Revision Guide
Paper One: Causes and Events of World War One and
The Inter-War Years
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1 How to answer the questions 4 Marks •
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1 mark for every relevant point. 2 marks for a point, with supporting detail. 4 individual points/2 points with supporting detail = full marks. 6 Marks •
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You need to PEE! 1 explained reason earns between 4/5 marks depending on detail. 2 explained reasons can earn you full marks. If you PEE twice in your answer you can earn 6 marks 8 Marks •
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You need to PEE! 1 explained reason earns between 4/5 marks depending on detail. 2 explained reasons can earn you full marks. If you PEE three times in your answer you can earn 8 marks 10 Marks •
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You need to look at both sides of the argument. 2/3 PEE points per side. Finish off with a conclusion, giving your opinion. Explain both sides of the argument, with a conclusion = full marks! What is the Message? •
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Use the Content of the source and your Own Knowledge to identify and explain the message. Break the source down if you need to (really simplify it!) Always give the message first (give two if you’re really unsure!) What is the Purpose? •
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You’re looking at why the source was made/published. Use NOAP: Nature (What)Origin (Who? When?) Audience (Who for?), Purpose (Why?) Use the content and your own knowledge to explain. Are you Surprised? •
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You must argue both sides (You are surprised and you aren’t) Use the content and your own knowledge to explain why and why you aren’t. Also use NOAP to help you explain this. 2 WORLD WAR ONE Increasing Tensions Remember MAIN! Militarism Alliances Impreilaism Nationalism The Alliance System •
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Nations believed that if they formed alliances it would prevent war (but in the words of Blackadder ‘It was bollocks!) Triple Alliance of 1882 (Germany, Italy and Austria-‐Hungary) 1904 Britain and France sign the Entente Cordiale. Triple Entente of 1907 (Russia join Britain and France) Don’t forget: Russia were allied to Serbia, whilst Britain had promised to defend Belgium! How did Colonial problems create tension? •
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Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted ‘a place in the sun’ so pursued the policy of Weltpolitik. Britain were concerned, but having the largest empire meant that Germany also felt threatened by them. The Scramble for Africa meant countries turned towards African countries for their empire, but Germany had missed out. Led to the two Moroccan Crises: 1905 (The Tangier Crisis) •
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1911 (Agadir Crisis) •
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Wilhelm visited Morocco and promised to defend them against France. This angered France who had an agreement to ‘protect Morocco’ At the Algeciras Conference in 1906 Britain backed France, forcing Germany to back down with the Kaiser being humiliated. As such this led to the Triple Entente being signed to prevent war, whilst Germany prepared for war as they felt they were being ganged up on. France took over Morocco after putting down a rebellion. Wilhelm sent the Panther (a German gunboat) to protect Morocco, the British saw this as a threat to their naval supremacy. Germany backed down in return for 100,000 square miles of the French Congo, which humiliated Wilhelm again. Why did the arms race escalate? 3 •
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Countries believed in militarism (that war can solve problems) Germany felt encircled so wanted to increase its army and navy to protect itself. Britain were concerned that Germany wanted to challenge their naval supremacy. France wanted to retake Alsace-‐Lorraine from Germany. Germany had the largest army of around 2.2 million men, whilst Russia had the fastest growing of 1.2 million. Britain had the strongest navy and in 1906 developed the Dreadnought (making Germany’s navy obsolete) This led to a competition between Britain and Germany, with Britain building 29 Dreadnoughts to Germany’s 17 by 1914. Why were there problems in the Balkans? •
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The Ottoman Empire (Turkey to us) was losing control of its Empire. The Balkan countries were nationalistic and saw a chance to take advantage. Meanwhile Austria wanted to prevent the Balkan countries from taking over, fearing that it would cause problems for its empire. This led to two major issues in the area: Bosnian Crisis 1908 •
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Balkan Wars 1912-‐13 •
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In 1908 a revolution in the Ottoman Empire allowed Austria to annex Bosnia. Serbia mobilised its army to get Bosnia itself. Russia supported Serbia, whilst Germany threatened a war. Austria were allowed to annex Bosnia, with Britain supporting Germany! Russia had to back down and was humiliated, they promised to never back down again. The Balkan League (featuring Serbia) took land from the Ottoman Empire. Germany and Britain worked together to negotiate a peace treaty. Serbia became the most powerful Balkan power and turned its attention towards Austria. Germany wrongly believed that they were friends with Britain and could continue to be aggressive. The breakout of war The assassination of Franz Ferdinand •
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The Black Hand Gang planned to assassinate Franz Ferdinand, on behalf of the Serbian government, to protest against Austria controlling Bosnia. Franz Ferdinand was known as a reformer who would offer greater freedom for the Bosnians, the Serbs needed him gone to make things worse, not better! 28th June 1914 in Sarajevo the assassins lined up along the Appel Quay. 4 •
