World War One Notes (1 Viewer)

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The reasons for the stalemate on the Western Front:

Failure of the Schlieffen Plan
o When war broke out, Russia mobilised quicker then expected and Austria more intent on invading Serbia did not provide Germany with their expected support -> meant that some of the German forces had to be redirected away from the invasion of France to the Eastern Front in August 1914
o Belgians refused to grant Germany permission to pass through their country. When the German Army invaded the Belgians put up fierce resistance in Liege, slowing German momentum
o German invasion of neutral Belgium enraged Britain ensuring that Britain entered the war in support of its French ally.
o The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) sent to France, held up the Germans at the Battle of Mons in late August
o German armies experienced major supply problems
o Difficulty in carrying out the complicated wheeling manoeuvre used to attempt to encircle Paris.
o Gaps between the advancing German army allowed the British and the French to move in between them. Paris was not encircled.
o Delays in the German advance gave the French time to regroup.
o 5th September French commander General Joffre counter-attacked on a 240km front along the River Marne. French armies assisted by the BEF. After five days of desperate fighting the German advance was stopped
o Germans withdrew to the River Aisne.
o Allies crossed the Marne River
o The Belgians flooded the Yser and the Aisne valleys by destroying centuries old dykes and drainage works. Germans forced to withdraw beyond the Aisne, where they began to “dig in” for the winter
o German and Allied Forces attempting to secure the Channel Ports made a “race” to the British channel (RACE TO THE SEA)
o This race to the sea stretched the front line of entrenched troops across Belgium and France
o Onset of winter, German and Allies “dug in” – they both occupied trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, going through France, Belgium and Switzerland
- New technology, such as machine guns
- Generals were accustomed to ordering massed frontal attacks – trenches required a rethink of tactics – took a long time for generals to come to terms with this challenge

The nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with experiences of Allied and German soldiers:
- After the Germans and the Allies failed to outflank each other in the Race to the Sea both sides “dug in”
- Trench warfare was expected to be a temporary phase
- After war of movement ended, static war commenced and trenches were the main feature

Structure of the trenches:
o Deep enough for a man to stand in safely
o Along the sides of the trenches holds were dug to provide places where soldiers could lie down
o Were often, not always, lined with sandbags for protection and strength
o Better made trenches had firing steps and elbow rests: made shooting easier
o Duckboards: necessary to keep soldiers out of the mud in the bottom of trenches
o Beyond the trenches: entanglements of barbed wire made to slow enemy down
o Trenches designed in zigzag pattern – made holding the trench against enemy attack easier, each bend could be defended separately and explosions would be contained
o Dugouts – known as “funk holes” – sometimes no more then a ditch and sometimes comprising one or more rooms lined with boards and with bunks and electric lighting provided resting places for the officers and men

Trench systems:
o Varied greatly in size, comfort and quality
o Most consisted of front line trench, support trench and reserve each some 200m apart
o Trenches were subjected to severe flooding

LIFE IN THE TRENCHES WAS:
o Noisy
o Dangerous
o Uncomfortable
o Dirty
o Boring
- Trenches were often infested with lice and rats which led to sickness
- Examples of sickness: trench fever, dysentery, typhus, frostbite, kidney infection, pneumonia, tuberculosis, venereal disease, trench feet

 

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Overview of strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key battles: Verdun, the Somme, Passchendaele

- After the failure of the German initial strike in 1914, they relied upon a defensive strategy on the western front until 1918, with some exceptions such as Verdun
- It was up to the Allies to break the stalemate. An offensive strategy was forced upon them because Germany occupied territory that the French and British wanted to reclaim
- This offensive strategy adopted by the Allies required large frontal attacks on Germany’s trenches: - artillery bombardment followed by an infantry advance followed by a cavalry charge which would complete the breakthrough. However through the period 1914-17 such offensives failed to achieve a significant breakthrough.

