Building up to WWI

Remember, if you will, that speech by David Lloyd George explaining why Britain was really a victim of WWI, not an instigator.

So how was Britain even involved in the war if what we have read so far focuses mainly on Serbia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary??

• At first, Britain was neutral and tried avoiding war
• Everything changed when Germany attacked
• Britain honored its alliance to Belgium

* Germans

Wait...

Britain was scared of Germany??? Why???

• Germany was exhibiting some serious imperialistic tendencies (threat to power)
• It was building a spanking new NAVY
• (remember Kaiser touching the butt (of the ship))

Britain's response to Kaiser

And Britain wanted to have the best ships:

• They developed the Dreadnought as a response to Kaiser's actions
• These early 1900s ships were bigger and better
• A large navy goes with prestige and makes a nation a great power
• This event exemplified the militarism and nationalism that brought the war into fruition.

Britain to Britain

Enough about Britain (sorry Mr. Yarnall)

What actually started WWI??

• Gavrilo Princip shoots archduke Ferdinand (and his wife)
• Truly the straw that broke the camel's back since there were so many events that had built up tension before this instance
• But why call him a hero?
• He didn't plan on starting a war.  He just wanted independence

Sadly, a lot of the problems that come out of WWI wreak havoc afterwards (middle east, Nazis)

Everything going wrong after WWI

Now for something infinitely sadder, Russian history

Let's get some background on Russia at the eve of the war

• Nicholas II - the last Russian Tsar
• He dealt with the Revolution of 1905 by halfheartedly making concessions to the populous of Russia
• His October Manifest created the Duma (a representative body) and seemed like he would be more liberal
• First seemingly liberal Tsar since Alexander II (who was actually called Tsar Liberator after emancipating the serfs)

Sadly

Nicholas II wasn't as cool as he seemed

• He kept dismissing the Duma when they didn't do exactly what he wanted
• He created an unstable environment with a complete disconnect between the people and the Tsar

When someone asks how well Nicholas II is doing

How does Russia fit into WWI

• Its alliance with Serbia dragged it into the war (kinda similar to Britain)
• Pan-Slavism - their common ethnicity bound them together 

However, war was the last thing Russia needed:

• It was militarily and industrially far behind
• They used PEOPLE instead of WEAPONS

WORST OF ALL

Lenin

• Germany sent Lenin back into Russia (although he had been banished) 
• He incites civil unrest and causes irreparable damage

Finally...

War

TOP 5 THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT WWI

1. Trench warfare on the western front which caused a war of attrition
2. Technological advances in weapons make war bloody but backwardness in transportation and communication kept the war stagnant
3. So many different places of the world fought on one side or the other (even Australians)
4. Total war - everything was dedicated to the war effort (labor, restricting diet)
5. A war defying expectations: it ruined ideals of an honorable war and lasted much longer than anticipated