The goals of the countries participating in the First World War. Russia in the First World War

First World War (1914 - 1918)

The Russian Empire collapsed. One of the goals of the war has been achieved.

Chamberlain

The First World War lasted from August 1, 1914 to November 11, 1918. 38 states with a population of 62% of the world took part in it. This war was quite controversial and extremely contradictory in modern history. I specifically quoted Chamberlain’s words in the epigraph in order to once again emphasize this inconsistency. A prominent politician in England (Russia's war ally) says that by overthrowing the autocracy in Russia one of the goals of the war has been achieved!

The Balkan countries played a major role in the beginning of the war. They were not independent. Their policies (both foreign and domestic) were greatly influenced by England. Germany had by that time lost its influence in this region, although it controlled Bulgaria for a long time.

• Entente. Russian Empire, France, Great Britain. The allies were the USA, Italy, Romania, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Triple Alliance. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Later they were joined by the Bulgarian kingdom, and the coalition became known as the “Quadruple Alliance”.

The following major countries took part in the war: Austria-Hungary (27 July 1914 - 3 November 1918), Germany (1 August 1914 - 11 November 1918), Turkey (29 October 1914 - 30 October 1918), Bulgaria (14 October 1915 - 29 September 1918). Entente countries and allies: Russia (August 1, 1914 - March 3, 1918), France (August 3, 1914), Belgium (August 3, 1914), Great Britain (August 4, 1914), Italy (May 23, 1915), Romania (August 27, 1916) .

One more important point. Initially, Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance. But after the outbreak of World War I, the Italians declared neutrality.

Causes of the First World War

The main reason for the outbreak of the First World War was the desire of the leading powers, primarily England, France and Austria-Hungary, to redistribute the world. The fact is that the colonial system collapsed by the beginning of the 20th century. The leading European countries, which had prospered for years through the exploitation of their colonies, could no longer simply obtain resources by taking them away from Indians, Africans and South Americans. Now resources could only be won from each other. Therefore, contradictions grew:

• Between England and Germany. England sought to prevent Germany from increasing its influence in the Balkans. Germany sought to strengthen itself in the Balkans and the Middle East, and also sought to deprive England of maritime dominance.
• Between Germany and France. France dreamed of regaining the lands of Alsace and Lorraine, which it had lost in the war of 1870-71. France also sought to seize the German Saar coal basin.
• Between Germany and Russia. Germany sought to take Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states from Russia.
• Between Russia and Austria-Hungary. Controversies arose due to the desire of both countries to influence the Balkans, as well as Russia's desire to subjugate the Bosporus and Dardanelles.

The reason for the start of the war

The reason for the outbreak of the First World War was the events in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand of the Young Bosnia movement, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, so the resonance of the murder was enormous. This was the pretext for Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia.

The behavior of England is very important here, since Austria-Hungary could not start a war on its own, because this practically guaranteed war throughout Europe. The British at the embassy level convinced Nicholas 2 that Russia should not leave Serbia without help in the event of aggression. But then the entire (I emphasize this) English press wrote that the Serbs were barbarians and Austria-Hungary should not leave the murder of the Archduke unpunished. That is, England did everything to ensure that Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia did not shy away from war.

Important nuances of the casus belli

In all textbooks we are told that the main and only reason for the outbreak of the First World War was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke. At the same time, they forget to say that the next day, June 29, another significant murder took place. The French politician Jean Jaurès, who actively opposed the war and had great influence in France, was killed. A few weeks before the assassination of the Archduke, there was an attempt on the life of Rasputin, who, like Zhores, was an opponent of the war and had great influence on Nicholas 2. I would also like to note some facts from the fate of the main characters of those days:

• Gavrilo Principin. Died in prison in 1918 from tuberculosis.
• The Russian Ambassador to Serbia is Hartley. In 1914 he died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia, where he came for a reception.
• Colonel Apis, leader of the Black Hand. Shot in 1917.
• In 1917, Hartley’s correspondence with Sozonov (the next Russian ambassador to Serbia) disappeared.

This all indicates that in the events of the day there were a lot of black spots that have not yet been revealed. And this is very important to understand.

England's role in starting the war

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 2 great powers in continental Europe: Germany and Russia. They did not want to openly fight against each other, since their forces were approximately equal. Therefore, in the “July crisis” of 1914, both sides took a wait-and-see approach. British diplomacy came to the fore. She conveyed her position to Germany through the press and secret diplomacy - in the event of war, England would remain neutral or take Germany's side. Through open diplomacy, Nicholas 2 received the opposite idea that if war broke out, England would take the side of Russia.

It must be clearly understood that one open statement from England that it would not allow war in Europe would be enough for neither Germany nor Russia to even think about anything like that. Naturally, under such conditions, Austria-Hungary would not have dared to attack Serbia. But England, with all its diplomacy, pushed European countries towards war.

Russia before the war

Before the First World War, Russia carried out army reform. In 1907, a reform of the fleet was carried out, and in 1910, a reform of the ground forces. The country increased military spending many times over, and the total peacetime army size was now 2 million. In 1912, Russia adopted a new Field Service Charter. Today it is rightly called the most perfect Charter of its time, since it motivated soldiers and commanders to show personal initiative. Important point! The doctrine of the army of the Russian Empire was offensive.

Despite the fact that there were many positive changes, there were also very serious miscalculations. The main one is the underestimation of the role of artillery in war. As the course of events of the First World War showed, this was a terrible mistake, which clearly showed that at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian generals were seriously behind the times. They lived in the past, when the role of cavalry was important. As a result, 75% of all losses in the First World War were caused by artillery! This is a verdict on the imperial generals.

