World War I 第一次世界大战.pptVIP

World War I Colonial Competition Some countries felt left out Asia Opium wars Boxer rebellion Africa European colonies Rules of colonization made Balkan Chaos Alliances and Strategies The goals of each of the alliance members Britain – maintain continental balance and UK sea superiority France – confine Germany Russia – expand if possible Germany – solidify German-speaking peoples and never fight on two fronts (West first and then East) Austria – hold everything together Italy – try to solidify your own territory Ottoman Turks – survive Outbreak of War Balkan trigger Serbs revolt/backed by Russians Austria suppressed Serbs Serbian killed Austrian heir War (domino effect) Austria declared war on Serbia Russia declared war on Austria Germany joined with Austria France and Britain declared war on Austria and Germany Conduct of War German attack in the West French counter-attack but are pushed back Russian speed of mobilization surprised Germans so Germany was forced to move some troops to the Eastern front Stagnation and trench warfare in the West Trench Warfare Technology superior to tactics Machine gun versus a human charge through No mans land New technology = poison gas, airplanes Very high death rates Battle of the Somme = 600,000 allied and 500,000 German dead for 125 miles of land Battle of Verdun = 700,000 killed on both sides with no gain in territory Trench Warfare From Erich Remarques All Quiet on the Western Front We see men living with their skulls blown open; we see soldiers run with their two feet cut off… Still the little piece of convulsed earth in which we lie is held. We have yielded no more than a few hundred yards of it as a prize to the enemy. But on every yard there lies a dead man. Russian Revolution Unhappiness with the war among the Russian people Germany/Austria beating Russians Changes in government Lenin transported Mensheviks (moderates) victorious Bolshevik counter revolution Russia withdraws from war Germany ready to have a single