New weapons:
o poison gas was used in attacks to clear defences – it remained a weapon of terror –provision of gas masks quickly reduced its impact as an assault weapon
o improvements in artillery
o The Tank
o Machine guns
o Stokes mortar
o Flame thrower

Attrition: to gradually wear down the opposition, until it had run out of men, resources, or the will to maintain the war effort. Best demonstrated in the battles of Verdun and Somme. Ignored the fact that attrition involved sacrificing your own men.
o Total war
o Economic blockade
o Propaganda

Opening new fronts:
o Easterners wanted to open other fronts against the Central Powers
o Gallipoli – put into practice and aimed to open up supply route
o Salonkia and Italian fronts
o Quickly developed into stalemates – had little impact

New tactics:
o Britain:
Creeping barrage
Late 1918, combined with tanks and plane
o Germany
Storm troopers – helped break stalemate in 1918

VERDUN:
o Attack commenced on 21st of February 1916
o General von Falkenhayn (German commander) was confident that the French would defend Verdun due to its symbolic importance to France.
o German strategy was to attack Verdun and “bleed” France dry of manpower – Germany’s attempt to win the “war of attrition”
o Germany captured the defensive lines around Verdun in 3 days
o Initially the French had thought to abandon Verdun, as this would shorten the French lines. However Verdun quickly became a symbol of French pride and will to resist.
At the end of February, General Robert Nivelle was appointed to the defence of Verdun – They shall not pass” – inspired the French defenders throughout the rest of the battle
o Petain had the road through the town of Bar-le-Duc repaved and widened to allow enforcements – “The Sacred Way” – the vehicles that travelled along this road transported much needed supplies and men into Verdun – it was this that saved Verdun.
o By December 1916 the French were resisting German attack
o Petain called upon British Commander-in-Chief to bring forward the date of the Somme offensive to July to relieve pressure at, what Falkenhayn had described as the “mincing machine” of Verdun.
o Fighting died out towards the end of December 1916
o France had suffered 400 000 casualties
o Germany had suffered 500 000 casualties
o 259 out of 300 French infantry battalions went through the “mincing machine” of Verdun
o Even though Verdun is considered a French victory, French fighting spirit had been broken and the French army were close to mutiny
o French government badly shaken and close to collapse

THE SOMME:
o The British agreed to an offensive in the Albert area near the Somme river that would draw German resources away from the “mincing machine” of Verdun
o June 24th 1916 ¬– the Allies began a week long artillery bombardment. The bombardment was intended to drive the German defenders from their trenches and destroy the acres of barbed wire laid by the Germans in front of their trenches
o It rained from 26th to 28th of June which hampered the artillery and made conditions more difficult for the infantry
o 1st July 7.30am – 14 British Divisions went over the top and forward on an 28km front. Many of these men had been told that there would be little opposition as the artillery bombardment had prepared the way “to Berlin”. However, the artillery bombardment had done little damage to the German barbed wire and the German trenches were not destroyed.
o German defenders had retreated into bunkers and when the bombardment finished they ascended to set up their machine guns. German defenders reported that they had so many targets that they did not know where to start. However, the shot the officers first.
o When the British troops were halted by the barbed wire, the British were mown down by machine guns.
o The British suffered 60 000 casualties on the first day.
o Tanks were used in September but broke down or were bogged.
o November – rain and bad weather started and the battle petered out by the middle of the month.
o During the 142 days of the battle, 55 divisions of the BEF and Empire Forces were rotated in and out of the battle
o By the end, Verdun had been relieved.
o If saving Verdun and relieving the drain on France’s resources was the strategic objective of the Somme offensive then it was a success
o There was no breakthrough.
o The Battle of the Somme clearly demonstrated Britain’s commitment to victory on the Western Front and it was very costly for Germany.

THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE:
o 31st July – 12th November 1917
o British Offensive
o Aim: to break of the Ypres salient and push the Germans back against the Belgian coast.
o General Haig persisted with this offensive long after it was evident that the would be no major breakthrough
o Became notorious as an example of a Western Front Battle of attrition which produced enormous causalities for little apparent gain
o Rain turned no man’s land into a sea of mud where wounded men disappered
o Haig was condemned for his costly pursuit of attrition
o Passchendaele did sustain pressure on the German economy
o German military leaders noted an impact on the battle field

Changing attitudes of Allied and German soldiers to the war over time:
- Prior to outbreak of WWI the view that war was inevitable, acceptable and even necessary was widely held.
- Nationalist literature promoted a romanticised view of war: a glamorous adventure and patriotic duty
- Reaction to the outbreak of war:
o Britain: cheering crowds, men immediately rushed to enlist.
o Germany: incredible excitement, wildly enthusiastic. They felt that they had been attacked – the need to defend the fatherland. The Military Law Proclamation (July 31 1914) called up all men for military service.
o Photos of cheering crowds indicate initial enthusiasm for the war. Widespread view that the war would be over by Christmas 1914.
o Many young men held the fear that the war would be over before they had the chance to be involved.
- Carnage of trench warfare on the western front confronted the world with the reality of large-scale warfare in the industrial era. This led to a change in attitudes towards war.
- Carnage of the Battle of the Somme brought ho0mje the reality of mechanised war
- Evidence in soldier’s diaries that there were soldiers who gloried in the thrills and dangers of combat.
- For many people, the horrors of WWI destroyed romantic notions of war
- By the end of the war, there was a surge in support for pacifism and internationalism
- Initial excitement turned to “war weariness”
- Mutinies in French and German armies -> desertion
- Romanticised notions of “proving oneself” gone
- Became known as the “war to end all wars”
- End with support for pacifism and internationalism

