World War I A Short History

by Lyons, Michael J.

• ISBN13: 9780130205513
• ISBN10: 0130205516
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-20
• Publisher: Pearson Higher Education

Summary

With unusual clarity and "from the trenches" insights, this book explores in detail the complexities of the origins, course, and momentous effects of World War I. It focuses not only on the grand scale of the war, but on its everyday realities for the common soldier and the civilian populations on the Western, Eastern, and other fronts. Explores the military andnon-military aspects of the War and its causes. Synthesizes various analyses and interpretations of the manycontroversies of the war. Includes insights from the most recent literature on the role of women in the conflict; the war in the air; the Armenian Genocide; the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand; Total War and the Home Fronts. Contains a graphic, in-depth account of the appalling existence of soldiers at the front -- including not only the horrors of battle, but the oppressive psychological impact of life in the trenches. Features a large number of maps and lively biographical sketches of important figures. For anyone interested in World War I, Military History, 20th Century Europe.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
1 Europe before 1914: The Political, Social, and Economic Setting	1	(10)
An Atmosphere for War	1	(2)
Nationalism and Revolution	3	(1)
German Unification	4	(2)
Growth of Industrialization	6	(1)
The Middle Class and Liberalism	6	(2)
Plight of the Working Class	8	(1)
The Gospel of Marxism	9	(1)
Decline of Liberalism	10	(1)
2 The Great Powers and the Growth of Tension	11	(21)
Nationalism	11	(1)
Economic Rivalry	12	(1)
Imperialism	13	(1)
Friction among the Imperialist Nations	14	(1)
Growth of Rival Alliances	15	(2)
Changes in Germany	17	(1)
French-Russian Ties	18	(1)
Britain Seeks Allies	18	(2)
French Initiatives	20	(1)
British Fears of German Naval Power	21	(1)
Britain and France Improve Relations	21	(1)
German Countermeasures	22	(1)
Anglo-French Response toward Germany	23	(1)
Formation of the Triple Entente	24	(2)
Military Planning	26	(1)
Second Moroccan Crisis	27	(1)
Winston Churchill: First Lord of the Admiralty	28	(1)
Size of the Navies Debated	29	(2)
The "Fateful Chain Reaction"	31	(1)
3 The Explosive Balkans	32	(16)
Russian Designs	32	(1)
The Intricacies of Balkan Politics	33	(1)
The Pig War	33	(1)
Russia and Austria-Hungary	34	(1)
Austria Eyes Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina	34	(2)
Emperor Francis Joseph	36	(1)
German Support of Austria	37	(1)
Negative Effects of Annexation	37	(1)
War Between Italy and Turkey	38	(1)
The Balkan League	38	(1)
The "Sick Man of Europe" Weakens	38	(2)
Serbia Seeks an Outlet to the Sea	40	(1)
The Second Balkan War	41	(2)
The Liman von Sanders Affair	43	(1)
Fatalism and Hope	43	(2)
Assassination of Francis Ferdinand	45	(3)
4 The July Crisis and the Outbreak of War	48	(13)
Austria Reacts to the Assassination	48	(3)
Reaction of the Other Powers	51	(1)
War Is Near	51	(1)
Mobilization Begins	52	(2)
Germany Declares War	54	(1)
Britain Enters the War	55	(1)
Italy Remains Neutral	56	(1)
Reasons for the War	57	(4)
5 Great Expectations: War Plans and the Short War Illusion	61	(14)
The Short War Illusion	61	(1)
A Protracted War Predicted	62	(1)
The Central Powers	62	(1)
The Entente Powers	62	(1)
Advantages of the Central Powers	63	(1)
Strengths and Shortcomings of the Allies	64	(1)
