World War I and the Russian Revolution

Causes

MANIAM

• Long Term– M ilitarism– A lliances– N ationalism– I mperialism

• Short term– A ssassination– M obilzation

Militarism

• The aggressive preparation for war • The Industrial Revolution allowed for mass

production of weapons and resources

Alliances

• Triple Alliance– Germany, Austria-

Hungary, Italy

• Central Powers– Germany, Austria-

Hungarian, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

• Triple Entente– Great Britain– France– Russia

• Allied Powers– Great Britain, France,

Italy, the U.S., Russia

Nationalism

• The right of people to have their own nations• Example-– Serbia wanted independence from Austria-

Hungary– Created tension throughout Europe

Imperialism

• Competition between countries• German attempt to become a world power by

spreading throughout Europe

Assassination28 June 1914

• Archduke Francis Ferdinand– Next in line for the Austria-Hungarian throne– Murdered in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip• A member of a radical Serbian nationalist group known

as the Black Hand conspired to murder Ferdinand

– Sparks the fuse of World War

July 1914

• 5 July 1914-Germany gives Austria-Hungary a blank check, meaning Germany will support Austria-Hungary against a Russian supported Serbia

• 28 July 1914-Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

• 30 July 1914-Full mobilization of Russian army

Mobilization

• Bringing together resources (troops/supplies) before a war

• Considered an act of war

August 1914• 1 August 1914-Germany declares war on Russia

• 3 August 1914-Germany declares war on France

• 4 August 1914-Great Britain declares war on Germany for invading and violating Belgium’s neutrality

• 6 August 1914-Austria-Hungary Declares War on Russia

• 12 August 1914-Great Britain and France declare war on Austria-Hungary

Schlieffen Plan

• Germany’s plan to avoid a two front war• Attack/defeat France first before turning east

to Russia

Erich von Ludendorff

• German general who guided military operations

• Developed German war strategy until the last German offensive

• Germany invades Belgium and marches toward France

First Battle of the MarneSept 5-12, 1914

• River Marne in east central France• Allied forces stopped the German advance

toward Paris• Germany retreated and dug trenches to hold

ground• Beginning of trench warfare

Western Front

• Characterized by trench warfare• Read pg 504-505, Focus on Everyday Life:

Trench Warfare• Created a four year stalemate • War of attrition-wearing the other side down

with constant attacks• “no man’s land”-area between the two

trenches

World War I Tactics/Weapons

• Airplanes– Bombings– Air to Air Combat

• Poison Gas• Submarines• Zeppelins

• Tanks• Gas Masks• Steel Helmets• “softening up” the

enemy with artillery• Charging enemy

trenches

German Navy

• Expanded by Admiral Tirpitz• Begins unrestricted submarine warfare

LusitaniaMay 7, 1915

• Read page 510-511• British ship sunk by German submarines• 1195 killed (128 US lives)• Created American anger toward Germany and

caused opposition to US neutrality• Germany agreed to suspend unrestricted

submarine warfare to prevent US intervention in the War

Verdun, France1916

• 10 month battle• 700,000 killed• Allies only gained a few miles of land• Forced the British to take the brunt of the

Somme offensive

Battle of the SommeJuly-Nov. 1916

• Northern France• British v. German forces• British charged the German trenches• 600,000 Allied losses

Battle of Jutland

• 31 May 1916• Only naval battle of the war• Britain defeated the German Navy and

maintained control of North Sea• German fleet remained docked until the end

of the war

Eastern Front

• Characterized by mobility

Battle of TannenbergAugust 30, 1914

• Early battle of the war in which Germany defeated the Russians

• German forces led by General Hindenburg

Italy

• Betrayed German and Austria by attacking Austria in 1915 and later joined the Allied powers

• Declared war on Germany in 1916

War Expands Outside Europe

• Ottoman Empire and the Middle East• British Forces would dominate Ottoman forces

and push them out of the Middle East

• Seize German colonies

US enters the War-1917

• Reasons:1. Sinking of the Lusitanian led some

Americans to call for an end to isolationism2. Germany resumes unrestricted submarine

warfare (1917) 3. US uncovers a German plot to convince

Mexico to attack the US (Zimmerman Telegram-1917)

• July 1917-First US troops land in Europe

Home Front

• Total War-war involving a complete mobilization of resources and people

• Entire economies and manufacturing industries focus on the war

• Increased government powers– War demanded quick decisions and changes– Many European countries suspended capitalist

systems for planned economies (directed by government agencies)

Propaganda

• The spread of ideas to influence public opinion for or against a cause; boost morale

• Positive public opinion was essential to war time success

• Authoritative governments used force to influence

• Democratic countries used propaganda

•Slogans• Brief, striking

phrase, may include labeling or stereotyping.