It is important to note that Russia never completed preparations for war (at the proper level), while Germany completed it in 1914.

The balance of forces and means before and after the war

Artillery

According to the data from the table, it is clear that Germany and Austria-Hungary were many times superior to Russia and France in heavy weapons. Therefore, the balance of power was in favor of the first two countries. Moreover, the Germans, as usual, created an excellent military industry before the war, which produced 250,000 shells daily. By comparison, Britain produced 10,000 shells per month! As they say, feel the difference...

Another example showing the importance of artillery is the battles on the Dunajec Gorlice line (May 1915). In 4 hours, the German army fired 700,000 shells. For comparison, during the entire Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), Germany fired just over 800,000 shells. That is, in 4 hours a little less than during the entire war. The Germans clearly understood that heavy artillery would play a decisive role in the war.

Weapons and military equipment

Production of weapons and equipment during the First World War (thousands of units).

This table clearly shows the weakness of the Russian Empire in terms of equipping the army. In all main indicators, Russia is much inferior to Germany, but also inferior to France and Great Britain. Largely because of this, the war turned out to be so difficult for our country.

Number of people (infantry)

Number of fighting infantry (millions of people).

The table shows that Great Britain made the smallest contribution to the war, both in terms of combatants and deaths. This is logical, since the British did not really participate in major battles. Another example from this table is instructive. All textbooks tell us that Austria-Hungary, due to large losses, could not fight on its own, and it always needed help from Germany. But notice Austria-Hungary and France in the table. The numbers are identical! Just as Germany had to fight for Austria-Hungary, so Russia had to fight for France (it is no coincidence that the Russian army saved Paris from capitulation three times during the First World War).

The table also shows that in fact the war was between Russia and Germany. Both countries lost 4.3 million killed, while Britain, France and Austria-Hungary together lost 3.5 million. The numbers are eloquent. But it turned out that the countries that fought the most and made the most effort in the war ended up with nothing. First, Russia signed the shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, losing many lands. Then Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, essentially losing its independence.

Progress of the war

Military events of 1914

July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. This entailed the involvement of the countries of the Triple Alliance, on the one hand, and the Entente, on the other hand, into the war.

Russia entered World War I on August 1, 1914. Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (Uncle of Nicholas 2) was appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

In the first days of the war, St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. Since the war with Germany began, the capital could not have a name of German origin - “burg”.

Historical reference

German "Schlieffen Plan"

Germany found itself under the threat of war on two fronts: Eastern - with Russia, Western - with France. Then the German command developed the “Schlieffen Plan”, according to which Germany should defeat France in 40 days and then fight with Russia. Why 40 days? The Germans believed that this was exactly what Russia would need to mobilize. Therefore, when Russia mobilizes, France will already be out of the game.

On August 2, 1914, Germany captured Luxembourg, on August 4 they invaded Belgium (a neutral country at that time), and by August 20 Germany reached the borders of France. The implementation of the Schlieffen Plan began. Germany advanced deep into France, but on September 5 it was stopped at the Marne River, where a battle took place in which about 2 million people took part on both sides.

Northwestern Front of Russia in 1914

At the beginning of the war, Russia did something stupid that Germany could not calculate. Nicholas 2 decided to enter the war without fully mobilizing the army. On August 4, Russian troops, under the command of Rennenkampf, launched an offensive in East Prussia (modern Kaliningrad). Samsonov's army was equipped to help her. Initially, the troops acted successfully, and Germany was forced to retreat. As a result, part of the forces of the Western Front was transferred to the Eastern Front. The result - Germany repulsed the Russian offensive in East Prussia (the troops acted disorganized and lacked resources), but as a result the Schlieffen plan failed, and France could not be captured. So, Russia saved Paris, albeit by defeating its 1st and 2nd armies. After this, trench warfare began.

Southwestern Front of Russia

On the southwestern front, in August-September, Russia launched an offensive operation against Galicia, which was occupied by troops of Austria-Hungary. The Galician operation was more successful than the offensive in East Prussia. In this battle, Austria-Hungary suffered a catastrophic defeat. 400 thousand people killed, 100 thousand captured. For comparison, the Russian army lost 150 thousand people killed. After this, Austria-Hungary actually withdrew from the war, since it lost the ability to conduct independent actions. Austria was saved from complete defeat only by the help of Germany, which was forced to transfer additional divisions to Galicia.

The main results of the military campaign of 1914

• Germany failed to implement the Schlieffen plan for lightning war.
• No one managed to gain a decisive advantage. The war turned into a positional one.

Map of military events of 1914-15

Military events of 1915

In 1915, Germany decided to shift the main blow to the eastern front, directing all its forces to the war with Russia, which was the weakest country of the Entente, according to the Germans. It was a strategic plan developed by the commander of the Eastern Front, General von Hindenburg. Russia managed to thwart this plan only at the cost of colossal losses, but at the same time, 1915 turned out to be simply terrible for the empire of Nicholas 2.

Situation on the northwestern front

From January to October, Germany waged an active offensive, as a result of which Russia lost Poland, western Ukraine, part of the Baltic states, and western Belarus. Russia went on the defensive. Russian losses were gigantic:

• Killed and wounded - 850 thousand people
• Captured - 900 thousand people

Russia did not capitulate, but the countries of the Triple Alliance were convinced that Russia would no longer be able to recover from the losses it had suffered.

Germany's successes on this sector of the front led to the fact that on October 14, 1915, Bulgaria entered the First World War (on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary).

