Unit 1: Reasons why World War 1 broke out

A war is a state of violent armed conflict between countries or between competing forces within a
country. They were called world wars (20th century) because they involved a large number of
countries spread around the world. Long-term causes of WW1- nationalism, industrial economies,
control of seas, colonisation and the decline of empires.

Overview of long-term causes

Some people blamed Germany, Russia and France for the war, and even Serbia (at the centre of the
event that sparked the war). Britain, France and Russia were members of the Triple Entente, which
meant the countries were allies and they would support each other against any threats (mostly
Germany). Britain had the most powerful navy in the world, but was fearful of the increase in
German military power in Europe itself. Russia (most powerful Slavic country) wanted to protect
Serbia (small Slavic state). France was a traditional rival of Germany and wanted to regain the
territory of Alsace-Lorraine that Germany held since winning the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. The
countries of the Triple Entente became known as the Allies during the War.

Germany, Austria and Italy were the members of the Triple Alliance. They agreed to support each
other if there was an attack from France or Russia. However, Italy didn’t take her membership
seriously and fought for the Triple Entente in WW1. Germany wanted to strengthen the weakening
Triple Alliance in reaction to the growing strength of the Entente and to increase her economic
power in Europe and the world. Austria was afraid her nation was falling apart because of the
growing nationalism of various countries in it. She thought going to war would help stamp her
authority. The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined the Triple Alliance because of German pressure and
rivalry with the Triple Entente over matters such as Russia’s desire to take over the Straits near
Constantinople (Istanbul). Members of the Alliance came to be known as the Central Powers.

Nationalism
Nationalism involves strong emphasis on:

Identifying with one’s country.

 Building a strong sense of community that unites all citizens.

 Developing a strong sense of national pride.
 Placing the interests of one’s own country before the interests of any other country.

Nationalism generally develops because countries/ people within a country feel threatened in some
way (real, imagined or exaggerated)., e.g., traditional values are breaking down, economy collapsing
and people getting poorer or other countries are threats. Nationalism can be dangerous if taken too
far because it can lead to an aggressive attitude between countries/ its people.

By 1914, many European countries were very nationalistic, they usually have or want to have
powerful armies and navies. In 1914, Germany, ruled by the Kaiser, had the strongest army and had
been great rival powers with Britain.

The Slavic people in Bosnia and Herzegovina wanted to be free of the rule of Austria (German-
speaking country) and grow closer to fellow Slavs in Serbia. Pan-Slavic nationalism led to the
assassination of the heir to the Austrian throne and was the spark for WW1.
 Industrial economies
Some European countries (Britain, France and Germany) were industrialised, with strong economies
and built large armed forces. Belgium relied on Britain to defend them. European countries also
measured their wealth in terms of the land and resources they owned in their empires. Some
historians think that Germany wanted to expand her economic power in Europe and beyond- they
had both the means to build the machines and arms to fight large-scale wars and an economic
motive for dominating as much of Europe as she could.

Control of seas
Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and his Minister of the Navy, Tirpitz, set out to build a powerful fleet able
to rival Britain’s. Britain wanted to remain the world’s greatest naval power. In the early 20th century,
Britain expanded her fleet (larger than Germany-29 and Britain 49 in 1914). Britain was concerned
that Germany was ready for conflict., causing Britain to ally itself more with France and Russia.

In the south coast of Europe, in and near the Balkans, Russia wanted to control the port of
Constantinople (Istanbul) and the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits (narrow strips of water that
joins larger bodies of water) that could connect Russia to the Mediterranean Sea. The Ottoman
Empire felt threatened by the Russians and looked to Germany as an ally.

Colonisation and empires

In the 1880s, Germany created the colonies of German East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi and mainland
part of Tanzania) and German South-West Africa (Namibia). Kaiser Wilhelm wanted to establish an
overseas empire but there was little opportunity to expand. Most of the land in Africa, Aisa and the
Pacific had already been taken over by other European powers, especially France and Britain. Kaiser
Wilhelm’s desire to assert both his own and Germany’s clam to be at least as powerful as their rivals
may have contributed to his temptation to increase German power in Europe.

