Lecture Notes: The World in 1914 and the Outbreak of World War I

Introduction

• 1914 World Overview
  • Time of modern technology, culture, and fashion
  • Height of civilization
  • War anticipated by major powers

Causes of World War I

• Tensions between Major Powers
  • France and Germany: France wanted territories back from Germany
  • Germany's expansionist goals and naval buildup unsettling Britain
• Empire Dynamics
  • Austro-Hungarian Empire's internal issues with Serbs and Bosnians
  • Russia's support for independence movements within empires
• Military Advancements
  • Significant progress in military technology since last major conflict

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

• Event Details
  • Archduke visits Bosnia in an open-top car
  • Initial assassination attempt with bombs fails
  • Archduke's car inadvertently stops near an assassin, leading to his assassination
• Immediate Aftermath
  • Austria-Hungary holds Serbia responsible and seeks German support
  • Issues Serbia with impossible demands, leading to war declaration

Escalation into a World War

• Alliance Dynamics and War Declarations
  • Austria-Hungary and Germany vs. Serbia, Russia, and France
  • Montenegro joins the conflict
  • Britain initially hesitant, later declares war on Germany after invasion of Belgium

Germany's War Strategy

• Schlieffen Plan
  • Rapid defeat of France via Belgium before turning to Russia
  • Germany's miscalculation with Belgium's resistance and Britain's intervention

The Western Front and Trench Warfare

• Initial German Success and Setbacks
  • Near reach of Paris
  • French counter-attack leads to German retreat and stalemate
• Trench Warfare Begins
  • Trench systems from coast to Switzerland
  • Horrors of trench warfare including artillery bombardments, no-man's land assaults, and terrible living conditions

Global Reactions and Influences

• International Perception and Propaganda
  • German atrocities in Belgium affecting global opinion
  • US neutrality and internal ethnic German support wanes

Conclusion

• Change in Warfare
  • Shift from old-school to modern warfare
  • Introduction of trench warfare and its psychological and physical toll on soldiers

Key Takeaways

• The complex web of alliances and national interests transformed a regional conflict into a world war
• Military strategies and technology altered warfare drastically, setting the stage for a prolonged and brutal conflict
• The war marked a significant shift in global perceptions and international relations, ultimately shaping 20th-century history