May 19th Test Flashcards
Self Determination
Theory known as “inherent nationalism,” dealt with the ideology that people with the same “ethnic origins, language, and political ideals, had the right to form sovereign states = self-determination.” national powers during the 19th century, ignored much of the ideas of national sovereignty, causing them to deny “autonomy to states such as the Germans, Italians, and Belgians.” Led to many wars:
Belgians gained national sovereignty from the Netherlands in 1830
Italian Unification of 1861
German Unification in 1871
Issues of national sovereignty, continued after this
Example the Balkan people: The Ottoman Empire, controlled the Balkan peninsula until 1829, when European powers such as Austria and Russia are responsible for the rapid division of the territory within the Ottoman empire, causing rapid fragmentation
National Rivalries:
Rivalry was present in both “economic competition and colonial conflicts.” caused by nationalism
Largest economic rivalry present between Great Britain and Germany who sought to control the foreign markets.
Germany’s rapid industrialization = threat to Britains “economic performance.”
By 1870 Britain produced, “32% of the worlds total industrial output, while Germany produced 13%.” By 1914, Britains industrial output = 14%
Equivalent output between Germany and England caused tensions between the two countries as they fought for economic dominance
The Naval Race
Expensive battle between the two powerful industrial nations of Britain and Germany, carried over into the naval race to gain control of trading routes, which are decisive for controlly territories economically and politically.
They also believed that having a powerful navy and controlling the seas was vital to any war.
Germany announced that their militaries were building a new fleet of navy ships, and to combat this the British built a whole new type of warship, known as the dreadnought, which used steam turbines to power the large ships at a high speed.
In response the Germans built their own fleet of dreadnoughts, and furthered the tensions and rivalries between the two countries
Colonial Disputes:
Between the 19th and 20th centuries, industrial powers of the worlds, rapidly sought to colonize and gain as much foreign territory as possible to “bolster economic performance.”
Caused a lot of conflict between nations as they sought to assert claims over these foreign territories.
Britain vs. Russia, in Persia (Iran) and Afghanistan, Britain vs. France in Siam (modern-day Thailand) and the Nile valley, Britain vs. Germany in East+Southwest Africa, Germany vs. France, Morocco and west Africa
Most dangerous rivalry was between Britain and Germany and France and Germany
Germany had only become unified nation in 1871, and was trying to establish itself at the forefront of global power through imperialism, however, Britain and France had already established conquest throughout the world
The rivalry created between British + France vs. Germany contributed to spreading of the war after 1914
First major conflict = French vs. Germans fighting over Morocco in 1905, German gov try to isolate french diplomatically, by announcing support of Morocco independence movement = french threatened war
War avoided by an international conference in Algeciras, Spain, but many other conflicts ensued
Growing tension = Balkan Wars (1912-1913) states of Balkan peninsula fought two consecutive war for the territories of the Ottoman Empire = strained diplomatic relations and influenced the outbreak of the Great War
The Central Powers
Also known as the Triple Alliance = close relationship formed between Germany, Austria, and Hungary during the late 19th
In 1879 the two governments formed the Dual alliance against Russian attack and enforced neutrality in case of attack from any other power.
Fear of hostile France, motivated Germans to enter pact and Austrians viewed it as a way to pursue the conquest of Balkan territories, without having to worry about attack from the Russians.
Italy, also fearful of France, joined the alliance in 1882, which made it into the Triple Alliance
Italy nearly ruined the alliance because of its military pursuits in the Ottoman Empire, and rivalry within the Balkans, between Austria and Hungary
Declaration of the Italians in 1911 signaling the start of the war in the Ottoman empire, caused strained relations within the alliance because Germany had tried to establish a relationship with the Turks.
Triple Entente
Alliance between Britain, France, and Russia = originated from a series of agreements that settled colonial disputes between Britain in France in 1904 and between Britain and Russia in 1907,
Between 1907 and 1914, cooperation between these nations led to the summer signing of a military pact
Schieffen Plan:
Was a strategy devised by the Germans in 1905, to avoid war. Swiftly knock out France and use “defensive action against Russia.”