 

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THE HOMEFRONTS IN BRITAIN AND GERMANY

Total war and its social and economic impact on civilians in Britain and Germany:
- The expression “total war” is used to describe World War I because each nation became totally involved in the war effort

Government Regulation:
o BRITAIN:
- Late 1914 government passed Defence of the Realm Act (DORA)
•gave the government extraordinary powers over the citizens
•banned harmless activities e.g. flying kites
•Introduced censorship
- Introduced curfews
- Some measures to protect people, such as:
•Rent was pegged to 1914 prices
•Price of milk was controlled

o GERMANY:
- Conscription was already introduced
- 1916 National service law was introduced as part of Hindenburg Program: gave government the power to control all adult males, to direct them into any part of the economy or military

Economy:
o BRITAIN:
- Ministry of Munitions established in 1915
•Given the power to reacquisition raw materials
•Took control of key factories
- 5 new departments of state were established:
•Shipping
•Labour
•Food
•National Service
•Food Production
- War led to food shortages and price increases
- Rationing introduced in 1918
- Income tax was increased during the war

o GERMANY:
- 1916 – Hindenburg program gave government increased control of labour led. This led to many more men being taken out of agriculture and transferred to war industries or the military
- The War Raw Materials Department and the Hindenburg Program ensured Germany’s production of war materials was efficient
- Food shortages created by Allies economic blockade
- 1916 – food shortages – “Turnip winter”
- Poor harvests made situation worse
- 1918 – starvation in Germany

Recruitment, conscription, censorship and propaganda in Britain and Germany:
- Recruitment and Conscription

o BRITAIN:
- Did not have conscription for military service prior to the war
- Kitchener in mid-late 1914 launched a recruitment campaign
- Kitchener’s poster campaign was relatively successful; however, the number of volunteers was still not enough to meet needs.
- Young, able-bodied men were put under considerable pressure to “do the right thing” and enlist
- The existence of large numbers of “eligibles” who had not enlisted and the continuing demands of the military now made the introduction of conscription inevitable
- January 1916: Conscription is introduced -> passing of the Military Service Bill

o GERMANY:
- No need for conscription campaign
- Conscription had traditionally been accepted in Germany in peace time
- Large standing army and pool of trained reserves when war broke out
- In the beginning Germany had large reserves of manpower but this situation changed as the war progressed
- Because so many men had been diverted to the war effort (Military or essential war industries) German agriculture suffered

- Propaganda
o First modern propaganda war
o Externally the USA was the major target of propaganda, as both sides attempted to gain its support for the war effort -> Britain clear winner of this battle -> sinking of the Lusitainia and the Zimmerman Telegram
o Internally, propaganda was intended to turn the war into a crusade and maintain morale in the face of losses and hardship

o BRITAIN:
- British propaganda can be divided into the following categories
•RECRUITMENT
o Before conscription was introduced, recruitment posters were a major part of propaganda effort
o Targeted not just eligible young men but those who might influence them
•WAR FUNDING
o As the government desperately tried to fund the war, civilians were encouraged to contribute to the war effort by investing in government war bonds
•ANTI-GERMAN PROPAGANDA
o Aimed at creating anti-German feeling in the population
o Atrocity stories were spread about the conduct of the German army when it invaded Belgium
o Events like the sinking of the Lusitania were exploited to demonstrate the evil and uncivilised nature of the enemy
•PRACTICAL MESSAGES
o Some posters focused on practical messages – i.e. not to waste food or not to go on strike
•MORALE BOOSTING
o Much effort was devoted to sustaining morale and passing on positive news from the front

o GERMANY:
German propaganda fell into the following categories
•WAR FUNDING
o Desperate need to raise funds for the war effort.
•ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA
o A national hate campaign was launched against Britain
•MORALE BOOSTING
o As the war progressed, Germany focused less on anti-British messages and more on a positive celebration of the efforts of their military forces

