WORLD WAR – I

CAUSES OF WORLD WAR – I

1] False pride and Egoistic Nationalism

Aggressive nationalism based on the evil theory ‘’My country, right or wrong”, sowed the seeds of the
First World War. This exaggerated form of Nationalism increased the possibility of war because a nation’s
goals inevitably came in conflict with the goals of one or more other nations.

In addition, nationalistic pride caused nations to magnify small disputes into major issues.

2] Build- up of Military might

Germany had the best- trained army in the world and was developing a naval force big enough to
challenge the British navy.

Advances in technology increased the destructive power of military forces. Machine guns and new fire
arms were introduced. Steamships and railroads could speed the movement of troops and supplies. By
the end of 1800s, technology enabled countries to fight longer wars and bear greater losses than ever
before.

3] Competition for Colonies and Aggressive Nationalism

European countries, in which the Industrial Revolution had broken out, needed cheap raw materials for
manufacturing goods on a large scale, and markets all over the world for their surplus goods. These
countries, therefore, engaged themselves in empire- building.

4] A System of Military Alliances

· The main alliance was the Triple Alliance, made up of Germany, Italy and Austria- Hungary. In
this alliance, an attack on any one country would bring its allies to its defence.

· Another agreement made between Britain and France in 1904 came to be known as the Triple
Entente when Russia joined it in 1907.

Most other European nations were either allied with or under the control of one of these alliances. Thus,
Europe was split into two opposing groups. If two countries went to war, others were likely to be drawn in.
Thus, by 1914 there was much rivalry among the European powers over trade and colonies as well as
over naval and military strength. This rivalry led some countries to form alliances to defend themselves.

5] Immediate cause of World War I

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austro- Hungarian empire, and his wife fell
victim to an assassin’s bullet in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The assassin, as Gavrillo Princip told the police that he
shot Ferdinand as a protest against the oppression of the Serbian people who lived in Bosnia.

Austria- Hungary served a 48 hour ultimatum on Serbia to crush anti- Austrian feeling in its dominions,
and permit Austrian officers to enter Serbia to investigate the Sarajevo crime.

Serbia accepted all the Austrian demands except the one relating to the investigation, as it violated the
very sovereignty of Serbia.

Austria rejected the Serbian proposal as unsatisfactory and on 28 July 1914, Austria declared war on
Serbia.

v COURSE OF THE WAR

The assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand put the Triple Alliance to test.

1. 28 July, 1914: Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia mobilized its troops to defend Serbia
against Austria.

2. 1 August, 1914: Germany, an ally of Austria, declared war on Russia.

3. 3 August, 1914: Germany declared war on France, Russia’s ally and the German army invaded
Belgium, a neutral country, on their way to France.

4. 4 August, 1914: Britain went to Belgium’s defence and declared war on Germany.

5. 7 May, 1915: A German submarine sank “Lusitania”, a British passenger ship. Of the 1200 dead,
many were American citizens.

6. 23 May, 1915: Italy declared war on Austria- Hungary. Italy “sat on the fence” when the war
broke out, waiting to determine from which side she could reap the greatest territorial rewards.
Eventually in 1915 she cast her lot with the Allies and declared war on Austria- Hungary.

This is how a conflict between two countries dragged so many nations into war and World War I
started.

· Entry of Italy & Japan in World War I

In 1915 Italy made a secret agreement with France and Britain. In return for the promise of
territory in Austria and Africa, Italy joined the war on the Allied side.
· Japan joined the Allies in August 1914. Japan wanted to take over the German ports in China.

· The Russian Revolution - The war destroyed the morale of the poorly organized and ill-
equipped Russian armies. Soldiers were sent into battle without riffles.

The heavy casualties at the front and food shortages at home increased the Russian people’s
discontent with czarist rule. In March 1917, the people revolted and the czar was forced to abdicate.

· Treaty of Brest Litovsk - In March 1918, Russia signed a humiliating treaty (Treaty of Brest
Litovsk) with Germany. Germany imposed harsh terms on Russia and the Russian government
accepted them.

