Lesson 34 World War I

Summary

The war fought between July 28, 1914, and November 11, 1918,
was initially called the Great War, the War to End War, or (in the
U.S.) the European War, later becoming World War I after the
1930s–40s conflict. It saw unprecedented casualties, reaching
millions, with brutal trench warfare defining much of the fighting.
New lethal technologies emerged, expanding combat to land, sea,
submarines, and air. The Allies (France, Britain, Italy, Russia, and
later the U.S.) opposed the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary,
Germany, and the Ottoman Empire). Smaller nations and Japan
(seizing German colonies) joined the Allies. U.S. entry in 1917 tipped
the balance, ensuring Allied victory.

The war destroyed three empires: Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and

Russian, reshaping global borders. Post-war decisions bred
resentment, especially in Germany, fueling future conflicts. Ironically,
the "War to End War" became a key cause of World War II. As
historian John Keegan noted, it was a "tragic and unnecessary
conflict," avoidable had diplomacy prevailed in the weeks before its
outbreak.

Peace efforts​
The victorious countries decided to meet in Paris to draw up peace
treaties and present them to the defeated countries. More than 30
countries, six whom had carried the burden of war, were called to the
conference, of these, Russia failed to show up because it was in the
midst of a civil war. Japan was there but it was only interested in Asia
and the :Pacific So, most of the decisions were made by Britain,
France, Italy and the United States.
Agreements in the Paris Peace
Conference
The heads of government of countries who attended the countries
1. Italy was interested chiefly in gaining new colonies and territory.
2. France was interested mainly in keeping Germany weak.
3. Britain hoped to block France from becoming the most powerful
European nation.
4. Britain also wanted to find ways to settle future international
disputes without going to war.
5. The United States proposed a general association of nations to
settle future international disputes peacefully.

President Woodrow Wilson stressed that the countries with a

common background have the right to form their own nation and
select their own government. But this was found to be difficult by
some Paris peacemakers. As a result, self determination was not
applied in every case.

Terms of Peace in Versailles

The Allied Nations and Germany entered into a peace treaty called
Treaty of Versailles which they signed in 1919, because of this treaty,
the following came about:
1. Germany lost all its colonies and much of its European territory,
like Alsace and Lorraine.
2. Germany had to admit that it had caused the war and had to pay
damages to the allies.
3. Germany had to be disarmed.
The League of Nations was an international organization,
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, created after the First World
War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes.

League of Nations Background

The League of Nations was created after World War One to prevent
future wars. Its main goal was to maintain world peace and resolve
international conflicts.

The U.S. joined WWI in 1917, and President Woodrow Wilson, like
many Americans, was shocked by the war's destruction in what was
considered a civilized world. They believed an international
organization like the League could prevent such devastation from
happening again.

After the war, support for the League was strong—except in America,
where isolationism was growing.

The Organization of the League of

Nations
The League of Nations was based in Geneva, Switzerland, chosen for its
neutrality and existing international organizations like the Red Cross.

For disputes, the League had three sanctions:

1. Verbal Sanctions: The Assembly (League's parliament) would call
disputing nations to negotiate peacefully and warn aggressors.
2. Economic Sanctions: If ignored, the League could impose trade bans
to financially pressure aggressors, aiming to force compliance.
3. Physical Sanctions: Military force could be used, but the League had
no army. Members weren't required to provide troops. Only Britain and
France could help, but both were weakened and financially strained after
WWI, leaving the League powerless to enforce threats.
The League also had other weaknesses
The United States, whose president Woodrow Wilson created the League
concept, refused to join. This hurt the League's credibility, but matched
America's isolationist policy.

Germany was banned from joining as punishment under the Treaty of

Versailles. This weakened both Germany and the League, which couldn't
use Germany's potential strength.

Russia was excluded due to its communist government and the Romanov
executions, which frightened Western Europe.

Without these three major powers, the League relied mainly on Britain and
France - both weakened by war and reluctant to intervene in non-European
conflicts.

While the League aimed to prevent war, its only real tools were verbal
warnings and economic sanctions. Without military power, it couldn't
enforce decisions against determined aggressors.

THE FIRST WORLD WAR

WORLD WAR I
The world’s first global conflict, the “Great War” pitted the Central Powers
of Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against the Allied
forces of Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan.
The introduction of modern technology to warfare resulted in
unprecedented carnage and destruction, with more than 9 million soldiers
killed by the end of the war in November 1918.
Triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance and Triple Entente were rival European power blocs
that shaped diplomacy from 1882 until World War I.