- Censorship

o BRITAIN:
Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) introduced in 1914 gave the government the right to regulate reports
Newspapers did not always report truthfully or fully.
Bad news was suppressed
By 1918 casualty figures were no longer published

o GERMANY:
The High Command maintained an even tighter control over information
Good news such as early German victories were highlighted
Bad news was not reported
Misinformation was fed to the people
In the final stages of the war the High Command’s heavy-handed control bred cynicism and concealed the real state of affairs from political leaders
- Politics
o The war put enormous strain on the political systems of all countries.
o Britain’s democratic system withstood the change
o In Germany there was breakdown and revolution

THE HOME FRONTS – A Comparison
BRITAIN
GERMANY
Needed an early recruitment campaign before introducing conscription in 1916
Tradition of conscription
Centralisation of the economy through the Ministry of Munitions and other bodies
Early and highly effective centralisation of the economy through KRA and, later, Hindenburg Program
Increased regulation of daily life
Regulation of daily life even to the point of dictating the workplace of all adult males under the National Service Law
Much use of propaganda for recruitment, sustaining anti-German feeling, raising war loans and sustaining morale and war effort. Censorship used to control information
Use of propaganda and censorship similar to Britain. Propaganda tended more towards inviting public to celebrate deeds of German military
Women moved into the workforce in relatively large numbers
Women moved into some areas of the workforce, especially in agriculture
Food shortages and rationing but no starvation
Severe food shortage leading to real hardship and some starvation by 1918
Industrial unrest and strikes over working hours and wages, but no revolution
Industrial unrest developing from 1916. Suppressed by the government. Developed into outright revolution by late 1918
Political leadership is effective and the political system remains stable
Political leadership allows effective power to pass to miliary. Effectiveness in serving the battlefronts is not matched by management of the home front. Pre-war tensions between socialists and the government re-emerge. Revolution in late 1918.
In general, the population remains behind the war effort
As in Britain, despite great hardship and a slow deterioration from 1916, support for the war remains remarkably strong. Not until late 1918 does it collapse completely.


The variety of attitudes to the war and how they changed over time in Britain and Germany:

- Early attitudes:
o a way of achieving spiritual renewal
o a glorious adventure
o an opportunity for the highest virtues or courage and noble sacrifice to be developed
o a way of proving racial and ethnic/cultural superiority
o a short war – over by Christmas
o Patriotism
o Nationalism
o Romanticism

- Later attitudes:
o Wasteful, senseless sacrifice
o Grief at huge casualties and personal losses
o Stoic, or resigned, acceptance of restrictions
o Opposition to increasing demands and restrictions, opposition to conscription
o Growth of the conscientious objector
o Opposition to war profiteers, support for industrial action
o Development, particularly in the working class, of revolutionary ideas and activity (e.g. Communism)
o Increasingly fantastical support for the war effort, demands for further sacrifice
o WAR WEARINESS
o Pacifism
o Internationalism
o Armies began to mutiny
o Strikes on the home front
o Economic hardship in home fronts: total war – all resources directed to the war effort

The impact of the war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain

- Traditional Role:
o Women bore the brunt of the large scale death and injury of WWI
o Women were used in recruiting propaganda -> women urged men to go off and fight to protect them while they looked after the home and family

- New Roles for Women:
o Long term nature of the war demanded that women play a new role in the economy
o Because the total war of attrition demanded the mobilisation of all of society’s resources, many women moved into traditional male roles
o The first organised attempts for women to do ‘war work’ was rebuffed
o Recruitment drives of 1914 and 1915 changed official attitudes. Absence of men began to impact on various industries.
o Early 1915: women were employed as nurses, ambulance drivers, postal workers, bus conductors, police women and fire fighters
o Mid 1915: women were employed as tram conductors, drivers, lift attendants, milk deliverers, shell makers, shop floorwalkers, railway cleaners, bookstall clerks, window cleaners, ticket collectors and dairy workers
o Late 1918: more then 7 million women employed in ‘war work’
o Largest single employer for women was the Ministry of Munitions

- Under DORA women were ensured equal pay and conditions
- Women served as nurses from late 1914
- Women’s Land Army – formed in 1916 to attract women to work on the land -> food production had become a priority
- Woman’s Armed Forces – in the war zone women drove ambulances, operated food canteens, entertained soldiers, worked as cooks, waitresses, clerks, typists, telegraphists, telephonists, storemen, packers, drives and mechanics

