Causes

Balkan nationalism- two Balkan wars before WWI,

Serbian Black Hand movement
Alliance system (Britain, France, Russia v. Germany, Italy, Austria) Bismarck
had an alliance with Russia, but William II ended it when he fired Bismarck
Colonial Rivalry
William II started an arms race, especially building submarines.
In 1900 Germany surpassed England in steel and iron production
France & England sided with Russia
Economic rivalry between England and Germany
Pax Britannica was beginning to end. mans. Franco-Prussian War (France lost
Alsace-Lorraine after this war)
Germany's government was trying to counter the socialist movement in its
country by going to war. "Diversionary Factor"
Growth of the cities created a more socialist society
Germany was willing to go to war
William II ended his alliance with Russia
Germany didn't really have many colonies, this made William II rather (but
they got a few)
William II has a chip on his shoulder, as did Germany
Course of WWI
The Germanys thought that they could win a big fast war, they started a blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is lightning warfare
Paris stopped the Germans
This started the stalemate and the trench warfare, also started the arms race
First war with chemical, biological warfare
First time the machine guns, tanks, planes, submarines, and artillery were used in
war.
War stayed in a stalemate until the U.S. came into it.
Effects of WWI

8.5 Million Killed, 21 Million Wounded (civilians and soldiers)

Northeastern Europe was reduced to rubble

Entire generation of young men wiped out because of either death or mental
trauma

Pandemic of 1919-20(50 million deaths)

Shaped the destinies of major countries in the 20th and 21st centuries

o Politically and technologically

Civilian casualties

Totalitarianism- total government

Redrafting of the European borders

Happened around whole world

Civilian affected
o Propaganda (radio, newspaper, media in general)

Technology
o Radio (During World War I, governments began using radiotelegraph to be
alert to events and to instruct the movement of troops and supplies.)
o New weapons (guns, gas, barbed wire, mortars, planes, etc)

Empires collapsed
o Russian, Germany, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman Empire

League of Nations created, first attempt at world government, did not accomplish what
they needed to (U.S. rejected)
Treaty of Versailles

3 main negotiators were Woodrow Wilson (Softer Policy), David Lloyd George
(In Between), Clemenceau (Revenge)

Wilson was concerned about communism and did not want to bring Germany to
the ground. Felt they should be punished but not harshly.

4 Main ideas of the 14 points; No more secret treaties, Countries seeking to

reduce their weapon, national self-determination, league-of-nations to manage
the peace

Bolshevists were very pleased about the treaty

Wilson was happy because he got the league-of-nations which is what he really
wanted

Alsace-Lorraine went to France

Poland got larger

Germany's army was reduced to 100,000 men; also they could not have any
planes or tanks, and very few boats, but no submarines. They also lost many
territories

Clause 231: (infamous war guilt clause)

Germany had to pay 20 billion in reparations

League-of-Nations- Germany was never really allowed to meet

League-of-Nations- eventually feel apart

Germany was forced to sign the treaty

Clemenceau said "It is a beautiful day" in reality it was not a "beautiful day" for
Europe

Nothing was done about Ethiopia, which had been invaded during the war

Most of the 'losers' lost territories, many new countries started to come about

Mandates in the Middle East had a very large effect. France & Britain carved up
the Middle East. This enrages Muslims even to this day.

No group could put down the Bolsheviks

Lost of men: Britain lost 700,000

Germany lost 2,000,000

France lost 1,400,000

Russia lost 1,700,000

Could the Treaty of Versailles been better if the U.S. was more active in it?
o Hugh: "Just the United States signing on would not have been a cure-all"
o Ben: "The league of nations something good came out of it, its failure
helped the U.N."
o Dr. Maglione: "Hitler was an expansionist...it was very clear this guy
wanted to undo the Versailles Treaty"

Treaty of Versailles bankrupted Germany and also led to our Great Depression.

Germany was meant to pay France, but Germany had no money, so US loaned
money to Germany. This just created debt. Now Germany was in even more Debt!

The business of revenge creates people like Hitler, and destroys the economy, also
leads to fewer democratic societies.

Roaring 20's was really not all that good; it only looked good on the surface.

Once upper class consumers stopped buying good; the trouble began

Treaty-of-Versailles leading countries (over 20 countries tried to bring down

Bolshevism) hurt Russia, created bolshevism, and left Germany broke

Treaty-of-Versailles did more damage then WWI itself.

Put the US into a position to create colonial rule

Lenin was saying that colonialism was bad, colonialism made America, Britain
look bad and communists look good

Versailles just caused more problems

o Dr Maglione "The consequences of the Versailles treaty were long, and
dark, and just bad."