Unit 17: WWI & the Russian Revolution

Textbook pages: 743-763, 769-779

Concept Questions

1. What were the main causes of WWI?

2. What were the major characteristics of WWI?

3. How did new technologies change warfare during WWI?

4. What was the role of Russia in WWI?5. What were the causes of the Russian

Revolution?6. What were the effects of the Russian

Revolution?

Start of WWI

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand◦Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary◦Serbian nationalists (Black Hand) angry over

the annexation of Slavic areas in the Balkan peninsula

◦Balkans become known as the “powder keg”

Long Term Causes

Militarism◦ Maintain the strongest military possible◦ Millions spent on race between nations

Alliances◦ Formal agreements◦ Triple Alliance

Germany/Austria-Hungary/Italy◦ Triple Entente

Great Britain/France/Russia Imperialism

◦ Competition leads to tension between nations Nationalism

◦ Excessive patriotism leads to extremism◦ Created new unstable countries◦ Ethnic groups wanted independence, caused tension &

instability

War Consumes Europe

Schlieffen Plan◦Two-front war◦Invasion of neutral Belgium◦1st Battle of the Marne destroys the plan

Taking Sides◦Central Powers (Triple Alliance)

Lose Italy, gain Bulgaria & Ottoman Empire◦Allies (Triple Entente)

Add Japan & Italy

Modern Warfare

Trench Warfare◦Western Front◦“no man’s land”◦Stalemate

Modern technology◦Caused high casualty rates◦Machine guns, tanks, artillery, poison gas,

submarines, flame throwers, planes

Eastern Front

German-Russian border◦Russia short on supplies◦Not industrialized◦Huge population◦“Enemy at the Gates”

Allied help◦Geographically cut off

Total War

Total War – mobilization of all resources◦Taxation◦Rationing◦Draft ◦Women◦Propaganda

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

U.S. ◦Lusitania, Sussex - Unrestricted submarine warfare◦Zimmerman note

Allied Victory

Russia withdraws◦Czar Nicholas forced to abdicate the thrown◦Vladimir Lenin◦Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Truce with Germany Forced to give up a lot of territory

Final Push◦Germany now able to focus on the West◦Men are exhausted, supplies are low◦U.S. enters the war ◦Kaiser forced to step down◦Armistice signed

Impact of WWI

Fourteen Points◦President Wilson’s plan to provide a LASTING

peace◦No secret treaties◦Free trade◦Freedom of the seas◦Decrease in the size of armies/navies◦Decrease in arms◦Self-determination for new nations◦League of Nations◦Most points rejected

Treaty of Versailles

Germany ◦Takes sole blame◦Loss of territory in Europe and abroad◦Limited the size of military

Economics◦Can not import war materials or weapons◦Pay $30 billion in reparations◦Severe inflation and depression

Could not pay reparations to Europe Europe can’t repay loans to U.S. Great Depression

Treaty of Versailles

Boundaries◦Austrian-Hungarian empire divided◦Serbia and other lands become Yugoslavia◦Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia created from

Russian and German lands◦Ottoman empire becomes Turkey

Mandate System◦German colonies redistributed to Britain &

France under League of Nations supervision◦Provides foundation for later independence

League of Nations

International peace keeping organization32 allied and neutral countriesExcluded Germany & RussiaLittle enforcement abilityWilson’s 14 Points

Consequences

U.S. adopts isolationism Japan & Italy

◦ Angry over lack of war “spoils”Germany

Bitter & hateful

8.5 million soldiers dead21 million woundedCivilians suffering starvation, disease, slaughter

◦ Farmland, villages, towns & homes destroyed$338 billion Art – Lost Generation

◦ Reflects the suffering, insecurity and despair of the times

Russian Revolution

Causes of Russian Revolutions

Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese WarStrict government controls

◦Censorship, secret police, Russian language only, Jewish pogroms,

Bloody Sunday◦Unarmed protestors attacked◦Peasants seized land, city workers strike◦Food shortages/famine

WWI – heavy loss of lifeWeak leadership

◦Czar Nicholas II – absolute ruler◦Advised by Rasputin (hemophiliac son)◦Forced to abdicate, ended Russia’s traditional monarchy

Revolutions

February (March)◦Food riots◦Czar Nicholas attempts to industrialize

Causes harsh working conditions, angers the working class

realizes he has lost control◦Abdication creates a republic ruled by a weak

provisional government

October (November)◦Vladimir Lenin (follower of Karl Marx)◦Seized control of the provisional government

Bolsheviks

Bolshevik party gained political power (peace, bread, land)

Party supported by the soviets (workers)Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with

Germans◦Ended their involvement in WWI

Russian farmland given to the peasants and soviets took control of factories

U.S.S.R.

Civil war between the Bolsheviks (reds) and the anti-Bolsheviks (whites)◦3 years◦Left Russia in chaos

U.S. supported the whitesLenin proposes the NEP (new economic

policy) to revive the economyRussia re-organized into the U.S.S.R. (United

Soviet Socialist Republic)◦Prevented the spread of nationalism among the

diverse populations◦Bolshevik party renamed the Communist party◦Lenin dies in 1924, replaced by Joseph Stalin

Stalin

Totalitarian State◦Govt. control over all aspects of public & private life◦ Illusion of stability

Command Economy (socialism)◦Govt. makes all economic decisions◦Govt. tells you where to live & work◦Limited supplies of consumer goods – severe

shortages◦Secret police – repercussion if you do not contribute

Agricultural Revolution◦Peasants forced onto collective farms◦Wealthy who protested were killed or exiled to work

camps or Siberia

Totalitarianism

Stalin’s economic changes brought Russia into the modern age but at the expense of all individuality and through mass fear campaigns

Great Purge ◦Eliminated threats to power◦8-13 million (many military leaders, WWII?)

Women◦Expected to join the workforce AND be full time

wives/mothersEducation

◦Strictly controlled by the state, indoctrination of the young in Communist beliefs

Armenian Massacre

1915-1918Christians in the Ottoman Empire faced

genocide during WWIOver 1,000,000 Armenians wee

exterminated

Example – politically motivated mass murder◦Holocaust, Rwanda, Stalin…