WWI Flashcards
Causes
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
Main Idea-Stage Set
In Europe, military buildup, nationalistic feelings, and rival alliances set the stage for a continental war
Relevance
Entire 20th c resulted from WWI
What was going on prewar?
Peace pursuit
Peace pursuit
by early 1900s, efforts underway to end war and foster international understanding
Peace pursuit examples
Nobel Peace Prize, first Universal Peace conference, first modern olympic games (1896)
Nobel Peace Prize
Swedish inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel saw his own mistaken obituary and said it wasn’t what he wanted to be remembered for
Why was the peace @ the time in Europe described as uneasy?
despite the peaceful situation @ the time, several forces were @ work that would help transition europe into war
Nationalism examples
Germany building pride as it became industrial leader, France wanted to be leading power and resented German occupation of Alsace and Lorraine, Pan-Slavism and Balkans
Pan-Slavism
Russia, largest slavic country, believed responsibility to defend all Slavs, and when Serbia fought w Austria Hungary, Russia stood by Serbia
Balkans
A-H worried that the nationalities under its rule would rebel and Ottoman Turkey thought Serbia and Greece, both new nations on borders, were a threat
Imperialism before WWI
Africa and parts of Asia were sources of conflict for their raw materials–increasing competition and desire for greater empires led to increase in confrontation
Imperialism define
Country increases power and wealth by bringing additional territories under its control
Militarism before wwI
As world entered 20c, arms race had begun–by 1914, Germany had greatest increase in buildup, and GB and Germany both increased navies.
Alliances WWI
Over time, throughout Europe, countries made mutual defense agreements that would pull them into battle.
Pre WWI alliances
Russia-Serbia, Germany-A-H, Japan-Britain, Britain-France-Belgium, France-Russia
A-H
Austria Hungary
Trigger–chain of events
Archduke Ferdinand assassinated by Serbian nationalist
What did the assassination trigger?
AH declared war on Serbia
What happened when AH declared war on Serbia?
Serbia involved Russia
What happened when Serbia involved Russia?
Germany declared war on Russia bc of their AH alliance
What happened when Germany declared war on Russia bc of their AH alliance?
Russia appealed to France and involved them
What happened when Russia appealed to France and involved them?
Germany declared war on France
What happened after Germany declared war on France?
Germany invaded Belgium en route to France
What happened when Germany invaded Belgium en route to France?
GB declared war on Germany
What pushed E countries to brink of war?
Imperialism–Quest for African and Asian colonies–nations wanted as much land as possible. despite berlin conference, tensions mounted
What relationships had developed among E Great Powers by 20th c
fierce rivalry
How does nationalism and militarism cause intense competition?
each seeking to overpower other
define militarism
policy of glorifying military power and building up army
militarism quote
“we must build a bigger navy than the enemy will build when he hears we’re building a bigger navy then he’s building”
white man’s burden
belief that white colonizer had to impose their civilization on black inhabitants of colonies
Assassination of Ferdinand of AH
6/1914 Serbian nationalist gavrilo philip assassinates Ferdinand and wife while visiting sarajevo, bosnia
raw african material
rubber, diamonds, palm oil, slaves, fertile land, education
raw african material
rubber, diamonds, palm oil, slaves, fertile land, education
forms of imperialism
colony, protectorate, sphere of influence
colony + example
body of people who settle far from home but maintain homeland ties. somilaland in E Africa French colony once
protectorate + example
territory w own internal govt under control of outside power. British one established over Niger river delta.
Sphere of influence + example
area in which outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges
Kipling–benefit that Westerners bring to non Europeans
Economic development, adequate food, med care
Kipling warns his audience not to call too loud on freedom. How might argument of freedom be used against his views?
freedom and way of life > gifts of civilization
Kipling paints vivid, unflattering portrait of non-E in his poem. What phrases does he use to convey this?
fluttered folk and wild, half devil and half child
Isolationism
Allied system only stretches up to protecting yourself in process
Who was practicing Isolationism pre WWI?
GB
Alliance system
Groups of countries agree to support one another when one is attacked.
Main intention of alliance system
main intention to increase security.
Main problem of alliance system
problem–can pull everyone into war.
What was sinister about German motives for getting involved in the war?
was new and ready to conquer world–knew AH was weak, would help and then attack them
Interesting about French-GB alliance
reluctant (“necessity makes strange bedfellows”)
Why did France have cause for concern?
Had lost to Germany before, so made alliance w Russia in 1894. approached GB in 1904. Allied as triple entente in 1907
What didn’t GB and France challenge each other over?
GB wasn’t challenged over Egypt and France over Morocco
When did Italy join Germany and AH?
1882
Why was 6/28 a bad day for the archduke to visit?
Bc it was both the date when Serbia had been conquered before and when they had regained freedom–the archduke seemed to be exerting power
Main Idea-War Consumes Europe
Following Ferdinand assassination, WWI erupts, as nations on both sides rush to defend their allies. Despite Ferdinand’s status as heir to AH empire, primary aggressor was Germany.
RELEVANCE-War Consumes Europe
war propelled US to new position of international power which it still retains
Machine gun
increases killing efficiency w automatic reload
Tank
-protects people inside, shoots
U boat
-unterseeboat-German sub-like boat
Why are airplane fights called dogfights?
chasing tails
revolutionary weapons used
machine guns, tanks, subs, airplanes, poison gas
WWI quote
“Out of every four men…”
How did freedom play a role in the production of the Maxim machine gun?