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Cabrinovic threw a bomb, he failed to kill Ferdinand, whilst the rest of the assassins did nothing. On a return to visit the hospital the driver took a wrong turn and stopped... right in front of Princip (after eating his sandwich!) Princip shot both Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. How did the assassination lead to war? •
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5th July – Austria get support from Germany (the Blank Cheque) 23rd July – Austria send Serbia an ultimatum (of ten tough clauses), which when rejected would give Austria their excuse to invade. 25th July – Serbia agree to all, except part of one clause. 28th July – Austria-‐Hungary declare war, Serbia ask Russia for help. 30th July – Russia begin to mobilise. 1st August – Germany mobilise and declare war on Russia. 2nd August – Germany invade Belgium. 3rd August – France refuse to stay neutral, so Germany declare war on France. 4th August – Britain send Germany an ultimatum, it’s ignored so Britain declare war over a ‘scrap of paper.’ How did the Schlieffen Plan contribute to war? •
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An idea that, due to a war on two fronts, Germany could defeat France quickly (in 6 weeks) and then attack Russia. It was Germany’s only plan of attack. The idea was to go through Belgium to get to Paris, which would surprise the French. Belgium held the Germans up with their resistance, giving time for France to move their troops. The British also intervened due to their treaty with Belgium. Russia also mobilised much quicker than Germany had anticipated. Germany now had to deal with a war on two fronts. Who was to blame? Germany Austria Russia Britain •
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Their quest for militarism. Their actions down in Morocco. Supporting Austria after they declared war on Serbia. They invaded Belgium. Had planned to attack Serbia since 1906, the assassination gave them an excuse. Aggressive policy within the Balkans War broke out because they declared war on Serbia. Had been humiliated in 1908, so became more aggressive as a result. They mobilised, which threatened Germany. Had been seeking power in the Balkans and helped increase tensions. Their empire led to Germany desiring a place in the sun. Competing with Germany over the Dreadnought. Became involved in European politics, such as Morocco and the alliances. 5 •
Went to war over a ‘scrap of paper’. The Western Front What happened in the early years of war? •
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The war became bogged down in the trenches. Failure of the Schlieffen plan meant the BEF held the Germans up at Mons. The Germans were also stopped by the French at the Battle of the Marne. Both sides ‘raced to the sea’ but this ended in a stalemate. The nature of the warfare favoured defence, meaning neither side really moved anywhere. What was living and fighting in the trenches like? •
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Trenches were dug, features included bays, dugout, firestep, duckboards, sandbags, etc. No-‐man’s-‐land was dangerous, was filled with craters and boggy ground. Barbed wire and snipers also made it near impossible to traverse. A constant artillery bombardment was used with shells and shrapnel going off everywhere. Men would go over the top, often running straight into enemy machine-‐gun fire. Soldiers faced many issues such as lice, rats, mud, disease (trench foot), rain and cold. There were numerous deaths or wounded soldiers, 346 soldiers also executed for cowardice. Why was the Somme a failure? •
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It was fought to relieve the pressure on the French at Verdun. The British used an 8 day artillery bombardment (of 1.7 million shells) but this failed. 1st July 1916 the troops went over the top carrying their equipment. German troops were still alive and got to their machine guns leading to a bloodbath. 55,000 British casualties occurred on the first day. This kept on until November with casualties of 415,000 for Britain, 195,000 for France and 600,000 for Germany. Haig is seen as a butcher, however others disagree: In defence of Haig No other viable strategies available to him. Communication was poor so he had no idea how the Battle was going. He introduced new ideas such as the tank. The Somme was described as the muddy grave of the German army. •
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Haig as a butcher He ordered his men to walk. Used the same tactics as before (going over the top). Didn’t listen to those who said the shelling had failed. Refused to use new ideas to start. How important were new developments in warfare? 6 •
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Machine Guns were defensive (could fire 600 bullets a minute) Static weapons, yet did an obscene amount of damage and destruction. Tanks were first used in 1916 at the Somme, had the shock factor. However they were unreliable, kept breaking down and slow. Aeroplanes were used but mainly for reconnaissance, before later for dogfights. Gas was first used in 1915, such as chlorine, mustard and phosgene. Not a deadly weapon (only killed 3,000 British), but caused numerous injuries. Was unreliable due to the wind and gasmasks were developed to counter this. The end of the war How important was American entry to the war? •
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The USA had supported the Allies with loans, weapons and food. U-‐Boat attacks on American ships, such as the Lusitania in 1915, angered America. In 1917 Germany introduced unrestricted submarine warfare, this along with the Zimmerman telegram to Mexico (asking them to attack the USA) led to America joining WWI. America was the richest country in the world, with resources to aid the Allies. 1.8 million troops were sent to France by October 1918. They arrived to help stop the Ludendorff Offensive and took part in the Allied counter-‐
