Western Europe in 1914 consisted mainly of Germany, France, UK, with Eastern Europe divided among four empires. World War 1 began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by Serbian terrorists. The war ended in 1918 with the Treaty of Versailles that reduced Germany territorially and financially and led to the redrawing of boundaries based on language and ethnicity. The post-war Mandate system formally placed former Ottoman and German colonies under Western control as independent nations emerged, fueling nationalism in Germany and Turkey who lost significant land and sovereignty.

1. Melanie Archipley, Joy Dafoe, Ariel Nolte
Western Civilizations Period 6
April 2012

2. In the Beginning
I

 Western Europe similar to modern boundaries
 Exception of Italy
 Eastern Europe divided among four empires
 Second Reich Germany
 Austria-Hungary
 Turkish Ottoman Empire
 Russia

3. *Stuff Hits the Fan

 Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austro-Hungarian throne,
assassinated by Serbian terrorists in 1914
 War officially begins five weeks later

4. Alliances


5. Alliances

 Entente Powers: United Kingdom, France, Russia
 Central Powers: German Empire, Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
 Italy part of Triple Alliance (pre-WWI), later joined
Allies
 Germany threatened by two-front war

6. Treaty of Versailles

 “Big Three” of France, Britain, United States reduced
Germany territorially, militarily, financially
 Wilson pushed to redefine boundaries based on
language, individual people groups

7. The Mandate System
T


8. The Mandate System

 Mandates territories distributed by Western powers
 In theory: held until independent
 In practice: European colonies
 Treaties led to breaking up land, independence of
new nations
 Feelings of bbetrayal

9. Nationalism

 Germany’s split was known as “East Prussia” (via
Treaty of Versailles)
 Both Italy, Germany reunified after splits
 Turkish Empire lost much land in Europe
 Nationalism = passion

10. In the End
I
I


11. In the End

 Hapsburg Empire disappeared
 Italy, Poland, Romania gained territory
 Ottoman Empire broken up
 Russian Empire lost land
 Germany split in two, lost all overseas colonies
 Eastern Europe: gained new nations Finland,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia,
Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Turkey