World War One
Causes of World War 1 (MAIN) Militarism = –Having a large army & navy –Glorifying military service –Arms Race between Imperial Nations Alliances = Countries pledged mutual protection and support Imperialism = Competition between nations to hang onto / increase size of Empires that creates rivalry Nationalism = Devotion to the nation (extreme patriotism)
“The Spark” Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Future emperor of Austria-Hungary) assassinated on June 28,1914 Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia & set off a chain reaction of war declarations around Europe
The Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary The Ottoman Empire & Bulgaria joined to regain lost territory
The Allied Powers Great Britain France Russia Japan & Italy
Germany’s Strategy = The Schlieffen Plan 1 st Attack France = Immediate threat 2 nd Attack Russia = Slow to organize troops / No Railroads
Trench Warfare (Review) = miles of parallel, underground trenches, where soldiers live & fight 24 hours a day over a small amount of land
“Over the Top” into “No Man’s Land”
Life in the Trenches 24 hours a day soldiers had to deal with: –Slept in mud, washed in mud (trench foot) –Rats (Big ones) –Artillery Fire = “Shell Shock” –Diseases (influenza) –No fresh food & lack of sleep (lice & fleas)
New Technology & Old Strategies Rapid Firing Rifles Machine Guns Poison Gas Tanks Airplanes Submarines “Over the Top” = mass infantry charge over “No Man’s Land” RESULT = Casualties on both sides = 9+ million soldiers (21 total)
Major Battles (Pointless) Battle of Verdun (1916) = German attack against French causes 600,000 deaths –Gain = 4 miles gained by Germany Battle of the Somme (1916) = British attack against Germans: 1 million deaths –Gain = 5 miles by the British Eastern Front collapses after Russia surrenders in 1917
U.S. Enters The War Loans to Allies –British & French receive huge loans and equipment –U.S. is invested in an Allied victory The Sinking of the Lusitania – Passenger ship carrying supplies from NY to London (128 Americans Dead) The Zimmermann Telegram – Germany’s secret offer to Mexico / Will return U.S. land for an alliance Joins Allies in 1917