The Triple Alliance (1882) was a secret pact between Germany,

Austria-Hungary, and Italy:
- Germany and Austria-Hungary were already allied since 1879
- Italy joined after France blocked its North African colonial plans
- Members pledged mutual defense if attacked by other major powers
- Germany/Austria would help Italy if France attacked unprovoked
- Italy would aid Germany if France attacked it
- Italy would stay neutral if Austria-Hungary fought Russia

Italy secretly agreed with France in 1902 to stay neutral if either was
attacked, while still in the Alliance. Both Austria-Hungary and Italy
promised not to change Balkan territories without consulting each other
first.

Significant Events during the First World

WAR
World War I (WWI) was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand in 1914 and ended with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Find out
what happened in between these momentous events in this WWI timeline.

1914
● June 28 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary's throne,
and his wife, Sophie, are assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip
while the couple were visiting Sarajevo.
● July 28 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
● August 1 - Germany declares war on Russia.
● August 3 - Germany declares war on France.
● August 4 - The United Kingdom declares war on Germany, after Germany
invades Belgium.
● August 6 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia declares
war on Germany.
● August 19 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announces the U.S. will
remain neutral.
● August 26 - The Battle of Tannenberg begins.
● September 5 - The First Battle of the Marne begins. Trench warfare
begins as soldiers on both sides dig in.
● October 19 - Battle of Ypres begins.
● November 3 - The United Kingdom announces that the North Sea is a
military area, effectively creating a blockade of goods into Germany.
● December 24 - The unofficial Christmas truce is declared.

1915
● February 4 - Germany declares a "war zone" around Great Britain,
essentially effecting a submarine blockade where even neutral merchant
vessels were to be potential targets.
● February 19 - The Dardanelles Campaign begins.
● April 22 - The Second Battle of Ypres begins. It is during this battle that
the Germans first use poison gas.
● April 25 - The Battle of Gallipoli begins.
● May 7 - The British ocean liner RMS Lusitania is sunk by German U-boat,
U-20.
● September 5 - Tsar Nicholas II takes personal control over Russia's
armies.

1916
● February 21 - The Battle of Verdun begins. The Battle of Verdun was the
longest battle of World War I and was one of the bloodiest.
● May 31 - The Battle of Jutland, the major naval battle of the war, begins.
● July 1 - The Battle of the Somme begins. During the Battle of the Somme,
tanks are first introduced into battle.

1917
● January 19 - Germany sends the secret Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico
in an effort to entice Mexico to join the war. The British intercept and
decipher the coded message.
● March 15 - Russian Tsar Nicholas II abdicates.
● April 6 - The United States declares war on Germany.
● July 31 - The Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of
Ypres) begins.
● November 7 - The Bolsheviks successfully overthrow the Russian
government during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
● December 17 - The armistice agreed upon between the new Russian
government and the Central Powers goes into effect.

1918
● January 8 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson issues his Fourteen Points to
peace.
● March 3 - Russia signs the Treaty of Brest Litovsk, which is a peace treaty
between Russia and the Central Powers.
● March 21 - Germany launches the Spring Offensive.
● April 21 - German flying ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen (more
commonly known as the Red Baron), is shot down.
● July 15 - The Second Battle of the Marne begins.
● November 9 - German Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates and flees Germany.
● November 11 - Germany signs the armistice at Compiegne, France.
Fighting ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (i.e. 11 a.m.
on November 11).

1919
● June 28 - The Treaty of Versailles officially ends WWI.

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, officially ended World
War I. Negotiated by the Allies with minimal German participation, its 15
parts and 440 articles redrew Germany’s boundaries, imposed
disarmament, and assigned reparations liability, including Article 231,
which held Germany responsible for Allied losses. French enforcement led
to the 1922 Ruhr occupation, but modifications followed under the Dawes
and Young Plans, though reparations were canceled in 1932. Hitler’s rise
nullified the treaty, as he remilitarized Germany, annexed territories, and
invaded Poland in 1939. The treaty’s harsh terms and lax enforcement
fueled resentment, contributing to WWII, prompting post-1945 Allies to
avoid repeating Versailles’ mistakes, though no formal peace treaty ended
WWII.

Germany ​
The Treaty of Versailles barred Germany from joining the League of
Nations in 1919, as it was blamed for starting the war and excluded from
the international community. This weakened the League, which couldn’t
use Germany’s strength against aggressors. Russia was also excluded due to
its communist government and the murder of the Romanovs, making
Western nations distrustful. Without Germany, Russia, or the U.S. (which
never joined), the League relied on Britain and France—both weakened by
the war and unwilling to intervene in conflicts outside Western Europe.
Though the League aimed to end war, it could only issue warnings or
impose economic sanctions, lacking military power to enforce its decisions.
 QUIZ ​
1)​ Which countries were part of the triple alliance?

2)​ The Treaty of ______ officially ended World War I.​

3)​ What date did the United Kingdom declares war on Germany?​

4)​ Name the three sanctions imposed on Germany after WWI.​

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