WW1

• Russia withdrew from World War I

  1917
• Reason for Russia's withdrawal from WWI


  Internal political turmoil stemming from the Russian Revolution
• Bolshevik government


  Led by Vladimir Lenin
• Treaty of Brest-Litovsk


  1. Signed with Germany in March 1918

  2. Ending Russia's involvement in the war

  3. In exchange for significant territorial concessions
• Battle of the Marne


  September 1914
• Battle of the Marne


  • Marked the first major clash on the Western Front
  • French and British forces halted the German advance towards Paris
  • Ended in a strategic Allied victory
  • Forced the Germans to retreat
  • Initiated the stalemate of trench warfare
• Battle of the Somme


  July to November 1916
• Battle of the Somme


  • One of the largest and most brutal battles of World War I
  • British and French forces launched a massive offensive against German lines
  • Aimed to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun and break through German defenses
  • Resulted in staggering casualties, with little territorial gain
  • Symbolized the horrors and futility of trench warfare
• Sinking of the Lusitania

  1914
• Unrestricted submarine warfare


  A successful and clever strategy used by the Germans to destroy most of the invader's ships
• Lusitania


  A luxurious cruise ship that carried over 100 Americans on board
• Germans detected secret weapons on the Lusitania


  Decided to sink the ship
• The sinking of the Lusitania caused major outrage in America and is a reason for them getting involved in the war
• United States entered World War I

  April 1917
• Reasons for US entry into WWI

  • Prolonged tensions with Germany, including unrestricted submarine warfare and the interception of the Zimmermann Telegram
  • President Woodrow Wilson's commitment to defending American interests, ensuring freedom of the seas, and promoting democracy
• Russian Revolution


  1917
• Russian Revolution


  • A series of political upheavals in Russia, culminating in the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy and the establishment of a socialist government led by the Bolsheviks, headed by Vladimir Lenin
  • Occurred in two phases: the February Revolution, which resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, and the October Revolution, where the Bolsheviks seized power, leading to the creation of the Soviet Union
• Paris Peace Conference


  1919
• Goals of nations at the Paris Peace Conference


  • France sought security against future German aggression and reparations for war damages
  • Britain aimed to maintain its imperial interests and restore stability in Europe
  • The United States prioritized Woodrow Wilson's vision of self-determination and the establishment of the League of Nations
  • Italy sought territorial gains promised in pre-war agreements
• Gallipoli Campaign


  April 1915 to January 1916
• Gallipoli Campaign


  • Allied forces, primarily composed of British, French, Australian, and New Zealand troops, attempted to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula from the Ottoman Empire
  • Aimed to secure a sea route to Russia and knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war
  • Resulted in a costly stalemate and heavy casualties on both sides before the Allied withdrawal
• Unrestricted submarine warfare


  A military strategy where submarines attack merchant ships and other vessels without warning, regardless of their nationality, location, or cargo
• Alliances


  • Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
  • Triple Entente: Russia, Great Britain, France
• Trench warfare


  • A predominant form of combat during World War I, characterized by opposing armies digging intricate systems of trenches facing each other across a battlefront
  • Soldiers lived, fought, and endured harsh conditions within these trenches
  • Stalemates were common, with each side launching periodic offensives to try to break through enemy lines, resulting in immense casualties
  • First used in the Battle of the Marne
• Powder keg


  The Balkans were known as the "powder keg of europe" because of a complex mix of ethnicities, nationalisms, and historical tensions among the various peoples in the region
• Schlieffen Plan


  Created by the Germans, the plan was to easily destroy France by invading Belgium, a neutral country, and then go on to take over Russia
• Propaganda


  Used widely throughout the time of WW1 to convince or persuade an audience to do a certain thing, such as join military forces or fund the army and/or other helpful resources
• Total war


  • A war fought without limitations on targets or weapons and the whole world is involved
  • WW1 was known as a total war because many countries from all different places were involved and many different types of weapons were used without restrictions
• Sides in WWI


  • Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy (defeated)
  • Allies: Many allies between countries were created during WW1, such as Austria-Hungary and Germany
• Fourteen Points


  President Woodrow Wilson's vision for post-war peace, including principles such as national self-determination, free trade, and the establishment of a League of Nations to prevent future conflicts
• Zimmerman Note


  A secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military contract between the German Empire and Mexico if the United States entered World War I against Germany
• League of Nations


  An international organization established after World War I with the aim of promoting peace and preventing future conflicts through diplomacy and collective security
• Western Front


  • Bordered the countries: England, France, and Germany
  • Significant during World War I due to its immense scale and brutality, with millions of soldiers engaged in trench warfare across France and Belgium
  • Became a symbol of the stalemate and horrors of modern industrial warfare
• Eastern Front


  • Bordered the countries Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Romania
  • Significant due to its immense scale and impact on the overall course of the war, witnessing massive troop deployments, staggering casualties, and the collapse of several empires
• Czar Nicholas


  • The last emperor of Russia, ruling from 1894 until his abdication in 1917 amidst the Russian Revolution
  • Faced numerous challenges during his reign, including economic struggles, social unrest, and military defeats, culminating in his forced abdication and subsequent execution by the Bolsheviks in 1918
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand


  The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, triggered the events leading to World War I
• Treaty of Brest-Litovsk


  1. Signed in March 1918 between Soviet Russia and the Central Powers

  2. Effectively ended Russia's involvement in World War I

  3. Russia ceded vast territories to Germany and its allies, including Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, in exchange for peace and the withdrawal of German forces from Russian territory
• Treaty of Versailles


  • Signed in 1919, officially ended World War I and imposed harsh penalties on Germany
  • Demanded significant territorial losses, demilitarization, and reparations payments, while also establishing the League of Nations
  • Many historians argue that the treaty's punitive terms contributed to economic hardship in Germany and resentment, laying the groundwork for future conflicts
• The Germans(Central Powers) used unrestricted submarine warfare, a very successful military technique in WWI
• The Germans did not want to fight a war on two fronts