationalism and expansion
Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo (June 28 1914):
was a direct manifestation of Balkan nationalism
- Austro-Hungarian ultimatum
- Blank Check
- Serbian response
- Declaration of War

Question 9

Practices and Outcomes (Events - Who won and Why?)

Answer 9

Strategic Errors
Economic Factors
Role of the US
Domestic problems in Germany

Question 10

Strategic Errors

Answer 10

Failure of the Schlieffen plan
The Battles of the Somme and Verdun
Failure to compete with evolving millitary strategies (rolling barrage)
Lack of mobilisation
Failure of U-Boat campaign (led to the USA entering the war)
Weakness of German Allies

Question 11

Economic Factors

Answer 11

Allied blockade:
Cut off Germany and its allies from vital maritime supply routes
Restricted imports of military resources, food, and raw materials into GErmany
Strangled the German economy and depleted its resources
Millions spent on war loans (British or American)
German Agriculture and industry fell
Overall resource shortages

Question 12

Role of the US

Answer 12

Initial loans and sale of arms, favouring Britain and France

US entry:
Germany unrestricted their submarine warfare which sunk the Lusitania and the Sussex in 1915/1916. Then in early 1917 the Zimmerman telegram galvanized American sentiment and led Wilson to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

American forces provided crucial reinforcements at the Western front in 1918. (Battles of Cantigny, 2nd Marne, Mauese-Argonne offensive, etc.)

Question 13

Effects, results and Consequences: Civilian Populations

Answer 13

Socio-ecomomic Impact
Impact of Women
Case studies: Germany and Britain

Question 14

Domestic problems in Germany

Answer 14

Political:
Instability
Polarization
COrruption and lack of worker representation
Opposition and desire for emancipation

Economic:
Agriculture and Industry fell
Decline in profit and investment
War strain
83% public expenditure on military items

Question 15

Socio-Economic Impact: Germany

Answer 15

Human cost:
2 million soldiers killed, 4.2 wounded
424,000 civilians - Malnutrition and starvation

Impact of Economic warfare:
Economy shrank by 27%
Long-term shortages in food and raw materials and oil (shifted military balance)

Allied Blockade:
Resource shortages
Shortages in fertilizers collapsed agriculture in GErmany
Caloric input decreased to less than 1000 cals a day

British planes inflicted major damage on German factories in 1917

Question 16

Socio-Economic Impact: Britain

Answer 16

Human Cost:
Casualties: 876084
One million troop members killed
Two million permanently disabled

Economic Impact:
Trade routes were cut off causing widespread resource shortages (Submarine warfare)

German zeppelin effects on morale and psychological aspects.

Question 17

Impact of Women: Germany

Answer 17

High demand for women in the workforce 37%
Income was low, wage gap
After the war women were forced back into traditional roles by society and govt
Emotional cost
Women were accused of scandalous behavior
Women succeded the right to vote in 1919

Question 18

Impact of Women: Britain

Answer 18

Larger workforce demanded women in factories
Workers in the munition industry were 90% female
Women won increased rights over property, children, marriage and divorce
Recieved more education, became more involved in politics
Advanced the fight towards suffrage