WORLD WAR – I

World War 1 also known as :

‘The Great War‘

‘The War To End All Wars’

‘Global War’

28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918

CASUALITIES –

• 17 Million Deaths –
  • 11 Million Combatants
  • 6 Million Civilians

• 20 Million Wounded
• One of the deadliest conflicts

THE BELLIGERENTS

ALLIED POWERS

• Russia
• France
• Britain
• USA (1917- 1918)
• Japan

CENTRAL POWERS

• Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Germany
• Ottoman Empire

CAUSES

• Militarism
• Alliance System
• Imperialism
• Nationalism

MILITARISM:

1. Arms Race
2. Machine Guns
3. Tanks
4. Large and New Navel Ships
5. Large Armies
6. Britain- Germany industrial complexes used for military requirements

ALLIANCES:

Multiple alliances in Europe since 19th century to maintain balance of power.

Triple alliance-1882

• Germany
• Austria-Hungary
• Italy

Triple entente-1907

• France
• Britain
• Russia

IMPERIALISM:

Scramble for Africa

Britain lead, everyone else wanted to compete vast resources and manpower at disposal for the ‘great’ war.

NATIONALISM:

Europe swept by a nationalistic wave in 19th century

Germany, Italy, Baltic States nationalistic fervour belief in the ‘Glory of War’

OTHER CAUSES

• Russia interest in nfluence over States of Dardenelles
• Illusions of a short war
• War glorified, considered inevitable, a necessity for nation to grow and develop
• Balkans-POWDER KEG of Europe fights for influence by Russia, A-H and Ottoman empire.
• Nationalistic movements-multiple ethnicities

Immediate Cause

Archduke Franz Ferdianand of Austria-Hungary andnhis wife were assassinated by Bosnian nationalist Gavrilo princep and other members of ‘Black Hand’ in SARAJEVO on 28 June 1914.

Events leading to war – July crisis

• Austria-Hungary sends humiliating terms to SERBIA
• Russia mobilises in support of Slavic Serbia
• Germany gives A-H empire a ‘blank cheque’
• A-H & Germany declares war on Serbia
• Russia declares war on Germany
• France declares war on Germany

Events in the war

• Germany army marches into Belgium en route France
• Britain declares war on Germany
• Germany gets initial success in France and great success againsyt Russian armies on the Eastern front
• OTTOMAN empire attacks Russia, capture Suez Canal (British link to India)

THE TRENCHES

• FRANCE-GERMANY Front
• Stalemate for 3 years
• Trenches dug to protect from artillery shelling
• Horrible conditions- health issues
• Huge number of casualties for small gains
• Somme – 8000 dead in per day

Global War

• Fighting in small colonies of African, Togo, Tanzania, Cameroon
• Micronesian and Chinese colonies attacked by Japan
• Ottoman ships bombard black sea ports of Russsia
• Gallipoli campaign by allies
• Naval war- German U boats attack allied ships

Indians in World War -1

• 1.3 million Indians served under the British army
• France,Middle east (Mesopotamia), Egypt
• ~ 50,000 laid down their lives
• India gate- memorial

1917

• USA got involved finally in April
• Neutral earlier but supplied to both sides
• ECONOMIC support- Arms, food and supplies
• Joined the British on the Western front
• Wilson’s 14 points – peace, freedom of navigation, end to imperialism, league of nations

Revolution to Russia – 1917

• February revolution – Tsar Nicholas II overthrown
• October revolution – Bolsheviks under Lenin come to power
• Lenin signs peace agreement with Germany
• Treaty of Brest Litovsk in March 1918
• War on the eastern front ends

TREATY OF VERSAILES 28 JUNE 1919

• 6 months long negotiations held at the PALACE OF VERSAILLES,PARIS.
• The ‘guilt of war’ was placed upon central powers especially Germany.
• Borders of central and eastern Europe , African colonies, Middle east were redrawn.
• Heavy war reparations levied on Germany.
• Colonies of Germany divided by Britain and France.

GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES

• German Empire – Hohenzollern
• A-H Empire – Habsburgs
• Russian Empire – Romanov
• Ottoman Empire – Calliphate aboloished

NEW COUNTRIES

• Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia
• Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,Finland
• Mandate of Palestine- Balfour declaration

Other French, British and Russian protectorates from erstwhile Ottoman empire- SYKES-PICOT AGREEMENT

TECHNOLOGICAL WAR

• Radio
• Armoured Cars
• Tanks
• Submarines-U Boats
• Machine guns
• Mustard gas – Chemical Warfare
• Aeroplanes used for bombings

AFTERMATH

HEALTH:

• Millions dead due to disease
• Spanish flu – 50 million deaths
• Shell shocked soldiers – psychology
• Male populations declined in Europe

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL:

• Writers – Ernest Hermingway, JRR Tolkien
• The ‘glory’ and ‘romanticism’ of war was gone.
• Women in factories- social charge
• Rise of Hitler in Germany in Weimar republic.

ECONOMIC:

• Great Britain went from an investor to debtor
• USA strengthened its economy immensely and had a great growth period in 1920s

POLITICAL:

• British and French consolidated power USA – international power
• Rise of National Socialism (Hitler) in Germany
• Political movements in TURKEY
• League of nations- first international group

Major Dhyan Chand