World War I “The Great War” “The War to End All Wars”

Significant Terms Omilitarism– the glorification of the military Onationalism– pride in one’s nation or ethnic group Ostalemate– deadlock Otrench warfare– type of warfare in which soldiers fire at one another from opposing lines of dugout trenches

The Main Causes of the War CauseEffect MilitarismEuropean nations built large military forces AlliancesA tangled network of competing alliances bound European nations together ImperialismEuropean nations competed for colonies NationalismEuropeans had strong feelings of pride and loyalty towards their own countries.

European Alliances *Triple Entente* Great Britain, France, Russia *Triple Alliance* Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy Fearful of Germany’s Triple Alliance, Great Britain forms the Triple Entente which helps create a “balance of power” in Europe

European Powder Keg ($-Millions)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand Heir to the throne of the Austrian- Hungarian Empire Visits Sarajevo, Bosnia in June 1914 with his wife Both are assassinated on June 28 th, 1914, while visiting by Serbian freedom fighter

Assassinated by this guy Gavrilo Princip lights the spark that blows up the European “Powder Keg” and starts WWI

The War Begins… O Franz Ferdinand killed on June 28, 1914 O Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July 29, 1914 O Russia (Serbia’s Ally) declares war on Austria-Hungary O Germany (A-H’s Ally) declares war on Russia O Germany declares war on France O England (France’s Ally) declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary

Stalemate O Fighting began in France O Both sides hoped for a quick victory but neither side could gain advantage O By early Sept 1914, Germany was 30 miles from Paris O French & British troops halted their advance O This deadlock or “stalemate” lasted for over 3 years

By the end of 1914, not only Europe was at war, but also all of Europe ’ s colonies in Asia, Africa and South America.

Modern Warfare 

New Technology - Guns O Machine Gun – Was used by both sides, hundreds of rounds a minute could be shot by one person O The deadliness of the machine gun helped keep the war at a “stalemate” O Rushing the enemy trenches left hundreds of thousands dead on the battlefields

New Technology – Trench Warfare O Both sides dug long trenches that faced each other and ran for miles O Sometimes, one side attempted to cross “No-Man’s Land” (the area in between the trenches O This trench warfare made WWI extend from a few months of fighting to four years of war

New Technology – Chemical Weapons O WWI was the first major war to use chemical weapons O Were used to demoralize, injure and kill O Mustard Gas and Chlorine Gas were the two most popular weapons: They caused: O Suffocation (attack the lungs and nose) O Blindness O Death

Soldiers would protect themselves using gas masks

New Technology – The U-Boat (Submarine) O Germany’s secret weapon during the war O Sank Dozens of British ships, controlled the oceans

New Technology - Airpower O Both sides used the newly invented airplane for observation, bombing and air battles O These airplanes were slow, clumsy and unreliable O Germany’s most famous pilot was Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron)

New Technology - Tanks O Due to high casualties early on in the war (No Man’s Land; machine guns) the tank was made necessary O Early versions were very unreliable and unable to navigate the muddy terrain of the trenches

The World at War Central Powers Allied Powers O Germany O Austria-Hungary O Ottoman Empire O England O France O Russia O Italy O Serbia O Belgium O USA

Western Front O Battle of Verdun O Ten months long O French and German armies O Estimated 540,000 French and 430,000 German casualties O No strategic advantages gained by either side O Battle of Somme O English & French vs Germany O Six months of fighting O Only 5 miles of advancement for Allies O Over 1 million men killed

Western/Eastern Fronts

Eastern Front O Russia & Serbia VS Germany & Austria-Hungary O War was more mobile (not a lot of trenches) but still a stalemate O Russia’s Disadvantages O Not industrialized O Short on supplies O Russia’s Advantages O People (lots and lots of people!)

Eastern Front Battles O Battle of Tannenberg O August 1914 – First major eastern battle O Russia is badly defeated and pushed back O Russia lost millions of men against Germany due to being undersupplied and out gunned

Other Fronts O Japan, Australia, India join the Allied Powers O Ottoman Empire (Turks), Bulgaria join the Central Powers O Gallipoli Campaign in the Ottoman Empire O Battles occur in Africa and Asia for colonies

Russia Quits the War O In March 1917, Czar Nicholas II abdicates (quits) his throne O In October 1917: Lenin and Bolsheviks take command: the Soviet Union is created O March 1918 – Soviets and Germans sign a peace treaty ending the war on the eastern front

USA’s Road to War O The US stayed neutral for the first few years of the war O British Blockade – Did not allow products to leave or enter Germany O German U-Boat (Subs) Response – Countered the blockade, destroyed all boats headed for British shores (including American ships)

Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7 th, 1915)

USA’s Road to War O Woodrow Wilson wins Presidential re-election in 1916 O Because “he kept us out of the war” O Zimmerman Telegram would be the last Straw – Germany asked Mexico to start a war with USA to keep them out of Europe

USA Declares War O Congress declares war on Germany in April 1917 O Wilson reasoned that a victory would make the world “Safe for Democracy” O America’s industrial strength will end the stalemates and turn the tide of the war

War on the Homefront O World War I was seen as a “Total War” O US Government took over factories to make Military goods O All had to work – Women took place of men in factories O Rationing – limit consumption of resources/goods necessary for the war effort O Propaganda – one sided information to keep support for the war

Ending the War ( ) O US enters the War in April of 1917 O March 1918 – Russia and Germany sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk O Germans now use all resources on Western Front O March 1918 – Germany begins massive attack on France

Ending the War (1918) The Tide Turns… O After 4 years of war, German troops are fatigued (tired/worn out) O US sends 140,000 “fresh” troops O 2 nd Battle of Marne (June 1918) O Central Powers Fall Apart O Revolutions occur in Austria-Hungary O Ottoman Empire surrenders O German soldiers begin to mutiny, the public turns against Kaiser Wilhelm II

Ending the War (1918) O Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates (quits) the throne on November 9 th, 1918 O Cease-fire agreed on the 11 th hour of the 11 th day of the 11 th month in 1918 O 8.5 million soldiers dead O 21 million soldiers woundeed O Cost of the war - $338 billion dollars

Ending the War – The Paris Peace Conference O Meeting of the “Big Four” at the Paris Peace Conference (USA, Great Britain, France & Italy) O Wilson proposes his “14 Points” – View of post-war world and how to avoid another world war O Treaty of Versailles O War Guilt Clause (who was at fault) O Break up of German, Austrian and Ottoman Empire O Reparations O Legacy of bitterness and betrayal (Germany would fall into a deep economic depression that will eventually lead to the rise of Adolf Hitler

Effects of the World War I O Before WWI, a feeling of optimism and progress of human kind O Afterwards, feelings of pessimism O New forms of art, literature, philosophy and science O Because of the millions of soldiers that died on all sides, it is known as the “Lost Generation”