Warm Up What is the purpose of this poster? What organization made the poster? Is this “propaganda”? Explain why or why not.

WORLD WAR I 1914-1918 Fighting the Great War

Europe before the war Text

Europe at the outbreak of World War I THE CENTRAL POWERS THE ALLIED POWERS

…then sending troops to the East before Russia fully mobilized for war When the war began, Germany’s biggest problem was the potential of fighting on two fronts Germany’s solution was the Schlieffen Plan, which involved quickly defeating France in the West… …then sending troops to the East before Russia fully mobilized for war

The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working when the German army marched through Belgium and France, within miles of Paris But, English, Belgian, and French troops saved Paris at the Battle of the Marne Meanwhile, Russia mobilized faster than expected, so Germany had to divert troops from France

The fighting in France was known as the Western Front Because the Schlieffen Plan failed, the Central Powers were forced to fight a two-front war The fighting in France was known as the Western Front The fighting between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia was known as the Eastern Front By 1915, the war settled into a stalemate as each side fortified their positions with trenches

Soldiers going “over the top”

The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats. These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers. Trenchfoot

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Machine guns

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Long-range artillery

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Tanks

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Airplanes and zeppelins

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Flamethrowers and grenade launchers

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Poison gas

New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war Submarines

New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8 New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and 21 million soldiers were wounded

New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8 New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and 21 million soldiers were wounded

New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8 New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and 21 million soldiers were wounded

Fighting on the Western Front slowed to a stalemate as neither side could gain an advantage During the 10 month Battle of Verdun in 1916, 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded Another 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded at the Battle of Somme Despite the deaths, neither the Allies nor the Central Powers gained an advantage after these battles

On the Eastern Front, the Russian army was struggling to hold on against the German military Russia was not as industrialized as the rest of Europe and failed to produce enough weapons or food

Russian women training for combat Millions of Russian soldiers and civilians died during the war By 1917, Russia was on the brink of collapse

The stalemate on the Western and Eastern Fronts turned World War I into a war of attrition where each side tried to out-produce and outlast the enemy

Nations committed to total war to win World War I Factories were converted to make war equipment Industrial resources were rationed in order to prioritize military needs

Governments used conscription to draft civilians into the military

INDIAN SOLDIERS FIGHTING ON BRITAIN’S SIDE Overseas colonies were used to gain resources or additional soldiers

Propaganda was used to maintain civilian support for the war Propaganda is mixing facts with emotions to change people’s opinions You spread ideas that show your enemies in a bad light while strengthening your own position

Anti-German Propaganda Changed American Opinions of the War This propaganda poster portrays the Germans as mistreating and humiliating innocent British sailors The “Huns” (barbarians) are the Germans The Germans appear cruel, threatening, and evil

Anti-German Propaganda This piece of propaganda encourages Americans to join the U.S. Army to destroy the “MAD BRUTE” The “MAD BRUTE” is militaristic Germany The “MAD BRUTE” is seen crossing the ocean and attacking America

Anti-German Propaganda This cartoon shows Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II trying to devour the world

Warm Up Name as many of the new weapons of WWI as you can.

To keep Germany from trading with other nations, Britain used its navy to blockade Europe

Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy and any merchant ships supplying the Allies

Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy and any merchant ships supplying the Allies

German U-boat attacks played a role in bringing the United States into World War I

When World War I began in 1914, the United States remained neutral… …but, the USA was pulled into the war by 1917

As a neutral nation, the USA was trading with the Allies during the war Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare led to attacks on U.S. merchant ships and British passenger ships President Woodrow Wilson demanded “freedom of the seas” but Germany refused

Americans were outraged in May 1915 when a German U-boat sank the British ship Lusitania, killing 1,200 people (including 128 Americans)

At first, America was helped by the war Both the CENTRAL POWERS and ALLIED POWERS needed food, oil, steel, and weapons The United States made enormous profits selling these things to both sides The American economy was BOOMING

AN ECONOMIC REASON FOR WAR? The chart shows how much money the U.S. lent to Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary each year The column on the left is in MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

LOOK CLOSER AT THE MONEY FLOW Each year, the U.S. lends the Allies more and the Centrals less. So the U.S. was not COMPLETELY neutral If Britain and France would LOSE the war and fall to Germany, the U.S. would lose all of that money!

AN ECONOMIC REASON FOR WAR Simply out, the United States could not afford to see Britain lose this war; it would have meant FINANCIAL DISASTER

GERMANY BECOMES DESPERATE Germany was unable to break the British blockade and their people were starving Desperate to break it, the Germans go back to using their U-boats to attack Allied shipping Knowing this might bring the U.S. into the war, the Germans tried to do something that would distract the Americans…

The Zimmermann Telegram

A German official, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a message to Mexico It urged Mexico to declare war on the U.S. if the U.S. declared war on Germany

This was for the purpose of distracting the U. S This was for the purpose of distracting the U.S. from the war in Europe

Germany proposed that Mexico attack the USA in exchange for the return of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona

The Zimmermann Telegram The cartoon shows Germany telling Mexico to “Join with Germany and you get a bit of the United States.”

The Zimmermann Telegram’s Effect The British intercepted the message and sent it to the Americans When the Americans find out, they are furious with Germany for trying to promote war right in America’s backyard! Even MORE anti-German feelings soar

On April 2, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I