The Great War (1914-1919)

Four Main Causes Nationalism - extreme pride in your country . B. Militarism - Military preparedness, a.k.a. stockpiling weapons. Imperialism - Competition for overseas colonies. D. Alliances - Partner with countries to watch each others backs.

How did it start? Who was Gavrilo Princip? (the shooter) I was part of a terrorist organization aimed at freeing my home country from Austro-Hungary. Death to Imperialists! Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand? (the shootee) I was the leader of Austro-Hungary. I was touring Sarajevo on the anniversary of our capture of the city.

Alliances Form Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Italy? Allied Powers France Great Britain Russia Italy?

1. The Alliance System Triple Entente: Triple Alliance:

Trench Warfare

Trenches in the Great War

Trenches in the Great War

Trench Warfare Images: To be used with reading

Lice—Gross!

Trench Food

Rats

Sacrifices in War

Dead and wounded 15 Million People Died in WWI

Trench Foot

Poison Gas

Neutrality Costs

US in WWI (1917-1918) A civilian ship, The Lusitania, is sunk by a German submarine on its way from the US to England! Americans are outraged. We’re neutral! We are not funding anyone…at least not publicly. Privately we fund England, and supply their soldiers. The Germans claim that we had weapons on the ship and that’s why they sunk it.

The Zimmermann Note The Zimmermann Note is intercepted by the British. It is a proposition from Germany to Mexico: if they declare war on the US, Germany will help them. Mexico is not interested; they have issues of their own. German U-boats continue destroying American civilian ships. We finally declare war on April 6, 1917.

Americans in Europe The American Draft takes men from 21-30. African-American soldiers love Europe! Why? The situation is quite grim when the Americans get there. Complete stalemate: nobody’s winning; nobody’s losing; everyone’s dying.

Russia Leaves the War Meanwhile, the Russian revolution occurs in 1917. Communist Russia, under Lenin and the Bolsheviks, pulls out of the fighting. Germany is elated! They must only fight on one side now. Thankfully, this coincides with Americans entry to the war, so troop levels remain even.

The war ends. Finally. The Americans, as the fresh troops, continue to fight, fight , fight. They push through the Argonne Forest, where 120,000 of our men die. Eventually, it is not weapons, but starvation, that prompts the Central Powers demise. As their people begin rioting, the Central Powers give in one by one. On November 11, 1918, the Armistice is signed, signaling the end of fighting.

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919 By W. A. Boyce

Russia’s defeat in 1917 meant the Germans were able to bring thousands of troops from the Eastern Front to the West. In early 1918, the Germans launched the ‘Ludendorf Offensive’, which nearly overwhelmed the Allied defences. They recovered, and then launched their own offensives which took them into Germany. Germany was exhausted and on the point of collapse.

Germany's defeat, 11 November 1918 With the failure of the Ludendorf Offensive, and with the exhausted state of Germany, the German generals recognised that it was time to sue for peace with the Allies. The Kaiser was forced to abdicate on the 8th November and a new democratic republic was established. But how would the Allies deal with a defeated Germany?

KAISER WILHELM ii AND IMPERIAL GERMANY On 8th November 1918, Imperial Germany came to an end when a democratic republic was established. Though it was intended to have Wilhelm tried as a ‘war criminal’ he was eventually allowed to spend the rest of his life in exile in the Netherlands. He died in 1941.

David Lloyd-George [Great Britain] Woodrow Wilson [USA] Orlando [Italy] Georges Clemenceau [France]

TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919 REVENGE ON GERMANY THE TERMS The Treaty was designed to cripple Germany militarily, territorially and economically REVENGE ON GERMANY WAR GUILT CLAUSE Germany had to accept blame for starting WW1 GERMANY’S MILITARY FORCES REDUCED NO UNION WITH AUSTRIA - Army restricted to 100,000 men. - No modern weapons such as tanks, military air force. - Navy could not have battle ships over 10,000 tons and no U-Boats. THE TERMS OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES 1919 REPARATIONS Germany forced to pay massive fine for war damages - 1,000,000,000 Marks (6.6bn pounds). GERMAN OVERSEAS TERRITORRIES RHINELAND TO BE DE-MILITARISED Germany lost Chinese ports [Amoy and Tsingtao], Pacific Islands, and African colonies [Tanganika and German SW Africa]. GERMAN NATIONAL TERRITORY Germany lost national territory which was given to Belgium and Denmark, most went to Poland.

Wilson’s 14 pts First president to go to Europe Self determination: the right of people to their own political status League of Nations:

1914--------------------1919

The map of Europe was redrawn The Great War was to see the collapse of four continental empires. These were to be replaced by new nation states.

A British newspaper cartoon, by David Low. Source 1: A British newspaper cartoon, by David Low. SOURCE WORK: 1) First, describe the storyline shown in the cartoon. 2) Then, relate the political message intended by the cartoonist – what does the horse represent, what does the cart represent, why is it stuck in the air, who are the two men, why is one carrying a whip and one a shovel – what is the political message ? What does the horse represent? Why is Briand holding a whip? What is this referring to? Briand, French Prime Minister Why is the cart up-ended? ‘Perhaps it would gee-up better if we let it touch earth.’ ‘Perhaps it would gee-up better if we let it touch earth.’ Why is a shovel left here? Lloyd-George, British Prime Minister Why is Lloyd-George holding a shovel? What is meant by the caption?

‘Punch’ was Britain’s main political magazine of the period. Source 2: Describe the scene shown, what is the storyline? Then, assess the individual features in the cartoon. Then, identify the political message intended by the cartoonist. ‘Punch’ was Britain’s main political magazine of the period. Why the candle ‘snuffer’? What political message does it represent? What does the ‘Angel’ represent? What does the candle represent? What is the general political message of the cartoon?

Source 3: What is the political message of this cartoon? Describe the scene shown, what is the storyline? Then, assess the individual features in the cartoon. Then, identify the political message intended by the cartoonist. What is being represented by the ‘hand’? What does the plank represent ‘Who’ / or, ‘what’ is the man representing? THE FINISHING TOUCH

HOW USEFUL IS THIS SOURCE AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE: i. What do we learn from it about the period being studied? ii. How reliable is this source? Source 4 Describe the condition of the room in which this family is living? How is the child shown? Why? Look at the caption, what is its political message? How reliable is this source?

Source 6 Name the people emerging from the building. HOW USEFUL IS THIS SOURCE AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE: i. What do we learn from it about the period being studied? ii. How reliable is this source? Name the people emerging from the building. What does the building represent? Why is the ‘child’ weeping, and what is meant by ‘1940’? What is meant by this comment?

Vengeance! German Nation Source 5: Today in the Hall of Mirrors of Versailles the disgraceful Treaty is being signed. Do not forget it! The German people will with unceasing labour press forward to reconquer the place among nations to which it is entitled. Then will come the vengeance for the shame of 1919. From the ‘Deutsche Zeitung’ [‘The German Express’] newspaper. Source 5: Source 7: Only fools, liars and criminals could hope for mercy from the enemy. In these nights hatred grew in me, hatred for those responsible for the dead. By Adolf Hitler, who had served in the army and became a future leader of Germany