Situation on the southwestern front

The Germans, together with Austria-Hungary, organized the Gorlitsky breakthrough in the spring of 1915, forcing the entire southwestern front of Russia to retreat. Galicia, which was captured in 1914, was completely lost. Germany was able to achieve this advantage thanks to the terrible mistakes of the Russian command, as well as a significant technical advantage. German superiority in technology reached:

• 2.5 times in machine guns.
• 4.5 times in light artillery.
• 40 times in heavy artillery.

It was not possible to withdraw Russia from the war, but the losses on this section of the front were gigantic: 150 thousand killed, 700 thousand wounded, 900 thousand prisoners and 4 million refugees.

Situation on the Western Front

"Everything is calm on the Western Front." This phrase can describe how the war between Germany and France proceeded in 1915. There were sluggish military operations in which no one sought the initiative. Germany was implementing plans in eastern Europe, and England and France were calmly mobilizing their economy and army, preparing for further war. No one provided any assistance to Russia, although Nicholas 2 repeatedly turned to France, first of all, so that it would take active action on the Western Front. As usual, no one heard him... By the way, this sluggish war on Germany’s western front was perfectly described by Hemingway in the novel “A Farewell to Arms.”

The main result of 1915 was that Germany was unable to bring Russia out of the war, although all efforts were devoted to this. It became obvious that the First World War would drag on for a long time, since during the 1.5 years of the war no one was able to gain an advantage or strategic initiative.

Military events of 1916

"Verdun Meat Grinder"

In February 1916, Germany launched a general offensive against France with the goal of capturing Paris. For this purpose, a campaign was carried out on Verdun, which covered the approaches to the French capital. The battle lasted until the end of 1916. During this time, 2 million people died, for which the battle was called the “Verdun Meat Grinder”. France survived, but again thanks to the fact that Russia came to its rescue, which became more active on the southwestern front.

Events on the southwestern front in 1916

In May 1916, Russian troops went on the offensive, which lasted 2 months. This offensive went down in history under the name “Brusilovsky breakthrough”. This name is due to the fact that the Russian army was commanded by General Brusilov. The breakthrough of the defense in Bukovina (from Lutsk to Chernivtsi) happened on June 5. The Russian army managed not only to break through the defenses, but also to advance into its depths in some places up to 120 kilometers. The losses of the Germans and Austro-Hungarians were catastrophic. 1.5 million dead, wounded and prisoners. The offensive was stopped only by additional German divisions, which were hastily transferred here from Verdun (France) and from Italy.

This offensive of the Russian army was not without a fly in the ointment. As usual, the allies dropped her off. On August 27, 1916, Romania entered the First World War on the side of the Entente. Germany defeated her very quickly. As a result, Romania lost its army, and Russia received an additional 2 thousand kilometers of front.

Events on the Caucasian and Northwestern fronts

Positional battles continued on the Northwestern Front during the spring-autumn period. As for the Caucasian Front, the main events here lasted from the beginning of 1916 to April. During this time, 2 operations were carried out: Erzurmur and Trebizond. According to their results, Erzurum and Trebizond were conquered, respectively.

The result of 1916 in the First World War

• The strategic initiative passed to the side of the Entente.
• The French fortress of Verdun survived thanks to the offensive of the Russian army.
• Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente.
• Russia carried out a powerful offensive - the Brusilov breakthrough.

Military and political events 1917

The year 1917 in the First World War was marked by the fact that the war continued against the background of the revolutionary situation in Russia and Germany, as well as the deterioration of the economic situation of the countries. Let me give you the example of Russia. During the 3 years of the war, prices for basic products increased on average by 4-4.5 times. Naturally, this caused discontent among the people. Add to this heavy losses and a grueling war - it turns out to be excellent soil for revolutionaries. The situation is similar in Germany.

In 1917, the United States entered the First World War. The position of the Triple Alliance is deteriorating. Germany and its allies cannot effectively fight on 2 fronts, as a result of which it goes on the defensive.

The end of the war for Russia

In the spring of 1917, Germany launched another offensive on the Western Front. Despite the events in Russia, Western countries demanded that the Provisional Government implement the agreements signed by the Empire and send troops on the offensive. As a result, on June 16, the Russian army went on the offensive in the Lvov area. Again, we saved the allies from major battles, but we ourselves were completely exposed.

The Russian army, exhausted by the war and losses, did not want to fight. The issues of food, uniforms and supplies during the war years were never resolved. The army fought reluctantly, but moved forward. The Germans were forced to transfer troops here again, and Russia's Entente allies again isolated themselves, watching what would happen next. On July 6, Germany launched a counteroffensive. As a result, 150,000 Russian soldiers died. The army virtually ceased to exist. The front fell apart. Russia could no longer fight, and this catastrophe was inevitable.

People demanded Russia's withdrawal from the war. And this was one of their main demands from the Bolsheviks, who seized power in October 1917. Initially, at the 2nd Party Congress, the Bolsheviks signed the decree “On Peace,” essentially proclaiming Russia’s exit from the war, and on March 3, 1918, they signed the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty. The conditions of this world were as follows:

• Russia makes peace with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey.
• Russia is losing Poland, Ukraine, Finland, part of Belarus and the Baltic states.
• Russia cedes Batum, Kars and Ardagan to Turkey.

As a result of its participation in the First World War, Russia lost: about 1 million square meters of territory, approximately 1/4 of the population, 1/4 of arable land and 3/4 of the coal and metallurgical industries were lost.