- The Impact on Women’s Lives:
o Different impact on different social classes
o Young working class women were largely the ones who moved into traditional male working class jobs -> significant impact on their social and economic independence
o Middle and upper class women tended to do more volunteer work or join one of the uniformed services -> gave them “war experience” but had less of an impact on their place in society
o Women no longer needed escorts to maintain their reputations
o Women smoked in public
o New sexual freedom
o For practicality in the workplace, skirts became shorter, women wore trousers, bras replaced the corset
o Workplace changes and wartime shortages of fabric led to changes in women’s fashions

- A Lasting Impact?
o Women retained some of the social independence they had acquired during the way
o The change in women’s fashion became more or less permanent
o Employment: little permanent change – in most cases, women had to give up the “male jobs” they had taken on. Secretarial work was one area that women retained
o 1918 – women were given the vote as a reward for their war effort

 

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TURNING POINTS

Impacts of the entry of the USA and of the Russian withdrawal:

US Entry into WWI:
o Neutrality:
Wilson declared neutrality to Congress mid 1914
Reasons: Wilson wanted to avoid conflict within his own nation, it was a distant quarrel nothing to do with the US

o Factors Affecting changes in neutrality:
Political and economic ties
U-Boat campaign – January 1917: Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare
sinking of the Lusitainia on the 7th of May 1915
Zimmerman Telegram: Germany wanted Mexico to form an alliance with them and Japan and to attack the US. The British revealed the decoded Zimmerman telegram to the US and to the world Media
o America’s trade with the allies increased and decreased with Germany
o During WWI, the US was an economic super power
o Economically and politically involved: loans and the sale of munitions to the Allies
o US neutrality greatly favoured the Allies as US loans were made to Britain and France
o Continued violations of US neutral shipping from the German submarine campaign forced the USA to declare war on Germany in April 1917
o US troops played an important part in stopping Ludendorff’s offensives in May, June and July of 1918
o Announcements of US support and US manpower boosted British and French morale
o Ludendorff claimed that it was the supply of American reserves that gave the allies an advantage that the Germans could not match. In this sense the USA infantryman “won the war”

- Russian withdrawal:
o Russia was involved in total war
o Russians were starving and wanted peace
o Total war: an agrarian people -> all resources used for war effort, less for home front -> poverty
o 1917 – Tsar abdicated
o Provisional government incapable of solving Russia’s problems; they continued with the war
o October 1917 – Bolsheviks staged a revolution to overthrow provisional government
o Lenin came into power
o Late 1917 – Lenin released decree of peace – urging western powers to end war – western powers ignored it
o December 1917 – signed peace treaty with Germany
o With Russia out of the war, the Germans could concentrate all their forces on the western front for a massive new attack

Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the Allied Response:
- Russian withdrawal from the war in November 1917 freed German troops for transfer to the Western Front
- These reinforcements and the desire to finish the war before the Americans arrived led Ludendorff to launch his offensive in late March at several points along the Allied line
- Key to the Ludendorff Offensive was the initial attack, code named “Michael” – it aimed to smash through the allied lines in northern France
- Last great German offensive of the war began on 21st March 1918 when German divisions attacked British divisions
- Germans gained more ground then at any other time since 1914
- German success due to several factors:
o Element of surprise due to assembling a large force of artillery and soldiers in secret
o Use of storm troopers and flame throwers, trench mortars and machine guns proved an innovative and successful strategy.
o Strom troopers were trained to cross the trench lines under a creeping barrage, bypass centres of resistance and machine gun posts and if possible break through to attack the enemy artillery. Speed was essential
o Dense fog and the use of mustard gas confused the Allied defenders
- German success seemed inevitable
- German armies got within shelling range of Paris
- Haig decreed that every position should be defended to the last man, with no thought of retirement
- The near collapse of the Allied armies led to the appointment of a supreme commander with authority over all Allied armies -> French Marshal Foch
- German advance halted on the Marne
- Foch launched counter-attack that sent Germans into full retreat
- With the Ludendorff offensive the war of movement had recommenced
- German gains were followed by the stead, hard-fought Allied advanced
- Unified command under Foch served to coordinate this army advance
- By May 1918 Germany was suffering an acute manpower shortage
- British were also suffering manpower shortage but the arrival of the Americans assisted in solving this and provided the Allies with a source of manpower that that Germans couldn’t match

 

