World War One

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$Discrete Math Chapter 14 Descriptive Statistics 14.2 Exercise 1 ...$

From Russia, With Love (P.S. I’m leaving you…)Karl Marx, a German economist (and founder of the theory of communism) declared that “this was not Russia’s war. Banking interestsand capitalist imperialist powers had orchestrated the war.”Vladimir Lenin, studied Marxism and claimed that “imperialism was responsible for the war”, and since Russia did not have any claimto colonies, she should not be fighting in the European war.Even the English economist John Hobson agreed with this theory, claiming that “unlimited competition for expanding markets wouldlead to a global conflict.” The dominant economic position of Great Britain threatened by therapid rise of German’s industry meant that the two industrial giants (Germany and Britain)would eventually have to fight for economic space.The people of Russia were unprepared for the war. Russia had experienced heavy defeatsagainst Germany but significant successes against Austria-Hungary. Russia had sympathyfor Serbia—but at what cost? Russia was not industrialized like the rest of Europe. Thecountless dead and tremendous loss and humiliation made the war unpopular. Russia waslosing territory and there were labor strikes and food shortages throughout the country. The Russians felt like they had little to gain andmuch to lose. The Russian people begged Tzar Nicholas II to get out of the war.Confidence in the Tzar was also at an all-time low. He was out of touch with his people, and had become a puppet of his German bornwife (Alexandria). Rasputin (a holy man) was taking advantage of the royal family and their sick boy Alexei (who was a hemophiliac).Russia was hardly a democracy but public opinion was still a powerful factor. The Tzar had fired the Duma (Congress) 5 times inrecent years when he did not like their suggestions (imagine if the president could do that?). Numerous underground organizationshad sprung up to oppose the Tzar and his policies.February Revolution: In early March 1917(late February by the Julian calendar still used in Russia) the Tzar’s entire regimeunexpectedly collapsed after a series of large demonstrations in the Russian capital of Petrograd.Under pressure from the military, Nicholas II abdicated (gave up) the throne. He and his family were moved to another locationoutside the city.Parts of the military continued to fight the war but others quit fighting altogether and others began fighting each other in a civilwar (white army versus red army).Germany quickly recognized an opportunity to create chaos and end the war. Germany helped Russian revolutionaries inEurope (Vladimir Lenin) to get back to Russia (by German train). Lenin arrived in Petrograd on April 16, 1917.Participants on all sides watched Russia closely to see what the country would do without Czar. European countries worried about theirown revolutions. A new provisional government was officially in charge of Russia but remained highly unstable (especially the military).Huge antiwar rallies clogged the streets. Soldiers deserted their fighting and there was general disorder throughout the Russianmilitary.There was an intense disagreement in the country over whether or not Russia should remain at war.Under what conditions should Russia leave the conflict?The Provisional Government, under the leadership of Alexander Kerensky, wanted to remainin the war until Germany and Austria Hungary were defeated.The more radical Petrograd Soviets (labor unions, socialists/communists) felt that Russiashould get out of the war as soon as possible even if that would mean a loss of territory andheavy reparations.The 3 rd group--the Bolsheviks (Vladimir Lenin) had even more radical leanings (communist,Marxist) and wanted Russia to exit the war immediately--no matter what the cost.18
The Russian RevolutionNovember 6, 1917 (October 24 by the Russian calendar) the Bolsheviks seized control of the country,with the help of the military. The Bolshevik’s pronounced themselves Russia’s new leader but theirpractical control had no power beyond Petrograd (Moscow). The country was left in chaos. Manypeople in Russia opposed the Bolsheviks. Some wanted to bring back the Czar, while others favoreddemocracy.The Bolshevik leader Lenin issued his first decree declaring Russia would to be at peace.He ordered the Russian military to cease all hostilities.Nov. 26, 1917, the Bolsheviks issued a call to halt hostilities on all fronts and requested thatall sides immediately make arrangements to sign an armistice. This idea was not wellreceived by France and Britain.When Russia received no response, Russia warned that if no one responded, Russia would make a separate peace.When there was still no response the Bolsheviks published a series of secret treaties that Russia had made with the Allies (toembarrass the Allies).A cease-fire (on the eastern front) was declared on December 15, 1917. The formal treaty took months to negotiate.Russia leaves WWI with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, between the Central Powers and Russia (signed March 1918)This treaty had harsh peace terms: Russia gave up Finland, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, and the Caucasusregion along with coal mining in southern Russia (the exact areas Stalin will reclaim in World War II).The exit from the war cost most of the territorial gains the country had made since Peter the Great (1700s).This agreement posed serious problems for the Allies. It effectively closed the Eastern front and meant the Allies now faced 900,000additional German troops on the Western front. The Germans captured large quantities of Russian equipment which they now usedagainst the Allies. Many argue that Russia pulling out early did not bring the world closer to peace but extended the conflict by enablingGermany and Austria Hungary to focus their entire attention on the West. The United States provided the only possible hope to counterthis sudden turn of the tables.TechnologyTechnological and industrial developments in Europe were advancing with unprecedented speed. Militarytechnology was at the forefront as World War I became a showcase for new technology that changed thenature, speed, and efficiency of warfare. In WWI the rules of engagement changed. War used to meanmajor armies met head-to-head; millions of men on the battlefield. This war was modernized with thetelephone, wireless communication, radio, armored cars, tanks, and aircraft. New smaller infantryformations were reorganized into squads of 10 not 100.Tanks, airplanes, zeppelins (dirigible airships filled with gas), and submarines changed the way wars were fought. Motorized vehiclessuch as trucks, cars, and trains improved the speed for troops and supplies to be deployed and the distance to which they could betransported. Guns of all categories now ranged from pistols to major artillery with greatly improved accuracy and range of fire. Thisenabled armies to fire at each other across long distances, in some cases without even having to see each other. The machine gunmade it possible for a single soldier to effectively take out multiple opponents at once.Vickers machine gun, flamethrowers, Big Bertha (Dicke Berthe), Paris Gun (Paris-Geschutz).Helmets were used to protect from head wounds caused by exploding shells and fragmentation. The French created a steelhelmet (Adrian helmet 1915), the British created the Brodie helmet (1916), the Germans created the Stahlhelm (1916)19
Page 5: Imperialism and nationalism are two
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Page 11 and 12: The July Ultimatum• Ultimatum: A
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Page 23 and 24: The Zimmerman Note (Zimmermann-Depe
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World War One

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