World War I

The World Before WWI

Western Europe- Highly competitive Eastern Europe- Dominated by Russia and the

Austrian Hungarian Empire Middle East- Controlled by the weak Ottoman

Empire Africa and Asia- controlled by Europe North America- Dominated by the U.S. South America- Protected from control by the U.S.

I. Traditional European Rules of War

1. A country must declare war before attacking another country.

2. Each side must wear uniforms or identify themselves to each other before attacking. Soldiers wearing an enemy uniform will be shot as a spy.

3. Commanding officers should not be targeted

4. Civilians, Surrendering Soldiers and Medical Personnel will not be attacked.

5. Hand to Hand combat is honorable, shooting from a distance is cowardly

6. Soldiers must be given the opportunity to surrender honorably.

II. Roots of WWI

In 1914, Europe was ready for war. There were four main reasons why: 1.Militarism: The countries of Europe were

building up their armies and navies 2. Imperialism: European countries were

arguing over colonial property in Asia, Africa and the New World

3. Nationalism: The major European countries were extremely proud of themselves and were ready to prove it. Smaller countries such as Serbia wanted their independence.

4. Alliances: The major European countries had made friends with each other for protection.

The Alliances

Triple Alliance Germany

– Kaiser Wilhelm II Austria-Hungary

– Archduke Francis Ferdinand

ItalyGermany had later

alliance with the Ottoman Turks

Triple Entente England France Russia

– Czar Nicholas II England had an

alliance with Belgium Russia had an alliance

with Serbia

Major Colonies

Triple Alliance Germany- Africa,

parts of Asia

Triple Entente France- Vietnam,

Africa, S. America

England- Africa, Australia, Hong Kong,

Canada, S. America

Regions where fighting took place in World War I

3

1 2

5

4

6

8

10

9

7

11

12

1 Western European Front 2 Eastern European Front 3 Italian Front 4 Balkan Front 5 Palestine/Syria 6 Iraq 7 Arabia 8 German Togoland 9 German Camaroons10 German East Africa11 German Southwest Africa12 German Pacific Islands

III. The Start of the War

June 28 1914: Archduke Ferdinand of Austria visited Sarajevo. He and his wife are killed by Gavrilo Princip, member of the Serbian independence group The Black Hand.

Austria wants revenge against Serbia asks Germany for assistance. Germany gives Austria a “blank check”- do what they wanted

Archduke Francis Ferdinand and Wife one hour before Assassination

July 23. 1914: Austria demands repayment from Serbia, gives Serbia an ultimatum Serbia prepares for war, asks Russia for help

July 28 1914: Austria declares war on Serbia

July 31, 1914: Russia, Austria, and Turkey mobilizes for war

Czar Nicholas II and Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1899

August 1, 1914: 2. Belgium, France, Germany mobilize. Germany declares war on Russia

Germany invades Poland and Luxemburg, invasion of France starts

August 3: Germany declares war on France August 4: Germany declares war on Belgium and

invades it, England declares war on Germany August 5: Austria declares war on Russia

By the end of 1914, not only Europe was at war, but also all of Europe’s colonies in Asia, Africa and South America.

IV. War Technology

1. Guns– A. The Machine Gun

• 1. It was used by both sides, hundreds of rounds a minute could be shot by one person.

– B. The German plan against France was to rush into the country as fast as possible: The Schlieffen Plan

– C. The Machine Gun stopped this plan

How would the machine gun give an army an advantage ?

D. Both sides of the war had the machine gun.

Millions of men were killed by it.

D. Both sides of the war had the machine gun. Millions of men were killed by it.

The Trenches

Trenches dug from English Channel to Switzerland

6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both

sides for 4 years

2. The Trenches– A. Both sides dug long trenches that faced

each other. The trenches ran for miles. From time to time, one side would attempt to cross the “No-Man’s Land” the area in between the trenches.

Life in the Trenches

Elaborate systems of defense– barbed wire– Concrete machine gun

nests– Mortar batteries– Troops lived in holes

underground

French Soldiers Attacking a German Trench

What were the advantages and disadvantages to Trench Warfare ?