• Often an emotional appeal

•Testimonial• Quotations,

usually cited to support or reject a given policy, action, program or personality• Person quoted is

usually used to gain respect for issue.

• Fear• Seek to build

support by instilling anxiety and panic in the general population

•Name Calling

• Attempts to arouse prejudices by labeling the subject as something the audience dislikes/fears.

• Often uses negative stereotypes

•Band Wagon• Inevitable Victory –

invites those not on the bandwagon to join those on the road to victory. Also reassures those already on bandwagon

• Join the Crowd – reinforces people’s natural desire to be on the winning side. Makes people believe that it is in their best interest to join.

•Plain Folks• Attempts to

convey message that reflects the common sense of the people.• Uses ordinary

language to identify their point of view with that of average people.

•Testimonial

•Band Wagon

•Slogan

•Fear

•Band Wagon

•Plain Folks

•Slogan•Band Wagon

•Slogan

•Fear

•Plain Folks

•Name Calling

•Band Wagon

•Testimonial

•Slogan

•Fear

•Name Calling

•Plain Folks

•Fear

Russian Revolution

• Causes– Poor leadership– Military defeats in WWI– Peasant suffering– Influence of V.I. Lennon

Russia during the War

• Russia was unprepared to fight a war– No competent military leaders– Weak armament industry– Poorly armed military

• Between 1914 and 1916– 2 million killed– 4-6 million wounded

Czar Nicholas II

• Relied on military to maintain control• Wife Alexandra made decisions while Nicholas

was at the front• She was heavily influenced by a Siberian

peasant named Grigori Rasputin

Decline of the Czar’s Regime

• Series of military and economic disasters• Conservative aristocrats attempt to save

Czar’s regime• Assassinated Rasputin in Dec. 1916 to regain

control, but it was to late

March Revolution

• Began in city of Petrograd• Poor military leadership• Food shortage• Peasant suffering• Women workers march in protest then

organized a general strike• Would eventually lead to the abdication of

Nicholas II-The last Czar of Russia

Duma

• Russian legislative body in 1917• Nicholas II had unsuccessful attempted to

dissolve the Duma before March Rev.• Met March 12th and set up a provisional

government in Russia– Demanded the Czar step down

• Nicholas abdicated March 15th ending the Romanov Dynasty

Government after Czar

• Set up a provisional government led by Alexander Kerensky

• Decided to continue fighting the war which was a fatal mistake and led to the Bolshevik take over

Challenge to the Provisional Government

• Soviet-councils composed of representatives from the workers and soldiers– Represented the radical interests of the lower

class • Soviet of Petrograd formed March 1917• Leon Trotsky was head of the Petrograd soviet

Bolsheviks

• Soviets made up of different parties• The Russian Social Democrats (Bolsheviks)

were a faction of the Marxist Party• Led by V.I. Lenin

V.I. Lenin

• Lenin was imprisoned in Germany for his socialist beliefs

• Germany returned Lenin to Russia in an attempt to bring about a civil war

• Led the Bolshevik party• Lenin and the Bolsheviks were dedicated to

violent revolution to destroy capitalism

Rise of Lenin• Bolsheviks gain support• Recognized importance of controlling soviets– “Peace, Land, And Bread”• Promised an end to the war• Land redistribution to peasants

– “Worker Control of Production”• Transfer control of industries to the workers

– “All Power to the Soviets”• Transfer government power to the soviet

November Revolution

• Communists takeover of Russia• Seize the Winter Palace (seat of the

provisional government)• Bolsheviks rename themselves “Communists”

after they seize power• Lenin turned over power to the all-Russian

Congress of Soviets• Actual power held by the Council of the

People’s Commissars led by Lenin

Treaty of Brest-LitovskMarch 3, 1918

• Lenin signs a peace agreement with Germany• Lost Russian territory in agreement• Russia withdraws from the war ending the

fighting on the Eastern Front• Germany can now turn its focus to the

Western Front

Russian Civil War

• Not all people supported the Communists– Some loyal to the Czar– Liberals and anti-Lenin Socialists (non-radicals)– Allied Powers

• Led to conflict• Whites-Anti-communist groups in the Russian

Civil War• Reds-Communist supporters in the Russian

Civil War

Communist “Red” Army

• Led by Commissar Trotsky• Forced to fight several anti-Communist

factions– Siberian Anti-Communists– Allied material aid to anti-Communists– The Ukrainians

• Eventually defeat all “White” forces

Communists Triumph

• Red Army well trained under the leadership of Trotsky

• White forces disorganized• Communists unified by a common goal-rise of

a new socialist order• Form of planned economy known as War

Communism– Temporary suspension of Communist practices– Government control of industry and banking

Communists Triumph (cont.)