Operation betted on Russian Inability to mobilize soldiers and supplies as quickly as the French which would give the Germans time to concentrate fully on France
Logistical Problems:
Moving 180,00 soldiers into Belgium and France while also obstructing the goal of maintaining peace if Russia decided to become militarily involved.
Gavrillo Princip
Person who essentially began the world war on June 28th, 1914, as he began firing from his revolver
He was a Bosnian Serb who is famously known for assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, while in his car
This essentially began World War 1
The Blank Hand
Terrorist organization, centered in Serbia, who “dedicated” itself to unifying South Slavs and Yugoslavs to from a unified nation of Serbia. Their main goal was to gain control of the Austrain-Hungarian empire, which is why they chose to assassinate the heir to the Hapsburg throne. = Why Austrians responded with such violence.
Got Mia UNS
Directly translated in German to “God is with us.” as the german soldiers who believed that quick victory and glory were coming their way when entering the war, decreeing that God was on their side.
This was a similiar sentiment to the Russian saying, for “God and Tsar.” and the English saying, “For God, King, and Country!”
Mustard Gas
First used by German Troops in January 1935
A liquid, that when exposed to air, turned bright yellow (hence its name) it was released into the trenches, and within 12 hours it had the effect of “rotting the body, within and without.” it caused blistering skin, damaged eyes, and “attacked bronchial tubes.” = stripped mucous membrane, and caused death within 4-5 weeks, causing the victims excruciating pain, whereas they had to be strapped down to control their agony.
Both sides lost a total “of 1.2” million soldiers to this weapon
New Weapons
Barbed Wire: although primitive, it proved very successful in keeping enemies behind the lines and out of no-man land
Machine Gun: First deployed during the American Civil War, it allowed for a rapid advancement in military technique, as it made headlong charges, essentially a suicide mission, as this rapid-fire speed would obliterate ongoing charges. Also caused a stalemate in trench warfare, as neither side would venture into no-mans land.
Tanks: first introduced by the British in 1916 in conjunction with the allies to breakdown enemy lines = it was effective in short-term combat, but not in long-term strategic combat
The Airplane: still incredibly new in 1914, by the end of the war, it had improved greatly to become an efficient asset in warfare. Since the planes could not carry enough weaponry to do any significant damage on the ground, their principal usage was in aerial reconnaissance, which was vital to the war. Although both the plane and the tank played more significant roles in the second world war.
The submarine was only deployed first by the Germans during the Great War, when they discovered its effectiveness in taking out American Commercial ships.
Battle of Verdun
In 1916, German forces sent a huge battalion to attack the fortress of Verdun, where they faced the French, under their motto of “they shall not pass.”
The Germans did not succeed in invading the fortress but the casualties were enormous, with the French having around 315,000 casualties and the Germans with around 280,000
The British got involved with a counter-attack which gained a few thousands yards, yet they lost 420,000 in the process. The end was that neither side truly gained a strategic advantage.
Zeppelin
The 30th of August 1914, the Germans sent a massive Zeplin balloon into Paris, which was filled with Hydrogen gas, and bombs in its underbelly, seeking to target innocent civilians.
Women at War
With mass-scale conscription, women were taken out of the home and into the workplace, as with all the men off to war, women were needed to supply the labor, vital to keep industrialization alive.
Women also had a significant role in warfare, as nurses, physicians, and communications clerks.
One of the most crucial roles of women in the workforce was the making of shells in factories. Several million women and children labored in factories in hazardous conditions for hours on end to supply munitions.
The conditions were extremely dangerous because of explosions, (caused many deaths) as well as poisoning due to exposure to TNT explosives
Middle and Upper-Class women saw war as a liberation of freedom, finding a purpose in working for a wage, rather than being confined to domestic spheres.
Women and men never received the same pay, but during the war, wages were considerably higher than before, however, for many this was only a temporary stint outside of domesticity
The extension of voting rights to women was in part due to their role during the war, with Britain granting it in 1918, Germany 1919, and Austria 1919. Overall helped improve societal conditions for women.
