World War I Study Notes Causes: Britain France Russia Germany Austria-Hungary Italy Imperialism (colonies, empires, raw materials) Nationalism (patriotism, desire for own country) Militarism (gov t policy dominated by military interests) Alliances (balance of power; common objectives; security) Motives of Individual Countries empire brought great wealth Two-Power Standard navy, Dreadnought Triple Entente Allied Powers believed in independence of sovereign states and wanted to curb growing strength of Germany empire getting too large to handle, Germany beginning to target needed warm water port to ensure access in winter, A-H s rival in Balkans encouraged Pan-Slavism = unite Slavic peoples colonies draining economy, needed more colonies to secure raw materials had only been a united country since 1870 largest army largest army best army, largest navy to compete with Britain Triple Entente Allied Powers believed that remaining loyal to alliance system was only way to stay powerful Triple Entente Allied Powers economics - access to all weather port Triple Alliance Central Powers worried that it might not be able to win a war later needed to dominate Balkans to survive Turkish empire deteriorating, 11 Slav groups in A-H wanted independence Triple Alliance Central Powers wanted to solve the Pan-Slavic problem once and for all very few colonies Triple Alliance Central Powers Social Studies 11 World War I Study Notes p.1
The Spark both Bosnia and Serbia very angry when A-H took over Bosnia Bosnian Serbs formed Black Hand (terrorist organization with goal to liberate all ethnic groups of Slav descent and form greater Serbia, which later became Yugoslavia) threatened to kill Austrian Archduke Ferdinand if he entered Bosnia, which he did on June 28, 1914 he was assassinated Austria asked Germany for advice; Germany promised to support Austria, even if it meant war - Germany certain that Britain would remain neutral A-H, supported by Germany, prepared for war against Serbia Austrians told Serbs they had to hand over terrorists or face war Serbia asked for clarification on some points of ultimatum, Austria saw this as a rejection of its demands and declared war, since that is what it had planned all along July 28, 1914 war declared on Serbia Consequences: Russia believed that declaration of war part of German plot to occupy Balkans, keeping Russia from achieving goal of acquiring warm water port Russia promised to support Serbia and began to mobilize against Austria Germany, demanded that Russia demobilize when Russia refused, Germany supported A-H by mobilizing its own army and declaring war on Russia because France in formal alliance with Russia, also mobilized against Germany Germany felt threatened by Russia and France, when they would not demobilize, declared war on France Schlieffen Plan: Germany s plan to attack France through Belgium, designed to avoid two front war (Germany did not want to fight France on one side, and Russia on the other, at the same time) plan was to use most of German army to defeat France within six weeks, then move troops to fight on eastern front against Russia plan relied on Britain remaining out of war, even if Germans attacked neutral territory of Belgium but... Britain had agreed to protect neutrality of Belgium, so when Germany invaded Belgium, Britain declared war Plan 17: France had lost territory of Alsace-Lorraine during Franco-Prussian war, hoped to regain it by invading Germany - plan failed Social Studies 11 World War I Study Notes p.2
Canada Joins the War: Canada automatically at war when Britain declared war on Germany Support for war strong support in Canada for joining war Canada offered Britain a force of 25,000 men - trained, equipped and paid for by the Canadian government at this time, Canada had only 3,000 regular army soldiers, 2 navy cruisers, and > 60,000 militia (citizen soldiers trained for emergencies) Who joined Sam Hughes (Minister of Militia and Defence) asked for volunteers to join for $1 per day, 30,000 volunteers signed up within first month, mostly English Canadians also hundreds of women as nurses and ambulance drivers at first Canadian forces did not accept Aboriginal people, or African- or Japanese- Canadians Why patriotism sentimental ties to Britain Borden s promise of 500,000 men contributed to Canadian sense of duty desire for excitement and adventure Training and Equipment training camp for >30,000 men set up at Valcartier, PQ troops issued Ross Rifle Canada s Performance in the War: CEF = Canadian Expeditionary Force - for much of the war maintained its independence and fought as a separate Canadian unit by 1918, 40% of British Air Force pilots were Canadian - Germany superior in air power to Britain and France Roy Brown famous for shooting down Baron von Richthofen, German responsible for shooting down most enemy planes Billy Bishop Canada s top wartime ace shot down 72 enemy planes many casualties resulted from mechanical failure, average life of pilot 3 weeks see Western Front land battles World War I Study Notes p.3
