WWI – 1914-1918

Map of Europe 1914

Lines of Alliances and Treaties

28 June 1914

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia.

Austria-Hungary demanded justice for the Archduke’s killers in very harsh terms

Serbia rejected the demands and the two countries went to war.

On Austro-Hungary’s side…• Germany entered by alliance

• Also Bulgaria & Turkey on the Axis side

Franz Joseph, A-H

Kaiser Wilhelm

On Serbia’s side…• Russia by

alliance with Serbia

• France by alliance with Russia

• Italy sided with these allies

• Britain by alliance with France and Belgium (which was invaded by Germany)

• Japan by military agreement with Britain

Tzar Nicholas of Russia

Clemenceau of France

King George V of Britain

Most action on two fronts

Germany charged west across Belgium, hoping to invade and secure France quickly. German troops were stopped by French, who were joined by the British and Belgians, and both sides dug in.

Western Front

Western Front

showing nationalities

Eastern Front

Red boxes – Russians

Yellow boxes – Germans

Blue boxes Austro-Hungarians

US tried to stay out, but entered in 1917 when its shipping became disrupted by German war ships

President Woodrow Wilson

Advances in technology/science

• Large, shelling artillery

• WMDs – mustard gas (cf. Owen’s poem)

German in gas mask

US soldier at trench with his gas mask

‘Gassed’ by John Singer Sargent shows a line of troops, blinded by gas, being taken to an aid station. Men lie on the ground waiting for treatment.

"With mustard gas the effects did not become apparent for up to twelve hours. But then it began to rot the body, within and without. The skin blistered, the eyes became extremely painful and nausea and vomiting began. Worse, the gas attacked the bronchial tubes, stripping off the mucous membrane. The pain was almost beyond endurance and most cases had to be strapped to their beds. Death took up to four or five weeks.”A nurse wrote: I wish those people who write so glibly about this being a holy war and the orators who talk so much about going on no matter how long the war lasts and what it may mean, could see a case--to say nothing of ten cases--of mustard gas in its early stages--could see the poor things burnt and blistered all over with great mustard-colored suppurating blisters, with blind eyes . . . all sticky and stuck together, and always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying that their throats are closing and they know they will choke." This passage is from John Ellis, Eye-Deep in Hell: Trench Warfare in World War I, (1976), pp. 66-7.

‘Trench’ Warfare

Trench installations became elaborate

Germany Surrendered 1918Guns went silent Nov. 11th at

11:00 am

Losses – 100,000 per icon on the map at left

Treaty of Versailles rearranged

Europe

German losses…

Treaty punished Germany

• War Guilt clause - Germany to accept blame for starting the war.

• Financial Clauses • Reparations - Germany was to pay for the

damage caused by the war. The figure of £6,600 million was set some time after the signing of the treaty.

Military Clauses • Army - was to be reduced to 100,000 men and no tanks were allowed

Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships and no submarines Air Force - Germany was not allowed an Air Force Rhineland - The Rhineland area was to be kept free of German military personnel and weapons

Territorial Clauses • Anschluss - Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.

• Land - Germany lost land to a number of other countries. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium, North Schleswig was given to Denmark. Land was also taken from Germany and given to Czechoslovakia and Poland. The League of Nations took control of Germany's colonies

 The Other Defeated Nations• The Treaty of Versailles determined the punishment that Germany should

face. Other treaties determined the fate of those countries that had fought with Germany - Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Austria and Hungary were divided and therefore signed separate treaties

Austria - The Treaty of St Germain 10th September 1919• Land - Austria lost land to Italy, Czechoslovakia and Serbia (Yugoslavia).

Army - To be reduced to 30,000 men. Anschluss - Union with Germany was forbidden Reparations - Austria was to pay reparations but went bankrupt before the rate could be set.

Hungary - The Treaty of Trianon 4th June 1920• Land - Hungary lost land to Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Serbia

(Yugoslavia) reducing its size from 283,000 sq km to less than 93,000 sq km. Population was reduced from 18.2 million to 7.6 million.Army - To be reduced to 35,000 menReparations - Hungary was to pay reparations but the amount was never set

Treaty of Versailles

Set in place all the resentments of German people that lay groundwork for WWII