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[[World History Lecture One|1]]-[[World History Lecture Two|2]]-[[World History Lecture Three|3]]-[[World History Lecture Four|4]]-[[World History Lecture Five|5]]-[[World History Lecture Six|6]]-[[World History Lecture Seven|7]]-[[World History Lecture Eight|8]]-[[World History Lecture Nine|9]]-[[World History Lecture Ten|10]]-[[World History Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[World History Lecture Twelve|12]]-[[World History Lecture Thirteen|13]]-[[World History Lecture Fourteen|14]]

[[World History Lecture One|1]]-[[World History Lecture Two|2]]-[[World History Lecture Three|3]]-[[World History Lecture Four|4]]-[[World History Lecture Five|5]]-[[World History Lecture Six|6]]-[[World History Lecture Seven|7]]-[[World History Lecture Eight|8]]-[[World History Lecture Nine|9]]-[[World History Lecture Ten|10]]-[[World History Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[World History Lecture Twelve|12]]-[[World History Lecture Thirteen|13]]-[[World History Lecture Fourteen|14]]

The Modern era is from 1900 to today.  We start it with this lecture.

The Modern era is from 1900 to today.  We learn it beginning with this lecture.

The relationship among European nations was strained and tense around 1900, also known as the turn of (into) the 20th century.  The nations had much to disagree about.  Imperialism caused conflicts to arise.  Economic competition intensified, and the quest for raw materials like gold, oil and agriculture heightened the tension.

The relationship among European nations was strained and tense around 1900, also known as the turn of the (20th) century.  The nations had much to disagree about.  Imperialism caused conflicts to arise.  Economic competition intensified, and the quest for raw materials like gold, oil and agriculture heightened the tension.

Nationalism increased, whereby the countries of Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russian, France and Italy began to feel pride in themselves and dislike for the others.  The balance of power that was set up after Napoleon was no longer effective.  It seemed inevitable that a future Napoleon-like dictator would try to rule the world again.

Nationalism was increasing at this time, whereby the countries of Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russian, France and Italy began to feel pride in themselves and dislike for each other.  The balance of power that was set up after Napoleon was no longer effective.  It seemed inevitable that a future Napoleon-like dictator would try to rule the world again.

Nations built up massive military might, and bragged about them.  Germany sought to have the largest navy to compete with Britain’s claim that it had the best navy.  Rulers found it popular to have a huge "standing army" (army in peacetime) that could be mobilized at any time.

Nations built up massive military might, and bragged about them.  Germany sought to have the largest navy to compete with Britain’s claim that it had the best navy.  Rulers found it popular to have a huge "standing army" (army in peacetime) that could be mobilized at any time.

In sum, there were three causes of increased rivalries among European nations:  nationalism, militarism and imperialism.  Remember those three causes of problems.

In sum, at the turn of the century there were increased rivalries among European nations for three reasons:  nationalism, militarism and imperialism.  Keep those three issues in mind throughout this lecture.

== Alliances ==

== Alliances ==

You may recall that European nations entered into many alliances beginning as early as the fall of Napoleon (the “Concert of Europe” established at the Congress of Vienna).

You may recall that European nations entered into many alliances beginning as early as the fall of Napoleon (such as the “Concert of Europe,” which was established at the Congress of Vienna).

But later suspicions caused new alliances, some of them secret.  German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck entered into the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 as a way of protecting those countries against possible aggression by France.  Italy joined this alliance against France in 1882, making it the '''Triple Alliance'''.

New alliances were formed in the late 1800s, some of them kept secret at the time.  German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck entered into the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 as a way of protecting those countries against possible aggression by France.  Italy joined this alliance against France in 1882, making it the '''Triple Alliance'''.

