The Great War

WORLD WAR ONE

Why was WWI referred to as the Great War?

MILITARISM (ARMS RACE)Definition-

The policy of building up a strong military to prepare for war

Goal : To make your countries military bigger and better than other countries

Why would you want your military bigger than other countries?

What problems can arise when compete against other countries military strength?

NATIONALISMProblems:

Alsace-Lorraine – land had been conquered by Germany in 1871. French saw the land as theirs.

Serbs wanted independence from Austria-Hungary.

Definition: 2 types1. Extreme pride or

loyalty in ones country2. minorities strong want

for independence

IMPERIALISMDefinition-When one country takes over another country both economically and politically (creating an empire)

By the late 1800’s• European countries had

colonized much of the world.• Asia, Africa, and the

Pacific Islands

EMPIRES before WWI

AlliancesDefinition-agreements between nations to give aid and to protect one another

Usually, these alliances were made in secret

Germany

Russia

Austria-Hungary

Three Emperors League (1873)The Dual Alliance (1879)The Triple Alliance (1882)The Franco-Russian Alliance (1894)The Entente Cordiale (1904)The Anglo-Russian Entente (1907)The Triple Entente (1907)

Italy

France Britai

n

ASSASSINATIONDefinition-To murder by surprise attack for political reasons

Archduke Francis Ferdinand (heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire) • Traveled to Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia)• Was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a

Serbian nationalist

ASSASSINATION

Why is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand referred to as the spark that started the war?

The Domino EffectAustrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated by a Serbian nationalist.

Austria blames Serbia for Archduke’s death—declares WAR

Germany pledges support for Austria-Hungary due a previously established alliance.

Russia pledges support for Serbia

Germany declares WAR on Russia

France pledges their support for Russia

Germany declares WAR on France

Germany invades Belgium on the way to invade France

Great Britain supports Belgium and declares WAR on Germany

Causes of WWI

M-MilitarismA-AlliancesN-NationalismI-ImperialismA-Assassination

First Days of War 2 sides

• Central Powers • Germany• Austria- Hungary

• By end of 1914• Ottoman Empire • Bulgaria

• Allies • Russia• France • Serbia• Great Britain

• By the end of 1914• Italy• Romania

STALEMATEDefinition-A situation in which neither side is able to gain the advantage

WWI became a “war of attrition” One side tries to win by wearing out the other

side

Trenches• Muddy• Rat

infested

“No Man’s Land”

Not prepared for Modern Warfare

• Machine guns

• Rapid fire artillery

• Hang grenades

Weapons of WWI

Barbed wire : defensive tool

Because of heavy machine gun fire (night and day)bodies often had to be left “hangin’ on the wire” , sometimes for months

1915: Grenade developed by William Mills • British began using it • Originally had a 7 second fuse

• Bomber had to hold it for 3 seconds before throwing it, or the enemy might throw it back

Mortars: Fires explosive mortar bombs

The 9.45 inch heavy mortar “The Flying Pig”

Trench Club : made of wood and pressed with hobnails• The head is drilled out and filled with lead

NEW WEAPONS Machine Gun

• Developed by American Hiram Maxim

Tanks• British invention• Equipped with machine guns • Slow, but effective on dry ground

Development of underwater listening devises• Detect U-boats

Airplanes • Originally – just observing• Started arming planes

• Machine guns

• The “Red Baron” most successful pilot in WWI• 80 confirmed victories

Chemical Warfare Tear Gas: used as a terror weapon

• Instilled confusing and panic • Non –lethal • Sent over first before an offensive attack

• Soldiers given cotton pads soaked in urine or baking soda• Helped neutralize the chlorine in tear gas

Mustard Gas: actual a liquid not a gas• In pure form :colorless and odorless• Mixed with chemicals: looks brown and smells like garlic

Gas Rattle: warning of a gas attack, load clacking noise

AMERICA RESPONDS•More than 1/3 of the nation’s 92 million people were first- or second-generation immigrants.

•Most American’s feared Germany’s militarism and opposed the autocrat Kaiser Wilhelm.

•Trade and investments were important to business minded Americans.

•On August 4th 1914-President Wilson officially proclaims the United States a neutral country. • Two movements developed:

• The preparedness movement• the peace movement.

British Propaganda Campaign

Propaganda: Information intended to sway public opinion.

British newspapers published false propaganda, which spread to the U.S.

These stories turned American public opinion against Germany

Reports of Germans killing civilians, destroying buildings and churches, and even entire towns crowded the newspapers

German Submarine WarfareThe German U-Boat- a new weapon that changed rules of naval warfare by targeting ships without warning

Sinking of the Lusitania- a British passenger liner carrying weapons for the Allies is sunk by the Germans -128 Americans on board were included in the dead

Pres. Wilson protests-Germans promise to stop sinking passenger ships without warning

Germany sinks the Sussex-a French passenger ship—SUSSEX PLEDGE->Germany agrees U-Boats will warn ships before attacking

Wilson is doubtful of promise, embraces preparedness, and loans more money to Allies

Moving Toward War•America’s neutrality begins to weaken due to a series of demands and broken promises made by the Germans

•On Feb 1 - 1917 Germany violates the SUSSEX PLEDGE and resumes unrestricted submarine warfare

•Wilson who was re-elected to president by running under the slogan “He kept us out of war.” cuts diplomatic ties with Germany.

