Intro to World War I

Before We Learn About It, Lets Share What You Already Know . Let’s brainstorm some ideas concerning WWI. To start this exercise, I will go up and down the rows calling on each of you. When you are called on, contribute one thing you know about WWI from previous knowledge. From here we will be able to determine some of the things that we already know as well as find out what we don’t know yet.

Before We Begin 12.1, Lets First Take A Broad Look at WWI This was a conflict that touched all parts of the globe. Either in direct warfare or soldiers being sent from there to fight on the fronts. The war lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918 Described as the “war to end all wars” it lead to the mobilization of more than 70 million military personal. Total number of deaths include from 9 to 11 million military personal, and about 8 million civilians Including about 6 million due to war-related famine and disease About two-thirds of military deaths were in battle, unlike the conflicts of the 19th century when the majority of deaths were due to disease.

The United States in World War I The United States didn’t enter into the War until April 6th, 1917. Total loss of life in combat was 53,402 people Unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany was primary issue that caused Woodrow Wilson to ask Congress to declare war on Germany on April 2nd. The passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat attack on May 7th, 1915 1,192 of its 1,960 passengers perished. 128 Americans were among the dead

Legacies of the War

Gallipoli Beach

Maginot Line Damage

Meuse-Argonne American Military Cemetery The largest American cemetery in Europe is in north-east France in Lorraine. It’s a huge site, set in 130 acres of gently sloping land. 14,246 soldiers who died in WWI are buried in straight military lines. The graves are not set according to rank. You will find a captain next to an orderly and so on Most of those buried here died in the offensive launched in 1918 to liberate the Meuse.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Exit Ticket Monday’s lesson is hopefully going to be more a choose your own adventure of sorts. Starting on Tuesday we will be diving into 12.1 On Monday however, I want to let you students choose what we learn about (within the scope of WWI) Based on your responses, I will do some homework this weekend and put together a lesson that will get to as many of the topics that you submit. So, your final task today is to write down something you would be interested in learning more about (World War I) Thanks!

Day 2

“One day, the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans” Otto Von Bismarck Former German Chancellor -1888

The Invasion Begins We are going to listen to a few minutes of a reading of an American reporters description of the German Army as it marches into Belgium. As you are listening imagine how you would feel if you’re your home was invaded like this Write down your thoughts on what that would feel like, your country being invaded for reasons you do not know or understand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFMT_BVBBsA 2:00 mark

What Happened prior to WWI? It really was no one thing that lead to the outbreak of fighting. The European continent had been for the most part fairly peaceful since the Napoleonic wars a hundred years earlier. However, the Balkans region had been a growing region of concern. Chancellor of Germany, Otto Von Bismarck was so good at his craft of creating alliances and treaties that when he stepped down, nobody knew how to maintain the complicated spider web of diplomacy he had spun. A rising sense of nationalism in European nations was becoming a real problem.

Fate? The Austria-Hungarian Empire at the time was fairly powerful in the Balkans region. One of the countries under its control was Serbia. They were often heavy handed in dealing with Serbian attempts at self rule. The Arch-Duke of Austria wanted to visit Sarajevo (capital of Serbia) History begins with one wrong turn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyCmh9G1fpo

Belgium Goes First As we heard in the audio earlier, WWI starts with the invasion of Belgium by Germany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLctEVWxYXo

Day 3 12.1