Bismarck was a very skilled statesman and diplomat, and was one of the most influential in European history.  He is credited with unifying Germany as a nation in the 1860s (ironically, while the United States was torn by the Civil War).  Bismarck even arranged for wars against other nations (first against Denmark, then Austria and finally against France) in order to help unify the German people against outside enemies.  Unified as a nation in 1871, Germany made Bismarck its first Chancellor, whereupon he consolidated Germany’s power in Europe by entering into the above alliances with other countries.  He was eventually forced to resign in 1890 after having a policy dispute with Wilhelm II, who as the “Kaiser” or Caesar of Germany wanted more power for himself.

Bismarck was a very skilled statesman and diplomat, and was one of the most influential in European history.  He is credited with unifying Germany as a nation in the 1860s (ironically, while the United States was torn by the Civil War).  Bismarck even arranged for wars against other nations (first against Denmark, then against Austria and finally against France) in order to help unify the German people against outside enemies.  Ultimately unified as a nation in 1871, Germany made Bismarck its first Chancellor, whereupon he consolidated Germany’s power in Europe by entering into the above alliances with other countries.  After nearly two decades of rule, Bismarck was eventually forced to resign in 1890 because of a policy dispute with Wilhelm II, who as the “Kaiser” or Caesar of Germany wanted more power for himself.

Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately ended Germany’s alliance with Russia, causing it to form an alliance with France in 1891.  In 1907 Great Britain, feeling threatened by Germany’s growing navy, joined France and Russia in their alliance, or entente, and this became the '''Triple Entente'''.  Britain was not expressly required to defend France and Russia, but it promised not to fight against them.

Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately ended Germany’s alliance with Russia, which caused Russia to form an alliance with France in 1891.  In 1907 Great Britain, feeling threatened by Germany’s growing navy, joined France and Russia in their alliance, or entente, and this became the '''Triple Entente'''.  Under the terms of this alliance, Britain was not expressly required to defend France and Russia, but Britain did promise not to fight against them.

Thus one powerful group of three nations (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary), known as the Triple Alliance, stood against another powerful group of three nations (Britain, France and Russia), known as the Triple Entente.  It was like one football team standing on a field opposite another football team, with both teams fully suited up.  It doesn’t take much for someone to shout, “let’s play,” and the battle will begin.  The "battle" was the first world war in history.

Thus by 1908 one powerful group of three nations (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary), known as the Triple Alliance, stood against another powerful group of three nations (Britain, France and Russia), known as the Triple Entente.  It was like one football team standing on a field opposite another football team, with both teams fully suited up.  It doesn’t take much for someone to shout, “let’s play,” and the battle will begin.  The “battle” became the first world war in history.

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.  By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced concepts of survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential part of the improvement of the human race.  Let the stronger race win, according to this theory.

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.  By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced deadly beliefs like the evolutionary survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential, inevitable part of the improvement of the human race.  Let the stronger race win, according to this theory.

== What Ignited World War I ==

== Igniting World War I ==

The Balkans in Eastern Europe was where the war began.  The Ottoman empire had declined, leaving a power vacuum that European nations tried to fill.  The Slavs in Serbia, with Russian support, wanted to unite all the Slavs in the Balkans.  Austria-Hungary, which has a very small Slavic population, opposed this.  Instead, Austria-Hungary wanted to control the Balkans rather than Russia.

It was only a matter of time before something would ignite a conflict and cause one alliance to fight against the other.  The Balkans in Eastern Europe was where the war began.  The Ottoman empire had declined, leaving a power vacuum that European nations tried to fill.  The Slavs in Serbia, with Russian support, wanted to unite all the Slavs in the Balkans.  Austria-Hungary, which has a very small Slavic population, opposed this.  Instead, Austria-Hungary wanted to control the Balkans rather than Russia.

In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia (and Herzogovina), a region adjacent to its southeast (and east of Italy across the Adriatic Sea).  But Bosnia was mostly Slavic while Austria was not, and this greatly angered the Slavic Serbia, which wanted to take Bosnia back.  Why did Austria act at this particular time?  Because there was a rebellion by the Committee of Union and Progress (the so-called “Young Turks”) that overthrew the Ottoman government at that time, and the foreign minister Baron Aloys von Aerenthal saw a rare opportunity to act.  Russia, which was Austria’s main adversary, was weakened by its defeat in the Russo-Japanese War and by an internal revolution in 1905.

