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Cause of World War 1
The murder of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip caused tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. Looking for a reason to question Serbian nationalism, Austria-Hungary uses this opportunity to start, with Germany's alliance, a Russian intervention. -
Second Cause of World War 1
After gaining Germany's support on July 5, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. It marks the start of a World War between the great European powers: Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Serbia VS. Austria-Hungary and Germany. -
Germany makes the First Move
German troops were able to capture the city of Belgium in 11 days, leaving behind death and destruction. They passed through Belgium into France. -
First Battle of the Marne
Germany was able to get deep into Northeastern France, but their plans for victory were diminished when French and British troops pushed them back to north of the Aisne River. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was issued with the purpose of ending the war. Rather than an agreement, however, it states that Germany is responsible for paying for reparations, since they were the ones that started it. Germany was already economically broken from the war, and asking for more money to compensate for damages only angered them. Many German colonies were given up to the Allied Powers, and overall, Germany suffered a huge economic loss because of this. -
League of Nations
Was meant to create an organization of nations to ensure peace between them. However, the purposes of the league were put to naught when a global stage of economic depression caused the nations to pit wars against each other for minerals or fertile land (factors that could help the economy). -
Germany's Debt
The Treaty angered Germans, and they decided to elect a man of power, Adolf Hitler, that swore he would rip up the Treaty and return Germany's power. He began to secretly restore Germany artillery and army, going against the regulations of the treaty. Hitler began seizing territories that belonged to the Allied powers, and, not prepared for war, they became the smaller people. The tables were turned. -
The Munich Agreement
Signed by Britain, France, Germany, and Italy it states that Sudetenland should belong to Germany. Even though the Czech republic saw this as betrayal from their allies, Britain and France, it was viewed as triumphant because it served, temporarily, as a promise of peace between Germany and allied powers. -
Consequences of World War 2
During the war, at least 5 million people from Eastern Germany and the Baltic states were uprooted and expelled from their homes, and died of starvation or murder. Bombings destroyed millions of residences, and left people stranded or dead. People who fled from the soviet union were rejected and sentenced to death by the British. -
Economic Consequences
The war costed approximately $4 trillion, and all taxes were raised along with 5 million people added to tax rolls. It is because of World War 2 that made American income tax the mass tax that it is today.
