World War I Essay, Research Paper
World War I
World War I was a military struggle from 1914 to 1918. It began as a local
European war between Austria & # 8211 ; Hungary and Serbia on July 28, 1914. It was
transformed into a general European battle by declaration of war against Russia on
August 1, 1914 and finally became a planetary war affecting 32 states. Twenty & # 8211 ; eight
of these states, known as the Allies and the Associated Powers, and including Great
Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and the United States, opposed the alliance known as the
Cardinal Powers, dwelling of Germany, Austria & # 8211 ; Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The
immediate cause of the war between Austria & # 8211 ; Hungary and Serbia was the blackwash
of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, at Sarajevo in Bosnia by Gavrilo
Princip, a Serb patriot. ( Microsoft Encarta, 1996 )
On July 28 Austria declared war against Serbia, either because it felt Russia would
non really fight for Serbia, or because it was prepared to put on the line a general European struggle
in order to set an terminal to the Greater Serbia motion. Russia responded by partly
mobilising against Austria. Germany warned Russia that continued mobilisation would
cause war with Germany, and it made Austria hold to discourse with Russia a possible
alteration of the ultimatum to Serbia. Germany demanded, nevertheless, that Russia demobilize.
Russia refused to make so, and on August 1, Germany declared war on Russia. ( Microsoft
Encarta, 1996 )
The Gallic began to mobilise on the same twenty-four hours. On August 2, German military personnels
invades Luxembourg and on August 3, Germany declared war on France. On August 2,
the German authorities informed the authorities of Belgium of its purpose to process on
France through Belgium in order, as it claimed, to forestall an onslaught on Germany by
Gallic military personnels processing through Belgium. The Belgian authorities refused to let the
transition of German military personnels and called on the informants of the Treaty of 1839, which
guaranteed the justness of Belgium in instance of a struggle in which Great Britain, France, and
Germany were involved, to detect their warrant. Great Britain, one of the informants,
on August 4, sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding that Belgian justness be respected.
When Germany refused, Britain declared war on it the same twenty-four hours. Italy remained
uninvolved until May 23, 1915, when, to fulfill its claims against Austria, it broke with
the Triple Alliance and declared war on Austria & # 8211 ; Hungary. In September 1914, Allied
integrity was made stronger by the Pact of London, signed by France, Great Britain, and
Russia. As the war progressed, other states, including Turkey, Japan, the U.S. , and
other states of the western hemisphere, were drawn into the struggle. Japan, which had
made an confederation with the Great Britain in 1902, declared war on Germany on August 23,
1914. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. ( Microsoft Encarta,
1996 )
The eruption of war in 1914 set in gesture forces more mammoth than any old
war had seen. Two million Germans were on the March, the greater portion of them against
France, and there were another 3,000,000 trained work forces to endorse them up. France had
about 4,000,000 trained work forces at call, although they relied on merely 1,000,000 active military personnels
in the first clang. Russia had more 1000000s to pull upon than any, but their mobilisation
procedure was slow, a big portion of their forces were in Asia and even their great potency
strength was to a big extent canceled out by deficiency of weaponries. ( Captain Sir Basil Liddell
Hart, 1984 )
The growing of these enormous forces had been due chiefly to a military Gospel
of mass. Known by Clausewitz, the Prussian military philosopher, who drew his
inspiration from Napoleon & # 8217 ; s illustration, the spread of this Gospel had been stimulated by the
triumphs of the Prussian draftee ground forcess in 1866 against Austria and in 1870 against
France. It had been assisted besides by the development of railroads, which enabled far larger
Numberss of work forces to be assembled, moved and supplied than had been possible antecedently.
Therefore the ground forcess of 1914 & # 8211 ; 1918 came to be counted in their 1000000s compared with
the 100s of 1000s of half a century earlier. ( Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart, 1984 )
The indispensable causes of World War I were the attitude of intense patriotism that
permeated Europe throughout the 19th and into the twentieth century, the political and
economic competition among the states, and the constitution and care in Europe
after 1871 of big armaments and of two hostile military confederations.
