Chapter 29 - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Chapter 29

The Great WarSlide2

Rising Tensions

Nationalism, Imperialism, and Militarism caused European nations to become fiercely competitive with one another.

France had not gotten over losing Alsace & Lorraine to Germany from the Franco-Prussian War

Austria-Hungary and Russia both tried to dominate the BalkansSlide3

The Balkans

This is where WW1 is going to begin.Slide4

Tangled Alliances

Germany’s Otto Von Bismarck saw the key to European peace being “Isolate France” He formed alliances with Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Italy. This was called the Triple Alliance

Kaiser Wilhelm II let the treaty with Russia lapse, so the Russians joined with England and France to form the Triple Entente.Slide5

The Balkan

Powderkeg

Serbia and Austria-Hungary both had plans for the Bosnia-Herzegovina area. In 1908 Austria annexed the land, enraging Serbia.

On June 28

th

, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was visiting Sarajevo and was assassinated by a Bosnian rebel. Uh oh.Slide6

The Balkans

This is where WW1 is going to begin.Slide7

The Descent Into War

Austria wanted to punish Serbia. They issued an ultimatum. Serbia agreed to most provisions, but wanted to settle some by international committee.

Austria refused and declared war on July 28

th

.

Russia (Serbia’s ally) mobilized it’s armies and posted them at the Austrian & German borders.Slide8

The Descent Into War (cont)Germany declared war on Russia on August 1.Russia called upon France to come to its aid, but the Germans didn

’t wait. They declared war on France two days later.Great Britain then declared war on Germany. All of Europe was now locked in conflict.Slide9

The Central Powers vs the Allies

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria & the Ottoman Empire made up the Central Powers

They were named that because they sat in the heart of Europe’s center.

France, England, Russia, Japan, & Italy made up the Allies. Italy had switched sides after accusing Germany of starting an unjust war.

The United States would not join the war until 1917.Slide10

Europe

’

s Pre-War Attitude

Many people thought it would be a relatively quick war.

Soldiers and civilians alike seemed almost “happy” to be going to war. Many thought it would be a great adventure after so many years of peace.Slide11

The Western FrontAfter a few months of fighting it was becoming obvious that the war was turning into a bloody stalemate.

Military technology had progressed faster than military strategy. Slide12

The Schlieffen Plan

Germany’s goal during WW1 was to quickly defeat France in the West, then rush east to fight slower-moving Russia.

General Alfred

Schieffen

devised a plan that brought the Germans to within 40 miles of Paris. However, they were defeated at the Battle of the Marne, and the

Schlieffen

Plan was ruined.Slide13

Trench Warfare

By 1915, miles of parallel trenches had been dug to protect armies from enemy fire.

Life in the trenches was agony. It was dirty, disease infested, loud, and only slightly less dangerous than the space between trenched, dubbed, “no-man’s land”

Armies traded huge losses of life for pitifully small land gainsSlide14

New Weapons of War

Poison Gas – Some gasses caused blindness or blisters, some just caused choking.

Machine Guns – This could wipe out entire waves of attackers

Tanks – Armored combat vehicles introduced by the British in 1916

Submarines – The German U-Boats were amazingly effective and employed torpedoes