ORIGINS OF THE WAR M.A.N.I.A. Militarism – building up armed forces Alliance – different nations promised to defend each other if attacked Nationalism – pride and patriotism in one’s country; inspired people who shared a language or culture to unite politically Imperialism – one country dominates the political, economic, and cultural life of another country or region; as a country gained colonies, it needed to expand its military to protect its interests Assassination – June 28, 1914 – Serbian terrorist shot and killed the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary (spark that ignited the war) Militarism and the existence of opposing alliances were the main factors that contributed to tensions in Europe in the early 20 th century

ALLIANCES Allied Powers (Triple Entente) = Great Britain, France, Russia Central Powers (Triple Alliance) = Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy These alliances were established BEFORE WWI and attempted to create a balance of power Russia formed an alliance with France in 1893 and they promised to protect each other if attacked United States entered the war in 1917

THE CONFLICT EXPANDS Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July 28, 1914 as a result of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination Russia, who was Serbia’s protector (both Slavic) and France begin mobilizing (preparing for war) Germany mobilized and declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914 Schlieffen Plan – Germany wanted to knock out France first by invading Belgium and then focus on crushing Russia Great Britain declared war on Germany

ARMENIAN MASSACRE Armenia is a nation in southeastern Europe with a large Christian population 1880s – 2.5 million Armenians demanded independence from the Ottoman Empire 1890s – Turkish troops killed tens of thousands of Armenians Armenians were victims of genocide In 1914, Armenians pledged their support to Turks’ enemies Turkish government deported over 2 million and killed 600,000 Armenians as a result

TRENCH WARFARE Trenches = vast areas of dug out land (ditches) that included underground networks of bunkers, communication arrays, and gun emplacements Trench Warfare = Soldiers fought in cold, wet, filthy trenches to defend small and large areas of land (diseases spread) Most trench warfare occurred on the western front between French and German armies This type of warfare attempted to protect soldiers from enemy fire on the front lines; it led to stalemates Stalemates = a situation in which neither side can win a decisive victory

TRENCH WARFARE

NEW TECHNOLOGY 1. Automatic machine gun 2. Tank 3. U-Boat (German submarines) 4. Airplane 5. Poison Gas and Gas Mask 6. Convoy system – helped Allies by enabling destroyers to escort and protect groups of merchant ships 7. All these new weapons made WWI the deadliest war up to that point in history 8. Total War = new technology meant nations had to use much of their natural resources and manufacturing capabilities to keep fighting

ALLIEDTANK

GERMAN U-BOAT

DOGFIGHT (AERIAL COMBAT)

MUSTARD GAS AND ITS EFFECTS Itching and skin irritation Large blisters filled with yellow fluid Temporary blindness If inhaled, mustard agent causes bleeding and blistering within the respiratory system Mustard gas burns can vary between first and second degree burns

GAS MASK PROMOTIONAL POSTER

COSTLY BATTLES Battle of the Marne (1914) - Allied victory forced Germany to fight on two fronts (Russia/East and France/West); Schlieffen Plan failed Battle of Verdun (1916) = German forces were pushed back by French forces and both sides suffered over 500,000 casualties Battle of the Somme (1916) = Allied offensive; cost British 60,000 men in one day; battle lasted for 5 months and neither side gained victory (stalemate) Both sides suffered over one million casualties after these battles

BATTLE OF VERDUN

BATTLE OF THE SOMME PAINTING

UNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR Unrestricted submarine warfare – German U-Boats were attacking American merchant and passenger vessels without warning; freedom of the seas were restricted Lusitania – Germans sank this British passenger ship with 128 Americans on board on May 7, 1915 Cultural ties – Americans were close with Britain and France Zimmerman Note – Germans stated they would help Mexico reclaim land lost to the U.S. if they attacked us April 1917 – President Woodrow Wilson and Congress declare war on Germany Propaganda posters and newspaper articles influenced public opinion Americans proved to be excellent fighters and we boosted the morale for the Allies

LIBERTY BOND POSTER

LABOR AND THE WAR American, British, and French factories were working nonstop to provide weapons and supplies World War I generated jobs so unemployment greatly decreased Civilians were encouraged to ration food and supplies by limiting the amount of meat and bread they ate and consumer goods they bought

PROBLEMS IN RUSSIA Pogroms – violent and organized attacks against Jews under Alexander III Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II were autocratic rulers who resisted any attempts at reform; this paved the way for revolution They imposed strict censorship and created secret police forces Nicholas II proved to be a weak political and military leader during WWI

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION Russia withdrew from WWI in 1917 due to heavy military losses, food an fuel shortages, and opposition to Czar Nicholas II Many Russians were tired of Nicholas II’s abuse of political power and resistance to reforms The proletariat (working class, farmers, peasants) violently overthrew the czar in 1917 and created a communist government Vladimir Lenin was the leader of the revolution Lenin promised “Peace, Land, and Bread”

EFFECTS OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION Bolshevik Revolution led to the creation of the first communist nation in history (Soviet Union, ) Bolsheviks = radical Russian Marxist revolutionaries Soviets = local representatives councils under Russia’s provisional government after the fall of Nicholas II Russia was organized into several self-governing republics Immediate effects of Revolution – factory control returned to workers, farmland was distributed among peasants, truce signed with Germany, all traces of capitalism were abolished

AMERICANS JOIN THE FIGHT General John J. Pershing wanted his American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to receive three months of training and to fight as a separate unit American troops were forced to live among rats, lice, and the bodies of dead soldiers in the trenches scattered throughout the western front Pershing committed all American infantry, artillery, and aircraft to the Allies When we entered the war in 1917, the Allies were near defeat Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire surrendered as a result of our entry Our entry into the war turned the tide in favor of the Allies and paved the way to victory

ALLIED VICTORY March 1918 – Allies crushed Germans with a huge counter-offensive General Pershing promised Allied commander Ferdinand Foch that the “American people would be proud to be engaged in the greatest battle of history” July 1918 – Second Battle of the Marne – Americans helped French troops prevent German forces from crossing the Marne River – this was a major turning point in the war September 1918 – Battle of the Argonne – important Allied victory that led to Germany’s surrender German forces were not prepared for the fresh energy and fighting skills of the Americans November 1918 – Germans sign an armistice (cease-fire) and WWI ends

FOURTEEN POINTS President Wilson’s plan for peace Main goal = national self-determination Wanted an end to secret treaties, free trade, freedom of the seas, and the reduction of arms and to resolve colonial claims League of Nations – international organization of countries formed after the war to promote world peace; its failure led to World War II American public wanted to stay out of future European affairs Senate refused to allow the U.S. to join the League Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize for this plan

TREATY OF VERSAILLES Germany was the last nation to surrender to the Allies in November 1918 June 1919 – treaty was signed by the U.S., France, Britain, and Germany Germany had to: Accept full responsibility for the war Pay huge reparations (war payments) Had to downsize their military Stripped of its colonies Treaty was largely responsible for the start of World War II and led to a legacy of hatred in the hearts of the German people

LEGACY OF THE WAR A huge portion of Europe was devastated by the war such as homes, factories, farms, churches, etc. The destruction of farmland led to food shortages all over Europe It drained the treasuries of Europe The deaths of millions of people and great financial disaster affected many parts of Europe