European Power Struggles (1815-1870)

Austrian Anomaly (1860-1866)

• Austria lost military battles against France and Piedmont, losing Lombardy in 1860s.
• Austria lost to Prussia in 1866, leading to the Treaty of Prague and loss of Venezia.
• Austria's unstable governance resulted from not being a German or Italian power. Instability due to Magyars' anxieties about Slavic populations.

The Lost Utopia (Congress of Vienna 1815)

• The Congress aimed for a balance of power among major European powers (Germany, Austria, Britain, France, Russia, Italy).
• Despite aiming for peace, the 1860s-1870s saw multiple major wars.
• Pan-Slavism, especially by Danilevsky, influenced regions like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.

Causes in the West

• Alliances between France and Russia were created to maintain peace but ultimately led to war.

Main Rivalries

• Franco-German rivalry centered on Alsace.
• Austro-Russian rivalry centered on the Balkans.
• Anglo-German rivalry over naval and economical power.

Rigid Diplomatic Framework

• The system of alliances created a rigid framework. This resulted in small conflicts escalating into larger wars.

Military Strategies and Mobilization

• Schlieffen Plan (Count Alfred von Schlieffen): A quick victory over France through Belgium with the goal of quickly defeating France then Russia within 6 months.
• The plan relied on rapid mobilization (France in 15 days, Russia in 6 weeks). This was problematic due to vast territory and poor transportation.
• Prussian military innovations included reserves, mobilization, and a general staff.
• Germany had 750,000 active troops and 4.5 million reserves in 1914.
• Mobilization in one country triggered a chain reaction, making war inevitable.

Key Events Leading to War

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Initial Military Engagements

• Battle of the Marne: French counter-attacked, resulting in a crucial turning point and near defeat for Germany.
• First Battle of Ypres: Led to entrenched warfare.
• Trench Warfare: Soldiers faced harsh conditions in muddy, dangerous environments.
• Communication Trenches: Used for communication and troop movement but frequently became impassable due to artillery fire.

World War I Detailed Notes

• Tannenberg: The French urged Russia to mobilize, but the Russians' poor communications allowed Germany to intercept messages allowing them to defeat the Russians.
• Austria-Hungary: Austria-Hungary faced setbacks between August and November 1914 achieving little against significant losses.

Battles of Attrition (1915-1917)

• Characterized by heavy losses on both sides with very little territorial gains.
• High costs of human life and military resources.
• Gallipoli Campaign: Churchill was the architect with heavy casualties despite British efforts.
• Second Battle of Ypres: First large scale use of poisoned gas.
• Lusitania Incident: The sinking of the Lusitania resulted in significant tensions leading to more hostility.
• Gallipoli Landings: The landings were part of the Gallipoli campaign.
• T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia): He fought alongside Arab forces vs. the Turks.
• Easter Rising: Irish rebels proclaimed Irish independence but were squashed quickly by British forces.
• Battle of Jutland: A naval confrontation where both sides claimed victory.

Brusilov Offensive (1916)

• Significant Russian offensive against Austria but stalled.

U.S. Entry into the War (1917)

• Followinng the Zimmerman Telegram and Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, the U.S. joined the war.

1918

• Armistarce signed on Nov. 11, 1918.
• Kaiser abdicated, leading to the Socialist Republic in Germany.
• Hindenburg's statement indicated a need for peace.
• High casualty rates for both sides.
• Treaty of Versailles.
• Traditionalist, Revisionist, and Counter-Revisionist views on blame.
• Propaganda, Zeppelin raids, and air warfare.