W0RLD

-WAR 1
GRADE 8
 1. Mutual Defense Alliances

[Link] meant that if one country

was attacked,
allied countries were bound to defend
them.
Before
World War 1, the following alliances
existed:
❖ Russia and Serbia
❖ Germany and Austria-Hungary
❖ France and Russia
❖ Britain and France and Belgium
❖ Japan and Britain
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia got
involved to defend Serbia. Germany seeing Russia
mobilizing, declared war on Russia. France was then
drawn in against Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Germany
attacked France through Belgium pulling Britain into war.
Then Japan entered the war. Later, Italy and the United
States would enter on the side of the allies.
 Triple Alliance 1882 Triple Entente 1907

The Triple Alliance was a military agreement The Triple Entente was an understanding between:
between:
1. France
1. Germany 2. Russia
2. Austria-Hungary 3. Great Britain
3. Italy ● Purpose: It was formed to counterbalance
● Purpose: It was primarily defensive, aimed the growing power of the Triple Alliance.
at protecting member nations from threats Unlike the Triple Alliance, it wasn’t a formal
posed by countries like France or Russia. If treaty but rather a series of agreements that
one of the members were attacked, the established a cooperative relationship.
others would come to their aid.

HW: Find out the reasons why each country wanted to form an
alliance with the other.
 2. Imperialism
Imperialism is when a country increases their power
and wealth by bringing additional territories under
their control.
Before World War I, Africa and parts of Asia were
points of contention among the European countries.
This was especially true because of the raw
materials these areas could provide.
The increasing competition and desire for greater
empires led to an increase in confrontation that
helped push the world into WW I.
 3. Militarism

By 1914, Germany had the greatest increase

in military buildup. Great Britain and Germany
both greatly increased their navies in this time
period.
Further, in Germany and Russia particularly, the
military establishment began to have a greater
influence on public policy.
This increase in militarism helped push the
countries involved into war.
 4. Nationalism

Origin of the war was based on the desire of

the Slavic peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to no
longer be part of Austria Hungary but instead be part of
Serbia.
In this way, nationalism led directly to the War.
But in a more general way, the nationalism of the
various
countries throughout Europe contributed not only to the
beginning but the extension of the war in Europe.
Each country tried to prove their dominance and power
 [Link] Cause: Assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The immediate cause of World War I that made

the aforementioned items come into play (alliances,
imperialism, militarism, nationalism) was the assassination of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.
In June 1914, a Serbian-nationalist terrorist group called the Black Hand
sent groups to assassinate the Archduke. A Serbian nationalist named
Gavrilo Princip assassinated him and his wife while they were in
Sarajevo, Bosnia.
 HW- Causes of world war 1 collage

Objective: Visually explore the main causes of WWI (Militarism,

Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism).
Instructions:
● From Magazines, newspapers, and printed resources for
● students to cut out images or words that represent
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.
● In small groups, students create a collage on a poster
board, labeling and explaining how each concept
contributed to the outbreak of war.
● Display the collages and have each group present their
work to the class.
 The Schlieffen Plan (1905)
The Schlieffen Plan was a military strategy developed by
Alfred von Schlieffen, the German Chief of Staff, to avoid a
two-front war against France in the west and Russia in the
east.

Objective

● The primary aim of the Schlieffen Plan was to quickly

defeat France before turning the German army
eastward to fight Russia.
● Germany believed that it would take Russia longer to
mobilize its forces due to its vast size and
underdeveloped railway system, giving them time to
defeat France first.
Key Elements of the Plan

1. Attack on France through Belgium:

○ The plan called for German forces to bypass France's heavily fortified eastern border by
invading Belgium (a neutral country).
○ The idea was to sweep through Belgium, rapidly encircle Paris, and force a quick French
surrender within 6 weeks.
2. Weak Defense on the Eastern Front:
○ While the majority of German forces attacked France, a smaller portion would defend against
Russia in the east.
○ After France's defeat, Germany would transfer its troops eastward by train to face Russia.
3. Speed and Surprise:
○ Speed was essential to the plan’s success. The Germans needed to overwhelm the French
before Russia could mobilize and launch an attack from the east.
○ The plan relied heavily on the element of surprise and the rapid movement of troops.
What Went Wrong

1. Belgium’s Resistance:
○ Germany expected little resistance from Belgium, but the Belgian army fought back, slowing down
the German advance.
○ This delay gave Britain and France time to mobilize their forces.
2. Britain's Involvement:
○ Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality led to Britain declaring war on Germany on August 4,
1914.
○ British forces joined the war on the side of the Allies, further complicating the German advance.
3. French and British Counterattacks:
○ The German advance was eventually halted at the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914,
just outside Paris. French and British forces mounted a successful counteroffensive.
○ The failure to capture Paris in the planned time frame marked the collapse of the Schlieffen Plan.
 [Link] Mobilized Faster than Expected:

○ Russia mobilized its forces much quicker than anticipated, attacking Germany’s
eastern border, forcing Germany to divert troops from the west to the east earlier
than planned.