Lord Kitchener and the BEF	65	(1)
Strategy of the Central Powers	66	(2)
Plan 17	68	(3)
Britain's Role	71	(1)
Russia's Strategy	71	(1)
Austria-Hungary's Strategy	72	(2)
The Failure of Wishful Thinking	74	(1)
6 1914: Deadlock on the Western Front	75	(17)
Schlieffen Plan Launched	75	(2)
The French Offensive	77	(2)
German Advances	79	(2)
Allied Response	81	(1)
French Army Retreats	82	(2)
Allies Continue to Retreat	84	(1)
Allies Plan Counterattack	85	(1)
Battle of the Marne	85	(1)
Aftermath of the Marne Battle	86	(1)
Weakness of the Schlieffen Plan	87	(1)
The "Race to the Sea"	88	(1)
The Flanders Offensive	88	(2)
The High Cost of War	90	(1)
Beginnings of Trench Warfare	91	(1)
7 1914: Deadlock on the Eastern Front	92	(17)
Events in Eastern Europe	92	(1)
The Russian Command	93	(2)
The German Command	95	(1)
Russian Concerns	95	(2)
The Battle of Gumbinnen	97	(1)
Changes in the German High Command	97	(1)
Germans Plan Strategy	98	(1)
Russian Forces Routed	99	(1)
Reasons behind the German Victory	100	(1)
The War in the South	100	(2)
The Serbian Campaign	102	(1)
Russian Victories against the Dual Monarchy	103	(3)
Aftermath of the Dual Monarchy's Disaster	106	(1)
Russia and Germany Plan New Offensives	106	(1)
Power Struggle in the German Military	107	(2)
8 1915: The Western Front and Gallipoli	109	(18)
Both Sides Plan Strategy	109	(1)
Events of 1915: Trench Warfare	110	(2)
The Second Battle of Ypres: The Horrors of Gas Warfare	112	(1)
The Artois Offensive	113	(1)
The Fatal Flaw in Allied Tactics	113	(2)
Turkey Enters the War	115	(2)
Horror in Armenia	117	(1)
Beginnings of the Gallipoli Campaign	117	(3)
Failure of Allied Naval Power	120	(1)
Use of Land Forces Planned	121	(1)
Bloody Stalemate at Gallipoli	122	(1)
Political Repercussions of the Gallipoli Defeat	123	(1)
Continuation of the Gallipoli Offensive	124	(1)
Allied Withdrawal	125	(2)
9 1915: Stalemate in the South, Allied Disaster in the East	127	(13)
Italy Joins the Allies	127	(1)
The Treaty of London	128	(1)
Shortcomings of the Italian Military	128	(1)
The Italian Strategy	129	(1)
Austria-Hungary and the Galician Front	130	(2)
Germany Acts to Save Austria-Hungary	132	(1)
Russians Caught by Surprise	133	(1)
Fighting in the East Continues	133	(2)
Czar Nicholas Assumes Military Control	135	(1)
Central Powers Eye Serbia	136	(2)
Allied Troops No Help for Serbs	138	(1)
A Dismal Year for the Allies	139	(1)
10 1916: The Hell of Verdun and the Somme	140	(16)
Allies Plan Western Strategy	140	(1)
German Strategy: Starve Britain, "Bleed" France	141	(1)
Verdun Chosen as Target of German Offensive	141	(2)
Battle of Verdun Begins	143	(2)
French Resistance Stiffens	145	(1)
Germans Prepare New Attack	146	(1)
Failure of the German Assault	147	(1)
French Counterattack Planned	147	(1)
The High Cost of Victory	148	(1)
Events Leading Up to the Somme Battle	149	(2)
Somme Offensive Begins	151	(1)
British Suffer Heavy Casualties	151	(2)
Tank Warfare Planned	153	(1)
Stalemate in the West	154	(1)
Changes in British Leadership	154	(1)
Heavy Losses, Few Tangible Gains	155	(1)
11 1916: Attrition in the South and East	156	(13)
The Political Situation in the East	156	(1)
Austria-Hungary Plans Campaign against Italy	157	(1)
Austro-Hungarian Drive Halted	158	(1)
Italians Mount Isonzo Offensive	158	(1)
Political Repercussions in Italy	159	(1)
Origins of the Brusilov Offensive	159	(2)
Russians Revise Their Strategy	161	(1)
Russians Make Lightning Gains	161	(1)
The Tide Shifts	162	(1)