Historical reference

Events in the war in 1918

Germany got rid of the Eastern Front and the need to wage war on two fronts. As a result, in the spring and summer of 1918, she attempted an offensive on the Western Front, but this offensive had no success. Moreover, as it progressed, it became obvious that Germany was getting the most out of itself, and that it needed a break in the war.

Autumn 1918

The decisive events in the First World War took place in the fall. The Entente countries, together with the United States, went on the offensive. The German army was completely driven out of France and Belgium. In October, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria concluded a truce with the Entente, and Germany was left to fight alone. Her situation was hopeless after the German allies in the Triple Alliance essentially capitulated. This resulted in the same thing that happened in Russia - a revolution. On November 9, 1918, Emperor Wilhelm II was overthrown.

End of the First World War

On November 11, 1918, the First World War of 1914-1918 ended. Germany signed a complete surrender. It happened near Paris, in the Compiègne forest, at the Retonde station. The surrender was accepted by the French Marshal Foch. The terms of the signed peace were as follows:

• Germany admits complete defeat in the war.
• The return of the province of Alsace and Lorraine to France to the borders of 1870, as well as the transfer of the Saar coal basin.
• Germany lost all its colonial possessions, and was also obliged to transfer 1/8 of its territory to its geographical neighbors.
• For 15 years, Entente troops were on the left bank of the Rhine.
• By May 1, 1921, Germany had to pay members of the Entente (Russia was not entitled to anything) 20 billion marks in gold, goods, securities, etc.
• Germany must pay reparations for 30 years, and the amount of these reparations is determined by the winners themselves and can be increased at any time during these 30 years.
• Germany was prohibited from having an army of more than 100 thousand people, and the army had to be exclusively voluntary.

The terms of the “peace” were so humiliating for Germany that the country actually became a puppet. Therefore, many people of that time said that although the First World War ended, it did not end in peace, but in a truce for 30 years. That’s how it ultimately turned out...

Results of the First World War

The First World War was fought on the territory of 14 states. Countries with a total population of over 1 billion people took part in it (this is approximately 62% of the entire world population at that time). In total, 74 million people were mobilized by the participating countries, of whom 10 million died and another 20 million were injured.

As a result of the war, the political map of Europe changed significantly. Such independent states as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Albania appeared. Austria-Hungary split into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Romania, Greece, France, and Italy have increased their borders. There were 5 countries that lost and lost territory: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.

Map of the First World War 1914-1918

Block: Entente

Countries: The main ones are Russia, England (that is, the British Empire), France and Serbia. Italy, Montenegro, the USA, Belgium, Japan and Romania also entered the war.

Time of entry into the war:

Russia – August 1, 1914 (Kaiser Wilhelm declared war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II)

England and Belgium - August 4, 1914 (Germany declared war on Belgium, and in light of recent events, Britain declared war on the Germans)

The rest of the countries did not play a big role in the war.

Goals:

Russia - to capture the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits in the Black Sea, to gain trade access to the Middle East (closed at that time by the Ottoman Empire), to gain control over the lands where Christian Slavs lived in the Balkans.

France - to regain the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, which passed to Germany in the 1870s

England - to protect its colonies from Germany, and also to participate in the division of lands of the weakened Ottoman Empire

Heads of State:

France – Prime Ministers of the Republic Georges Clemenceau, Raymond Poincaré

Russia - Emperor Nicholas II. After the February Revolution of 1917, the Russian Provisional Government led by Alexander Kerensky still participated in the First World War for some time.

England - King George the Fifth

Block: Triple Alliance

Countries: The main ones are Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey (that is, the Ottoman Empire). Also on the side of the Triple Alliance was Bulgaria (sometimes the coalition is called the Quadruple Alliance, but this name is less known)

Time of entry into the war:

Germany - August 1, 1914 (Kaiser Wilhelm declared war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II)

Goals:

Austria-Hungary: to retain Bosnia and Herzegovina in Yugoslavia

Germany - to take away their colonies in various countries from England and France and thus obtain new markets for trade and land for resource development

Ottoman Empire - to protect their possessions, as well as regain lost lands in the Balkans during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13.

Heads of State:

Germany - Kaiser Wilhelm II, the country's last emperor

Austria-Hungary - the elderly Emperor Franz Joseph, later the young Emperor Charles the First.

Türkiye - Sultans Mehmed the Fifth and Mehmed the Sixth. But in the war, the commander and politician Enver Pasha became more famous.

Lesson: “The First World War. Russia's participation in the First World War."

developed for 9th grade students of the humanities department in accordance with the basic principles of the advanced learning methodology.

Author of the method S.N. Lysenkova discovered a remarkable phenomenon: in order to reduce the objective difficulty of some questions in the program, it is necessary to anticipate their introduction into the educational process. Assimilation of the material occurs in three stages:

preliminary introduction of the first (small) portions of future knowledge,

clarification of new concepts, their generalization and application,

development of fluency of mental techniques and educational actions.

Such dispersed assimilation of educational material ensures the transfer of knowledge into long-term memory.

Conceptual provisions of cooperation pedagogy:

personal approach to cooperation pedagogy;

comfort in the classroom: friendliness, mutual assistance;

consistency, systematic content of educational material.

The basic principles of the advanced learning methodology are optimally suited for studying issues of international relations of the era of imperialism. 9th grade students are getting acquainted with the most complex processes of world and national history for the first time. In the 8th grade, concepts are studied: imperialism, imperialist wars; in the 9th grade, the development and deepening of these concepts will continue, and the features of their manifestation in Russia are considered. This lesson introduces the concepts: world war, deepens the concepts: military-political blocs and contradictions within them, nationalism, chauvinism, the Versailles-Washington system and its influence on the fate of the world. The study of these concepts is promising; in subsequent lessons their study will be continued and they will become basic for students’ understanding of the causes of the Second World War.