The War in Canada Sacrifices made: cost-saving measures needed to finance war effort - Canadians faced with rations, mandatory waste reduction introduced, students in farming areas dismissed from school early to assist with harvest, daylight savings time introduced to save energy consumption Halifax Explosion: French munitions ship carrying explosives collided with another vessel in Halifax harbour, resulting in large sections of the city being levelled, many fires, a huge tidal wave, 2000 dead, thousands injured or left homeless War Measures Act: introduced by P.M. Borden almost immediately after war was declared, gave Canadian government authority to do everything necessary for the security, defence, peace, order and welfare of Canada Canadians lost their civil liberties 500,000 people in Canada of German, Austrian and Hungarian extraction who were residents or citizens, but considered enemy aliens because of fears that they would sabotage or spy, could be arrested or searched, sent to internment camps in remote areas - majority of people interned were Ukrainians allowed government to impose censorship - banned publication of of books and magazines in enemy languages government allowed to intervene directly in economy, transportation, manufacturing, trade, agricultural production (total war) Role of Government: as food and fuel became scarce, prices soared - schools and factories had to close because of lack of heat, introduced Meatless Mondays and Fuelless Sundays honour rationing - people limited themselves to 1.5 lbs of butter and 2 lbs of sugar per month - ban on sale and drinking of alcohol Canadians encouraged to buy Victory Bonds (lending money to government to finance $1 million per day cost, which would be returned after the war with profit) 1917 income tax introduced for first time in order to help pay for war - supposed to be temporary Economy: after war declared, factories retooled to produce war supplies and farmers encouraged to produce as much as they could even though country accumulated lots of debt, economy boomed until end of war World War I Study Notes p.4
Conscription: by 1917 more men being killed or wounded than able to replace with volunteers, so compulsory military service introduced Borden introduced Military Service Bill in 1917, made service compulsory for all males between 20 and 35, unless they had jobs in vital wartime production, were sick, or were conscientious objectors (against fighting for religious reasons) many English Canadians believed that Quebecois not doing their part in war, but Quebecois did not support British and had already cut their own ties with France, French language rights had been taken away in other provinces (i.e. Manitoba) so French-Canadians felt like second class citizens, Protestant clergyman had been appointed to head recruitment in Catholic Quebec and training programs, though located in Quebec, were all in English riots in Montreal and Quebec City against conscription, Liberal party deeply opposed to consription 1917 election fought on issue of conscription - Prime Minister Borden invited Liberals to join his party to form a coalition government to show how committed Canada was to winning the war the Union Government, consisting of Conservatives with a few English speaking Liberals, won the election but the Liberals won 57% of the popular vote New Roles for Women: women allowed to take on new jobs as nurses, ambulance drivers, in industry, banks and police forces women wanted commensurate share in decision making so organized themselves to gain the right to vote (suffragists) 1916 women granted right to vote in most provinces 1917 Wartime Elections Act granted federal vote to mothers, sisters, wives of soldiers in Armed Forces Propaganda: used to persuade people to join the Armed Forces and to influence how people felt about the war press bureau set up to control what was printed in newspapers about casualties, so people did not receive real picture of war Why the U.S. entered the War sinking of Lusitania in 1915 February 1917 decision of Germans to include American ships as targets of U-boats early 1917 Americans learned that Germany encouraging Mexico to attack U.S. and promised to help them Britain had learned of this plan, eagerly shared it with Americans because it wanted them to join the war April 1917 U.S. declared war on Germany, took another 8 months for American troops to arrive in Europe, but this declaration was major turning point in war World War I Study Notes p.5
Land Battles, Western Front p.1 Where and When Who What Significance to War Canada s Role Marne, August-September 1914 Ypres, April 1915 (Belgium) French, British Expeditionary Force, German army French and Canadian troops defending Ypres, attacked by Germans Germans expected to capture Paris, but were forced to retreat by French and British Germans used chlorine gas Verdun, February 1916 Germany attacked French - battle lasted 6 months - French lost 500,000 men Somme, July 1916 Vimy Ridge, April 1917 Allies tried to end stalemate by attacking German trenches French and British soldiers tried to regain ridge from Germans, Canadians arrived in April 1917 after 5 months of battle only few miles of land had been gained, casualties for both sides totalled 1.25 million - ridge important strategically because strong natural fortress easy to defend and difficult to attack - lost to Germans in October of 1914 - failure of Schlieffen Plan, Germany now had to fight on two fronts - western front becomes a stalemate first German poison gas attack one of defining battles of WWI because of deliberate plan to defeat enemy through attrition one of defining battles of WWI because of deliberate plan to defeat enemy through attrition - turning point in war in favour of Allies - first time for trench warfare for Canadian troops - >6000 Canadians died - In Flanders Fields written - >20,000 Canadian soldiers killed, Nfld regiment suffered 90% casualties, every officer either killed or hurt - Canadian attack well planned and successful, but 3,000 killed and 7,000 injured - first time in Canadian history that troops fought as one unit - victory became a symbol of Canada s independence and nationhood - Canadian troops recognized as some of best on western front World War I Study Notes p.6