The Gallic Revolution and the Napoleonic epoch had spread throughout most of
Europe the thought of political democracy, with the ensuing thought that the people of the same
cultural beginning, linguistic communication, and political ideals had the right to independent provinces. The
rule of national ego & # 8211 ; finding, nevertheless, was mostly ignored by the dynastic and
retrograde forces that dominated in the colony of European personal businesss at the Congress
of Vienna in 1815. Several peoples who desired national independency were made capable
to local dynasts or to other states. Noteworthy illustrations were the German people, whom
the Congress of Vienna left divided into legion dukedoms, princedoms, and lands ;
Italy, besides left divided into many parts, some of which were under foreign control ; and the
Flemish & # 8211 ; and French & # 8211 ; talking Belgians of the Austrian Netherlands, whom the Congress
placed under Dutch regulation. Revolutions and strong chauvinistic motions during the 19th
century succeeded in call offing much of the retrogressive and antinationalist work of the
Congress. Belgium won its independency from the Netherlands in 1830, the fusion of
Italy was accomplished in 1861, and that of Germany in 1871. At the stopping point of the century,
nevertheless, the job of patriotism was still unresolved in other countries of Europe,
ensuing in tensenesss both within the parts involved and between assorted European
states. One peculiarly noticeable chauvinistic motion, Panslavism, figured to a great extent in
the events predating the war. ( Microsoft Encarta, 1996 )
The attitude of patriotism was besides seeable in economic struggle. The Industrial
Revolution, which took topographic point in Great Britain at the terminal of the eighteenth century, followed in
France in the early nineteenth century, and so in Germany after 1870, caused an immense
addition in the industries of each state and a attendant demand for foreign markets.
The chief field for the European policies of economic enlargement was Africa, and on
that continent colonial involvements often clashed. Several times between Germany on
one side and France and Great Britain on the other, about precipitated a European war.
( Microsoft Encarta, 1996 )
The difference between the United States and Germany was far more serious. In
order to forestall nutrient, weaponries, and other supplies from making Great Britain,
Germany in 1915 declared the Waterss environing Great Britain and Ireland a war zone
in which German pigboats would drop all enemy vass without the visit or hunt
ordered by international jurisprudence. To avoid the possibility that uninvolved vass might be
sunk by error, or that uninvolved might be killed, Germany warned uninvolved ships
non to come in the zone. They besides advised citizens of uninvolved states non to go on
ships of the Allied nations. Germany remained intolerant in the face of U.S. protests
against this declaration. In May 1915 a German pigboat torpedoed the British
rider line drive Lusitania off the Irish seashore without warning, doing the deceases of 1198
people, of whom 128 were U.S. citizens. The Germans claimed that the Lusitania was
transporting weaponries to Britain, and subsequently research has proven this to be true. But the
American populace was outraged by the sinking, and strong protests by the U.S. State
Department brought a promise from Germany non to drop any rider line drives without
taking safeguards to protect the lives of civilians. ( Alistair Horne, 1970 )
In March 1916, nevertheless, a German pigboat sank an unarmed Gallic Channel
soft-shell clam, the Sussex, with the loss of two Americans. President Wilson threatened to
separate diplomatic dealingss with the German authorities unless it abandoned & # 8220 ; its present
methods of pigboat warfare against rider and freight-carrying vessels. & # 8221 ; In May,
the German authorities pledged non to drop merchandiser vass without warning and
without salvaging the lives of those aboard. For nine months the pledge was kept by and large
to the satisfaction of the United States. Wilson & # 8217 ; s powerful diplomatic negotiations seemed to hold
averted war with Germany, and as the Democratic campaigner in the presidential election of
1916, Wilson was elected over the Republican campaigner, Charles Evans Hughes, mostly
because & # 8220 ; he kept us out of war. & # 8221 ; The war, nevertheless, was near.
