war without end
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
1917 – Allies struggling to stay afloat France – Army mutinies against taking the
offensive Italian Army suffers severe defeat at
Capporetto Russian monarchy collapses in revolution
February 1917 – Tsar forced to abdicate in revolution
New government under Alexander Kerensky, called Provisional Government
New Government promises to maintain war effort
New Russian government deeply split Bolsheviks – “Reds” – want Communist state – opposed to continuing the
war with Germany Mensheviks – “Whites” – support Kerensky
Germany allows Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Ulyanov (AKA Lenin) to return to Russia through battle lines
Red leader Leon Trotsky builds military force, the Red Army October (November by current calendar) – Bolsheviks seize
power in Russia – Leads to civil war
German civilian prime minister resigns in 1917 – Military takes control of government, with Kaiser’s approval
February 1917 – German telegram (Zimmerman Telegram) to Mexican government intercepted by Britain – Offers territory to Mexico for anti-American alliance
March 1917 – Germany resumes Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
April – US President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to Declare war against Germany
War declared on April 7th
US will not have a large army in France for at least 1 year
December 1917 – Russian and Germans armies agree to an armistice
Early 1918 – Bolsheviks meet with Germans to make separate peace treaty
March 1918 – Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - Germans take huge amount of territory from Russia and claim huge reparations
Treaty terrifies Allies at possible German treaty to end war on Western Front
Treaty frees up entire German Army for action on Western Front
Spring 1918 – Germany launches large offensive on Western Front
Offensive stopped at Marne River by French and US forces
German military aware of defeat after failure of offensive
Allies launch offensive in mid-August at Amiens US launches offensive in Meuse-Argonne in September Germans forced to retreat to “Hindenburg Line” – Last line of
defense 11/8 – Austrian emperor abdicates, Austria asks for armistice 11/9 – German army commander Hindenburg tells Kaiser he is
no longer supported in Germany – Kaiser abdicates, goes into exile in Holland
11/10 – Germany declared a republic – begins negotiations for Armistice with Allies
11/11 – Agreement reached on an armistice
Fighting ends at 11 AM on 11/11
Russian Civil war begins in 1918 Tsar & family murdered by Bolsheviks Allies intervene to keep Bolsheviks from
taking control of Russian ports
1918 – Flu epidemic begins on US army bases
Spreads to Europe in 1919 100 Million Die
January-May 1919 – Victorious Allies meet in Paris & Suburbs (Versailles & St-Germain) to negotiate peace treaties among themselves
BIG FOUR France – George Clemenceau Britain – David Lloyd George US – Woodrow Wilson Italy – Vittorio Orlando
Wilson – Wants peace based on FOURTEEN POINTS – all nations treated as equals, now in a worldwide organization, the League of Nations
Clemenceau -Wants Germany to suffer severely
6/28/1919 – Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles under protest
Military reduced to 10,000 men, no navy or air force
Territory removed – new nation of Poland