Outcome

● The failure of the Schlieffen Plan resulted in a stalemate on the Western Front, leading to
trench warfare, which dominated the rest of the First World War.
● Germany was forced to fight a two-front war against both France and Russia, which
drained its resources and contributed to its eventual defeat.

The Schlieffen Plan was a bold but flawed strategy that did not account for the resistance of
Belgium, the involvement of Britain, and the faster-than-expected Russian mobilization. Its failure
played a significant role in shaping the prolonged and devastating nature of World War I.
At the beginning, the Germans implemented the so-called
Schlieffen Plan:

They attacked France through neutral Belgium to get a

quick defeat of the French army.

This would allow German troops to turn against Russia

before the Tsar could mobilize his massive army.

The French, however, managed to stop the German

attack in the Battle of the Marne, in the fall of 1914, and
the Russians also halted the German advance in the east.
 Battle of Marne sep 6 to 12, 1914

● The French and British armies, under

the leadership of French General
Joseph Joffre and British General John
French, launched a counteroffensive
against the advancing Germans.
● The French exploited a gap in the
German lines and attacked, supported
by the British Expeditionary Force
(BEF).

In a famous and symbolic event, the French

government used Parisian taxis to quickly
transport reserve troops to the front line,
reinforcing the Allied forces.
The German army, unable to maintain its momentum and facing strong resistance,
was forced to retreat to a more defensible position.

The retreat halted Germany's plan for a quick victory, and they fell back to the Aisne
River, where they began to dig defensive trenches.

The Battle of the Marne was a turning point in World War I because it stopped the
German advance and saved Paris from capture.

It ended the Schlieffen Plan and the hope for a short, decisive war. The war now
turned into a long, drawn-out conflict.
 Trench warfare
First Battle of the Marne, both sides began to dig trenches to defend their positions, leading
to the development of trench warfare on the Western Front.

Key Features of Trench Warfare:

1. The Trenches:
○ Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground to protect soldiers from
enemy fire.
○ They were typically built in three lines: the front line trench (closest to the enemy),
the support trench, and the reserve trench.
○ Between the opposing trenches was a dangerous area known as No Man’s Land,
often filled with barbed wire and shell craters.
2. Living Conditions:
○ Life in the trenches was harsh. Soldiers faced terrible conditions, including mud,
cold, rats, disease, and the constant threat of enemy attacks.
○ Common illnesses included trench foot (caused by standing in waterlogged
trenches) and diseases like dysentery.
[Link]:

● Trench warfare led to a stalemate. Neither side

could gain significant ground because both were
dug into strong defensive positions.
● Attempts to advance often resulted in heavy
casualties due to machine guns, artillery
bombardments, and other modern weapons.

[Link] Weapons:

● To break the deadlock, both sides developed new

tactics and weapons, such as poison gas, tanks,
and flamethrowers.
● However, these weapons were often not enough to
break through enemy lines decisively.
 1914: The war of movement
of kilometers and soldiers dug trenches preparing for
a long war.
COUNTRY NUMBER OF SOLDIERS

UK 5,704,416

INDIA 1,440,437

CANADA 628,964

AUSTRALIA 412,953

SOUTH AFRICA 136,070

NEWZEALAND 128,825
 1915-1916: The war of attrition
The confrontation between major industrial powers led to war at a level of violence
and horror never before contemplated. The invention of new weapons (grenades,
flamethrowers, tanks, toxic gas) and the use of machine gun led to systematic and
great massacres, which, however, did not break the tactical tie on the Western Front.

The war spread to several fronts. The Western Front (France-Germany) and the
Eastern Front (Russia) accounted for the bulk of the operations. Apart from these two
main fronts, the fighting took place on other minor fronts: the Alps (Italy), the Balkans
and the Middle East.

On the Western Front Germans fought against French and British in a long series of
terrible battles that did little to break the front. The Battle of Verdun was the biggest
example of what the German generals called the "war of attrition". Throughout 1916,
heavy fighting took place around the French city of Verdun. More than 700,000
soldiers were killed but the front remained immovable. Similar things happened in the
battles of Ypres and the Somme...
 What was trench conditions like?

Trenches normally dug- 2 meters deep with wooden

supports.

Dug out where soldiers could rest or try to get some sleep.

The area between the enemy trenches was called no

man’s land.

They often flooded during heavy rain, created waterlogged

and muddy conditions.
Soldiers clothing often became infected with lice due to the
lack of washing facilities. Bites from lices were itchy and
uncomfortable and spreads. Due to this the soldiers
suffered from trench fever.

Trench foot- soldiers not taking off their boots and their feet
become blistered, losing feeling in nerves.

Shell shock caused mental health condition soldiers being

constantly frightened of the explosion going around them.

Some soldiers were shot for being afraid and not going to
the no mans land on being said.
 1917: The Tipping Point of the War
Two great events came to turn the tide of the war in 1917: the U.S. entry into the war in
April and Russia out of the conflict in December.

United States had remained neutral in the conflict but had supplied the Entente
countries. The Germans decided to undertake submarine warfare, a risky tactic of
attacking and sinking not only British or French ships but also attacking neutralshipping.

