World War I: Causes and Treaty of Versailles

Causes of World War I

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (June 28, 1914)
• Imperialism and colonial rivalries
• Nationalism and militarism
• Alliance system: Triple Entente (France, Britain, Russia) vs. Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
• Economic rivalries and competition for resources

Treaty of Versailles

• Signed on June 28, 1919
• Imposed harsh penalties on Germany:
  • War guilt clause
  • Reparations
  • Territorial losses
  • Limitations on military size and type
• Established the League of Nations
• Failed to prevent the rise of Nazi Germany and World War II

Major Battles of World War I

• Battle of the Frontiers (August-September 1914): Initial clashes between German and French/British forces
• Battle of the Marne (September-October 1914): French victory halted German advance on Paris
• Battle of Verdun (February-December 1916): Prolonged and bloody battle between French and German forces
• Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916): Massive casualties on both sides, little territorial gain
• Battle of Cambrai (November-December 1917): First large-scale tank battle
• Battle of Amiens (August 1918): Turning point in favor of the Allies

Home Front

• Total war effort: mobilization of entire societies for war
• Rationing, propaganda, and censorship
• Women's roles expanded in workforce and society
• Governments took control of industries and economies
• Wartime nationalism and xenophobia

Trench Warfare

• Static warfare: opposing armies dug in for years
• Trenches: muddy, unsanitary, and exposed to artillery and sniper fire
• No Man's Land: barren wasteland between trenches
• Lack of mobility and innovation in tactics
• Heavy casualties from artillery, machine guns, and poison gas

Causes of World War I

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination on June 28, 1914, triggered the war
• Imperialism and colonial rivalries contributed to the outbreak of war
• Rising nationalism and militarism increased tensions among European powers
• The complex alliance system, including the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance, escalated the conflict
• Economic rivalries and competition for resources also played a role

Treaty of Versailles

• The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919
• Germany was forced to accept the war guilt clause and pay significant reparations
• The treaty imposed territorial losses, military limitations, and other penalties on Germany
• The League of Nations was established to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars
• However, the treaty ultimately failed to prevent the rise of Nazi Germany and World War II

Major Battles of World War I

• The Battle of the Frontiers (August-September 1914) saw initial clashes between German and French/British forces
• The Battle of the Marne (September-October 1914) halted the German advance on Paris
• The Battle of Verdun (February-December 1916) was a prolonged and bloody battle between French and German forces
• The Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) resulted in massive casualties with little territorial gain
• The Battle of Cambrai (November-December 1917) was the first large-scale tank battle
• The Battle of Amiens (August 1918) marked a turning point in favor of the Allies

Home Front

• Total war efforts mobilized entire societies for war
• Rationing, propaganda, and censorship were widely used
• Women's roles expanded in the workforce and society during the war
• Governments took control of industries and economies to support the war effort
• Wartime nationalism and xenophobia were prevalent

Trench Warfare

• Static warfare characterized the Western Front, with opposing armies dug in for years
• Trenches were muddy, unsanitary, and exposed to artillery and sniper fire
• No Man's Land was a barren wasteland between trenches
• The lack of mobility and innovation in tactics led to heavy casualties
• Artillery, machine guns, and poison gas caused massive losses on both sides