At the terminal of January 1917, Germany broke the alleged Sussex Pledge by
declaring unrestricted pigboat warfare in a zone even larger than the 1 it had
proclaimed in 1915. On February 3, Wilson replied by interrupting off diplomatic dealingss
with Germany. Later in the month, at his petition, Congress passed a measure allowing U.S.
merchandiser vass to build up. After new depredations by German pigboats against
uninvolved transportation, and the find of a program made by the German Foreign Office to
unite Germany, Mexico, and Japan against the United States if it entered the war,
Wilson on April 2, 1917, requested Congress to declare war. On April 6, Congress
passed a declaration declaring a province of war with Germany. ( Alistair Horne, 1970 )
The early portion of 1918 did non look favorab
lupus erythematosus for the Allied nations. On March
3, Russia signed the Treaty of Brest & # 8211 ; Litovsk, which put a formal terminal to the war
between that state and the Central Powers on footings more favourable to the latter ; and
on May7, Romania made peace with the Central Powers, subscribing the Treaty of
Bucharest, by the footings of which it ceded the Dobruja part to Bulgaria and the base on ballss
in the Carpathian Mountains to Austria & # 8211 ; Hungary, and gave Germany a long & # 8211 ; term
rental on the Rumanian oil Wellss. ( Microsoft Encarta, 1996 )
On November 6, the German delegates left Berlin to use for an cease-fire.
Meanwhile, the Allied progress in the West continued, and, on the American sector at least,
with fresh inducement. The Americans reached Sedan on the same twenty-four hours that the German
delegates reached General Ferdinand Foch & # 8217 ; s rendezvous. ( Alistair Horne, 1970 )
The footings he laid down were terrible & # 8211 ; sufficient to stultify the German forces more
resolutely than any conflict. But the prostration of the place forepart, even more than the military
threat in forepart and wing, ensured their credence. In any event, the chokehold of the
encirclement was smothering to power of opposition, so the Germans had no pick but to subscribe.
And at the 11th hr of the 11th twenty-four hours of the 11th month of 1918 the war came
to an terminal.
Introduction
World war one, besides known as the war to stop all wars, was a barbarous war which
affected all of Europe, and outlying countries. The blackwash of Arch Duke
of Austria, Francis Ferdinand by a Bosnian nationalist was responsible for the
initial eruption of contending. On July 28, 1914, universe war one began.
Contending commenced between Austria-Hungary, whom declared war on Russia, an
ally of Serbia. Millions of people were affected by this war. More civilian
population was involved in universe war one than of all time before in old wars.
Imperialism, patriotism, militarism and confederations, all played the major
functions in the readyings for war, and without even one of these factors,
universe war one would non hold occurred.
Although the slaying of Austria & # 8217 ; s Arch Duke, Francis Ferdinand was the
immediate cause of the war, it was non the chief ground for it. Many
states were broken into little pieces before the war, and certain countries
were occupied as settlements by greater powers. One illustration of this was the
colonisation of Italy by Austria-Hungary. The Italians supported
patriotism, which was the desire for ego regulation. Finally, after multiple
efforts, the Italians freed themselves from Austria-Hungarian control.
However, there would ne’er once more be univocal peace between the two
states once more. From that point on, they watched each other & # 8217 ; s every action,
and were ever fixing to contend. It is believed by Pierre Renouvin, the
writer of The Immediate Origins of War that & # 8220 ; The vigorous averment of
national feeling is one of the basic traits of the period. . . & # 8221 ; and that & # 8220 ; .
. . The effectual urge ( for the war ) came from national feelings and from
passionate emotions. & # 8221 ;
As tensenesss grew between states, feelings of insecurity began to
develop. Many states decided to increase their ground forcess, and their naval forcess,
besides known as militarism. As one state would get down to heighten their
military, other states felt compelled to make the same to avoid possible
unsuspected onslaughts. On a chart stand foring the per capita expenditures on
armaments, many states, within merely ten old ages prior to the war increased
their military & # 8217 ; s defence and offense by two to even three hundred per centum.
The actions of the European states greatly intensified the opportunities for bow
coming of a full graduated table war. In the Origins of the World War by Sidney
Bradshaw Fay, it says & # 8220 ; This ill will ( within Europe ) was accentuated by the
addition of armaments, economic competition, and nationalist aspirations. . . & # 8221 ;
When one or more states felt that they needed support, or protection,
they would happen another state seeking for something comparable, and do
an understanding to stand by each other during war. These understandings were known
as confederations. During the war, two major allied groups came approximately. They were
the three-base hit entente which consisted of Great Britain, France, and Russia, and
the ternary confederation which consisted of Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary.