Romania Enters War on Allied Side	162	(3)
Greece Joins Allies	165	(1)
Problems Plague the Dual Monarchy	165	(1)
The Death of Francis Joseph	166	(2)
Russia Demoralized	168	(1)
12 The War at Sea and in the Air	169	(18)
British and German Naval Strength	170	(1)
British Naval Leaders	171	(1)
The German Naval Command	172	(1)
Opening Skirmishes at Sea	173	(1)
Naval Encounters in South American Waters	173	(1)
First North Sea Battle	174	(1)
Germans Plan Hit-and-Run Raids	174	(2)
The Battle of Jutland	176	(3)
German Submarine Warfare	179	(1)
Germans Announce Policy of Unrestricted Warfare at Sea	179	(2)
The Air War	181	(2)
Aerial Combat Begins	183	(1)
New Aircraft Introduced	184	(1)
Aerial Bombing Launched	185	(1)
The RAF Created	186	(1)
The First Aircraft Carrier	186	(1)
13 War Aims and Total War	187	(11)
Appeals to Patriotism	187	(1)
An Appetite for Territory	188	(1)
French Designs	188	(1)
British Aims	189	(1)
Goals of the Central Powers	190	(1)
Rationalizing the War	191	(1)
The Desire for Peace, the Threat of Revolution	192	(1)
The Concept of Total War	193	(1)
The Power of Propaganda	193	(1)
Life and Death in "No-Man's-Land"	194	(4)
14 Total War and the Home Fronts	198	(13)
French Economic Mobilization	199	(1)
The War's Impact on French Politics	200	(1)
Effects of the War on Britain	201	(3)
State Regulation of Britain's Economy	204	(1)
Conditions in Germany	204	(2)
Political Changes in Germany	206	(2)
Conditions in Italy	208	(1)
Conflicts in the Dual Monarchy	208	(1)
Russia: Disillusionment and Unrest	209	(1)
The "Sinister Presence" of Rasputin	210	(1)
15 The Russian Revolutions	211	(12)
Origins of the Revolution	211	(1)
The Revolution of 1905	211	(1)
Events Leading to Revolution	212	(1)
Collapse of the Czarist Government	213	(1)
Shortcomings of the Provisional Government	214	(1)
Lenin and Revolution	215	(1)
Lenin Returns to Russia	216	(1)
Failure of the Kerensky Offensive	217	(1)
Counterrevolutionary Movement Formed	217	(1)
Support for Provisional Government Collapses	218	(1)
Leon Trotsky	218	(1)
The Bolshevik Revolution	219	(1)
Beginnings of the Bolshevik Dictatorship	219	(1)
Lenin Seeks End To War	220	(1)
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk	221	(1)
The Russian Civil War	221	(2)
16 The United States Enters the War	223	(15)
American Attitudes	223	(1)
Effect of the War on U.S. Commerce	224	(1)
Factors behind Americas Entry into the War	225	(1)
German Submarine Warfare	226	(1)
The War's Impact on American Politics	226	(1)
U.S. Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations with Germany	227	(1)
The Zimmermann Telegram	228	(1)
America Enters the European War	228	(1)
Role of the Navy	229	(1)
Building Up the Military	230	(1)
Economic Mobilization	231	(1)
The Food Program	232	(1)
Fuel and Transportation	233	(1)
Paying for the War	234	(1)
Mobilizing Public Opinion	235	(1)
Anti-German Propaganda Turns Shrill	236	(1)
The Hunt for Subversives	236	(1)
America Becomes a Major Military Power	237	(1)
17 1917: Crisis for the Allies	238	(17)
Submarine Warfare Resumed	238	(1)
Superiority of the Convoy System	239	(1)
German Naval Strategy: A Failure	240	(1)
The Land War	240	(1)
French General Nivelle's Plan	241	(1)
British Success in the Battle of Arras	242	(1)
The Nivelle Offensive	242	(1)
Mutiny in the French Ranks	243	(1)
Petain Assumes Command	244	(1)
Burden Shifts to the British	244	(1)
British Plan to Blow Up German-Held Fortress	245	(1)
Lloyd George: Britain's New Prime Minister	246	(1)
The Third Battle of Ypres	246	(2)