Land Battles, Western Front cont d Where and When Who What Significance to War Canada s Role Passchendaele, October 1917 French and British had bogged down in mud while attacking Germans, Canadian troops asked to join Gen. Currie said that Passchendaele could not be taken because of mud, but overruled by British commander and order to attack - Canadians took the town and held it until reinforcements came - only 7 km. of mud gained, which Germans eventually won back - though Canadians were successful, only 1 in 5 survived the battle, 16,000 died needlessly Land Battles, Eastern Front Where and When Who What Significance to War Russian Campaign August 1914-1916 Tannenberg, late August 1914 Gallipoli April 1915 - December 1915 Russian troops unexpectedly invaded Germany before Germans could invade Russia Germans destroyed Russian Second Army Turks fought on side of Central Powers to keep Russians out of straits of Gallipoli - most troops fighting on side of Allies from Australia and New Zealand Germans able to defeat Russians in a number of battles Germans destroyed Russian Second Army Britain also wanted to control peninsula to open supply line to Russia and allow Britain to attack A- H and Germany from the Balkans German success against Russians contributed to stalemate on western front because Germans had to transfer troops from west to fight Russia in east - virtually ended Russia's invasion of East Prussia before it had really started - - Russians remained on the defensive along the German front for the rest of the war little impact on war except to demoralize Allied forces World War I Study Notes p.7
War in the Air See Canada s Performance in the War War at Sea Britain needed to keep sea lanes open for supplies at beginning of war chased German navy out of North Sea and set up blockade between Denmark and Norway/Sweden (Battle of Jutland) German surface fleet unable to enter Atlantic, so used submarine warfare 1915 Germans sank British passenger ship Lusitania, of 1198 people drowned, 128 were American though Americans would not join war for two more years, this incident contributed to changing American public opinion in favour of supporting war by 1917 German U-boat attacks on British ships had left low on resources needed to fight war German wanted to end war, so introduced policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, attacking all ships, not only those from Allied countries convoy system designed to combat this threat - successful The End of the War Where and When Who and What Significance Russia, March 1917 - Czar Nicholas overthrown, new government continued war against Germans, also overthrown (October 1917) - Bolsheviks (communists, led by Vladimir Lenin) took over, almost immediately opened peace negotiations with Germany - as part of negotiations, Germany given all of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed took Russia out of war, Germany now only fighting on one front Austria-Hungary, Turkey, 1917 Germany s allies on point of collapse German leaders realized they were in a crisis Allies, 1917 Germany, 1917 even though they had lost Russia, they remained strong because the United States had joined them - realized that they would have only a few months to launch a strong offensive before U.S. soldiers would begin arriving in Europe - by summer of 1918 new front line only 75 km. from Paris German leaders realized they were in a crisis last ditch attempt by Germans to win war but they ran out of troops, food and supplies World War I Study Notes p.8
The End of the War cont d Where and When Who and What Significance Hundred Days, France and Belgium, 1917 U.S., January 1918 for six weeks Canadians fought at forefront of Allied advance against Germans, winning back France and then Belgium President Woodrow Wilson, released document called Fourteen Points November 11, 1918 Armistice, Germany formally surrendered Remembrance Day Paris Peace Conference, early 1919 - representatives of Allied Powers (Britain, France, U.S., Canada) met to decide what would happen to Germany and A-H - goal was to create an agreement that would prevent another war fighting stopped when Allies reached German border - attempt to convince Americans that sacrifices made during war were justified - tried to convince Europeans that these points could be basis for lasting peace - points 1-5 about internationalism: new way of countries working together by eliminating selfish nationalism and allowing ethnic groups to create new countries - points 6-8 concerned with land conquered by Germans - points 9-14 giving Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats and Poles their own homeland in order to avoid further conflict - A-H would no longer exist - realists (France) wanted Germany to be dealt with strictly so that it would be unable to go to war again - idealists (U.S.) wanted to avoid punishing Germany so that there would be no need for revenge - Britain in the middle, but like France wanted Germany to have to pay reparations - Britain wanted to be able to continue to trade with Germany World War I Study Notes p.9