offensive. Why did the German Offensive of 1918 fail? •
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Russia had left the war which meant Germany had an extra 1 million soldiers. With America arriving Germany knew they needed to finish the war quickly. German people were starving due to the British blockade. The German troops were died and they had lost many of their best and experienced men. The Ludendorff Offensive (or Spring Offensive) came into play. It was successful at first as they were 50 miles from Paris. However the German troops were tired and they were running out of men to keep up the offensive. There was also a lack of supplies and food. 7 Why did Germany sign the Armistice? •
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The Allies began to counterattack the Germans in August 1918. The Kiel Mutiny in October meant the German navy refused to go out and fight. There was rioting in Germany and the potential of a revolution. The German government sought a ceasefire. The terms were harsh with Germany having to give up all occupied land, to hand over their navy, allowing the British blockade to continue and to accept the blame for the war. At 11am on the 11th November 1918 a ceasefire was declared. War on the other fronts Who won the war at sea? •
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Battle of Jutland in 1916 was the only sea battle of the war, neither side won though Britain lost 14 ships to Germany’s 9. 1914 the British blockaded the German ports. 300,000 Germans died of hunger and disease during WWI and it stopped the supply of nitrates (which were vital to help make shells) Germany used unrestricted submarine warfare in 1916, sinking a quarter of British merchant ships. The U-‐boats almost won the war (Britain had only 6 weeks of food left in 1917) Britain survived due to their use of Q-‐Boats, the convoy system and the introduction of rationing in 1918. Unrestricted submarine warfare also brought America onto the Allies side. Why did Britain fail at Gallipoli? •
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Turkey were seen as a weak link who were easy to attack. Churchill wanted to reduced the pressure on the Western Front. Believed it would open up supply routes to aid the Russians. March 1915 an attack on Constantinople failed as Turkish mines sunk three ships. Attacks on Helles beach and Sulva also failed. In total there were half a million casualties including Australian and New Zealand troops. Turkey fought well and Germany had trained the Turkish Army and resourced them. Confusion within the British Ranks who failed to open up the stretch of water at Dardenelles. 8 Why did Russia exit the war? •
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Russia were defeated at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914. Lack of morale – Soldiers not motivated after so much death and destruction. Lack of quality – Many soldiers were peasants and not trained to fight. Lack of discipline – Many soldiers didn’t listen to their superior officers. Lack of supplies – A lack of food and weapons, many men went in unequipped. Political events – The Bolshevik Revolution removed the government. They signed the Treaty of Brest-‐Litovsk with Germany in 1918. 9 THE INTER-‐WAR YEARS 1919-‐1939 The Peace Treaties of 1919-‐23 What were the aims of the Big Three at Versailles? •
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The Versailles Conference opened in January in 1919. The Big Three were Georges Clemenceau (President of France), Woodrow Wilson (President of USA) and David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Britain) Clemenceau wanted revenge and punishment, vowing to make Germany pay and to ensure it was too weak to attack France again. Wilson wanted his Fourteen Points and a League of Nations. Lloyd George said he wanted to make Germany pay, but actually wanted to restore trade with Germany and to expand the British Empire. Why did the victors not get everything they wanted? •
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The conference was chaotic, with all countries wanting their requests included. The Big Three had made promises to Japan and Italy to get them to join the war. The Fourteen Points were lenient and the Armistice was harsh, nobody could agree which to base the peace treaty on. Clemenceau and Wilson could not agree, before Lloyd George eventually made them reach a compromise. Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles on 28th June 1919 agreeing to: Limit their army to 100,000 men. They were forbidden to have conscription, panes or submarines. The Rhineland was demilitarised. They had to pay reparations of £6.6 billion. They lost 10% of their land in Europe. They were forbidden from unifying with Austria. They had to accept the blame for the war. Other treaties also dealt with Germany’s Allies: Austria (St Germain) Hungary (Trianon) 35,000 Bulgaria (Neuilly) Armed 30,000 20,000 Forces Reparations Both countries went bankrupt before a figure £90 million could be agreed. Territory All its empire in Easter Slovakia, Western Thrace Turkey (Sevres) 50,000 There was a revolution before a sum was agreed. All its empire 10 Lost Europe. Transylvania and Slovenia. (such as Iraq and Palestine) What were the immediate reactions to the peace settlements? •
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The German people viewed it as a ‘diktat’ (dictated peace) The German government resigned and the country had to be invaded in 1921 to pay reparations. The French felt the Treaty wasn’t harsh enough. America’s government refused to accept the Treaty and didn’t join the League of Nations. British politicians were disillusioned believing there would be another war in 20 years. Could the Treaty by justified? •