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ALLIED VICTORY

Events leading to the armistice, 1918
- After Ludendorff’s spring offensive failed in September, the Allies took the opportunity to make Germany surrender
- Allies stormed the Hindenburg Line
- German fleet mutinied
- Ludendorff knew his plan had failed and told the High Command to offer an armistice to President Wilson
- He knew Wilson was a moderate man who would offer fair terms of peace. Meanwhile the German army could build up its army
- While Wilson and the Allies discussed peace terms, revolution broke out in Germany
- Germany no longer wanted to fight
- Army generals took matters into their won hands and sent two politicians to France to sign an armistice, whatever the terms
- Another politician was sent to Kaiser Wilhelm to tell him the army would not longer take order from him
- The Kaiser fled
- A German republic was set up
- Foch, commander of the unified Allied forces, met two politicians in his railway carriage in France and the terms of the armistice were read out. Signed 11th November 1918

Reasons for the Allied victory and German collapse
- Allied Victory:
o The failure of the Schlieffen plan
o Manpower of the central powers
o Allied control of the sea:
August 1914 imposed a naval blockade which prevented Germany from importing food and raw materials, contributing to German food shortages and economic hardship that culminated in the collapse of the German home front.
o The role of the US
o Weakness of German’s allies
o The failure of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive
o Strong leadership qualities of Allies statesman
o Domestic and political turmoil in German
o German U-Boat campaign
Germany resorted to this as retaliation against the British naval blockade, however it was unsuccessful and was a major factor in bringing the US into the war on the Allied side
- German Collapse
o Failure of German offensives and success of Allied counter attacks convinced German commanders they had lost the war
o German army was suffering from a influenza epidemic
o Disciplinary problems within the German army
o German soldiers learnt that British weren’t starving as propaganda had said as a result morale plummeted and desertion increased
o Domestic events forced military to call for Kaiser’s abdication
o By 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm had lost the support of all sections of society

The roles and differing goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson in creating the Treaty of Versailles

- CLEMENCEAU
o Appointed as Premier for the 2nd time in 1917
o During the war persuaded the Allied to a unified command under Foch
o Prejudiced against Germany as a result of the loss of Alsace and Lorraine at the end of the Franco-Prussian War
o Wanted to punish and permanently weaken Germany
o Wanted revenge against Germany for the loss of Alsace and Lorraine at the end of the Franco-Prussian war and of the injuries to France during WWI
o Clemenceau’s intentions in the creation of the Versailles Treaty stemmed from him hatred of the Germans and his aims included:
demanding incredibly harsh reparations
Germany’s military to not only be weakened for the time being, but permanently weakened so as never to be able to invade France again.
Demanded for the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
The demilitarisation of the Rhineland to act as a buffer zone against future attacks
Asked that Germany’s colonies should be taken from her and distributed amongst the victors
Wanted severe reparations in order to weaken Germany
o Considered the cost of the war to France and he considered that Germany as the aggressor should pay reparations
o Ensured that Germany was blamed for the war

- LLOYD GEORGE
o Became Prime Minister in late 1916
o One of his greatest achievements during the way was combating the German U-Boat campaign
o In the 1918 “khaki” election Lloyd George expressed the need for reparations from Germany to pay for the entire cost of the war
o Lloyd George’s victory proved the desire for the Germans to be punished existed in both politicians and the people of Britain.
o At the Paris Peace Conference, Lloyd George provided the ‘buffer’ or middle ground between the harsh demands of Clemenceau and the idealistic proposals of Woodrow Wilson.
o Wanted to punish Germany politically and economically for devastating Europe during the war but unlike Clemenceau he did not want to completely destroy the German economy and political system due to Germany being Britain’s 2nd largest trade power
o During the peace treaty negotiations Lloyd George managed to increase the overall reparations payment and Britain’s share by demanding compensation for pensions.
o Lloyd George also wished to maintain and even possibly increase Britain’s colonies,
o Similarly to Clemenceau he felt threatened by Wilson’s “self-determination” policy, which they perceived as a direct threat to their respective empires.
o Like Clemenceau, Lloyd George supported upholding secret treaties and the idea of a navel blockade, which contradicts point one and three of Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
o Lloyd George’s aims in the creation of the Treaty of Versailles were:
To defend British interests by preserving Britain’s navel supremacy
To reduce Germany’s future military power
To obtain reparations
To not create an embittered and resentful Germany that could seek revenge, threatening peace in the long term.