· America joins the War:

At the start of the war America was neutral. America’s neutrality was undermined by various
factors:

1. Attacks on American Shipping by Britain And Germany:

To keep war supplies from reaching Germany, Britain stopped merchant ships and seized
their cargoes. Germany in turn, tried to cut off Britain’s sources of food and supplies by using
submarines. The sinking of the Lusitania pushed the Americans closer to war.

2. Economic Motives:

American banks and businesses had loaned billions of dollars to Allied governments.
American bankers and manufacturers realized that they would lose their money if the Allies lost
the war.

3. Interference in Internal Affairs of the US:

British agents intercepted a telegram from Germany to Mexico urging Mexico to join the
Central Powers and declare war on the United States. In return, Germany promised Mexico that
the southwestern United States would become part of Mexico again.

On 6 April, 1917, America declared war on Germany. The intensity of the American attack
took Germany by surprise.

In September, the first total American attack served as an inspiration for the Allies to
attack all across all the fronts and drive the Germans out of France.

§ The Armistice – An armistice was signed at 11:00 a.m. on 11 November, 1918.

11 November, 1918: The day the war ended

v CAUSES OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ALLIES

1] The German submarines ultimately failed in starving Britain.

2] The entry of the United States of America changed the entire course of the war. The USA had
very rich resources in terms of men, money and material. Moreover, the US was able to train and
transport her armies quickly to Europe across the Atlantic.

3] England had a mighty empire, the largest in the world. She was able to mobilize the resources of
her far- flung empire for crushing her enemies. In the final analysis, England war far superior to
Germany, both on land and at sea.

4] The greater leaders of Britain, the USA, France and Italy were able to inspire their armies and
people.

5] The Allies realized their drawbacks in the later stages and they too developed a unified military
command, which proved to be better than that of their enemies.

v RESULTS

1) Germany in Chaos

The order and discipline, for which the Germans were known and respected throughout Europe,
vanished overnight in the wake of defeat.

(i) The Kaiser fled to Holland, even before the armistice was signed on November 11.

(ii) During the 1920’s, inflation reached an all time high, which economists described as
“hyperinflation”, that is, the value of money dropped very rapidly.

2) The Peace Treaties (1919)

Most decisions, however, were made by the leaders of the four Allied nations. These men called
the “Big Four” were of Great Britain, France, the United States, and Italy.

The peace settlement made in Paris consisted of five separate treaties, one with each of the
defeated states- Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The settlement with
Germany, called the Treaty of Versailles was the most important.

Ø Treaty of Versailles

1. Demilitarization

a) It limited the German army and navy and forbade the Germans from having an air force.

b) They were forced to admit full responsibility for starting the war.

c) They were forced to hand over all war materials and limit their professional army to
100,000 men.
 d) They were forced to surrender all merchant ships over 1,600 tons, plus a quarter of their
fishing fleet.

2. Reparation

It forced Germany to pay money to the nations that had won for the damage they had suffered in
the war. They were forced to pay reparations of 33 billion $.

3. Germany

Germany suffered the most under the peace treaty. They refused to sign at first, but when the
Allies threatened to invade, they consented.

Germany lost Alsace- Lorraine and Ruhr Valley to France.

4. Austria- Hungary

a) Austria- Hungary was forbidden to combine with Germany.

b) The Austrian army was limited to 30,000 men, while Hungary was limited to 35,000 men.

3) Territorial Changes (Map of Europe redrawn)

International boundaries were redrawn as a result of the collapse of the Central Powers. The
German, the Austrian and Hungarian, the Turkish and the Russian empires were shattered.

The Hapsburg Empire broke up to form four new nations- Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia.

Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Finland, had broken free from Russia.

Greece and the new Republic of Turkey emerged from the old Ottoman Empire.

4. The League of Nations (1919)

At the Paris Peace conference, 27 nations voted to set up a league of nations to try to prevent
war through negotiations.

Aims of the League of Nations:

(i) To preserve the independence of nations.

(ii) To settle international disputes peacefully and prevent the outbreak of another World War.
 (iii) To promote international harmony and understanding.

(iv) To take action against states violating the League Covenant.

Nazism and Fascism

Ø RISE OF MUSSOLINI/ FASCISM IN ITALY

1. Mussolini had revolutionary ideas since childhood.

He joined the Italian army when the First World War started.

