Wars Revision

First World War, 1914-1918 Short Term Causes Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Long Term Causes

Why did one side lose?

The aggressive Weltpolitik of Germany’s Schlieffen Plan Kaiser created the atmosphere failed from the start as it took 2 of political tension and unsettled weeks to cross Belgium. the balance of power No other battle plan. The First Moroccan Crisis (1905) and the Second Meant that Germany was to Moroccan Crisis (1911) are stretch its resources on two examples. fronts.

Results No fighting took place on Germany’s soil. People confused as to the War Guilt.

“Place under the Sun”. The Blank cheque given to Austria-Hungary by Germany

The Alliance System. It created tension and, although not binding, it limited the choices available to the leaders of the countries when it came to 1914.

The blockade - since Germany failed to win the war on the Sea in Jutland, Britain was able to conduct a distant blockade of Germany from the North.

War plans.

1500K ratios by 1917, lack of coal. Public opinion turns against Germany.

Treaty of Versailles is perhaps the most controversial treaty in the history of Europe.

Short Term Causes Mobilization of Russia

Long Term Causes

Why did one side lose?

Results

The Naval Race ruined the balance of powers in Europe and increased the tensions between Britain and Germany the Naval Laws of 1907.

Since Germans were unable to win the Battle of the Marne and they dug up to the sea, it meant they were trapped into an exhausting war of the trench warfare. Losses of 2 000 000 after Verdun and Somme.

16 000 000 dead and 21 000 000 wounded.

Nationalism can be considered a cause, because the nationalistic competition between the countries and movements such as Black Hand were in itself stimulated by nationalistic movements.

Germany’s clumsy U-boat campaign and the Zimmerman telegram dragged the USA into the war, which eventually allowed the Allies to counterattack after the Spring Offensive in 1918.

Creation of new independent states such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Austria. The dismantling of the Empires.

The Spring Offensive of 1918 failed because Germany overstretched its lines, and since it put all of its resources into that Offensive, it was doomed.

The creation of the League of Nations.

Spanish Civil War, 1936-39 Short-term causes

Long-term causes

Why did one side lose?

Results

Assassination of a Republican guard member in 1936 by members of the Falange, after which the friends of the murdered Republican retaliated, killing a few Falange members, turning it into a fight.

Primo de Rivera’s government did not introduce the required changes and land-reforms by 1929. His social welfare changes had not gone far enough.

International support. Franco received 30 000 professional Italian soldiers who were decisive in the battle for Madrid. The Italian and German planes helped to move the main force of the Army of Africa to Spain from Morocco.

Franco’s regime lasted until 1979.

The re-introduction of the anticlerical laws by the newly elected Republican government headed by Azana.

The polarization of society, both socially, geographically and politically. 80% of the agricultural South, 20% of the more industrial North. Latifundia owners and landless workers. The Popular Front and the Popular Action, basic Right and Left devisions.

More unity between the Nationalists than between the Republicans.Franco was voted the Generalissimus in 1937, so united the Nationalist parties.

A campaign of bloody suppression - The Law Of Political Responsibility (1939), only 400 000 republicans had to flee to France. Among them most of the poets and artists. Culture suffered horribly.

Short-term causes The army revolt in the Spanish Morocco became a full-blown war.

Long-term causes Crushed a famous Revolt in Barcelona and Seville in 1933 and 1932 were crushed by force. Leuirrox crushed a general strike in 1934, leaving 70 000 wounded people.

Why did one side lose?

Results

The Nationalists consisted of professional soldiers, especially the Army of Africa, which has been in professional operations since 1921. Loyal and trained officers. The Republicans were badly trained, however inspired.

The casualties on both sides amount to a million, however the statistics are highly vague, because we do not know how many people died as war casualties and how many of disease.

Texas Oil Corporation gave Franco a loan, counting on income in case of Franco’s victory. In a way Non-Intervention Committee established by Britain in 1937 prevented the Republican supporters from helping them without preventing Germany and Italy to do so.

Second World War, 1939-1945 Short term causes

Long term causes

Why did one side lose?

Results

The stage storming of the German radio station on the Polish border by the German prisoners dressed as the Poles what triggered the war

Treaty of Versailles - the long term bitterness festered among the Germans and it allowed Hitler to come to power - a lot of his elections campaign promises were about revising the Treaty. Also, was a cause of the appeasement, as many politicians in Britain thought that the Treaty was too harsh - they sympathized with Hitler. It also increased the nationalistic tensions by having cut off people in different countries.

Hitler lost the Battle of the Pacific, as the RAF was more efficient than expected. Also, 2 engined jets were produced more than the 4 engined ones, which could have inflicted more damage to Britain. All major factories in Britain were left untouched.

Overall military losses: the Axis Powers - 4 300 000, the Allies 10 000 000. USSR civilians approximately 17 000 000. German civilians - 780 000.

Short term causes

Long term causes

Why did one side lose?

Results

The Munich Agreement (1938) and the annexation of the whole of Czechoslovakia (1939) showed ostensibly Hitler’s aims and that he could not be trusted

The Failure of the Disarmament Program - as Hitler walked out in 1936 from the Disarmament Conference, it was clear that no one would disarm.

The inability of Germany to defeat USSR - the failure of the Barbarossa plan. Stalin’s scorched earth policy.

Creation of the UN on the ruins of the LoN.

Poland invasion - Britain was bound by a treaty (1939) to help Poland (a treaty of mutual assistance) in case of a war war on Germany declared 2 days after the invasion - 3rd of September

The weakness of the League of Nations - as Hitler took Germany out in 1933, it was clear that the collective security idea failed - it happened because LoN was pursuing a policy of disarmament.

The total losses of Stalingrad and Kursk were more than 2 million for the Germans.

The Cold War - a result of the deterioration of the Allies - the fear of communism. Europe divided in half into spheres of influence.

Appeasement - if reading history backwards, it is clear that Hitler was simply gambling for opportunities in his best style of bare-faced opportunism - his march on Rhineland was ready to be called off at any minute in 1936. The weakness of the LoN made it easier for Hitler to act this way. Main mistake Chamberlain thought Hitler trustworthy. The inability of Britain to enforce the Treaty of Versailles.

Hitler had no resources for a long-term war campaign, planning on Blitzkrieg style wars, which proved successful at first, but he was unable to obtain the needed oil from the Urals, the army was divided.

Short term causes

Long term causes

Why did one side lose?

Results