•Wilson asks Congress for permission to arm American Merchant ships.

•The Zimmerman Note – Intercepted German telegraph• Arthur Zimmerman (Germany’s foreign secretary)• Made an offer to Mexico

• If Mexico declared war of U.S. Germany would give Mexico land they had lost to the U.S.

• Note was not taken seriously• Mexico was having a civil war

Moving Toward War•Revolution in Russia removes the autocrat Czar Nicholas II from power. This removes concerns from Americans on being allied with the czar.

•Between March 16-18 Germany sinks 3 United States ships

•March 20-Wilson’s cabinet votes for war

America in the War Selective Service Act – draft of young men for military service

• accepted by public• more that 24 million men

registered• lottery picked 3 million

draftees

Volunteers and National Guardsmen made up the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

11,000 women volunteered to serve• Nurses, drivers, clerks

TrainingSeptember – Draftees arrive at camps for training

Learned how to use:• Bayonet• Rifle• Dig trench• Put on gas mask• Throw grenade

Goal: 2 months of trainingReality: less than that

Americans on the Home Front Liberty Bonds – sold to support the allied cause

• Raised more than $20 million • Paid for ¼ of war costs• Loaned $10 million to

Allies

Industry – produced war goods • War Industries Board

• Told manufacturers what and how much to produce, and fixed prices

National War Labor Board• Settle labor disputes

American on the Home Front 1917 – Lever Food and Fuel Control Act

• Government controlled how much food people could buy • Price controls, rationing • Gasless days • Daylight savings time – lowered fuel consumption

Enforced Loyalty• Fear of espionage (spying)• “100 percent Americanism” = literacy test for immigrants• Hostility towards Germans

• Books, music, and words banned • Attacks on people with German heritage

Espionage Act/ Sedition Act• Illegal to discuss anything disloyal about the American

government, constitution, or army /navy. • Convicted 1,000 people under Act

The Convoy System In April 1917 ALONE German U-Boats (submarines) had sunk more than 400 Allied and neutral ship

• Average of 13 ships a day!!!

Convoy – a group of unarmed ships surrounded by a ring of destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, and other naval vessels

• Armed with hydrophones to track and destroy German U-boats

Extremely effective• U-boats did not sink a single U.S. ship travelling to Europe

American Soldiers in Europe June 1917 - AEF arrived in France

American Soldiers = strong, good health, energetic Allied soldiers = tired, dirty, low moral

AEF soldiers nicknamed “Doughboys”

African Americans in the War 300,000 African Americans volunteered to serve, few saw combat

• Served in Segregated areas• Marines refused to accept African Americans • Army and Navy used African Americans for manual labor only

The 369th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hell Fighters)• Persuaded white officers to allow them to fight under French

offices• French integrated the regiment into their army• The entire regiment received France’s highest combat medal

for their service

Turning the Tide of War1917 - Russian Revolution = Russia’s withdrawal from WWI

Germans two front war ends• Forces attack British lines

• Stalemate broken • Goal: to overtake Paris

American’s Save Paris American’s under General Pershing

• Stopped German advance • Battle of Chateau-Thierry

After Saving Paris • 250,000 new American soldiers arrived in France each month• Allies began pushing German’s back

Allies demanded total surrender of Germans before peace talks

Sept 1918 – Battle of St. Mihiel• First attack entirely in American hands

Ending the War Central Powers collapsed against Allies

Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire = peace with Allies

Austria- Hungary fell• Poles, Czechs, Slovaks declare

independence

Germany = signs armistice or cease-fire on Nov 11th, 1918

Results of the War 8 million soldiers dead

• 50,000 of those Americans

Stopped Immigration in the U.S.

Almost all men were taken out of the work force

• Minorities (African Americans, Mexican Americans) took over jobs• Great Migration –

movement of African Americans from the South to the North for work

• Women joined the work force

Global Peacemaker President Wilson’s Fourteen Points

• How to keep the peace after war • Removal of trade barriers and reduction of military forces

• Hoped they would be the basis of peace negotiations

The Paris Peace Conference • 1919• Wilson’s Fourteen Points broken apart

The League of Nations • Organization to ensure peace and security for it’s members • U.S. would not agree to it, feared it would drag the U.S. into

foreign wars

The Peace Treaty French, Britain, and Italy wanted harsh penalties for Germany

9 new countries formed • “buffer zone” – keep Russia separated

The four victors would take over German colonies

Germany must pay war reparations • Payment for economic injury • Germany owed Allies $33 billion

Treaty of Versailles signed June 28th 1919

Reactions in America President Wilson returns with Treaty

• “irreconcilable” senators will not sign it• Would not agree to the League of Nations

President Wilson tours the country• Wanted to win American support for League • Didn’t work

Congress declared the war over, but would not sign the treaty

• Congress created separate treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary

Postwar America America became a world power

• U.S. the “banker to the world”• Europeans owed $11.5 billion to the U.S.

Problems?• What to do with returning soldiers?

• No jobs for them• Some women left jobs voluntarily or were fired

• African Americans discriminated against, just like before

Americans disillusioned with war, would lead to a social revolution