Italy was done injustice by the Treaty of Versailles.

There was widespread discontent in people due to this injustice. The Italian government did
nothing to satisfy people.

2. Mussolini formed a secret militant organization consisting of the discontented soldiers, youths,
the wealthy and the unemployed.

He established the militant nationalist ‘Fascist Party’ in 1919A.D. The party adopted a ‘bundle of
sticks with an axe’ (Fascis) as its symbol. They wore black uniform so they were known as the ‘Black
Shirts’.

3. Mussolini and his party were defeated in the elections held in Italy in 1919.

But during the next three years the party became strong.

4. The post- war co-alition parties were weak & unstable & thus could not solve the post war
problems of unemployment, inflation balance of payments etc.

5. When the communists organized several strikes & called one more general strike in 1922,
Mussolini asked his Fascist soldiers to march towards Rome.

The Italian Emperor Emmanuel III invited Mussolini and issued a declaration to the King: “control
the strike or hand over the power to us”. The king in order to avoid a civil war in Italy and with an
intention to control the communists invited Mussolini to form his govt. in 1922.

Ø THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF FASCISM IN ITALY

1. Mussolini established a strong and stable government in Italy.

 All the institutions began to function according to the preaching of Fascism.

2. New economic policy was framed and as its result the country made a rapid economic progress.

Quick measures to develop trade and agriculture were taken.

3. Italy became prosperous and powerful-strikes were banned.

4. Campaigns to remove illiteracy and unemployment were started.

By 1935 A.D. only 2% of people remained illiterate.

5. Military services were made compulsory.

The Navy was expanded.

An army with fierce militant nationalism became more powerful.

6. Mussolini accepted the power of Pope in the Vatican city and put an end to a 60 year old conflict
and pleased the Roman Catholics.(Treaty of Rome)

Ø FACTORS FAVORABLE/ RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE OF NAZISM/ HITLER IN GERMANY

1. Treaty of Versailles: Germany was defeated in the First World War and was forced to sign the
humiliating Treaty of Versailles. It was a harsh and unjust treaty. Germany lost its regions rich in
minerals. Its armies were reduced. A very heavy war- fine was imposed. The German youth were
engaged. They began to form secret organizations. This was the beginning of Nazism in Germany.

2. Fear of Communism: Russian communist ideology was spreading fast in Germany. The
German capitals did not wish that communism should spread in Germany. The Nazi Party was
against communism and declared that Germany would lose its identity if communist party would get
power in Germany. So the capitalists gave much monetary help to the Nazi Party.

3. Economic Condition: A heavy war- fine of $6.6 billion was imposed on Germany. France
occupied Ruhr, an area rich in minerals.

· Trade and industries were ruined.

· Economy of the country was shattered due to heavy expense of war.

· The worldwide depression (1929-30) affected Germany. Unemployment soared/ increased

greatly by 1932.

· The govt. could not check the deficit in budgets.

· People were discontented due to failure of the govt. to improve economic condition of the
country.
 · The Nazi Party took this opportunity. It gave assurance of progress to people and won the favor
of people.

4. The Failure of Weimar Republic: The Weimar Republic could not take quick decisions and
solve the postwar problems.

5. The Charismatic Personality of Hitler: Hitler had wonderful power of speech.

He gave emotional speeches and assured people to end their miseries. His charismatic
personality influenced Germans. They accepted him as their savior.

These factors were responsible for rise Nazism in Germany.

Ø RISE OF HITLER/ NAZISM

1. Adolf Hitler admired Germany and its culture. He believed the German leaders and Jews were
responsible for the defeat of Germany.

2. He organized discontented German soldiers and established the National Socialist German
Worker’s Party. In a meeting held at Munich in 1920 A.D. he gave a 25- point programme. The
programme had important points; such as discarding the vindictive Treaty of Versailles, getting back
the lost German territories, improving economic conditions of workers and middle- class people to
raise the stock of weapons etc.

3. Hitler criticized the Treaty of Versailles severely. So he was imprisoned. He wrote a book ‘Mein
Kempf’ (My Struggle) in the prison. The ideology of this book made the Nazi Party very popular.

