World War 1 Causes and Events

Causes of WW1

• Long-term causes of WW1 include complex alliances, imperialism, nationalism, and militarism
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist

Consequences of the Assassination

• Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, which led to the declaration of war
• Russia mobilized its army in support of Serbia, prompting Germany to declare war on Russia and subsequently France
• Britain, bound by a treaty to defend Belgium, declared war on Germany after Germany invaded Belgium

The Schlieffen Plan

• The Schlieffen Plan was a German military strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France and then focusing on Russia
• The plan failed due to Russian mobilization, French resistance, and British intervention

Life in the Trenches

• Soldiers in WW1 lived in trenches, which were dirty, cramped, and exposed to harsh weather conditions
• Trench warfare led to a stalemate, with soldiers on both sides dug in for years

The Battle of the Somme

• The Battle of the Somme was a disastrous British offensive on July 1, 1916, intended to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun
• The battle resulted in over 60,000 British casualties on the first day alone, with little territorial gain

Mistakes of the Battle of the Somme

• The British underestimated German defenses and overestimated the impact of artillery bombardment
• Insufficient reconnaissance, inadequate artillery support, and poor communication contributed to the disaster
• General Haig, the British commander, was criticized for his rigid tactics and failure to adapt to circumstances

General Haig and Responsibility

• General Douglas Haig was the British commander during the Battle of the Somme
• Haig was criticized for his role in the devastating losses during the battle, with some attributing the disaster to his strategic decisions

WW1 Weapons

• Weapons used in WW1 included machine guns, tanks, poison gas, and artillery
• Trench warfare led to the development of new technologies, such as flamethrowers and mortars