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For It had to be a compromise. Reparations were less than British war debt. Huge areas of France had been destroyed. Germany had punished Russia much more harshly after Brest-‐Litovsk. •
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Against Nobody was happy with the Treaty. It left Germany wanting revenge. It was unfair, Germany lost land and had to pay a large sum. Allied politicians felt it was unfair, which aided Hitler later. The League of Nations What were the aims of the League? •
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The Articles of the League laid out the Covenant, the principles each member had to follow. Remember DIES for the aims: Disarmament Improve Lives Enforce Treaty of Versailles Stop War Numerous agencies existed within the League, such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Health Committee and Court of International Justice. How far did weaknesses make the League’s failure inevitable? •
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Strengths It had many members (60 by 1930) including world powers in Britain, France and Italy. Had the authority of the Treaty of Versailles. Was allowed to arbitrate (act as a referee) and impose sanctions. •
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Weaknesses Its main meeting was the Assembly, but decisions had to be unanimous. Each of the big five had a veto over any decisions made. It was disliked as it was upholding the hated Treaty of Versailles. Its Secretariat (administration) was 11 •
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under-‐staffed. It lacked the support of America, USSR and Germany. How successful was the League in the 1920s? •
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Successes Aaland Islands (1921) – said islands should belong to Finland, Sweden agreed. Bulgaria (1925) – Greece invaded, but withdrew when Bulgaria appealed to the League. Other – 400,000 refugees were helped home and the League closed down drugs companies in Switzerland. •
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Failures Corfu (1923) – Italy occupied Corfu, but Mussolini refused to leave, instead the League made Greece pay compensation to Italy. Disarmament (1921) – Britain refused to disarm. Other treaties – Locarno Pact 1925 showed countries didn’t think the League could keep the peace. How did the Depression make the League’s work more difficult? •
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Had a huge impact on France and Britain, who were the strongest countries within the League. It led America to go into isolation due to the world financial crisis. The Depression led to the rise of dictators within Europe, who were willing to ignore the League. Hitler challenged the League and the Depression meant Britain and France were reluctant to restrain him. Why did the League fail in Manchuria and Abyssinia? •
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1931 Manchuria – Japan invaded Manchuria, the League sent officials to investigate (it took a year) they produced he Lytton report, which was ignored. In 1933 Japan resigned from the League and the League couldn’t agree on economic sanctions or arms ban, so nothing was done. 1935 Abyssinia – Mussolini invaded Abyssinia. The League objected, which Italy ignored. Britain and France secretly agreed to give Abyssinia to Italy (the Hoare-‐Laval Pact) but were found out killing faith in the League. The League banned arms sales, but didn’t impose sanctions on oil or close the Suez Canal. The collapse of International Peace How important was the role of Hitler? •
Hitler was angry at the Treaty of Versailles and wanted to make Germany a great power again. He wanted to scrap the Treaty, unite all German speaking people and expand the German empire into the East. 12 •
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In 1933 Hitler withdrew Germany from the League’s Disarmament Conference and then took Germany out of the League. Hitler reintroduced conscription in 1935. The Anglo-‐German Naval Agreement was signed in 1935, in which Germany were allowed to have a navy one-‐third the size of Britain’s. The Saar Plebiscite in 1935 gave the Saar back to Germany (99% voted for this) Germany remilitarise the Rhineland in 1936, Britain and France allow this. Anschluss with Austria is signed in 1938, uniting the two countries together again. Germany demands the Sudetenland and at the Munich Conference Chamberlain agrees to give him this. Hitler occupies Czechoslovakia despite being told not to by Britain and France. The Nazi-‐Soviet Pact is signed in 1939, leading to the invasion of Poland. Was the policy of appeasement justified? •
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For The Treaty of Versailles was unfair to Germany. It was right to avoid war by negotiation. Public opinion didn’t support a war till 1939. Appeasement gave Britain and France time to rearm. Nazi Germany would be a barrier against Communism in Russia. •
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Against It convinced Hitler he could keep getting away with everything. It allowed Nazi Germany to grow strong and meant a war would be a world war. It humiliated Britain. It meant chances to stop Germany and Hitler were missed. How important was the Nazi-‐Soviet Pact? •
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In April 1939 the British government declared they would defend Poland if Hitler attacked. Hitler knew this wouldn’t happen, he was more concerned by Russia. They allied together to invade Poland. Stalin was unhappy with France and Britain for not including him at the Munich Conference. Why did Britain and France declare war? •
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Germany invaded Poland and Britain had pledged to defend them. The attempts to appease Hitler had failed. The British public now supported a war. They had built up their armies and defences in preparation. 13