Both Sides Sustain Heavy Losses	248	(1)
The Italian Front	249	(1)
Italian Disaster at Caporetto	250	(2)
Changes in the Wake of Caporetto	252	(1)
The Battle of Cambrai	252	(2)
Value of Tank Warfare Recognized	254	(1)
18 The War outside Europe	255	(12)
The Far East and the Pacific	255	(1)
The Fighting in Africa	256	(1)
South Africa Aids the Allied Cause	257	(1)
The Campaign in Mesopotamia	257	(4)
Egypt, Palestine, and Syria	261	(1)
Lawrence of Arabia	262	(1)
The War in Palestine	263	(2)
Allenby Drives into Syria	265	(2)
19 1918: Germany's Last Bid for Victory	267	(14)
Signs of Unrest	267	(1)
Ludendorff Plans Western Offensive	268	(1)
Germans Rupture British Front	269	(1)
Allies Form a Unified Command	270	(1)
Clemenceau Guides France	271	(1)
German Offensive Loses Momentum	271	(2)
Friction Arises in Allied Ranks	273	(1)
Royal Navy Attacks U-Boat Base	274	(1)
German Army Presses On	274	(2)
Ludendorff Launches a Fourth Offensive	276	(1)
The War's Last Lull	276	(1)
Flu Epidemic More Lethal Than War	277	(1)
Germans Refuse to Give Up	277	(2)
German Army in Retreat	279	(2)
20 1918: Collapse of the Central Powers	281	(18)
America's Presence in the War Invaluable	281	(1)
The Amiens Campaign	282	(2)
Ludendorff Offers to Resign	284	(1)
Fighting Continues	284	(1)
General Pershing Plans American Offensive	285	(1)
Allies Plan Joint Campaign	286	(1)
The Argonne Operation	286	(2)
Allies Batter the Hindenburg Line	288	(1)
The Diplomatic War	289	(2)
Wilson's Fourteen Points	291	(1)
Disaster in the Balkans	292	(1)
The Dual Monarchy Dissolves	293	(2)
Allies Continue to Press Germany	295	(1)
Changes inside Germany	296	(1)
Allies Present Terms	297	(1)
November 11: War Ends in Europe	298	(1)
21 The Postwar Settlement	299	(14)
Wounds: Psychological and Material	299	(1)
The Paris Peace Conference	300	(1)
The Treaty of Versailles	301	(1)
Changes in the Map of Europe	302	(2)
Germany Loses Its Colonies	304	(1)
German Military Dismantled	304	(1)
The Question of Reparations	305	(1)
League of Nations Established	306	(1)
Wilson and Republicans Clash	306	(1)
The Settlement for Central Europe	307	(1)
Changes in Eastern Europe	308	(1)
Turkey Loses Much Territory	309	(1)
Germans Feel Betrayed by the West	309	(1)
Other Critics of the Peace Settlement	310	(3)
22 The Troubled Aftermath	313	(18)
Unrest at Home	313	(1)
Instability in Germany	314	(1)
The Weimar Republic	315	(1)
Threats from the Right	316	(1)
Fascists Take Control in Italy	316	(1)
Discontent in Austria	317	(1)
Hungary Abandons Democracy	318	(1)
Conflict in Yugoslavia	319	(1)
Ethnic Divisions in Czechoslovakia	320	(1)
Dictatorship in Poland	321	(2)
Communists Extend Their Grip in Russia	323	(1)
Stalin Becomes Soviet Dictator	324	(1)
Upheaval in Turkey	324	(2)
Britain and the Irish Question	326	(1)
Greater Independence Given the Dominions	326	(1)
Unrest in British Colonies	327	(1)
France Seeks Allies	327	(1)
Japan Widens Influence in East Asia	328	(1)
Some Bright Spots Appear	328	(1)
The War's Grim Legacy	329	(1)
Economic Despair and Political Instability	329	(1)
Additional Reading	331	(14)
General	331	(1)
The Background for the War	331	(3)
War Plans	334	(1)
The Western Front	335	(2)
The Eastern Front	337	(1)
The Italian Front and Gallipoli	338	(1)
The War Outside Europe	338	(1)
The War on the Sea and in the Air	339	(1)
War Aims, Total War, and the Home Fronts	340	(2)
The Russian Revolutions	342	(1)
The United States and the War	342	(1)
The End of the War and Its Aftermath	343	(2)
Index	345