- WILSON
o President of the US
o Had a policy of neutrality up to 1917 when he declared war on Germany as a result of the sinking of the Lusitainia and the Zimmerman telegram
o Took a more peaceful, objective approach in the negotiations of the peace treaty
o Wilson presented his “Fourteen Points” – both he and German public believed the Treaty should have been based around them
o Wilson’s ultimate goal in the search for peace was “to make the world safe for democracy”
o Wilson’s Fourteen Points were essentially:
No secret agreements between nations
Freedom of the seas
Removal of economic barriers
Disarmament
An impartial adjustment of colonial claims
The evacuation of all Russia territory, all Belgian territory and all French territory
the restoration of Alsace Lorraine
The adjustment of Italy’s borders
An opportunity for the various people of Austria-Hungary to seek autonomy, The evacuation of Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro; with Serbia being given access to the sea and issues in the Balkans being resolved
Autonomy for different nationalities within the Ottoman Turkish Empire
An independent Poland
The formation of a “league of Nations” to ensure that all nations had protection against aggression
o Compromised his Fourteen Points in order to achieve his ultimate aim the creation of the League of Nation
o Only three of Wilson’s fourteen points were realised due to his urgent desire for the creation of the League of Nations at all costs.

Events leading to the armistice, 1918
- After Ludendorff’s spring offensive failed in September, the Allies took the opportunity to make Germany surrender
- Allies stormed the Hindenburg Line
- German fleet mutinied
- Ludendorff knew his plan had failed and told the High Command to offer an armistice to President Wilson
- He knew Wilson was a moderate man who would offer fair terms of peace. Meanwhile the German army could build up its army
- While Wilson and the Allies discussed peace terms, revolution broke out in Germany
- Germany no longer wanted to fight
- Army generals took matters into their won hands and sent two politicians to France to sign an armistice, whatever the terms
- Another politician was sent to Kaiser Wilhelm to tell him the army would not longer take order from him
- The Kaiser fled
- A German republic was set up
- Foch, commander of the unified Allied forces, met two politicians in his railway carriage in France and the terms of the armistice were read out. Signed 11th November 1918

Reasons for the Allied victory and German collapse
- Allied Victory:
o The failure of the Schlieffen plan
o Manpower of the central powers
o Allied control of the sea:
August 1914 imposed a naval blockade which prevented Germany from importing food and raw materials, contributing to German food shortages and economic hardship that culminated in the collapse of the German home front.
o The role of the US
o Weakness of German’s allies
o The failure of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive
o Strong leadership qualities of Allies statesman
o Domestic and political turmoil in German
o German U-Boat campaign
Germany resorted to this as retaliation against the British naval blockade, however it was unsuccessful and was a major factor in bringing the US into the war on the Allied side
- German Collapse
o Failure of German offensives and success of Allied counter attacks convinced German commanders they had lost the war
o German army was suffering from a influenza epidemic
o Disciplinary problems within the German army
o German soldiers learnt that British weren’t starving as propaganda had said as a result morale plummeted and desertion increased
o Domestic events forced military to call for Kaiser’s abdication
o By 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm had lost the support of all sections of society

The roles and differing goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson in creating the Treaty of Versailles

- CLEMENCEAU
o Appointed as Premier for the 2nd time in 1917
o During the war persuaded the Allied to a unified command under Foch
o Prejudiced against Germany as a result of the loss of Alsace and Lorraine at the end of the Franco-Prussian War
o Wanted to punish and permanently weaken Germany
o Wanted revenge against Germany for the loss of Alsace and Lorraine at the end of the Franco-Prussian war and of the injuries to France during WWI
o Clemenceau’s intentions in the creation of the Versailles Treaty stemmed from him hatred of the Germans and his aims included:
demanding incredibly harsh reparations
Germany’s military to not only be weakened for the time being, but permanently weakened so as never to be able to invade France again.
Demanded for the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
The demilitarisation of the Rhineland to act as a buffer zone against future attacks
Asked that Germany’s colonies should be taken from her and distributed amongst the victors
Wanted severe reparations in order to weaken Germany
o Considered the cost of the war to France and he considered that Germany as the aggressor should pay reparations
o Ensured that Germany was blamed for the war