In accordance with the methodology of advanced learning, tables and reference diagrams are used in the lesson.

Lesson: First World War.

Russian participation in the First World War.

Lesson objectives: to help students develop a holistic understanding of the system of international relations on the eve of the war, to help them understand these phenomena, as well as the growth of nationalist sentiments in European society as the main factors that brought the world to the brink of war. Find out the goals of the warring powers, reasons, scope and main military operations. Introduce students to the most important provisions of the Versailles-Washington system and lead them to an independent conclusion about the reasons for its instability.

To promote humanistic value orientations of students towards wars as a way of resolving conflicts. Show Man at War and the role of Transnistria and Transnistria in the war.

To promote the development of cognitive skills to correlate historical events with certain periods, localize them on a map, group historical events according to a specified criterion, determine and justify their attitude and assessment of the most significant events in history.

Lesson equipment: A.O. Soroko-Tsyupa. Recent history of foreign countries (textbook), A.A. Danilov, L.G. Kosulina. Russian history. XX century, S.Sh. Kaziev, E.M. Burdina. Istria of Russia (in tables and diagrams), A.T. Stepanishchev. Methods of teaching and learning history.

T.1-2, Atlas “World History”, wall map “The First World War”.

Lesson plan:

International situation at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

“The Powder Keg of Europe”: 1 and P Balkan Wars and their results.

Reason, reasons, nature of the war. Participants' goals.

Main military operations of 1914,1915,1916

A man at war (based on local history material)

Results of the war. Lessons of war.

Motivational conversation by the teacher about the role of wars in the history of mankind, about the change in their nature in the era of imperialism, and the increasing complexity of the system of international relations. The teacher sets lesson goals, ways to achieve them, and voices his lesson plan.

By revising first question The teacher relies on the students’ knowledge that they received in history lessons earlier. The following issues are considered and discussed:

Teacher: At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The world has entered the era of imperialism.

1. Signs of imperialism.

2.What was the determining feature in the formation of the system of international relations at the turn of the century?

Working with the map “The World from 1870 to 1914.”

4.What were the main metropolises that existed at the beginning of the twentieth century?

5.Which colonies belonged to the leading European countries?

6.Give definitions of the concepts: colony, metropolis, dominion.

7.Analyzing the map, guess which countries lacked colonies and why? (It is necessary to help students remember the countries of the first and second echelons of modernization).

8.Where and in what way could these colonies be acquired?

9.What wars for the redistribution of the world have we studied?

10Why are these wars called imperialist?

Teacher: in the system of military-political blocs, military-political blocs are being formed. Students fill out the table on the board:

11.What is unexpected and contradictory about the alliances?

(If difficulties arise, students are asked to recall the history of Russian-English and Russian-French relations in the 19th century, during the Russian-Japanese War; Russian-German relations).

12.Name and show on the map the first imperialist wars.

Consideration second question start by using a wall map and an Atlas. Students, under the guidance of a teacher, name the countries located in the Balkans and find out which European countries had interests represented in the Balkans. It is necessary to remind students that Russia refused to participate in the Triple Alliance due to contradictions with Austria-Hungary in the Balkans.

Why was the Balkans called “the powder keg of Europe” in the first decade of the 20th century?

Causes and results of the 1st Balkan War.

Why did the Second Balkan War start? Under what slogans did it take place?

Document analysis:

“History teachers should take some of the responsibility for the outbreak of the First World War. Indeed, the war was largely the result of the excessive nationalistic and patriotic fervor of all the warring parties - the result of “poisoning by history.”

(H. Wells).

Make a guess what it was like at the beginning of the twentieth century

Is history teaching organized in leading European countries?

Define the concepts: nationalism, chauvinism

(dictionary for the textbook).

Why was the leader's killer acquitted by the court in France?

pacifist movement of Jean Jaurès?.

What is pacifism?

Third question It is advisable to start with the murder in Sarajevo (student message). Students are asked to answer the following questions:

Why did the young man Gavrila Princip deliberately go about killing the innocent Austrian heir to the throne and his wife, knowing full well that he would not live either? What drove him?

How did events develop after the murder in Sarajevo? (working with the reference diagram).

How did the war start?

Austria-Hungary

Serbia Germany

France Türkiye

England Japan

State the causes of the war.

38 states with a population of 1.5 billion people were involved in the war. 67 million people were put under arms. Why was the war so widespread?

The nature of the war.

Table: Goals of participants in the First World War.

The teacher invites students to familiarize themselves with the table and conducts a workshop.

Workshop.

Determine which countries pursued the listed goals in the war:

1.Seizure of colonies and transformation of Eastern Europe into dependent lands.

2. The defeat of the main competitor - Germany - and the expansion of possessions by

Middle East.

3. Preservation of the empire “where the sun never sets.”

4.Strengthening monarchical power. Increasing influence in the Balkans. Expanding control over Russian possessions.

5.Return of Alsace and Lorraine, capture of the Rhine zone. Fragmentation of enemy territory into several small states.

6.What goals did Russia pursue in the war?

7.Was Russia ready for war? (Analysis of the document on p. 51 of the Workbook).

