World War I“The Great War”

1914-1918

REVIEW!

• MAIN• Archduke Franz Ferdinand shot June 28th, 1914– Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia a month

later– Russia defends Serbia– Alliance system holds • all out war

Two Front War

• Germany, the real power of the Central Powers, wants to avoid a two front war

• Schlieffen Plan: beat France, then take on Russia

• Failstrench warfare

Bloody Stalemate

• Many on both sides thought war would end by Christmas

• Battle of the Marne (Sept. 1914): Pushes German offensive back

Key Battles

• Battle of Verdun: longest battle of War, French lost 550,000

• Battle of the Somme: consumed nearly 620,000 causalities in four months, tanks introduced

• Gallipoli Campaign: in the Balkans – intended to supply Russians, failed

USA HELP!!!!

• Allies desperate for US aid• US declares war on April 6th, 1917; joins allies• See ya Russians!– Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, 1918

Don’t forget Japan…

• Originally join Allied Powers in 1914• Job: keep German fleet occupied in Pacific• Germany focuses on Europe; Japan scoops up

territory in Pacific…..– Think WWII???????

End of Fighting

• John J. Pershing, Commander of American Expeditionary Forces– Marshall Ferdinand Foch French commander

• 2nd Battle of the Marne (March 1918): Germans push to within 50 miles of Paris

• Battle of Chateau-ThierryUS troops save Paris• Allied Summer Offensive 1918– Battle of Argonne Forest, end of Central Powers

• November 11th, 1918 Cease-fire

“Bloodiest War in History”

• Allied causalities: – 5.1 million KIA– 12.8 million wounded– 4.1 million MIA

• Central Powers causalities:– 3.3 million KIA– 8.3 million wounded– 3.6 MIA

• Civilian causalities (famine, bombing, massacres, flu)– 14.7 million