- LLOYD GEORGE
o Became Prime Minister in late 1916
o One of his greatest achievements during the way was combating the German U-Boat campaign
o In the 1918 “khaki” election Lloyd George expressed the need for reparations from Germany to pay for the entire cost of the war
o Lloyd George’s victory proved the desire for the Germans to be punished existed in both politicians and the people of Britain.
o At the Paris Peace Conference, Lloyd George provided the ‘buffer’ or middle ground between the harsh demands of Clemenceau and the idealistic proposals of Woodrow Wilson.
o Wanted to punish Germany politically and economically for devastating Europe during the war but unlike Clemenceau he did not want to completely destroy the German economy and political system due to Germany being Britain’s 2nd largest trade power
o During the peace treaty negotiations Lloyd George managed to increase the overall reparations payment and Britain’s share by demanding compensation for pensions.
o Lloyd George also wished to maintain and even possibly increase Britain’s colonies,
o Similarly to Clemenceau he felt threatened by Wilson’s “self-determination” policy, which they perceived as a direct threat to their respective empires.
o Like Clemenceau, Lloyd George supported upholding secret treaties and the idea of a navel blockade, which contradicts point one and three of Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
o Lloyd George’s aims in the creation of the Treaty of Versailles were:
To defend British interests by preserving Britain’s navel supremacy
To reduce Germany’s future military power
To obtain reparations
To not create an embittered and resentful Germany that could seek revenge, threatening peace in the long term.

- WILSON
o President of the US
o Had a policy of neutrality up to 1917 when he declared war on Germany as a result of the sinking of the Lusitainia and the Zimmerman telegram
o Took a more peaceful, objective approach in the negotiations of the peace treaty
o Wilson presented his “Fourteen Points” – both he and German public believed the Treaty should have been based around them
o Wilson’s ultimate goal in the search for peace was “to make the world safe for democracy”
o Wilson’s Fourteen Points were essentially:
No secret agreements between nations
Freedom of the seas
Removal of economic barriers
Disarmament
An impartial adjustment of colonial claims
The evacuation of all Russia territory, all Belgian territory and all French territory
the restoration of Alsace Lorraine
The adjustment of Italy’s borders
An opportunity for the various people of Austria-Hungary to seek autonomy, The evacuation of Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro; with Serbia being given access to the sea and issues in the Balkans being resolved
Autonomy for different nationalities within the Ottoman Turkish Empire
An independent Poland
The formation of a “league of Nations” to ensure that all nations had protection against aggression
o Compromised his Fourteen Points in order to achieve his ultimate aim the creation of the League of Nation
o Only three of Wilson’s fourteen points were realised due to his urgent desire for the creation of the League of Nations at all costs.

 

[Kujah]

Great notes

 

[tanjin]

WWI is the least important.

But, i agree with Kevin - great notes.

 

[Kujah]

Lucky we've finished this topic already

How was the MH exam?

 

[tanjin]

Lucky we've finished this topic already

How was the MH exam?

Errr, could've been a whole lot better. I thought the questions asked were good, but as i didn't study and i crammed the night before - bumhole. If i had studied consistently and properly throughout the holidays i would've done very well. Overall i answered all the questions but I'm not expecting much.

It was a good paper imo. Did better in the cold war section (which i wasn't prepared for) than the russia/ussr section (which i was prepared for!). LOL. I fucked up math too so now im aiming for UWS

 

[*miranda*]

i get what you mean by saying ww1 is the least important but you've got to remember that marks wise they all are the same and ultimately ww1 is the easiest section to get 25 out of 25 so if you can do that its really good and using these study notes i did that in the trial.

The HSC exam was pretty good - nazi germany was nice and straight forward as was arab-israeli conflict.

Goodluck to everyone starting HSC modern history!

 

[tanjin]

I know that marks wise, they're all the same but the WWI section provides you with sources (fairly simple and easy sources). Minimal study and proper analysis of the sources can get you full marks for that section. That being said, I'm not trying to tell people not to study the WWI section - study it, but don't place too much emphasis on it.

 

[jessoc1990]

im starting the course now, thanks heaps for the notes, the wilson/clemenceaeu/George ones especially.

 

[*miranda*]

yeah the big three notes are probably way more detail then u need because our assessment was a speech were we had to choose a different aspect of the syllabus and thats what i did so i just sumarised the stuff i did in my speech. but some of its really good to show own knowledge.

 

[tazza08]

these notes are reallyy top notch. well donee

 

[Matt1120]

yeah the big three notes are probably way more detail then u need because our assessment was a speech were we had to choose a different aspect of the syllabus and thats what i did so i just sumarised the stuff i did in my speech. but some of its really good to show own knowledge.

Yeah we're doin that speech on monday...I'm Germany. Once again brilliant notes, what was your mark for MH?

 

[Aplus]

Great notes.

 

[Gezeka]

Ah these notes are great! Thanks heaps for posting them

 

[eza03]

life saver! your a champ!

 

[Alvik]

You just saved me a lot of time. Thanks.

 

[cyndieeeeee]

these notes are very good, they cover pretty much everything we did in class, but a very succinct version
thanks heaps this helps me and my friends alot