The war Nationalism

• Many political scientists believe that the First World War might have been avoided. 

• One of the major under laying causes for the war was nationalism.

• Nationalism acquired decided by aggressive characteristics.

• Patriotism was taught and glorified as the ideal in, churches, schools and other cultural activities.

• National animosity and racism was dangerous in shape.

• Pan- Germanism     • Pan – Slavism.

Economic Nationalism

• The fight for the raw materials and for world markets furnished one of the most important causes for international disputes.

Armaments

• In 1914, France and Russia had 22, 39,000 men under arms The central powers, excluding Italy, had 1,23,9,000 men ready for service. In addition, Russia and France had 50,70,000 trained reserves.

• Germany and Austria had 33,58,000 ready for the call.

• Great expenses in military budgets.

The struggle become a world war

• A garrison of German army first entered into Belgium and crossed over to France. Italy broke from the central powers for the sake of territorial gains. Japan declared war against Germans with the hope to obtain the German colonies in the orient.

• Turkey, fearing Russia joined the central powers. The war dragged on four years. The Germans were told that if they would depose the Kaiser and set up a representative government there would be no further clams against them. Central powers lost and the allies won and an armistice signed on Novll, 1918.

The Paris conference

• First session held on Jan18, 1919. Emphasis was on democracy in 14 points proposed on (Jan 8, 1918)

• Gradual development .

The triple entente

• When Bismarck was forced out of the chancellorship, the men who were appointed to take his place did not have the slightest idea of the character or the diplomatic structure that he built.

• Germans considered France and Russia as common enemy. With this basis, they formed the Dual entente

In (1892), which was the first step in building up the triple entente.

• In 1904, England and France forgot their 200 years of enmity and formed the Anglo – French entente cordiale.

• In 1904, alliances existed between France and Russia and between France and England. In 1907, England and Russia allied.

Crises:

• Both the alliances were antagonistic from almost every point of view. The powers grouped themselves together to promote their enemies.

• Between 1904- 1914, there was a series of crises, the last one being the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand in Austria. This brought about general motivation, mobilization and outbreak of hostilities.

• The first Moroccan Crisis (1905) arose from an effort of Germany to curb French expansion in Africa. France had backup support from Russia and England and Germany was forced to retreat. In this crisis the triple entente held together. But Germany did not get support from either Austria or Italy.

France and England made military treaty to oppose the Germans one for another. Second crisis was caused by Austria in the “annexation of Bosnia” in 1908.

• The third crisis was that of Agadir (1911), in which morocco was the issue again. Germany made the final attempt to keep the French out but failed.

• Fourth crisis was the breakup of Balkan war in 1912.

Background

Background:

The great alliances (1879- 1914)

The most outstanding international development in the period preceding World War I was the formation of 2 alliances:

1. The triple alliance

• Bismarck was responsible for the formation. He had been responsible for three wars (paradoxically) but he wanted peace. Moreover, he wanted peace for consolidating the newly formed German Empire. He feared a coalition of power with France in the head; and in order to prevent it he supported Republic in France, thinking that a republic form of government would be weak, and encouraged French expansion in Africa and Asia. He removed the “French isolation” stage.

• He formed an alliance with Austria and Russia (League of three Emperors, 1872) in order to keep them coming to terms with French.

• He recognized the weakness of the League of three Emperors, and made a separate argument with Austria (1879), as a defense against Russia and France.

• Italy become a party to the alliance in (1882), it was seeking revenge against France for having taken Tunis.

• It was purely a defensive alliance. At the beginning of World War I, Italy withdrew from the alliance.

Communication

l  Communication: Aerial technology was used to have communication. The solders had to carry it with them.It was a telicommunication system.
Dirigible balloons were used as stationary reconnaissance points on the front lines.

l  World War I (Summary)

Date:1914–1918
Locations: Europe, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean,
Middle East
Outcome: Entente victory

l  Deaths (approx.)

Military:9 million
Civilian:7 million
Total:16 million

l  Main participants

Entente Powers
Serbia, Russia, France, Belgium,
British Empire and Dominions,
Japan, Montenegro,
Italy, more...

l  Map of the World with the Participants in World War I. The Allies are depicted in green, the Central Powers in yellow, and neutral countries in grey.

l  Central Powers

Germany,
Austria-Hungary,
Ottoman Empire,
Bulgaria
more...

CONSEQUENCES

l  The direct consequences of World War I brought many old regimes crashing to the ground, and ultimately, would lead to the end of 300 years of European hegemony in the world.

l  TECHNOLOGY

l  In the First World War, many new technologies were used.
As the war was happened in three sides, (air, water and earth) many weapons were used there.
Technology was used for destruction and communication as well.

l  Land: In earth the solders used Rifles with Bayonets, Trench mortars, Pistols, Gardner gun, Grenade, Stan gun standing with car, Machine guns, Flamethrower, 
Tanks were introduced in World War I by British.
The first tank was nicknamed Mother.
 The first use of tanks was during the Battle of the Somme on
15 September 1916.

The basic idea of a flamethrower is to spread fire by launching burning fuel.

l  Chemical warfare was a major distinguishing factor of the war. Gases used ranged from tear gas to disabling chemicals such as mustard gas and killing agents like phosgene.

l  Water:During the war in sea the liner shipes were used by Garman.
 U-boats (submarines) were used in combat shortly after the war began. Alternating between restricted and unrestricted submarine warfare during the First Battle of the Atlantic.

l  Air:Fixed-wing aircraft were first used militarily
during the First World War.