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WW1&2

World War I (1914–1918) was caused by militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the immediate trigger. The war involved major powers divided into Allies and Central Powers, introduced trench warfare and new weapons, and ended with the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh penalties on Germany. World War II (1939–1945) arose from the failure of the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of dictators, and the invasion of Poland, leading to significant global changes including the creation of the United Nations and the onset of the Cold War.

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10 views2 pages

WW1&2

World War I (1914–1918) was caused by militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the immediate trigger. The war involved major powers divided into Allies and Central Powers, introduced trench warfare and new weapons, and ended with the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh penalties on Germany. World War II (1939–1945) arose from the failure of the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of dictators, and the invasion of Poland, leading to significant global changes including the creation of the United Nations and the onset of the Cold War.

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gellanociela
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World War I (1914–1918)

Causes (MAIN):

1.​ Militarism – Countries built up powerful armies and navies, leading to an arms
race.
2.​ Alliances – European nations formed defensive alliances (Triple Entente:
France, Britain, Russia vs. Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy).
3.​ Imperialism – Competition for colonies created tensions, especially in Africa and
Asia.
4.​ Nationalism – Ethnic groups sought independence; tensions were high in the
Balkans.
●​ Immediate Cause: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist in 1914.

Major Powers:

●​ Allies: Britain, France, Russia, later the U.S., Italy (1915), and Japan.
●​ Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria.

Key Events:

●​ Trench Warfare: Soldiers fought in trenches, leading to high casualties and


stalemates.
●​ New Weapons: Tanks, poison gas, machine guns, and airplanes changed
warfare.
●​ Battle of the Somme (1916): One of the deadliest battles.
●​ U.S. Joins (1917): After Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare and the
Zimmermann Telegram, the U.S. declared war.

End & Effects:

●​ Armistice Signed (Nov. 11, 1918): Fighting stopped.


●​ Treaty of Versailles (1919):
○​ Blamed Germany for the war.
○​ Forced Germany to pay reparations, reduce its military, and lose territory.
●​ League of Nations Created: Aimed to prevent future wars but was weak (U.S.
didn’t join).
●​ Impact: Economic struggles, resentment in Germany, and political instability
paved the way for WWII.
World War II (1939–1945)

Causes:

●​ Failure of the Treaty of Versailles: Harsh conditions fueled German


resentment.
●​ Rise of Dictators:
○​ Germany: Adolf Hitler (Nazi Party) sought expansion.
○​ Italy: Benito Mussolini aimed to restore the Roman Empire.
○​ Japan: Military leaders sought control of Asia.
●​ Appeasement: Britain and France allowed Hitler to take land (e.g., Sudetenland)
to avoid war.
●​ Invasion of Poland (1939): Germany invaded Poland, leading Britain and
France to declare war.

Major Powers:

●​ Allies: Britain, USSR (after 1941), U.S. (after 1941), China, France.
●​ Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan.

Key Events:

●​ Blitzkrieg ("Lightning War"): Germany quickly conquered Poland, France, and


other countries.
●​ Battle of Britain (1940): Germany bombed Britain but failed to invade.
●​ Pearl Harbor (1941): Japan attacked the U.S., bringing it into the war.
●​ D-Day (1944): Allied forces invaded Normandy, France, marking a turning point.
●​ Holocaust: Nazi genocide killed 6 million Jews and millions of others.
●​ Atomic Bombs (1945): The U.S. dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
forcing Japan to surrender.

End & Effects:

●​ Germany Surrenders (May 1945); Japan (August 1945).


●​ United Nations (UN) Created: Aimed to prevent future conflicts.
●​ Cold War Begins: U.S. and USSR emerged as superpowers, leading to
tensions.
●​ Decolonization: Many colonies gained
●​ independence after the war.

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