In 1908 Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia (and Herzogovina), a region adjacent to its southeast (and east of Italy across the Adriatic Sea).  But Bosnia was mostly Slavic while Austria was not, and this greatly angered the Slavic Serbia, which wanted to take Bosnia back.  Why did Austria act at this particular time?  Because there was a rebellion by the Committee of Union and Progress (the so-called “Young Turks”) that overthrew the Ottoman government, and the Austrian foreign minister Baron Aloys von Aerenthal saw a rare opportunity to act.  He knew that Russia, which was Austria’s main adversary, was weak at this time due to its defeat in the Russo-Japanese War and by an internal revolution in 1905.

In January 1909, the chief of staff of the Austrian army approached his German counterpart and asked what Germany would do if Austria next invaded Serbia and caused Russia to intervene on behalf of Serbia.  Despite the original defensive nature of the Austria-German alliance, the Germany army officer said Germany would back Austria and Germany would also invade France because it was Russia’s ally.  This happened in the summer of 1914, as the struggle in the Balkans exploded into the First World War.

In January 1909, the chief of staff of the Austrian army approached his German counterpart and asked what Germany would do if Austria next invaded Serbia and caused Russia to intervene on behalf of Serbia.  Despite the original defensive nature of the Austria-German alliance, the Germany army officer said Germany would back Austria and Germany would also invade France because it was Russia’s ally.  This is how it played out a few years later in the summer of 1914, as the struggle in the Balkans exploded into the First World War.

The War itself ignited on June 28, 1914, when the heir to the Austrian throne (Archduke Franz Ferdinand) was visiting the Bosnian capital city of Sarajevo along with his wife Sophie.  It was an official visit, not a vacation, and crowds gathered to greet the couple.  But a 19-year-old member of a youthful Bosnian resistance movement, Gavrilo Princip, shot the couple to death as they rode in an open automobile through the streets of Sarajevo.  The killer was part of a large conspiracy and a bit earlier that day another member of the conspiracy had thrown a hand grenade at the Archduke.  Princip was quickly captured and imprisoned, where he died of pneumonia a few years later.

Austria was obviously furious about the assassination and, with Germany’s support, demanded that Serbia end all resistance to Austria.  Serbia agreed to some of the demands and offered to submit other demands to arbitration (decision) by an impartial international panel.  But Austria would not wait; on July 28, 1914, it declared war against Serbia.  Russian responded by mobilizing its army towards Austria and Germany.

 

Austria was obviously furious about the assassination and, with Germany’s support, demanded that Serbia end all resistance to Austria.  Serbia agreed to some of the demands and offered to submit other demands to arbitration (decision) by an impartial international panel.  But Austria would not wait and on July 28, 1914, it declared war against Serbia.  Russian responded by mobilizing its army towards Austria and Germany.

This triggered the alliances.  Germany responded to Russia’s mobilization of troops by declaring war on Russia four days later (on August 1st) and then Germany declared war on France another two days later (on August 3rd).  Germany decided to invade and defeat France first before it had to fight Russia, and thereby avoid fighting a war on two fronts at the same time.  This was the Schlieffen Plan to avoid a two-front war.

This triggered the alliances.  Germany responded to Russia’s mobilization of troops by declaring war on Russia four days later (on August 1st) and then Germany declared war on France another two days later (on August 3rd).  Germany decided to invade and defeat France first before it had to fight Russia, and thereby avoid fighting a war on two fronts at the same time.  This was the Schlieffen Plan to avoid a two-front war.

But Belgium, which was neutral, would not allow Germany to pass through its borders to invade France.  So Germany invaded and defeated Belgium.  Britain had a relationship with Belgium and Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914.

But Belgium, which was neutral, would not allow Germany to pass through its borders to invade France.  So Germany invaded and defeated Belgium.  Britain had a relationship with Belgium and Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914.

