World+War+I



Kaylee, Eliza, Hannah 1914-1919 "Till the world comes to an end the ultimate decision will rest with the sword." -Emperor William II of Germany The cause of World War I has been discussed and debated on for years. The most logical causes that led to the war are those of nationalism,imperialism, arms race, and militarism. These all caused great issues and eventually paved the path for war. The war started in 1914 with two sides forming. The Triple Alliance, which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, and the Triple Entente, which included Britain, France, and Russia. The event that kicked off the fighting in World War I was the assassination of Archduke Ferdninand of Austria- Hungary. He was shot by Gavrilo Princip who was part of a secret Serbian orginazation against Austria- Hungary. The Austrian government saw this act of terrorism as an opprotunity to render Serbia once and for all by force. Austria wanted to attack Serbia directly but feared Serbian allie Russia. To stomp this fear out of their mind they called in their German allie. With German support, Austria sent an ultimatium to Sebia. The ultimatium was turned down and on July 28, 1914, Austria- Hungary declared war.

By August 4,1914 all the great powers of Europe were at war. European governments were using proganda techniques almost every where to to the support they needed for the war. The Germans had been hoping for a quick end to the war and set the Schlieffen Plan in motion to reach that quick ending. The plan had the German forces sweeping around Paris so they could surround most of the French army. Germany's plan was halted a short ways from Paris at the first Battle of Marne. This battle soon turned into a stalemate, with both forces hunkering down in their trenches and styaing that way. While trenches and battles being based on trench warfare alone in the Western Front, The Eastern Front had a completely different strategy. They based their war on mobility, which was much more costly of lives. The German forces had defeated the Russians at the Battle of Tannenberg and Masurian Lakes. With these victories the Russians were no longer a threat to German territory. As time went on the Triple Alliance, who Bulgaria had also joined up with, had eliminated Serbia from the war. Their successes in the east would enable the Germans to move back to the offensive in the west. On the Western Front, the trenches that had been originally dug had become systems of defense. In 1916-1917 millions of men died trying to find a breakthrough from the trenches and into the offensive position. This had turned World War I into a war of attrition. With the Western Front still being a stalemate the naitons of the war looked for allies. Ottoman Empire and Italy eventually joined the war too. The United States had tried to stay neutral but ended up entering the war in April 1917.

The end of the war came in 1919. The Triple Entente,also known as the allies, had had a rough year for defeats in 1916 but the entry of the United States proved crucial for them. Germany who had been winning much of the time was confident and decided to make one last attack to end the war. They launched their attack in March 1918 and they advanced toward Paris. But they were halted at the Second Battle of the Marne. Fresh American troops along with French and Moroccan troops throught the German forces back over the Marne. Germany's plan had failed. With the arrival of more American troops in France, the allies moved towards Germany. With the Allies advancing, German General Ludendorff informed his troops the war was lost. He demanded the government to make peace. Germany signed a truce on November 11,1918 declaring the end of the war. A peace settlement was made between nations in 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference. A number of treaties and compromises were made during this conference, including the formation of the League of Nations. Then a final peace settlement was made on June 28,1919. This was named the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty ordered Germany to pay reparations for the damage the war had caused in Allied nations. Germany also had to reduce their army,cut back their navy,and eliminate its air force. Germany considered this a harsh peace agreement but unwilling to risk the threat of war once more, they accepted the treaty.
 * __Terms:__**

 **Triple Alliance:** Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy. Formed in 1882 because of rivalries between colonies and countries which lead to not cooperation but competition. **Triple Entente:** France, Great Britian, and Russia. Which formed in 1907 many things tested these powers which led to crisis between countries.  **Conscription:** Military draft. Was established as a regular practice in most Western countries. This lead to European armies doubling in size between 1890 and 1914.  **Militarism:** Aggressive preparation for war was growing. As militarism became a larger impact so the military leaders. This lead to one of the causes for this World War.  **Mobilization:** The process of assembling troops and supplies and making them ready for this war. In 1914, mobilization was considered an act of war against another country.  **Propaganda:** Ideas spread through influence of public opinion for or against a certain cause. This was used greatly though out World War I for many different reasons. For example, getting men to join their countries army.  **Trench Warfare:** Fighting from ditches protected by barbed wire. Was used by many countries to protect their soldiers from the other countries armies.  **War of Attrition:** A war based on wearing the other side down by constant attacks and heavy losses. This is what World War I turned into being.  **Armistice:** A truce or an agreement to end the fighting between two countries. On November 11, 1918, Germany signed off on one of these.  **Reparations:** To cover the costs of the war. France wanted Germany stripped of all there wars pieces to be forced into paying for the damages within their country that Germany caused.

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People:

 * 1) **Archduke Franz Ferdinand:** Ruler of Austria, was assassinated on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo the capital of Bosnia. He was killed by a Serbian terrorist named Gavrilo Princip, part of the terrorist group that called themselves the Black Hand.
 * 2) **Gavrilo Princip:** Assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and was a member of the Serbian Terrorist organization The Black Hand.
 * 3) **Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig:** Fought in the battle of Somme on July 1, 1916 and the Allies launched a new attack.
 * 4) **General Joseph Joffre:** Fought in the battle of Marne, was the french commander that stopped the Germans 20 miles from Paris. Used Paris's taxi cabs to transport troops to the front.
 * 5) **General Von Bulow:** Was a german commander on the Western Front.
 * 6) **Winston Churchill:** He was the first Lord of the Admiralty in Great Britain.
 * 7) **Woodrow Wilson:** The president of the United States at the time, warned that offensive acts would not be tolerated when german U-boat sunk the Lusitania.
 * 8) **Mustafa Kemal:** Turkish Commander at Gallipoli which was the site of the Gallipoli Campaign which took place Feb.1915 through Jan.1916 supplying Russia and Eastern Front Allies.
 * 9) **General Paul Von Hindenberg:** Was the German commander on the jEastern Front, fought in the Battle of Tannenberg, the germans goal was to drive the Russians out of Germany.
 * 10) **Kaiser William II:** Sent a "Blank Check" to Austria, message was that the Austrians could count on Germany's full support in the war.

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To Learn More:
[|First World War]- Some of the causes and events leading up to the first world war. [|World War 1 Timeline]- Some of the larger events of the first world war. [|World War 1 Causes]- Some of the reasons why there was a world war. [|World War History]- Artifacts from the first world war and first-hand accounts of the war. [|David Livingstone]- Some of Livingstone's findings, his book and a biography on his life. [|Henry Stanley]- Facts about Henry Stanley and his search for Livingstone. [|Shaka Zulu]- A biography on Shaka Zulu's life. [|Zulu Tribe]- Some of the traditions and customs of the Zulu tribe. [|Lusitania]- Facts about the Lusitania and how it sunk. [|Propaganda of World War 1]- Famous posters and pictures from the World War I whose purpose were to boost morale.