• Revolutionary Terror– Red Secret Police• Also known as the “Cheka”• Began a Red Terror campaign to destroy all those who

opposed the new regime• Comparable to Reign of Terror during the French

Revolution

• Russian Patriotism– Unify against foreign invaders on Russian soil

Results of the Russian Revolution

• July 16, 1918-Czar and his family executed by the local soviet

• By 1921, Communists were in complete control of Russia

• Russia became a centralized single party state• Hostility toward the Allied Powers

End of the War• 1917 saw struggles for the Allies– Defeats on the Western Front– Russia exits the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) which

angered the Allies

• Admiral Holtzendorff- convinced Emperor William II to resume unrestricted submarine warfare

• Conditions improve when US enters the war– German decision to resume unrestricted submarine

warfare brought US into war– Psychological boost to Allies

Second Battle of the MarneMarch 1918

• Last German offensive• German attempt to take Paris repealed by

French, Moroccan, and US troops• Allied begin offensive toward Germany

Germany concedes

• September 1918-General Ludendorff informs his commanders the German war is lost and Germany must surrender

• German Kaiser William II forced to step down because the Allies would not negotiate with the imperial government

• On the 11th day, of the 11th month, on the 11th hour Germany signs an armistice (truce to end fighting)

New German government

• Friedrich Ebert and the Social Democrats set up a democratic republic

• Radical socialist create the German Communist Party

• Communist revolutions spring up in Germany– Attempt to take over Berlin and Munich– Revolutions fail, but creates a fear of Communism

in Germany

Paris Peace ConferenceJanuary 1919

• Meeting of 27 victorious Allied nations to create a peace settlement

• Germany not present• Russia absent (Civil War)• Big 3-US, Great Britain, France

– Made the majority of the decisions– Most disagreement/compromise

• Big 4-Big 3 + Italy• Complicated negotiations

– Secret agreements made before threatened self-determination– National Interests (France, Great Britain)

National Interests

• George Clemenceau (France) was guided by the desire for national security and revenge– Disarm Germany– Reparations-payments to cover the cost of the

war– Create a buffer zone in the Rhineland

• Prime Minister David Lloyd George (Great Britain) wanted to make the Germans pay for the war

Woodrow Wilson (US)

– Became a spokesperson for a new world order based on democracy and international cooperation

– “Fourteen Points”-Wilson’s basis for the peace settlement• Open diplomacy• Reduce armaments• Self-determination for all nations

– Proposed the League of Nations

League of Nations

– World organization dedicate to democracy and the maintenance of peace

– Accepted by Paris Peace Conference January 1919

– Never ratified by the United States

Peace Treaties

• Paris Peace Conference created five separate peace agreements for each of major Central Powers

• Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey• Germany-Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of VersaillesJune 1919

• Treaty signed with Germany that many Germans felt has a harsh peace

• Germany must return Alsace and Lorraine to France

• Reparations• Disarmament (reduce troops and weapons)• Return Alsace and Loraine to France

Treaty of Versailles (Cont.)

• Parts of Eastern Germany to Poland• Demilitarized zone around Rhine River• Blame/Responsibility– Article 231-”War Guilt Clause”– Declared Germany and Austria were responsible

for starting the war• Germany accepted the treaty as an “dictated

peace”

New Map of Europe

• After the Paris Peace Conference Europe looked much different, especially Eastern Europe

• Germany and Russia lost land• Austria-Hungarian Empire disappeared• New nation states:– Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia,

Austria, Hungary– Yugoslavia-New Slavic state combining Serbia, Croatia, and

Slovenia

Rewrite the following sentences in your own words and be prepared to

give an explanation

• Due to the numerous cultures of East Europe it was impossible to completely recognize all peoples right to self-determination and create a nation state for each group. Inevitably, this led to the existence of ethnic minorities and consequently conflicts in new nation states.

League of Nations Mandates

• Ottoman Empire dissolved after WWI• Former Ottoman State divided up into

mandates• Mandate-a nation officially governed by

another nation on behalf of the League of Nations

• After the war Britain ruled Iraq and Palestine as mandates, but did not own the territory

Results of World War I

• 10 million dead• 20 million wounded• Europe Destroyed• Increased governmental power over its

citizens• National Insecurity• Anger of defeated Central Powers