In a mere week a small dispute between Austria and Serbia over an assassination escalated into a world war between Britain, France and Russia (Allied Powers) and Germany and Austria-Hungary (Central Powers).  Italy left the German side when it invaded the neutral Belgium, and Italy eventually joined the Allied Powers along with Japan.  The Ottoman empire and Bulgaria eventually joined the Central Powers.

In a mere week an isolated act of violence between Austria and Serbia (sparked by a teenager) escalated into a world war between Britain, France and Russia (the Allied Powers) and Germany and Austria-Hungary (the Central Powers).  Italy left the German side when it invaded the neutral Belgium, and later Italy joined the Allied Powers along with Japan.  The Ottoman empire and Bulgaria eventually joined the Central Powers.

=== Initial Stages of the War ===

=== Initial Stages of the War ===

The fighting in the “Great War,” as it was called then (it is now called World War I), was savage and brutal.  Army casualties totaled more than 37 million people, and there were another 10 million in civilian deaths.  For weeks armies would be in trenches opposite each other, spending day after day trying to kill their opponents in the opposite trench.  This was known as trench warfare.  Movement of ten or twenty feet in advance of a trench was a big success.  Barbed wire marked off an area known as “no man’s land” between the two trenches, where any visitor would be shot on sight.  Also, a deadly flu virus spread among the soldiers and infected the world, killing a huge number.

The fighting in the “Great War,” as it was called then (it is now called World War I), was savage and brutal.  Army casualties totaled more than 37 million people, and there were another 10 million in civilian deaths.  For weeks armies were in trenches opposite each other, spending day after day trying to kill their opponents in the opposite trench.  This was known as trench warfare.  Movement of ten or twenty feet in advance of a trench was a big success.  Barbed wire marked off an area known as “no man’s land” between the two trenches, where any visitor would be shot on sight.  Also, a deadly flu virus spread among the soldiers and infected the world, killing millions more.  The late 1910s was a dreadful time for the world.

At the end of the war the peace agreement caused another great war to occur (World War II).  So this World War I was bad news all around.  In terms of military strategy, it is not terribly interesting either.  The first year and a half (1914-15) is known as “Entrenchment”.  The next year, 1916, is known as “Continued Stalemate”.  Get the idea?  The following year, 1917, is known for the entrance by the United States and the withdrawal by Russia due to its communist revolution.  In 1918 more nations withdrew, and the major remaining nations of Britain, France, Germany and the United States ended the war with an armistice in November of that year.

At the end of the war, the nations signed a peace agreement that was so misguided that it caused another great war to occur (World War II).  So this World War I was bad news all around.  Nothing was achieved by it. World War I was even pathetic in terms of military strategy.  The first year and a half (1914-15) is known as “Entrenchment,” during which there were terrible casualties without either side gaining the upper hand.  The next year, 1916, is known as “Continued Stalemate”.  Get the idea?  The following year, 1917, is known for the entrance by the United States and the withdrawal by Russia due to its communist revolution.  In 1918 more nations withdrew from the war, and the major remaining nations of Britain, France, Germany and the United States ended the war with an armistice in November of that year.

In detail, the first year of the war finished with terrible casualties but no knock-out punches.  France won a key initial Battle of the Marne, and that forced Germany to fight on two fronts after all.  But while the Allied Powers were holding their own on the Western Front, Russia was losing on the Eastern Front.  Russia was not as industrialized as the West and its military was inferior, but Russians were tenacious in battle.

One key battle worth reading about from World War I was the initial Battle of the Marne, which forced Germany to fight on two fronts despite its attempt to avoid that.  But while the Allied Powers were holding their own on the Western Front, Russia was losing on the Eastern Front.  Russia was not as industrialized as the West and its military was inferior.  The only thing that enabled the Russians to avoid complete defeat on the Eastern Front was that they were tenacious fighters.

=== The Colonies ===

=== The Colonies ===