World War I

World War I = The Great War

1. Causes:

a) Systems of alliances

A number of alliances had been signed by countries between the years 1879 and 1914.

b) Imperialism / Nationalism:

The struggle for colonies led to more nationalists countries.

c) Militarism:

Militarism means that the army and military forces are strengthened.

d) Internal problems:

Conservatism vs. Socialism

This conflict caused the alliances among nations with the same interests to fight their domestic problems.

2. Key Event:

28 June 1914

A Serbian nationalist student, Gavrilo Princip, assassinated the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife.

The Austrian government blamed Serbia for the assassination and declared war.

Russia was allied with Serbia and mobilised asking France to mobilise too.

3. Two alliances:

• Triple Alliance: Germany and Austria- Hungary made an alliance with Italy.

• Triple Entente: Russia, France and Britain (vs. Germany).

4. The Schlieffen Plan:

The Schlieffen Plan was a strategic plan for victory in which the Germans would be fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east.

5. US enters the war:

USA declares the war to Germany because they sank the British ship Lusitania which had American passengers.

6. Russia out of the war:

Russia had to leave the war because of the internal problems: Communists doing revolts against the government. The Russian Revolution happened.

7. Tactics and strategies in WWI:

War in the air: airplanes, zepellins

Trench warfare

8. End of the war:

11 Nov 1918

At 11 am, in France, the Armistice was signed bringing the war to an end.

9. Treaty of Versailles

England, Italy, France and Woodrow Wilson from US met to discuss how Germany was to be made to pay for the damage world war one had caused.

Wilson had devised a 14 points plan that he believed would bring stability to Europe.

Germans were asked to go to Versailles to sign the treaty on 28th June 1919.

10. Treaty of Versailles = conditions for Germany:

Although Germany was not happy with the Treaty they had little choice but to sign.

General Clauses : The establishment of the League of Nations: An assembly of all nations should be formed to protect world peace in the future.

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

Financial Clauses: Germany was to pay for the damage caused by the war.

Military Clauses: Army - was to be reduced to 100,000 men and no tanks were allowed. Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships

...