4. During the worldwide depression (1929-30) the Nazi Party declared to give Work and Bread to
everyone.

5. During elections in Germany in 1930 & 1932, the Nazi party secured power. Hitler became the
Prime Minister of the coalition govt. in 1933 A.D. He became the President of Germany in 1934 after
the death of the President Hindenberg. He became the‘Supremo’ and ruled the country.

The Second World War

THE FACTORS LEADING TO BREAK OUT OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

1. Militant Nationalism: Rank injustice was done to Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. The Nazi
party under the leadership of Hitler created a feeling of narrow nationalism among the people of
Germany. Italy was not given due importance and it felt insuted.The Fascist Party under the
 leadership of Mussolini created the feeling of militant nationalism. Japan believed in the policy ‘Asia
for Asians’. Strong, narrow nationalistic feeling was created in the minds of people.

2. Imperialism: Germany, Japan & Italy pursued the imperialist policy. Germany captured Austria
in 1938 and Czechoslovakia in 1939 A.D. Japan occupied Manchuria in 1931. Italy occupied Ethiopia
in 1936. Democratic governments failed to solve the problems of people. So dictators like Hitler &
Mussolini captured power. They followed the imperialistic policy.

3. Alliances and Ententes (Groups): European nations were filled with distrust and fear though
the League of Nations was there. So they made secret alliances and formed groups. France made
treaties with European countries for mutual help. Italy made treaties with Central European countries.
Russia made treaties with Germany, Turkey & Iran. Thus, Europe was divided into three groups led
by France, Italy & Russia.

4. The Arms Race: Long discussions for disarmament held at the table of League of Nations were
proved useless. Dictators like Hitler & Mussolini started piling up of weapons, as they wanted to
increase glory of their countries. So other nations of Europe also started piling up of weapons.
America, Japan & England also joined in this arms race.

5. Failure of the League of Nations: The League of Nations failed to prevent aggressive
measures taken by the member nations. It could do nothing when Japan captured Manchuria in 1931.
Italy captured Abyssinia in 1936. Germany declared war on Austria in 1939. The League of Nations
was rendered helpless.

6. The Unjust Treaty of Versailles: The Treaty of Versailles was harsh & humiliating for Germany.
It was deprived of her colonies and mineral rich areas. Its armies were reduced in number. A very
heavy warfine of pounds 6.6 billion was imposed on Germany. This was to crush Germany
economically, politically, militarily. Italy and Japan received fewer colonies than England and France.
There was discontent in Germany, Italy and Japan.

THE RESULTS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

1. Approximately 2.5 crore soldiers were killed & 3.5 crore wounded.

2. Billions of dollars were spent on this war. Property worth much more than that was destroyed.

3. The economies of the nations which participated in the war were shattered.

4. America had helped the Allies with money, men and material during the war. American influence
on the European nations increased. It emerged as a Super Power.
 5. Germany was divided into four administrative zones. East Germany was placed under Russian
control; South- Eastern Germany was placed under American domination. The German territories
adjoining the borders of Belgium and Holland were placed under England. Berlin, the capital of
Germany was divided into four sections. A committee of four commanders-in-chief was appointed for
administration of Berlin.

6. A Parliamentary Democracy was set up in Japan. The emperor of Japan was the constitutional
head of the govt. The Japanese govt. had to consult American General Mac. Arthur while forming the
political administrative and economic policies.

7. The defeated nations had to pay heavy warfines ranging from ten to thirty crore dollars.

8. Nationalistic feelings became strong in the colonies of England & France. England & France had
become weak. So countries like India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indo- China, Indonesia, Malaya & African
countries became independent.

9. The world was divided into two power blocs, one under the leadership of America and other
under the leadership of Russia. As there were fundamental difference, Russia & America could not
agree on problems like future of Berlin disarmament and aid to be given to underdeveloped countries.
So a situation of ‘Cold War’ arose between two power blocs.

10. European countries suffered the most. They faced starvation. Production was reduced to 66%.
There was price-rise. People had to pay heavy taxes during post-war period. Steps like rationing were
introduced.