Throughout the war, confederations maintained a great function, nevertheless, ab initio
confederations were non a conducive factor. If there had non been imperialism,
patriotism, and militarism happening at the same time, there would hold been
no demand for Alliess, because they were the factors that created the hostile
environment in which the war formed. What could hold remained a regional
incident, turned into a universe war due to confederations. Alliances were for other
states to be able to trust on others during relentless onslaughts from other
states. These confederations were merely utile during war, and had imperialism,
patriotism, and militarism non been present, universe war one would non hold
occurred.
World war one was a expansive war which contained a really in-depth, elaborate
background, runing from the blackwash of the Arch Duke of Austria, to
the imperialism, patriotism, militarism, and confederations of the European
states. Imperialism, patriotism, militarism and confederations, all played
major functions in the readyings for war, and without even one of these
factors, universe war one would non hold occurred.
World War One
World war one, besides known as the war to stop all wars, was a barbarous war which
affected all of Europe, and outlying countries. The blackwash of Arch Duke
of Austria, Francis Ferdinand by a Bosnian nationalist was responsible for the
initial eruption of contending. On July 28, 1914, universe war one began.
Contending commenced between Austria-Hungary, whom declared war on Russia, an
ally of Serbia. Millions of people were affected by this war. More civilian
population was involved in universe war one than of all time before in old wars.
Imperialism, patriotism, militarism and confederations, all played the major
functions in the readyings for war, and without even one of these factors,
universe war one would non hold occurred.
Although the slaying of Austria & # 8217 ; s Arch Duke, Francis Ferdinand was the
immediate cause of the war, it was non the chief ground for it. Many
states were broken into little pieces before the war, and certain countries
were occupied as settlements by greater powers. One illustration of this was the
colonisation of Italy by Austria-Hungary. The Italians supported
patriotism, which was the desire for ego regulation. Finally, after multiple
efforts, the Italians freed themselves from Austria-Hungarian control.
However, there would ne’er once more be univocal peace between the two
states once more. From that point on, they watched each other & # 8217 ; s every action,
and were ever fixing to contend. It is believed by Pierre Renouvin, the
writer of The Immediate Origins of War that & # 8220 ; The vigorous averment of
national feeling is one of the basic traits of the period. . . & # 8221 ; and that & # 8220 ; .
. . The effectual urge ( for the war ) came from national feelings and from
passionate emotions. & # 8221 ;
As tensenesss grew between states, feelings of insecurity began to
develop. Many states decided to increase their ground forcess, and their naval forcess,
besides known as militarism. As one state would get down to heighten their
military, other states felt compelled to make the same to avoid possible
unsuspected onslaughts. On a chart stand foring the per capita expenditures on
armaments, many states, within merely ten old ages prior to the war increased
their military & # 8217 ; s defence and offense by two to even three hundred per centum.
The actions of the European states greatly intensified the opportunities for bow
coming of a full graduated table war. In the Origins of the World War by Sidney
Bradshaw Fay, it says & # 8220 ; This ill will ( within Europe ) was accentuated by the
addition of armaments, economic competition, and nationalist aspirations. . . & # 8221 ;
When one or more states felt that they needed support, or protection,
they would happen another state seeking for something comparable, and do
an understanding to stand by each other during war. These understandings were known
as confederations. During the war, two major allied groups came approximately. They were
the three-base hit entente which consisted of Great Britain, France, and Russia, and
the ternary confederation which consisted of Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary.
Throughout the war, confederations maintained a great function, nevertheless, ab initio
confederations were non a conducive factor. If there had non been imperialism,
patriotism, and militarism happening at the same time, there would hold been
no demand for Alliess, because they were the factors that created the hostile
environment in which the war formed. What could hold remained a regional
incident, turned into a universe war due to confederations. Alliances were for other
states to be able to trust on others during relentless onslaughts from other
states. These confederations were merely utile during war, and had imperialism,
patriotism, and militarism non been present, universe war one would non hold
occurred.
World war one was a expansive war which contained a really in-depth, elaborate
background, runing from the blackwash of the Arch Duke of Austria, to
the imperialism, patriotism, militarism, and confederations of the European
states. Imperialism, patriotism, militarism and confederations, all played
major functions in the readyings for war, and without even one of these
factors, universe war one would non hold occurred.