The End of the War cont d Treaty of Versailles, France, 1919 - compromise between realists and idealists - included idea of self-determination: ethnic groups allowed to vote on who they wanted to live with or be governed by - very difficult to achieve for everyone, but resulted in creation of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia - included War Guilt Clause which stated that Germany alone must accept responsibility for causing war - intended to justify punishments that Allies wanted to inflict on Germany, caused German people to protest and German Chancellor to resign - Germany told that if they did not sign treaty, hostilities would resume - several groups of people left without homeland (Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia, one million Poles in Czechoslovakia, Germans in Polish Corridor, 50-50 split of Germans and French in Alsace-Lorraine) which meant continuing feelings of nationalism - Germany crippled by Treaty of Versailles - German people very angry that they were blamed for war and would have to pay extreme penalties for starting the war - not prepared to accept this humiliation and wanted revenge The Treaty of Versailles Provisions: a) War Guilt Clause b) Germany to pay war reparations totalling almost $30 billion c) Alsace-Lorraine returned to France d) Poland given a strip of land taken from Germany to create access to sea - known as Polish Corridor e) Germany and other Central Powers forced to surrender all of its colonies to the League of Nations f) German army limited to 100,000 men, navy and air force severely restricted in size g) Germany forced to surrender entire merchant fleet as compensation to Allies for shipping losses during war h) west bank of Rhine River Valley to be de-militarized on border between France and Germany, Allied armies to occupy west bank of Rhine for 15 years i) unification between Austria and Germany forbidden j) constitution of League of Nations included as part of Treaty World War I Study Notes p.10
The Effects of the War International Effects: a) approximately 10 million died in battle, almost 20 million wounded not including millions of civilians who died because of starvation b) much of Europe bankrupt because of the $200 billion cost c) Ottoman (Turkish) Empire disintegrated d) Austria-Hungary disintegrated, resulting in creation of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia and a larger Romania and Bulgaria e) Poland became an independent nation f) three monarchies replaced by democratic governments (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey) g) during the war, Russia became the world s first communist country h) as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany forced to pay for all damages caused by the war, and forced to take blame for causing war i) many refugees in Europe fled homelands and located in other areas j) map of Eastern Europe re-drawn k) new ideas of self-determination, territories acquired through conquest should be returned, victors could write the rules for peace l) German interests completely ignored when Polish Corridor created, Czechoslovakia held >2.5 million Germans, Alsace-Lorraine returned to France Effects in Canada: Canada matured in business, government and militarily Canadians began to develop a national identity - first time that people from across the country were able to work together toward a common goal because of our contribution to the Allied cause, we became known as a nation in our own right Canada was given a separate seat at the Paris peace conferences and a separate signature from Britain Canada was given a separate seat in the League of Nations Canadian women became more powerful politically Canadian troops gained world recognition for battle victories after the war, Canada s population increased due to immigration Canada experienced significant economic growth during and after the war cost to Canadian government was $3 billion dollars - Canada s national debt was $150 million per year for 4 years income tax was instituted to pay off this debt, still being collected today even though was supposed to be temporary measure >60,000 Canadians killed, 178,000 wounded issue of conscription deepened differences between French and English Canada The League of Nations based on the principle of collective security - if one member attacked, others would help defend not welcomed by all great powers - Britain and France wanted freedom to continue pursuing colonial acquisitions; decided to support concept publicly for its propaganda value League was limited to dealing with offending nations by imposing sanctions, but had no military power U.S. declined to join, even though President Wilson had conceived idea World War I Study Notes p.11