Inventor was rival to Wright bros
He patented machine gun inspired by experiences hunting, using force of recoil to reload
Friend told him to make a pile of money make a device for Europeans to cut their own throats with more efficiency
Battle of Somme
7/1/1916
No mans land attack by GB, 200,000 soldiers
Germans hid and had good gun tactics, waited for people to enter a killing sone
Schlieffen plan
Schlieffen Plan-A large part of G army would race west (thru Belgium, who is allied w GB) to defeat France, once they were defeated, race back to east and fight Russia
Factors of Schlieffen plan
Could be attacked on two fronts
S plan depends on speed
Attack France first, really quickly and get to Paris
Russia’s too big to attack quickly enough
Belgium is allied w GB so got to quickly cut through them to get to France and B is tiny and GB will get involved
Who proclaimed neutrality?
Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Scandinavian countries, and Woodrow Wilson proclaimed neutrality (won on that
platform,)
Establishment of German empire
Empire established in 1871 w intention of upstaging GB
Why did AH and G prepare to fight France and Russia?
AH and G prepared to fight over Balkans with France and Russia
By what year was GB on the warpath?
1914
Battle of Marne
At very last minute allies come back and S plan is destroyed
Allies finally defeat Germans in September 1914 after months of being beaten. 2mil men fought and casualties were around 500,000
Results of Battle of Marne
Results:
German hopes for quick victory in west shattered
Schlieffen plan ruined–major loss
Germany forced to face long costly war on two fronts leading to birth of trench warfare
What were conditions like in the trenches
Usual awfulness (see handout)
What caused US to declare war on Germany?
Sinking of Lusitania, cultural ties, zimmerman note
Lusitania
Germans sink British passenger civilian ship Lusitania, killing about 1000 with u boats
Claimed that US was using ship to send stuff to Britain
Highly probable that it was true but there’s no proof
128 passengers were American
Similar to Pearl Harbor reason for involvement
Results of Lusitania
G promises to come to surface first to warn passengers to leave
They don’t keep to it
US enters war)
What common culture did America share w Britain and France?
British language, French democracy
Why didn’t some Americans want to support British or Russia?
Russian Jewish immigrants and American Jews wouldn’t support czar–pogroms, some German Americans favored Central Powers, Irish Americans resented British domination of Ireland
Zimmerman note circumstance
early 1917–British intercepted message sent using western union (office in London) from Arthur Zimmerman and revealed in to American govt, intensifying public American anti-German sentiment.
Arthur Zimmerman
German foreign minister
Zimmerman note content
that in return for Mexican support Germany would help Mexico reconquer certain territories in New Mexico/Texas/Arizona
Why did Russia have to pull out?
Communism drama
Over There
American propaganda encouraging men to draft
How long had the war been going on when US joined?
3years–total war
When did Great War end
11/11/1918
Results of total war
unemployment nearly disappeared. War is
good for economy at beginning Bc it creates jobs. Many foods
were in short supply, compelling govt to turn to rationing.
Govt suppressed anti war activity and censored war news.
Propaganda war
total war=every citizen involved, so must control public opinion. even in democratic countries, press censored. goal-keep complete casualty figures and discouraging news from causing unnecessary mass panic
Types of propaganda
Bandwagon, testimonial, plain folks, transfer, fear, logical fallacies, dehumanization, glittering generalities, name calling
Bandwagon
Everyone’s doing it…do it too
testimonial
celebrity
plain folks
identifying w/ everyone
transfers
associate w unrelated concepts
fear
scare them into doing it
dehumanization
eliminate empathy w enemy
logical fallacies
logic draw conclusions
glittering generalities
generally accepted virtue employed to stir up emotions, but words are manipulated
name calling
ties concept to largely perceived negative image
Main Idea–an uneasy peace
after winning war, allies dictated harsh peace settlement that left many nations feeling betrayed.
Main Idea–relevance
feelings left by peace settlement helped cause WWII
What was wrong w Wilson’s 14 points?
Not punitive
Britain main goal VS
make cash back
France main goal VS
weaken Germany so it could never again threaten France
Big Three
Britain’s David Lloyd George, France’s Georges Clemenceau, American president Woodrow Wilson
Treaty of VS successful
no
Who rejected the VS
US
League of Nations
International peace organization, membership include allied war power and 32 allied/neutral nations
Who was excluded from LoN
Germany, Russia`
Territorial losses Germany VS
Returned A-L to France, French border extended to W bank of Rhine River. Surrenders all overseas colonies in Africa and Pacific
A-L
Alsace-Lorraine
Military restriction Germany VS
Germany couldn’t import/make weapons/war material. army size limited, subs forbidden.
War Guilt VS
Sole German responsibility, required to pay 33b
What did Churchill mean when he said allied victory in WWI was “bought so dear as to be indistinguishable from defeat”
came at terrible price–entire gen of Europe lost, treasuries drained, farmland towns and villages destroyed, citizens left disillusioned and bitter
Winston Churchill
GB PM post WWII, undersecretary of navy during WWI
Visuals on White Man’s Burden
ok
Indictment of Germany accusations
taught subjects might=right, took every opportunity to expand military, lied, spied, spread rumors, bullied, encouraged AH to start war, refused to negotiate
Key Hitler ideas
Treaty outrage, Germany was master race of Aryans, stabbed in back by Marxist/Jews during WWI, more living space and leader to restore greatness, social darwinism
social darwinism
survival of the fittest=racism
Was Germany alone in imperialism and militarism?
no
Who supported AH in desire to punish Serbia? Result?
Germany, war
problem w L o N
verbal sanctions and economic sanctions don’t have power/don’t work, physical sanctions invalid w/o army. all bark, no bite.
Examples of book racist attitude
21,22 39,40–depicted as savage
Specific examples of book painting british as superior
A,B,C,D,E,K,N,O,W,I,T
