The First Great Revolutionary Wave
    1. The Origins of the First World War: The convergence of Nationalism, Imperialism (militarism) on the Balkans. WWI as the Third Balkan War. (FYI: For an extensive primer on Balkan history click here.)
      1. Four ways in which nationalism and imperialism undermined the old balance of power.
        1. New Balance of Power: Compare Europe in 1816 and 1914 in Centennia.
          1. The emergence of Germany and Italy.
          2. Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian Empires all challenged by ethnic-nationalism. Compare the political and ethno-linguistic structure of Europe
        2. Revolutionary nationalism of the Serbs and other nationalities. See Centennia 1816 and 1885 and read Readings, p. 32
        3. Pan-movements as a combination of nationalism and imperialism.
          1. Pan-Gemanism, Mitteleuropa, Drang nach Osten, e.g. Berlin to Baghdad railway.
          2. Pan-Slavism, Yugoslavism.
        4. Imperialism of competing European power blocks for spheres of influence throughout the world.
    VIDEO: "The smell of War." Click here for text.
      1. Alliances and Alignments of 1914.
        1. Two sets of irreconcilable interests.
          1. Austria vs. Serbia. \
          2. France vs. Germany.
        2. The Bismarckian Alliance System:
          1. 1871-1887
            1. Read the Dual Alliance.
            2. Read: The Triple Alliance 1887-1890


        2. This 1887 American political cartoon depicts Bismarck balancing the figures of war and peace on a teeter-totter made up of a powder keg and a board named "European politics". At the same time, he is juggling the great powers of Europe. An artillery piece lies in the foreground.

        The links for most of the following primary sources are to the excellent Great War Primary Documents Archive. Where it is indicated that you should Read, you should consider this an assignment just as if it were in the textbook. FYI is for your information and suggested as reading.

        1. The Balance of Power 1890-1914.
          1. German Encirclement and its consequences.
          2. The gradual formation of what becomes the Triple Entente. The texts are FYI
            1. Franco-Russian Alliance 1890- (revanche) Click here.
            2. England: European imperialism forces an end to "splendid isolation"
              • Alliance with Japan, 1902
              • The text of the ententes illustrates that these were friendship agreements, not military alliances.
              • Entente with France, 1904


          French postcard showing France dancing with England.

        2. The German Reaction: Read The Schlieffen Plan
        3. Austria vs. Serbia and the problem of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
        4. The Balkan Crisis 1875-1878 See Centennia 1875-1879.5
          1. 1878: Bosnia-Herzegovina taken over by Austria for administrative purposes.
          2. Read: Readings, 32

             

        1. 1908: Annexation. A 1908 Political cartoon from the French Parisian Petit Journal shows Franz Josef grabbing Bosnia-Herzogovina and an independent Bulgaria being torn away from Turkey. Turkey looks on dismayed.
          1. FYI: Click here to go to the source for the above cartoons and to enter a website with a wealth of documentary sources, photos, etc. on the origins of the First World War, its course and conclusion.
          2. Why was Franz Ferdinand considered "public enemy number one" in Serbia? See Readings p. 32.

      2. Russia, the Balkan League and the First and Second Balkan Wars. FYI: For a good, brief overview of the background of the Balkan Crisis click here.
        1. 1910 revolt of Kossovo Albanians --- Serb vs. Turkish interests.
        2. First Balkan War: Oct.-Dec. 1912. See Centennia 1912.7-1912.9
        3. The Albanian problem and the Conference of London 1913. Centennia 1913.0-1913.5
        4. The Second Balkan War: June 29-July 30, 1913. Centennia 1913-5-1913.8
        5. Read: War fever in Serbia, e.g. Narodna Odbrana.
      3. "The Third Balkan War" into The First World War..
        1. The assassination of the Austrian Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand stimulated the July Crisis. FYI: Click here for photos.
        2. An ideology of preemptive war to solve the "South Slav Problem."
          1. Chief of Staff Conrad von Hötzendorf: "Only an aggressive policy with positive goals will be able to protect against collapse and achieve success."
          2. Foreign Minister Count Leopold Berchtold urged "the use of force to eliminate the danger of Serbia for ever."
          3. Partition of Serbia among Rumania, Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary as a possible solution.
        3. Read here for a Chronology of the July Crisis and links to crucial documents relating to the origins of the war. In Readings, 33. In the light of this chain of events, consider the question of War Guilt which is part of the Paris Peace Treaties in 1919.
    1. "The Great War." Click here for the website that supports the PBS eight hour Video of the same name. The film, from which the video shown in class was edited, is available in the Curriculum Resources section of the Library: 940.G798W
      1. The Western Front.
        1. The The Schlieffen Plan and its consequences.
      Video Coverage
      1. Enthusiasm -- Scenes from "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Great War." - 7:50
      2. Stalemate and Trench warfare (Significance and impact on the participants) --- scenes from The Great War and All Quiet on the Western Front: 7:50-19:15. FYI: Photos of Trench Warfare
      1. The Eastern Front and its consequences.
      2. The War in the South:
        1. The Balkans
          1. Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, September, 1915.
          2. Joint Austrian-Bulgarian occupation of Serbia: Centennia 1915.7-1916.1
        2. Italy: Read Articles 2 and 4 specifically:. The Treaty of London. See Readings, p. 36
          1. Isonozo Campaign, Centennia, 1915.4-1915.9 ---- losses 250,000
          2. Caparetto Offensive of Austrians, Centennia: 1917.5-1917.9 --- losses 305,000