Teacher: How did you receive the news of the war in Russia? The war was expected, but it came as a complete surprise. There were queues of volunteers at the military registration and enlistment offices. In 1914, there were 80 thousand officers in the Russian army. Most of them will die in the first year of the war. In the infantry, losses among officers will be up to 96%. Young, cheerful, who could have a future.

7. How did you greet the news of the war in our city? (Student message)

By revising fourth question a table, a textbook on the history of Russia, a wall map and an Atlas are used.

Students are given the task: to find on the map the main military operations of 1914-916, talk about their results using the table:

Table: Main events of the First

World War 1914 – 1918

It would be advisable to listen to the message about the Brusilov breakthrough.

Analyze and answer the question: were the most intense battles on the Western or Eastern Front?

How would you assess the interaction of allies in military-political blocs?

What is “trench warfare”?

Fifth question viewed from a demonstration of photographs of those distant years. (Ogonyok magazine, 1995).

Who says that war is not scary?

He knows nothing about the war. Yu. Drunina

Students talk about their ancestors - participants in the war, using materials from the personal archives of Tiraspol residents and the local history museum (about the Barabash family).

The teacher reads out a document on the use of gases in 1915 near the city of Ypres, shows a reproduction of the painting by Yu.I. Pimenov “Disabled people of war. XX century".

1.What methods of warfare can be traced from the documents?

2.Which methods are traditional and which are new?

Our fellow countrymen played an exceptional role in saving people's lives. Among them: the outstanding chemist N.D. Zelinsky, outstanding microbiologist L.A. Tarasevich. Students' reports are heard.

By revising results war, a textbook for universities by Sh.M. Munchaev “Domestic History” (p. 211) is used. Students are asked to write down the economic, political and social consequences of the war in notebooks, and the material is voiced by the most prepared student in the form of a message.

Teacher: On November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed in the Compiegne Forest (France) between the victors (the Entente countries) and defeated Germany. The final outcome of the war was summed up in 1919-20. Students are invited to familiarize themselves with the content of the main treaties following the war and draw conclusions about their consequences.

Versailles-Washington system.

Peace treaties.

transfer of all colonies;

reducing the size of the armed forces to 100,000;

Germany is deprived of the right to have heavy artillery, tanks, airplanes, submarines, and warships;

occupation of the left bank of the Rhine for 15 years;

a demilitarized zone 50 km wide on the right bank of the Rhine;

transfer of about 1/7 of the territory and 1/10 of the population;

reparations (compensation for damage). Article 231 (article on responsibility for wars).

division of Hungary and Austria;

transfer of South Tyrol to Brenner to Italy;

recognition of the independent states of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia;

arms reductions, including reducing the size of the army to 30,000;

reparations.

transfer to Greece of the coastal territories of Thrace.

Slovakia goes to Czechoslovakia;

Transylvania is transferred to Romania;

The Banat is transferred to Yugoslavia.

establishing international control over the straits and creating an international administration for these purposes;

arms reductions, including reducing the size of the army to 50,000;

transfer of territories.

6. Washington Conference 1921-1922

a) “Treaty of the Four Powers” ​​(England, USA, France, Japan): guarantees of the inviolability of colonial island possessions in the Pacific Ocean;

b) “Treaty of Five Powers” ​​(England, USA, France, Japan and Italy): a ban on the construction of warships with a displacement of over 35 thousand tons; possession of the navy in accordance with 5:5:3.5:1.75:1.75.

c) “Treaty of Nine Powers” ​​(England, USA, France, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, China, Holland): adoption of a provision on respect for the sovereignty and independence of China; the principle of “open doors and equal opportunities” in trade and industrial development in relation to China is introduced; p/o Shandong must be returned to China.

What consequences did the war have for Russia?

Homework: P. 9,10. Write a letter from the front on behalf of a war participant.

1. The beginning of the First World War and its causes. Goals of powers in war. Military campaign of 1914.

The First World War (1914-1918) is one of the longest, bloodiest and most significant in consequences in the history of mankind. It lasted more than four years. It was attended by 33 countries out of 59 that had state sovereignty at that time. The population of the warring countries was over 1.5 billion people, i.e. about 87% of all inhabitants of the Earth. A total of 73.5 million people were put under arms. More than 10 million were killed and 20 million were injured. Civilian casualties from epidemics, famine, cold and other wartime disasters also numbered in the tens of millions.

The First World War opened a new layer of Russian national history, created the preconditions for revolution, civil war, the building of socialism and many decades of separation from Europe.

There are many reasons why the First World War began, but various scientists and various records of those years tell us that the main reason is that Europe was developing very rapidly at that time. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were no longer any territories around the world that were not captured by capitalist powers. During this period, Germany surpassed all of Europe in terms of industrial production, and since Germany had very few colonies, it sought to capture them. By capturing them, Germany would have new markets. At that time, England and France had very large colonies, so the interests of these countries often clashed.

With its penetration into the Middle East, Germany created a threat to Russian interests in the Black Sea basin. Austria-Hungary, allied with Germany, became a serious competitor to Tsarist Russia in the struggle for influence in the Balkans.

The aggravation of foreign policy contradictions between the largest countries led to the division of the world into two hostile camps and the formation of two imperialist groupings: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and the Triple Agreement, or Entente (England, France, Russia).

The war between the major European powers was beneficial to the US imperialists, since as a result of this struggle, favorable conditions emerged for the further development of American expansion, especially in Latin America and the Far East. American monopolies relied on maximizing benefits from Europe.

