The 20th Century Challenge: The Great War
What the Great War was like
June 28, 1914 Assassination at Sarajevo
The Middle East in 1914
Chronology of the War 1914 World War I begins 1915 Germans sink the Lusitania 1917 Unrestricted submarine warfare Zimmerman telegram The Bolshevik Revolution U.S. declares war against Germany AEF goes to Western Front Mobilization at home
Europe in 1917
1918 Wilson’s Fourteen Points Freedom of the seas & free trade Self-determination Open diplomacy International peace keeping organization The Spanish flu pandemic
1918 Armistice—November 11
1919 Paris Peace Conference Goals of the Big Three Major terms of the Treaty of Versailles Europe The Middle East The League of Nations Senate rejection of the League of Nations
Europe in 1920
The Middle East in 1920
What the war meant Costs: 16.6 million dead (113,000 Americans); 21.3 million wounded; economic devastation & starvation; end of empires; American civil liberties; despair and cynicism--“civilization is all gone and barbarism comes.” Benefits: Massive transfer of wealth from Europe to the U.S. & recognition of U.S. as a world power