ORIGINS OF THE WAR MANIA

Militarism – building up armed forces Alliance – different nations promised to defend

each other if attacked Nationalism – pride and patriotism in one’s country Imperialism – one country dominates the political,

economic, and cultural life of another country or region

Assassination – June 28, 1914 – Serbian terrorist shot and killed the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary (spark that ignited the war)

ALLIANCES 1. Central Powers (Triple Alliance) =

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy 2. Triple Entente (Allied Powers) = Great

Britain, France, Russia3. Russia backed out of the alliance in 1918

because of the Russian Revolution 4. United States entered the war in 1917

THE CONFLICT EXPANDS (Page 3) Events that grew into the Great War (World War I)1. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July

28, 19142. Russia, who was Serbia’s protector (both Slavic)

and France begin mobilizing (preparing for war)3. Germany mobilized and declared war on Russia

on August 1, 19144. Schlieffen Plan – Germany wanted to knock out

France first by invading Belgium and then focus on crushing Russia

5. Great Britain declared war on Germany

TRENCH WARFARE 1. Trench Warfare = vast areas of dug out land (ditches)

that included underground networks of bunkers, communication arrays, and gun emplacements

2. Soldiers fought in cold, wet, filthy trenches to defend small and large areas of land (diseases spread)

3. Stalemates = a situation in which neither side can win a decisive victory

NEW TECHNOLOGY 1. Automatic machine gun

2. Tank

3. Submarine (U-Boat)

4. Airplane

5. Poison Gas and Gas Mask

6. All these new weapons made WWI the deadliest war up to that point in history

7. Total War = new technology meant nations had to use much of their natural resources and manufacturing capabilities to keep fighting

COSTLY BATTLES 1. Battle of Verdun = German forces were

pushed back by French forces and both sides suffered over 500, 000 casualties

2. Battle of the Somme = Allied offensive; cost British 60,000 men in one day; battle lasted for 5 months and neither side gained victory (stalemate)

3. Both sides suffered over one million casualties after these battles

UNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR Reasons the U.S. entered the war:1.Unrestricted submarine warfare – German U-Boats

were attacked American merchant and passenger vessels

2.Lusitania – Germans sank this British passenger ship with 128 Americans on board in 1915

3.Cultural ties – Americans were close with Britain and France

4.Zimmerman Note – Germans stated they would help Mexico reclaim land lost to the U.S. if they attacked us

5.April 1917 – President Woodrow Wilson and Congress declare war on Germany

6.Americans proved to be excellent fighters and we boosted the morale for the Allies

FOURTEEN POINTS 1. President Wilson’s plan for peace 2. Wanted an end to secret treaties, free trade,

self-determination, freedom of the seas, and the reduction of arms

3. League of Nations – international organization of countries formed after the war to promote world peace

4. Senate refused to allow the U.S. to join

ALLIED VICTORY 1. March 1918 – Allies crushed Germans with

a huge counter-offensive 2. November 1918 – Germans sign an

armistice (cease-fire) and WWI ends 3. A huge portion of Europe was devastated by

the war such as homes, factories, farms, churches, etc.

TREATY OF VERSAILLES 1. June 19192. Germany had to:

1. Accept full responsibility for the war 2. Pay huge reparations (war payments)3. Had to downsize their military 4. Stripped of its colonies

3. Treaty was largely responsible for the start of World War II