05/12/17- Friday Standard: 7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and theological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars. Objective: I can summarize the poor conditions in the trenches during WWI and explain why the Schliefflin plan failed. BR: Do you ever feel that war is justified? Under what circumstances?

Remember Europe was divided into 2 rival camps before the war started: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war against Serbia set off a chain reaction in the alliance system

• Because of this, Great Britain declares war on Germany The Great War Begins Armies on the March • Russia (siding with Serbia) moves troops to its borders with Austria and Germany • Because of this, Germany declares war on Russia and quickly attacks France • Because of this, Great Britain declares war on Germany Nations Take Sides • By mid-August 1914, two sides at war throughout Europe: - Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary (and other nations) - Allied Forces—Britain, France, Russia (and other nations) NEXT

The Great War Begins NEXT

Why didn’t Italy join the Central Powers?

Mobilization Millions marched happily to war convinced it would be short Home by Christmas! They shouted. No major war in 50 years! Nationalism! “It's a long way to Tipperary, It's a long way to go; It's a long way to Tipperary, To the sweetest girl I know! Goodbye, Piccadilly, Farewell, Leicester Square, It's a long, long way to Tipperary, But my heart's right there!”

Recruitment Posters

A Young Australian Recruit

Recruits of the Central Powers A German Soldier Says Farewell to His Mother Austro-Hungarians

New French Recruits

A German Boy Pretends to Be a Soldier

The Western Front: A “War of Attrition”

The Western Front—heavy battle zone in northern France The Conflict Grinds Along • Schlieffen Plan—German plan to defeat France, then fight Russia • German army quickly advances to outskirts of Paris • Germans were forced to retreat at First Battle of the Marne b/c allies attacked • Schlieffen Plan fails; Germany has to fight two-front war (in the west with France and in the east with Russia)

• Conflict descends into trench warfare—armies fighting from trenches War in the Trenches • Conflict descends into trench warfare—armies fighting from trenches • Battles result in many deaths, small land gains • Life in trenches is miserable, difficult, unsanitary • New weapons only lead to more deaths • Massive losses for both sides at 1916 battles of Verdun and Somme in France NEXT

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Soldiers fought from within the trenches It was usually tight quarters Not all trenches were deep. Many nations fought together

From having wet feet most of the time and nowhere to dry them out Trench foot From having wet feet most of the time and nowhere to dry them out

An easy food source for rats and a place to breed disease Dead bodies…. An easy food source for rats and a place to breed disease Left to rot in the trenches because of the machine gun fire that kept the soldiers in the trenches

Bring on the rats! Soldiers of all nations hunted the rats– sometimes rations were short and meat was added to their diet

Japanese gas mask U. S. gas mask Poison Gas Australian Gas mask A new weapon, hard to combat. Different gas mask styles were created by different countries. None were 100% effective.

• Eastern Front—site of main fighting along the German-Russian border The Battle on the Eastern Front Early Fighting • Eastern Front—site of main fighting along the German-Russian border • Russians push into Austria and Germany, but soon forced to retreat Russia Struggles • Russia’s war effort suffering by 1916; many casualties, few supplies • Huge size of Russian army keeps it a formidable force but Russia had yet to industrialize The huge Russian army does prevent Germany from sending more troops to the Western Front NEXT

The Frozen Front NEXT

Major Assignment- 100 pts You are a soldier living and fighting in the trenches. Use your memory of what we went over in class to write a letter to whomever you please telling them how the Schliefflin plan failed and what it is like in the trenches. 1/2 page min! When you finish, it goes in the box.

Example Dear Peter, I have some news to tell you, but you can’t tell anyone else! The Germans tried to defeat the French very quickly by attacking Paris so they could… I know you’re almost 19 and you want to fight in the war. But listen to me, these trenches are awful! My feet never stay…

Assignment Who was Germany focused on defeating in the Schlieffen Plan? Where were the battles of Marne, Somme, and Verdun fought? What country was a part of the Triple Alliance but refused to join the Central Powers? Where was trench warfare mainly used? What countries were part of the Allies in the first few weeks of war? What was “no man’s land?” What country declared war on Russia and then two days later declared war on France? Why did a stalemate develop on the Western Front during WWI?