1. World War I

2. The Great War Begins
Triggering Point: Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand (Serbian nationalism)
This set in motion the “entangling alliances” that were created before the war
Austria declares war on Serbia on July 28, 1914 causing:
1) Russia to mobilize against Austria-Hungary and Germany
2) Germany to declare war on Russia and France #2 #3 #3 #2 #1

3. Allied vs. Central Powers
Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire
Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan
Great Britain entered when Germany stormed through neutral Belgium

4. A Bloody Stalemate Western Front: deadlocked region in Northern France
Schlieffen Plan: German plan to attack France first and then move to Russia
They decided to go through neutral Belgium and then into the less protected border between France and Belgium
Plan worked until Battle of the Marne in September of 1914:
Battle turned Western Front into stalemate
It also meant that Germany would have to fight a two front war

5. Trench Warfare Soldiers dug massive trenches from which they fought
No Man’s Land: land between opposing trenches; became very difficult to move in after all of the bombing
Little land gains with this type of fighting
Ex: Battle of Verdun – Germans gained 4 miles and lost 300,000 men
Ex. Battle of the Somme – Britain gained 5 miles and lost 500,000 men

6. New Technology Poison gas Armored tanks Machine guns Airplanes
Did not deliver fast-paced war - just brought more death

7. Eastern Front Battlefield along the German and Russian border
Russia was struggling along the front Why?
Not industrialized
Short on food, clothes, guns, boots, ammo
Could not receive supplies because Germany controlled Baltic and North Sea
Russia was still important Why?
Large population kept army in full force
Germany could not move more troops to Western front

8. US Enters the War – April 2, 1917
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
German submarines would sink any ship without warning
Started policy in 1915 when German sub sank the British passenger ship Lusitania (128) Americans died
Sussex pledge: Germany agreed to stop attacking passenger ships
1917 Germany returned to unrestricted sub warfare
Set up blockade around Britain to strike back against British naval blockade of Germany
Hoped they would starve Britain into defeat before US entered war

9. US Enters War
Zimmerman Note – telegram from German foreign secretary to German ambassador in Mexico
Stated that Germany would help Mexico ‘reconquer’ the land they lost to the US if Mexico allied themselves with Germany
Note intercepted and decoded by British
Duty to honor ties with Allies
Bond to England – similar language and ancestry
Economic ties – traded more with France and Britain

10. War on the Home Front
WWI became a total war meaning that countries devoted all resources to winning the war
Liberty Bonds – money lent to government that would be repaid with interest
Short supply of goods led to rationing at home
Ex: Wheatless Mondays, Meatless Tuesdays
Ex: Victory gardens – grow own vegetables

11. Government Intervention
Censored news of war
Schenck vs. US – Charles Schenck convicted of violating Espionage Act by mailing pamphlets to draftees telling them the draft was wrong
Created propaganda – one-sided information designed to persuade, keep up morale and support for war, and to recruit soldiers
Committee on Public Information

12. Allies win the war Russia withdraws from war in March of 1918
Civil unrest due to food and fuel shortages
5.5 million soldiers wounded or killed so many refused to fight any longer
Communist regime led by Vladimir Lenin comes to power and signs truce with Germany giving up several countries which eventually would gain their independence
Brest-Litovsk Treaty

13. German’s Last Offensive
Germany led massive attack in France until they reached the Marne
Second Battle of Marne led by 2 million fresh American troops led to the crumble of Central Powers
Food riots and strikes in Germany, revolution in Austria-Hungary combined with difficulty encouraging soldiers to fight led to Central Powers surrender
Armistice: agreement to end to war was signed November 11, 1918; The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month

14. Legacy of War Loss of civilian and soldier lives – 14 million
Economic devastations
Cost over 280 billion
Farms and homes destroyed
US became world’s leading economic power due to devastation of European economies
Sense of insecurity
Led to overthrow of monarchies and rise of Bolsheviks in Russia
Flawed peace treaty – unresolved issues and hostility still lingered

15. Legacy continued Passage of the 19th amendment
African Americans moved North to work in factories during the war – Great Migration