1. Warm Up What is the purpose of this poster?
What organization made the poster?
Is this “propaganda”? Explain why or why not.

2. WORLD WAR I
Fighting the Great War

3. Europe before the war
Text

4. Europe at the outbreak of World War I
THE CENTRAL POWERS
THE ALLIED POWERS

5. …then sending troops to the East before Russia fully mobilized for war
When the war began, Germany’s biggest problem was the potential of fighting on two fronts
Germany’s solution was the Schlieffen Plan, which involved quickly defeating France in the West…
…then sending troops to the East before Russia fully mobilized for war

6. The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working when the German army marched through Belgium and France, within miles of Paris
But, English, Belgian, and French troops saved Paris at the Battle of the Marne
Meanwhile, Russia mobilized faster than expected, so Germany had to divert troops from France

8. The fighting in France was known as the Western Front
Because the Schlieffen Plan failed, the Central Powers were forced to fight a two-front war
The fighting in France was known as the Western Front
The fighting between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia was known as the Eastern Front
By 1915, the war settled into a stalemate as each side fortified their positions with trenches

10. Soldiers going “over the top”

11. The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.
These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.
Trenchfoot

12. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Machine guns

13. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Long-range artillery

14. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Tanks

15. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Airplanes and zeppelins

16. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Flamethrowers and grenade launchers

17. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Poison gas

18. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage and win the war
Submarines

19. New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8
New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and million soldiers were wounded

20. New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8
New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and million soldiers were wounded

21. New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8
New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; during World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died and million soldiers were wounded

22. Fighting on the Western Front slowed to a stalemate as neither side could gain an advantage
During the 10 month Battle of Verdun in 1916, 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded
Another 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded at the Battle of Somme
Despite the deaths, neither the Allies nor the Central Powers gained an advantage after these battles

23. On the Eastern Front, the Russian army was struggling to hold on against the German military
Russia was not as industrialized as the rest of Europe and failed to produce enough weapons or food

24. Russian women training for combat
Millions of Russian soldiers and civilians died during the war
By 1917, Russia was on the brink of collapse

25. The stalemate on the Western and Eastern Fronts turned World War I into a war of attrition where each side tried to out-produce and outlast the enemy

26. Nations committed to total war to win World War I
Factories were converted to make war equipment
Industrial resources were rationed in order to prioritize military needs

27. Governments used conscription to draft civilians into the military

28. INDIAN SOLDIERS FIGHTING ON BRITAIN’S SIDE
Overseas colonies were used to gain resources or additional soldiers

29. Propaganda was used to maintain civilian support for the war
Propaganda is mixing facts with emotions to change people’s opinions
You spread ideas that show your enemies in a bad light while strengthening your own position

30. Anti-German Propaganda Changed American Opinions of the War
This propaganda poster portrays the Germans as mistreating and humiliating innocent British sailors
The “Huns” (barbarians) are the Germans
The Germans appear cruel, threatening, and evil

31. Anti-German Propaganda
This piece of propaganda encourages Americans to join the U.S. Army to destroy the “MAD BRUTE”
The “MAD BRUTE” is militaristic Germany
The “MAD BRUTE” is seen crossing the ocean and attacking America

32. Anti-German Propaganda
This cartoon shows Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II trying to devour the world

33. Warm Up
Name as many of the new weapons of WWI as you can.

34. To keep Germany from trading with other nations, Britain used its navy to blockade Europe

35. Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy and any merchant ships supplying the Allies

36. Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy and any merchant ships supplying the Allies

37. German U-boat attacks played a role in bringing the United States into World War I

38. When World War I began in 1914, the United States remained neutral…
…but, the USA was pulled into the war by 1917

39. As a neutral nation, the USA was trading with the Allies during the war
Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare led to attacks on U.S. merchant ships and British passenger ships
President Woodrow Wilson demanded “freedom of the seas” but Germany refused

40. Americans were outraged in May 1915 when a German U-boat sank the British ship Lusitania, killing 1,200 people (including 128 Americans)

41. At first, America was helped by the war
Both the CENTRAL POWERS and ALLIED POWERS needed food, oil, steel, and weapons
The United States made enormous profits selling these things to both sides
The American economy was BOOMING

42. AN ECONOMIC REASON FOR WAR?
The chart shows how much money the U.S. lent to Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary each year
The column on the left is in MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

43. LOOK CLOSER AT THE MONEY FLOW
Each year, the U.S. lends the Allies more and the Centrals less. So the U.S. was not COMPLETELY neutral
If Britain and France would LOSE the war and fall to Germany, the U.S. would lose all of that money!

44. AN ECONOMIC REASON FOR WAR
Simply out, the United States could not afford to see Britain lose this war; it would have meant FINANCIAL DISASTER

45. GERMANY BECOMES DESPERATE
Germany was unable to break the British blockade and their people were starving
Desperate to break it, the Germans go back to using their U-boats to attack Allied shipping
Knowing this might bring the U.S. into the war, the Germans tried to do something that would distract the Americans…

46. The Zimmermann Telegram

47. A German official, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a message to Mexico
It urged Mexico to declare war on the U.S. if the U.S. declared war on Germany

48. This was for the purpose of distracting the U. S
This was for the purpose of distracting the U.S. from the war in Europe

49. Germany proposed that Mexico attack the USA in exchange for the return of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona

50. The Zimmermann Telegram
The cartoon shows Germany telling Mexico to
“Join with Germany and you get a bit of the United States.”

51. The Zimmermann Telegram’s Effect
The British intercepted the message and sent it to the Americans
When the Americans find out, they are furious with Germany for trying to promote war right in America’s backyard!
Even MORE anti-German feelings soar

52. On April 2, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I