        Video Coverage

        1. The Ottoman Empire and the Gallipoli campaign. Video coverage: 19:50-24.30.
          1. Where was the battle fought and why?
          2. Who was Mustafa Kemal and what was his significance?
        2. The global implications of the war. Video coverage. 24:30-26:40
          1. What is the significance of the section in the video entitled "The White Man's War"?
          2. How does the discussion of "colonial issues in F-R, pp. 72-74 expand upon this issue?
          3. How does the photograph on F-R, 67 illustrate this point?
          No Video Coverage
      3. The Domestic Aspects of total war.
        1. The end to classical liberalism.Review the definition of classical liberalism, F-R, p. 10.
          1. Why can it be said that classical liberalism was ended with World War I? See F-R, 68.
          2. Review the discussion of conservative modernization of Germany, Readings, 13-16. Why may "war socialism" be seen as a logical extension of these trends?
        2. The social impact: women and labor unions.

        Video coverage. 26:40-39:02

      4. The War at Sea.
        1. FYI: Click here for links to U.S. protests in 1915 and the German decision to restrict U-Boat warfare.
        2. Read: German calculated risk to resume U-Boat warfare, 1917.
        3. Why may the German decision be considered decisive in the outcome of the war?
    2. The Collapse of the Empires and the end of the War. 1917-1918
      1. The U.S. decision to enter the war.
        1. Read: The Zimmermann Telegram
        2. FYI: President Wilson's War Message, 2. April 1917
      2. A World without War: Two views on how to avoid future clashes of nationalism and imperialism.
        1. Lenin appeal for a peace without annexations and indemnities.
        2. Read: Wilson's Fourteen Points. See also Readings, 34-35.
      3. The Collapse of the Central Powers: September 30-Nov. 11, 1918.
        1. Read: German acceptance of defeat repudiates the later claim of Dolchstoss.
        2. Read: Allied Acceptance of the Fourteen Points
        3. FYI: Armistice 11. November 1918.
    3. The Post-war Settlements:The End of the Old World Balance of Power. Compare pre- and post-World War I maps using Centennia and maps H44 and H46 in Hammond Historical Atlas of the World. To see the ethno-national map of the new state structure of Europe click here.
      1. The Principles: Sovereignty vs. National Self-Determination. Read a discussion of this problem and its long-term significance here.

      Video coverage. 39:02-54.

      1. The Versailles settlement was negotiated without permitting Germany to be involved (Diktat) and under naval blockade and the threat of invasion. See map of Germany in 1920
        1. The Losses: 13 % of territory, 10% loss of population, 74.5% loss of natural resources and 100% of colonies under the pretext of providing national self-determination. .
          1. Upper Silesia --- Plebescite, March 20, 1921 ---"Interpretation" by the League, August, 1922
          2. Polish Corridor (Posen and West Prussia), no plebescite.
          3. The Saar-- Plebescite in 1935
          4. The Rhineland
          5. The colonies
        1. Army limited in size to 100,000 professionals.
        2. Read: Reparations and War Guilt.
      2. St.Germaine: the centrifugal, national disintegration of Austria-Hungary into its component parts.
        1. Galicia to the new Polish nation.
        2. Bohemia, and Moravia are joined with Slovakia to become the multi-national state of Czecho-Slovakia.
        3. Ruthenia goes to Ukraine.
        4. Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina incorporated into the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later renamed Yugoslavia.
        5. South Tyrol, Alto-Adige and Trentino to Italy in accordance with the Treaty of London --- see above.
        6. German-Austria forbidden Anschluss (annexation) to Germany.
        7. Army limited in size and had to pay reparations.
      3. Trianon: Hungary lost 3/4 territory and 2/3 of its population to Rumania, Czecho-Slovakia and Yugoslavia.--- fits definition of nation-state.
      4. Neuilly: Bulgaria lost Aegean coast to Greece, army limited to 20,000 and had to pay reparations.
      5. Sevres: Treaty with the now-defunct Ottoman Empire. This topic will be taken up separately.

      For reference: the text of all the treaties may be accessed by clicking here .

      1. Mechanisms for maintaining the Peace.
        1. The Covenant of the League of Nations.
        2. Cordon Sanitaire
        3. Bi-lateral treaties among France, Poland, Rumania, Czecho-Slovakia, Yugoslavia aimed at isolating Germany. German detente with U.S.S.R. For a graphic showing these treaties click here.
      2. Rapallo, 1922
      3. Locarno and the reintegration of Germany, 1925.


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