3. Chemical WeaponsA. WWI was the first major war to use chemical weapons

B. Mustard Gas and Chlorine Gas were the two most popular weapons: They caused suffocation, blindness, and death

C. Soldiers would protect themselves using Gas Masks

D. Gas weapons were inefficient, they killed both friend, enemy and civilians.

E. They were outlawed after WWI

4. The U-boat (Submarine)– A. Germany’s secret weapon during the war– B. Sank dozens of British ships, controlled the

oceans.

Why would the British think the U-boat was breaking the rules of War ?

5. Airpower– A.Both sides used aircraft for observation,

limited bombing, and air battles– B. Airplanes were slow, clumsy, and

unreliable,– C. The most famous German pilot was Baron

von Richthofen (The Red Baron)

The Red Baron

6. Other technology– A. Tanks: The British tried using tanks at the

end of WWI, they were slow, broke down frequently and would get stuck in mud.

– B. Automobiles: Used mainly to transport the wounded from the battles, cars and trucks were used in a limited way in WWI

V. The BattlesThe Western Front1. Battle of the Marne was the name of two battles The first halted German advance into northeastern

France in 1914,the second in 1918 tipped the balance of power in favor

of the Allied forces.

2. Battle of VerdunA.Ten months long B. French and German armies. C. Estimated 540,000 French and 430,000 German

casualties D. No strategic advantages were gained for either side.

3. Battle of Somme

A.English and French vs Germany

B. Six months of fighting

C. Five miles of advancement for Allies

D. 1 million men killed

The Eastern Front Germany vs. Russia

4. Battle of Tannenberg: August 1914- First major eastern battle. Russia was badly defeated and pushed back.

A. Russia lost millions of men against Germany, undersupplied, under gunned

5. Other FrontsOttomans vs English, Australians Battle of Gallipoli Allied attack to capture Istanbul,

and open a Black Sea supply route to Russia.

The idea was originally promoted by Winston Churchill

VI. The Home Front

Women took war factory jobs

Received lower wages than males

Food shortages made running a household difficult

The Home Front

Censorship – Not told about high

death toll– Romanticized the

battlefields

“soldiers have died a beautiful death, in noble battle, we shall rediscover poetry…epic and chivalrous”

The Home Front

Impossible to hide death– Women in

mourning– Badly wounded

soldiers returned home

– Opposition began to emerge

VII. Russia Exits the War1. In March 1917, Nicholas II

abdicates his throne, the Russian Duma continues to fight.

2. In October 1917: Lenin and the Bolsheviks take command: The Soviet Union is created.

3. March 1918: Soviets and Germans sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ending the war in the East.

VIII. America Enters the War:1917 US led by President Woodrow Wilson

A. Wilson wanted to stay out of war: 1. Germans practiced unrestricted

submarine warfare2. Sinking of Lusitania: 128 Americans

killed on British passenger ship,3. Zimmerman Telegram: Germany

promises Mexico: New Mexico, Arizona and Texas if Mexico helps Germany

Zimmerman Propaganda

US poorly trained and armed for WWI

VIII. End of the War1. March 1918: Last major campaign

for Germany, threatened Paris, eventually lost campaign, pushed back by French and American troops

2. November 10,1918: Kaiser Wilhelm forced out of power

3. November 11, 1918: Armistice signed, war ended.

WWI- The Big Three

David Lloyd George- Represented England

George Clemenceau- Represented France

President Woodrow Wilson- Represented the US.

X. The Versailles Treaty

1.14 points from Wilson – Liberty for Colonies– League of Nations – not supported by US

2. Soviets not included

3. Britain and France took parts of Middle East

4. Germany punished with war debts,

XI. Consequences of WWI 1. Germany was punished with war debts to England and France, Germany was angry at its losses especially toward the new Weimar Republic.

2. France lost 20% of its men 3. 8.5 million men died 4. Europe was economically destroyed 5. United States becomes world leader