Beginning of the war

The immediate reason for the outbreak of hostilities was the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in Sarajevo. The Austrian-Hungarian government, with German approval, presented an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding freedom to interfere in Serbia's internal affairs. Despite Serbia's acceptance of almost all conditions. Austria-Hungary declared war on her on July 28. Two days later, the Russian government, in response to the opening of hostilities by Austria-Hungary, announced general mobilization. Germany used this as a pretext and launched a war against Russia on August 1, and against France on August 3. England declared war on Germany on August 4. At the end of August, Japan took the side of the Entente, which decided to take advantage of the fact that Germany would be pinned down in the west and seize its colonies in the Far East. On October 30, 1914, Türkiye entered the war on the side of the Entente.

In 1914, Italy did not enter the war, declaring its neutrality. She began military operations in May 1915 on the side of the Entente. In April 1917, the United States entered the war on the side of the Entente.

Military operations that began in August 1914 unfolded in several theaters and continued until November 1918. Based on the nature of the tasks being solved and the military-political results achieved, the First World War is usually divided into five campaigns, each of which includes several operations.

Goals of powers in war.

RUSSIA.

It cannot be argued that the officially proclaimed goal - the protection of the Slavic brothers in the Balkans - was just a declaration. At the beginning of the 20th century, pan-Slavist sentiments in Russian society were strong and powerful. But Russia's obvious imperialist goal was to seize the Black Sea straits.

GERMANY.

After the successes of the Franco-Prussian War, Germany increasingly increased its military potential. Its desire to become the number one European power was obvious. Almost entirely, Germany's interests lay in the maximum weakening of France and Great Britain as World Powers.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

The “patchwork power,” initially unviable, intended to take control of the south of Europe with the help of a victorious war.

FRANCE.

The bitter lessons of defeat in the Franco-Prussian War demanded revenge. For decades, France had been preparing for a new clash with Germany, increasing military spending and weapons. By 1914, France, objectively, had sufficient potential to resist Germany. She intended to return Alsace and Lorraine, separated from France in 1871 following the war of 1870. She sought to preserve her colonies, in particular North Africa, at any cost.

Serbia.

The newly formed state (full independence since 1878) sought to establish itself in the Balkans as the leader of the Slavic peoples of the peninsula. She planned to form Yugoslavia, including all the Slavs living in the south of Austria-Hungary.

Bulgaria.

She sought to establish herself in the Balkans as the leader of the Slavic peoples of the peninsula (as opposed to Serbia). She sought to return territories lost during the Second Balkan War, as well as to acquire territories that the country claimed as a result of the First Balkan War.

Poland.

Having no national state after the divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Poles sought to gain independence and unify the Polish lands.

GREAT BRITAIN.

The “Mistress of the Seas” was not at all happy with the rapid growth of the German Navy, nor was she happy with Germany’s penetration into Africa. In both the first and second cases, Germany grossly violated the interests of Great Britain.

Romania, Turkey and Italy had their own interests and goals, but they were regional in nature and were incommensurate with the goals of the Great Powers.

Military campaign of 1914.

The warring armies deployed in accordance with pre-developed plans and calculations of concentration under the protection of covering troops posted on the border and immediately began military operations. Comparing the deployments and immediate tasks of both sides, we have to note the particularly advantageous position of the German army compared to the Entente troops. The Germans, with their deployment, had already won a very important flank of the enemy, space and freedom to maneuver. The Entente began the war here in unfavorable conditions, forced to parry the blow and lose the initiative for a long time. In the east, Russia was about to clash with the secondary forces of Germany and with the main forces of Austria-Hungary.

The main theaters of military operations in the 1914 campaign were the Western European and Eastern European military theaters. The main events in the Western European military theater in 1914 were the German invasion of Belgium, the Border Battle, the Battle of the Marne, the “Run to the Sea,” and the Battle of Flanders. The main result of the 1914 campaign in this theater was the transition to a positional form of war.

Actions in the Eastern European military theater in 1914 included the East Prussian operation, the Battle of Galicia, and the Warsaw-Ivangorod operation. Also important events of this stage of the First World War were Turkey’s entry into the war and the “cruise war”.

The first and main result of the 1914 campaign was the forced abandonment of war according to the old models: the struggle was foreseen to be long, using all the vitality of the state and with a stake on its very existence. At the same time, a desire arose to increase the number of states participating in the struggle.

In the field of strategy during the 1914 campaign, there was a complete revolution in the ideas that formed the basis of the initial plans of both coalitions. In the field of tactics in the combat use of troops, the 1914 campaign provided a wealth of experience, which caused both sides to immediately take it into account for combat competition in the subsequent development of military events. the 1914 campaign highlighted the need for large improvised formations during the war itself.

As a result of the 1914 campaign, neither side achieved its initially set goals. The German plan for the lightning defeat of the enemy, first in the West and then in the East, failed.

Who won (for themselves).

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria were defeated. France, Great Britain, Japan, Serbia, USA, Italy emerged from the war as winners. Russia, which did so much for the victory of the Allies, was not among the victorious countries. It was torn apart by the fratricidal Civil War.

GOALS OF THE STATES PARTICIPATING IN THE WAR All the great European powers that participated in the First World War pursued their own, and selfish, goals: Germany claimed world domination and expansion of the colonial empire; Austria-Hungary wanted to establish control over the Balkans; England fought against the expansion of Germany's sphere of influence and sought to subjugate the territories of the Ottoman Empire; France sought to recapture Alsace and Lorraine, as well as seize the Saar coalfield in Germany; Russia sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East; Türkiye wanted to keep the Balkans under its rule and seize Crimea and Iran; Italy sought to establish its dominance in the Mediterranean.

THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR On June 28, 1914, in the capital of Serbia, Sarajevo, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated. The Austrian-Hungarian government presented Serbia with an ultimatum, according to which Austrian units were to enter the country. Serbia rejected the conditions presented. On July 28, 1914, war began between the two countries. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Duchess von Hohenberg in Sarajevo (28 June 1914).

THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR Russia demanded to leave Serbia alone. General mobilization began in the country. In response to this, on August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia. Soon other large countries entered the war: France (August 3, 1914); Great Britain (4 August 1914); Japan (23 August 1914). Manifestation on Palace Square in anticipation of Nicholas II's announcement of the Manifesto on Russia's entry into the war.

WAR PLANS OF THE PARTIES At the beginning of the war, the Entente countries (Russia, France and England) were opposed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey. The German “Schlieffen Plan” envisaged the defeat of France in the first month of the war, and then a strike on Russia. Russia planned active military operations against Austria-Hungary and defense against Germany. England planned to blockade the German coast with its fleet and help the French on land.

CAMPAIGN OF 1914 At the beginning of the war, German troops, having broken through Belgium, began to approach Paris. On September 5–9, 1914, the French army was able to launch a counterattack on the Marne River and stop the German advance. The Western Front has stabilized. The enemy began building trenches, barbed wire and minefields. The war in the West became a “trench war”. Advance of German infantry. Advance of French infantry.

CAMPAIGN OF 1914 At the request of the Allies, Russia simultaneously launched two large offensive operations: in Galicia against the Austrians; in East Prussia against the Germans. The Galician operation was a success. The Russian army blocked Przemysl, the main fortress of the Austrians. The offensive in East Prussia ended for the Russian army with defeat at Tannenberg. Russian trenches on the Eastern Front.

CAMPAIGN OF 1915 The next year on the Western Front passed relatively calmly. However, it was in 1915 that chemical weapons were used on the Western Front for the first time in the history of war. On April 22, 1915, the Germans attacked British positions with chlorine. Soldiers and officers were injured, of whom 5,000 died. Gas attack near Ypres (22 April 1915). German machine gunners in gas masks.

CAMPAIGN OF 1915 On the eastern front, the Germans decided to withdraw Russia from the war. As a result of their offensive, which lasted from May to September 1915, the Russian army suffered a painful defeat. She was forced to leave Galicia, Poland, Lithuania, Courland and part of Belarus. The front has stabilized on the Riga-Minsk-Chernivtsi line. However, it was not possible to bring Russia out of the war. Russian battery on the Eastern Front.

1916 CAMPAIGN In 1916, two major battles took place on the Western Front. One of them was the Battle of Verdun, which went down in the history of the First World War as the “Verdun Meat Grinder”. Between February 21 and July 21, 1916, both sides lost about soldiers and officers, but the front line did not change. The Germans never managed to take the last fortress on the way to Paris and decide the outcome of the war in their favor. "Verdun Meat Grinder" Verdun after the battle.

1916 CAMPAIGN Another major battle that determined the outcome of the 1916 campaign in the West was the Battle of the Somme. From June 26 to October 26, 1916, British and French troops made a number of attempts to break through the German defenses. Losses on both sides amounted to about people. However, the front line did not undergo significant changes. English tank from the First World War.

CAMPAIGN OF 1916 On the Eastern Front, on June 5, 1916, troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of General Brusilov broke through the Austro-Hungarian front and occupied an area of ​​sq. km. Austria-Hungary found itself on the brink of military disaster. Only the transfer of German troops from near Verdun and Austrian troops from Italy helped stop the Russian offensive in Galicia. General Brusilov and the actions of the Southwestern Front in the summer of 1916.

WAR AT SEA From the beginning of the war, the English fleet established a blockade of the German coast. In an effort to turn the tide at sea, Germany began a submarine war in 1915. The decisive naval battle of the First World War took place on May 31, 1916 in the North Sea. Despite the fact that the English fleet suffered heavy losses, the Germans were unable to break through the naval blockade. The sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915). Battle of Jutland (May 31, 1916).

CAMPAIGN OF 1917 The course of the war on the Eastern Front was dramatically changed by the February Revolution in Russia. Discipline in the army fell sharply. Desertion became widespread. The soldiers began to fraternize with the enemy. The Bolsheviks who came to power declared their desire to end the war and in December 1917 concluded a truce with the enemy. Poster dedicated to the February Revolution. Fraternization of Russian and German soldiers at the front.

1917 CAMPAIGN The most significant event of the war on the Western Front was the entry of the United States into it on April 6, 1917. A year later, American soldiers and officers were already fighting in Europe. The entry of the United States into the war, given its economic potential and untapped human resources, turned out to be one of the decisive factors in the victory of the Entente. American poster from the First World War.

CAMPAIGN OF 1918 On March 3, 1918, Russia and its opponents signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. According to its terms, Russia: renounces Ukraine, the Baltic states and Finland; disarms the army and navy; pays indemnity in marks. The seizure of a huge territory, which produced 32% of Russia's agricultural and 25% of industrial production, allowed Germany to hope for a final victory. Caricature of Leon Trotsky, who signed the Brest Peace Treaty. Russia's losses as a result of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty.

CAMPAIGN OF 1918 In 1918, after the failure of the next German offensive in the West, the outcome of the war was a foregone conclusion. During September-November 1918, Germany's allies signed an armistice with the Entente countries. On November 11, 1918, in the Compiegne Forest, German representatives signed the Compiegne Armistice. This marked the end of the First World War. The end of the First World War.