World War I: Causes, Alliances, and Warfare

• World War I resulted from a combination of militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism.
• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, triggered the war after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

Major Alliances

• The Allies included France, Britain, Russia, and later the U.S.
• The Central Powers consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.
• War Guilt encompassed complex political, military, and economic factors.

Military Actions & Warfare

• Trench warfare on the Western Front led to a stalemate due to defensive advantages.
• "No Man's Land" was the deadly area between opposing trenches.
• Both engaged in a war of attrition, weakening each other through prolonged combat.
• New military technology included machine guns, tanks, poison gas, submarines (U-boats), and airplanes.

Key Battles

• The Battle of the Marne in 1914 halted the German advance on Paris and initiated trench warfare.
• The Battle of Tannenberg in 1914 resulted in a Russian defeat, exposing government weaknesses.
• The Christmas Truce in 1914 demonstrated humanity amidst war.

Eastern vs. Western Fronts

• The Western Front was characterized by trench warfare and stalemate.
• The Eastern Front involved more mobile and fluid combat.

The Homefront & Russian Revolution

• Total war mobilized entire societies through rationing, war industries, and propaganda.
• Women took on new roles in factories and war efforts.
• Governments controlled information to boost morale and demonize enemies.
• Government propaganda encouraged recruitment, money drives, and work.

Russian Revolution (1917)

• The Russian Revolution occurred due to economic hardship, military losses, and weak leadership under Tsar Nicholas II.
• Russia exited WWI after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918, allowing Germany to focus on the Western Front.

U.S. Entry into the War

• The U.S. joined the war due to unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmerman Telegram, and the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.
• The U.S. entry provided fresh troops and resources, boosting Allied morale.
• It shifted the war’s momentum against Germany.

Treaty of Versailles & Aftermath

• Germany was blamed for the war via the War Guilt Clause and had to pay $132 billion in reparations over 30 years.
• There were severe military restrictions imposed on Germany.
• The League of Nations was formed to prevent future conflicts through negotiation.
• The rejection of the treaty led the U.S. to return to isolationism.

Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points

• The focus was on self-determination, open diplomacy, and international peace.
• The League of Nations was proposed, but the U.S. did not join.

Armistice (End of War)

• The fighting officially ended on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 AM.
• Modern-day Veterans Day was formerly Armistice Day.

Understand the causes, alliances, and key battles of World War I. Explore the impact of militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. Learn about trench warfare, new military technologies, and significant battles like the Battle of the Marne.