Immediate cause of World War 1- Assassination of Archduke of Austria at Sarajevo

Many Serbians lived in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina., ruled by the Austro-
Hungarian Empire and Serbians did not like their rule and wanted to join Serbia to create a greater
Slavic state called Yugoslavia. But the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, wanted to absorb Serbia
even further into the Austro-Hungarian empire. On 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo, he was assassinated by
19-year-old Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip, believed to be a member of the Young Bosnia Nationalist
Society and linked to the Black Hand society.

Countries in Europe that fought- Allied Powers versus Central Powers

The original allied powers were Britain, France, Russia and Serbia. Countries of the British empire
were Australia, China, India, New Zealand, South Africa and more smaller states. The Allied Powers
were later joined by Italy, Japan, the U.S and some weaker countries. The Central Powers were
Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Bulgaria. Romania was on the side of
the Central Powers, but then switched to the Allies.
 Unit 2: Aspects of experiences in World War 1
After the assassination of the Archduke in 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, who asked
Russia for protection and Britain and France also sided with them.

Build up to World War 1:

Archduke Ferdinand and wife assassinated, Austria-Hungary asked Germany for support as they took
revenge on Serbia. Russia sided with Serbia. Austria-Hungary and Germany declared war on Russia.

France to fight alongside Russia. Britain had understanding between two countries and Britain
protected Belgium. To fight France, Germany had to go through Belgium. WAR STARTED- 28 JULY
1914.

Conscription and propaganda in Britain

The biggest part of a country’s army is its fighting soldiers (young men between 18 and 30).
Conscription is the calling up of people to do government service, usually in the armed forces, and
the people have no choice. Propaganda is information used to influence the way people think or feel,
usually about politics.

Conscription
In 1916, conscription in Britain was introduced. The Military Service Act said that unmarried men and
those between 18 and 41 could be conscripted. Ministers of religion and widowers who had children
were exempted, and some had to be called before a tribunal court to prove that they deserved to be
exempted. From 1912, South African white men between 17 and 60 were obliged to do military
service.

Propaganda
During war, propaganda helps people feel, think and do what a government wants. Before
conscription, government cleverly advertised the army, playing with people’s emotions. Propaganda
suggested that to fail to sign up was to be a coward and even a traitor. It was also shameful for a
young woman to be out with a young man out of uniform. Patriotic popular songs helped persuade
people to volunteer. Soldiers were idolised and enemies were made to be seen as monsters.

Conscientious objectors
Conscientious objection- a man pleads he had religious or moral objections to fighting. Propaganda
portrayed war as good and noble. Most conscientious objectors were prepared to help the war effort
by doing farmwork or working in factories, etc. Absolutism- not doing anything to help the war effort.

Trench warfare on the Western Front

On both sides of the War, thousands of young men enlisted in August 1914. Most people thought the
Great War would be over quickly, with much of the war fought in trenches (ditches dug into the earth
near the line of battle- the Front). As the opposing side won or lost land and the Front moved, new
trenches were dug. No man’s land- the area between the trenches of the opposing forces. It is
estimated that nearly a third of the Allied soldiers at the Western Front were killed in the trenches.
Diseases and unhygienic conditions, rats and lice also caused many deaths. The cold, conditions
caused soldiers feet to rot (Trench Foot). The smell of dead bodies and poison gas was present.
Those who returned from the trenches after the war were often scarred for life (physical and
emotional damage). Shell-shock: seriously psychologically wounded and nearly impossible to return
to normal.

Music and poetry

Music and songs were a way of unifying a whole nation and making people believe in the glories of
war. Songs were originally positive and encouraging soldiers, but also came to explain the harsh
experiences of the war. Rupert Brooke wrote the poem “The Soldier” in 1915 when people had
positive ideas of war. Wilfred Owen was a war poet who wrote from first-hand experience. He was
killed a week before the war ended. His poem, ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ (between November 1917 and
March 1918) describes agonies of war and in the end says it is a lie good to die for your country.