Popular discontent with the progress of the war in Russia culminated in a revolution
that overthrew the Tsar in March and brought to power the Bolsheviks(Communists) in
November. Lenin's new government signed the armistice with the Central Powers in
December. Russia left the war. In March 1918, Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
with the Central Powers,
 BATTLE OF VERDUN AND SOMME
The Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the
Somme were two of the largest and most
devastating battles of World War I, both taking
place in 1916 on the Western Front between
France, Germany, and later the British Empire.

Battle of Verdun (February 21 – December 18,

1916)

The Battle of Verdun is one of the longest and

most brutal battles in history, lasting for nearly 10
months. The Germans launched the offensive,
intending to "bleed France white" by drawing the
French army into a battle of attrition. Their goal
was to capture Verdun, a symbolically and
strategically important fortress.
 BATTLE OF VERDUN AND SOMME
The French defended fiercely, leading to massive
casualties on both sides. Verdun became a symbol
of French national resistance

Casualties:

● Estimated at about 700,000 total (around

300,000 dead and 400,000 wounded).

Outcome:

● The French held the line, and while both sides

suffered horrific losses, Verdun remained in
French hands.
 Battle of the Somme (July 1 – November 18, 1916)
The Battle of the Somme was initiated by the British and
French to relieve pressure on Verdun and to weaken the
German forces on the Western Front.

It is infamous for the first day of the battle, July 1, 1916,

when the British army suffered 57,000 casualties (19,000
killed) — the worst day in British military history.

The battle marked the first use of tanks in warfare by the

British, though they had limited success.

The British and French forces aimed to break through

German defenses, but the battle quickly became a
protracted and bloody affair, with minimal gains.
Women in ww1
[Link]
 Minor theatres of war in the Middle East

Turkey also fought on the side of the central powers.

Though Turkey met with initial success and the Allies suffered reverses,
particularly in Mesopotamia and Gallipoli, ultimately Turkey was defeated.

The Turks tried to attack Suez Canal, but were repulsed. Britain attacked Turkey
in Iraq, and later in Palestine and Syria.

The Austro-German army in coordination with Bulgaria crushed Serbia. Serbia

came under German rule.

Rumania watched the course of the War and in August 1916 joined the Allies.
Rumania also passed under AustroGerman occupation.
The German colonies in western and eastern Africa were also attacked by the
Allies. As these colonies were quite far from Germany they could not receive any
immediate help, and therefore surrendered to the Allies.

Italy formally joined the Allies in the war in May 1916. Italians were fighting with
the Austrians and continued to sustain their resistance. But when the Germans
came to Austria’s help, the Italians collapsed.

The Central Powers successfully occupied Belgium and a part of France in the
northeast, Poland, Serbia and Romania.
The epicentre of the struggle was the western front and the seas. As the
Allies controlled the sea-routes, they cut off the supply of food and other
material reaching the Central Powers.

In Germany and Austria women and children suffered from hunger and
privation. Germany attacked England by air.

Bombs were thrown on London and places where there were major
factories. Later aeroplanes were used for targeting civilian population. The
Germans introduced poison gas and soon both sides resorted to its use.
 War in the Eastern Front
The Eastern Front was a major theater of combat during World War I,
stretching across a vast expanse of territory from the Baltic Sea in the
north to the Black Sea in the south.

It primarily involved the Russian Empire and Romania against the

Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria.

Russia had the worst trained and equipped army and therefore
Russian losses were the greatest. In 1917, the Tsarist regime in Russia
was overthrown in a revolution. Russia wanted peace and
consequently it signed the Treaty of BrestLitovsk (3 March 1918) with
Germany.

After this, the position of Germany became strong. It appeared as if the

Allies were going to lose. However, USA came to their rescue and
played the final decisive role in crushing Germany.
 Homework

Research and write about the Treaty of

Brest Litovsk.
TREATY OF VERSAILLES

Germany surrendered in
November 1918. The peace
conference was held in paris,
1919.
The peace negotiations were helmed by Woodrow wilson of the united states, Lloyd George of
Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France and vittorio Orlando of Italy.

They were collectively called as the “Big four”.The objectives of the Big four was different from
each other-The french wanted to prevent any future attacks by Germany and economically
weaken it.

british wanted to rebuild germany so it could gain a strong trading partner.

Italians wanted to expand their power and influence in post-war Europe so that they would be
at an equal footing with that of other European Powers.

Americans opposed any territorial changes and sought to implement a world order that was in
line with the Fourteen Points.
The European Allies imposed a harsh treaty on
germany to surrender al of its overseas colonies and
10% of its land.

Other aspects:

Germany would limit the size of its army and navy

and was not allowed to maintain an air force.

It called for Kaiser Wilhelm 2 , ruler of germany to

stand for war crimes.

Above all, it included the “War Guilt clause” which held

germany responsible for starting the war and
requiredit to pay reparations for allied war losses.

This led the grounds for ultra nationalist sentiments in germany, which were exploited by Hitler and his Nazi party to
seize power and laid the groundwork for world war2.