WORLD WAR I THE GREAT WAR Part 1 Lecture 8 March 17 19 2014 03 19 2014 The Great Powers Britain The most powerful economic country in this time Controlled 25 of the world by 1900 They did not want to worry about Europe The British worried about India and the Suez Canal If you no Suez Canal 1869 and you have no communication it is their communication line The French have their own claims on the Suez Canal Empire India Russia and the Suez Canal France Naval Rivalry Germany Kaiser Wilhelm and Weltpolitik Their king is their Kaiser Wilhelm 1888 1918 Britain and Germany had very little conflict but Kaiser became jealous of the huge empires Britain has Germany needs a world empire he said Germany needs a Weltpolitik a world policy Germany starts building a massive navy which scares Britain Anglo French alliance 1904 British sign an Alliance with France The two countries have been enemies for almost 1000 years and now they sign a military alliance Germany is the threat their worried about Alsace Lorraine this is the primary concern for the French In 1870 France and Prussia went to war and Prussia crushed France Prussia in 1871 created Germany They lose Alsace Lorraine when they lose this war They want it back so they create this peace with Germany The Great Powers France A Alsace Lorraine 1871 This is the primary concern for the French This is the main goal for the French they want it back 1904 They lost it in 1871 to the Prussians in War when Germany was made B Empire Britain and Germany C Franco Russian alliance early 1890s Russia is 90 peasant They are so far behind but they have so much potential In the early 1890 s France and Russia create an Economic and Military Alliance The Great Powers The Russian Empire Nicholas II 1894 1918 Nicholas II is the leader of Russia One of the most powerful leaders in history The Tsar of Europe A Modernization Railroads B Turkish Straits The Ottoman Empire By 1900 this is a dying empire It is weak and not modernized C Slav Nationalism Poles Czechs Slovaks Serbs Croats etc Slavs all different people across Europe Massive group of people Nicholas II declares himself the protector of all Slavs The Great Powers Austria Hungary Franz Josef 1848 1916 A Multinational Empire The Balkans Austria Hungary is held together by Franz Josef of Hapsburg their king He rules for 68 years He symbolizes the unity of Austria Hungary there is tremendous loyalty to him Russia and Austria Hungary are direct enemies The Balkans is south eastern Europe Austria Hungary only has two allies Germany and Italy They form the Triple Alliance 1881 B The Kingdom of Serbia 1878 and Russia The Great Powers The German Empire Kaiser Wilhelm II 1888 1918 The Triple Alliance 1881 Germany Austria Hungary Italy The Weakness of Austria Hungary and the Franco Russian alliance Two front war Alfred von Schlieffen and the Schlieffen Plan 1905 Belgium war by timetable and mobilization He is the head of the German general staff In 1905 he needs to handle an attack by France and Russia at the same time He comes up with the Schieffen Plan He says attack France first as quickly and hard as possible Go through Belgium to France It will take six weeks too conquer France Why six weeks Because he estimates that it will take six weeks for Russia to be ready for war Russia is still far back but they do have a huge army It requires Germany to attack first The Schieffen plan is going to bring great Britain into the war He is fine with that because he is making a calculation here Great Britain will not be able to respond quickly because they lack a strong army War by time table You need to get on train at this time and then go on to this train and so on and so forth w The Triple Entente France Britain and Russia 1907 British sign a treaties with Russia You now have Britain France and Russia all signed with treatise The mood of Europe on the eve of World War I Nationalism Social Darwinism the survival of the fittest and the Balkans There are wars in the Balkans 1912 1913 the Balkans see massive conflict People are looking for war so they can prove they are the strongest People do not really remember what war is like Lets have a war to get rid of all the tension Sarajevo Bosnia June 28 1914 The Black Hand Gavrilo Princip Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the German Blank Check World War I begins Mobilization late July early August 1914 The Schlieffen Plan fails August 1914 Russia and Britain The 1st Battle of the Marne September 1914 The race for the sea September October 1914 Home by Christmas These people are destabilizing Austira Hungary The king of Serbia backs these organizations The groups like The Black Hand go out and destroy and assassinate people The Austria Hungary threaten Serbia but before they do anything else they go to their ally Germany The Germans say on July 23 you do what you wanna do and we will back you Its called the Blank Check Whatever you feel like doing go for it Germany has decided on war Act now or become a 2nd rate power If Austria Hungary attacks Serbia that automatically brings Russia into war The Serbs want to discuss not go to war Serbia is really going to lose some of there power July 31st Serbia is getting ready for an attack and they start to mobilize The Russians and Germans start mobilizing and the time tables have been given out Austria Hungary has still not given a declaration of war The French sends a note if Russia attacks Austria Hungary that has nothing to do with it France did not want anything to do with it On August 1st France begins mobilizing Russians Germans Serbs French their all mobilizing by now The British do not want to get involved August 2nd the 1st German troops come into France and Belgium Things go badly for the French Initially As the third week comes into play it looks like the Germans are going to win in 6 weeks In 3 weeks Russian troops are attacking Germany Schlieffens plan failed Eastern Germany is getting attacked faster then he imagined So the Germans run back to meet the upcoming Russians Every last reserve the French can find they meet the Germans at the Mar river at push them back Next month or so each side tries to outflank each other The saying was that we would be home by Christmas But they were wrong and everything starts being built War has changed its not about the amount of horseback Technology has changed Technology has made the defense stronger then the offence Flesh cannot stand the bullets We not enter the period known as total war