Causes of the First world war
The Naval race
Alliances
Triple Alliance - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Triple Entente - France, Britain and Russia
Entente Cordiale - France and Britain (Later because the France was allies with Russia as well at the time, Britain France and Russia Formed the Triple Entente.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Life in the Trenches
Many soldiers suffered 'shell shock' which was a slang term for PTSD caused by soldiers life in trenches seeing dead bodies and the constant fear and sound of the bombs being dropped.
Imperialism/empires
Before the Start of the First World war, Britain had the largest naval force in the world. Germany spent lots of money on trying to get a naval force as good as Britain.
There were two major alliances during the First world war. The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. The Entente consisted of Britain, France and Russia (Later on in the war when Russia left, America joined the Triple Entente).
Before the First world war, Bosnia and Serbia (two neighbouring countries) wanted to be united in and alliance together. However, Bosnia was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire which meant it was controlled by Austria-Hungary and they said that Bosnia couldn't ally with Serbia who wasn't in the empire. Serbia and Bosnia got angered by this and a group of Serbians known as the black hand gang, decided to assassinate the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It was Gavrilo Princip Who shot him and his wife Sophie that killed them. He was arrested later after a failed suicide attempt. Austria-Hungary were angry with Serbia and wanted war with them. Serbia however, had an alliance with Russia who said that they would back Serbia up even though Austria-Hungary didn't want them to. This then got the Triple Alliance involved since Austria-Hungary was in it (Italy and Germany are now involved) But since Russia was in the Triple Entente, The Triple Entente now got involved (France and Britain). This was the spark of the war.
Before the First World war, Britain had one of the largest empires in the world. We controlled many parts of Africa and Asia. France also had a very large empire as well and we had been at war with each other for centuries. When the Entente Cordiale (The alliance between France and Britain) was issued this meant it was a massive deal and it showed how much France and Britain were disturbed about Germany’s Imperialism.
Between our Front line and the enemies Front line was an area of land known as 'no-mans land'. It was a place littered with dead bodies, barbed wire and the craters from the bombs had been dropped.
Disease
Trench-foot (A foot infection where the soldiers feet were in the constant damp and couldn't get dry)
Key words
Imperialism - When a country wants to gain power by colonising other countries.
Nationalism - When a country believes it is more superior to other countries.
Alliance - A mutual agreement between two or more countries.
Militarism - When a country wants to gain power through using its Military.
Infantry - Soldiers on foot.
Contribution of the Commonwealth Soldiers
Britain were running out of soldiers fast and so we had to call upon our colonies for more soldiers. We controlled many parts of Africa and Asia at the time and so we gathered many men to fight on the Western front.
Soldiers would often write letters to their families about their hard life at war
On Christmas day 1914, some places on the western front had a temporary ceasefire and both sides met in no-mans land for drinks, football, clearing their deceased and even haircuts. The next day the fighting continued and generals were furious about this ceasefire. For the years the war continued, there was never another ceasefire on Christmas day.
The area where the Fighting took place was called the Western front. It was 100's of miles of trenches that stretched across Belgium and France
End of war
German Naval strike
Failure of the Ludendorff offensive
Abdication of the Tsar
America joins the war
Shell shock (A slang term for PTSD caused by life in the trenches)
The Abdication of the Tsar led to Russia leaving the war. He was influenced by Rasputin. The Russian people lost faith in the Tsar and the Tsar abdicated and he and his family were killed by the Bolsheviks (Communist Revolutionaries).
The Navy refused to go out and fight. This was because the USA had joined the war and the sailors did not want to die when the war was ending. This led to the Abdication of the Kaiser. This also increased the speed at which Germany lost the war.
The Ludendorff offensive was a string of German attacks on the Western front. They were aimed at winning the war for Germany. However this did not work and the Entente began to push the Germans back. This increased the Likelihood that Germany would lose the war.
In April 1917, The USA joined the Entente powers, soon after Russia had left. The USA were able to add 1 million more soldiers to the side of the Entente. This increased the speed at which the war would end. It became clear Germany were not going to win the war.
Abdication - When a monarch gives up the throne or fails to fulfil a duty or responsibility.
Thought it would give them their freedom
They wanted to help their 'mother country'
“Lions led by donkeys” - A quote used to describe the soldiers being sent to fight by ‘cowardly’ generals who wouldn't have to fight and would sit back and watch.