Transcript 2. World War I

British Civilisation
Week 7-8
World War I
Dr. Granville Pillar
World War I
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The Industrial Revolution led to the mass
production of weapons and ammunition.
It brought the invention of the aeroplane,
motorised vehicles and radio.
In 1917 Winston Churchill was appointed
the Minister of Munitions.
Churchill began large scale production of
the Tank (armoured tracked vehicle with
petrol engine) to replace trench warfare.
Tanks eventually replaced horse cavalry.
World War I
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Poison gas was used which caused
vomiting and suffocation
Flame-throwers were used which shot out
a stream of burning fuel.
The German Navy used submarines,
known as U-Boats.
Planes were used to observe the enemy,
but were later fitted with rapid-firing
machine guns and bombs.
World War I
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World War I was the first mass global war
of the industrialised age.
It demonstrated the strength, resilience
and killing power of the modern countries.
It employed high-tech weapons – quick
firing artillery and machine guns.
It employed low-tech defences – trenches
and barbed wire.
Cavalry was little use in trench warfare.
World War I
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On 28th June Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was
assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, by
Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian terrorist.
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Germany’s invasion of France through the
neutral Belgium, led to the British
declaration of war on Germany on 4
August 1914.
Austria-Hungary sided with Germany.
World War I
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The Allied Powers: Britain, France, Russia and
USA.
The Central Powers: Germany and AustriaHungary.
‘The Great War’ lasted from 1914-1918.
Germany surrendered on 11 September 1918.
Treaty of Versailles signed with Germany in
June 1919.
Severe conditions on Germany by the Allied
Powers created conditions which led to World
War II.
World War I
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The causes of the war:
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The rise of nationalism
A buildup of military might
Competition for colonies
A system of military alliance
The results of the war:
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Toppled the Emperors of Austria-Hungary,
Germany, and Russia
New nations arose from the defeated powers
Europe lost its position in world affairs
Helped create conditions for World War II
World War I
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The consequences of the war
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Destruction and casualties
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Economic consequences
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Cost of $337 billion (in 1918, 10 million per hour)
Political consequences
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10 million soldiers dies, 20 million wounded
4 Monarchies toppled – Russia, Austria-Hungary,
Germany and the Ottoman Empire
Social consequences
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Shattered beliefs in the superiority of European
Civilisation
World War I
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Britain tried to prevent war and proposed
and international conference.
The German Emperor, Wilhelm II, urged
his cousin, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia not
to mobilise.
Russia mobilsed along the AustriaHungarian and German border.
World War I
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Germany declared war on Russia
(Britain’s ally) on 1 August 1914.
Germany declared war on France
(Britain’s ally) on 3 August 1914.
Germany declared war on Britain on 4
August 1914.
The Allied Powers declared war on the
Ottoman Empire in November 1914.
Turkish troops invaded Russia.
World War I
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Japan declared war on Germany in late
August 1914.
Australian and New Zealand troops
seized German colonies in the Pacific.
The United States joined the Allied
Powers in 1917.
The U.S. troops gave the Allied Powers
the manpower they needed to win the
war.
Bulgaria joined the Central Powers on 14
October 1915.
World War I
The Peace Settlement
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32 Nations from the victorious powers
came together in Paris.
Germany reluctantly accepted the peace
settlement only after the Allies threatened
to invade Germany.
The treaty was signed in Palace of
Versailles near Paris on 28 June 1919.
Treaties were made with the other Central
Powers.
World War I
The Peace Settlement
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Decisions were made on behalf of the
Allied Powers by the “Big Four.”
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U.S President, Woodrow Wilson
Britain’s Prime Minister, David Lloyd George
France’s Premier, Georges Clemenceau
Italy’s Premier, Vittorio Orlando
World War I
The Peace Settlement
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Treaty of St Germaine was signed with
Austria in September 1919
The Treaty of Neuilly was signed with
Bulgaria in November 1919.
The Treaty with Trianon was signed with
Hungary in June 1920.
The Treaty of Sevres with the Ottoman
Empire in August 1920.
World War I
The Peace Settlement
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Germany had to pay $33 billion dollars in
reparations to the Allies.
Germany gave up territory in Belgium,
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France & Poland,
and lost all its colonies.
Austria and Hungary were reduced to one third
of their former area.
The Treaties recognized the independence of
Czechoslovakia, Poland and what was to
become Yugoslavia.
Italy and Romania received territories that had
belonged to Austria-Hungary.
Mesopotamia, Palestine and Syria were taken
away from the Ottoman Empire.
World War I
The Peace Settlement
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The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsher
terms than Germany had expected.
Having accepted the terms, weakened
Germany’s postwar government.
Paved the way for the success of the
NAZI Party led by Adolf Hitler.
Hitler ignored the Treaty of Versailles,
and in 1939 invaded Poland.
World War II had begun.