World War 1 and South Africa

The Union of South Africa was a British colony. Like other colonies of England and other allies of the
UK, South Africa showed support for the war.

Battle of Delville Wood, 1916

South Africa entered WW1 on 8 September 1914, on the side of the Allied Forces. On 15 July 1916,
the South African Infantry Brigade of 3433 soldiers was given instructions to clear Delville Wood
(Devil’s Wood). There were fierce German attacks but the South Africans did not surrender for 6 days
and 5 nights and were relieved by British troops on 20 July. This event was described as ‘the
bloodiest battle of hell of 1916’. /

Sinking of the Mendi, 1917

Soldiers, mainly from the Pondo Kingdom in the eastern Cape, volunteered to help man on the
trenches. They were from the South African native Labour Corps (SANLC) consisting of labourers on a
12-month contract. They left Cape Town on the troopship Mendi on 16 January 1917. On 21 February
1917, on its way to England from France, the Darro struck the Mendi on the right-hand side and the
Mendi immediately started to sink. In their last 25 minutes, the men performed a victory dance
known as the Death Dance.

Unit 3: Women in Britain during World War 1

Before 1914, women had no right to vote, not allowed to work in most jobs outside teaching and
looking after children or men’s jobs (factory and office work). Women were expected to get married,
start families and look after their children. They wore long resisting dresses and their haor was
almost never cut short.

Changing roles of women in the workplace in Britain in World War 1

In January 1917, the British government established the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) with
voluntary membership and no military rank. They were to do work to free men for combat duty
(offices, kitchens, telephone exchanges, etc.). they took responsibilities forbidden to them before
war. At the end of the war, women were ‘rewarded’ by giving them the right to vote (limited
franchise- over 30 and owned property). In the West, women were slowly becoming equal to men.
 Emmeline Parkhurst and the campaign for the vote for women in Britain
Emmeline Parkhurst was one of the leaders of the British suffragette movement campaigning for
women’s suffrage (right to vote)/ the franchise. She started the Women’s Franchise League in 1889
and formed the Women’s Social and Political Movement in 1903. She was a leading figure in the
campaign to get equal rights for women and was often arrested for civil disobedience. Suffragettes
(those who fought with the campaign) chained themselves to railings, went on hunger strikes and
committed arson. Parkhurst stopped the campaign in 1914 when the war broke out to help urge
women to do men’s jobs so men could fight, using a parade of over 30 000 women.

Unit 4: The defeat of Germany and the Treaty of Versailles

In April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.A declared war on Germany in response to the
bombing of their ships on the Atlantic. England and France knew that with America they would win
and so did Germany.

In 1917 in Russia, a group called the Bolsheviks toppled the existing government (Russian
Revolution)- these often change the political order. After this, Russia made peace with Germany and
this helped the Central Powers.

By July 1918, in the Spring Offensive, German troops advanced close to Paris. The Allied troops were
joined by the Americans and fought. In august 1918, the Allied armies pushed the Germans from
Paris back towards their own borders.

In spring and summer, it looked as Germany might win, but by autumn is was clear they would lose.
The Germans blamed Kaiser for their defeat and he was forced to leave the country. Austria-Hungary
surrendered earlier and Germany and the Allied Forces agreed to sign an armistice (formal
agreement to stop fighting) at 11am on 11 November 1918 (Armistice Day- wear a red poppy).

The Treaty of Versailles

Germany was punished for its role in WW1 at the Treaty of Versailles, signed 28 June 1919. It took 6
months for the Allied Powers to agree on the terms of this treaty. The Weimar Republic had to pay
for the war, had land taken away wasn’t allowed an air force, had to cut their army to 100 000.
Woodrow Wilson (American president) warned that treating Germany like this would lead to future
problems. This led to WW2.