1. World War I

3. Setting the Stage
Many Western European countries had become constitutional monarchies by the late 1800’s.
Constitutional Monarchy- a form of government with elected officials and a king or queen with limited powers
Since the people could vote and elect their own lawmakers, people began to have more pride and support for their countries.
Also, many Western European countries had colonies that supplied raw materials needed to produce goods.
They were willing to go any lengths to defend their countries.

4. Causes of WWI – MANIA!
Militarism - policy of building up a strong military to prepare for war
Alliances – agreements between nations to provide aid and protect one another
Nationalism – extreme pride in one’s country
Imperialism – when one country takes over another country economically and politically.
Assassination – of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

5. 1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures
Militarism
Increase in Defense Expenditures
France
10%
Britain
13%
Russia
39%
Germany
73%

6. European Alliances BEFORE the war.
Why did nations make alliances?
In the early 1900’s, nations feared one another. Each nation was afraid another would invade or try to take over its territory.
Nations made alliances (agreements with one another) to protect themselves.
The combination of these alliances and nationalism made conditions ripe for warfare..

9. So, What about Italy?
Italy refuses to join the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary because they did not want to fight (they had a nonaggression treaty with the two countries to protect themselves from France).
They take a “wait and see” approach to the war.
1915, Italy signs the secret Treaty of London with Great Britain in exchange for large portions of the Adriatic Sea and joins the war on the side of the allies.

12. Nationalism
Strong nationalist movements and revolutions led to the unification of Italy in 1861 and Germany in 1871.
France lost Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, and regaining it was a major goal of the French.
Nationalism posed a problem for Austria-Hungary and the Balkans, areas comprised of many conflicting national groups.
Pan-Slavism vs Pan-Germanism

13. Imperialism
Great Britain, Germany and France needed foreign markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Revolution.
These countries competed for economic expansion in Africa. Although Britain and France resolved their differences in Africa, several crises foreshadowing the war involved the clash of Germany against Britain and France in North Africa.
In the Middle East, the crumbling Ottoman Empire was alluring to Austria-Hungary, the Balkans and Russia.

14. European Conquest of Africa

15. The “Spark”

16. Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie at Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28th, 1914.

18. Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed in Bosnia by a Serbian nationalist group called the Black Hand who believed that Bosnia should belong to Serbia.

19. The Serb nationalist gunman, Gavrilo Princip, was standing on the left side near the road as the Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was driving by.

20. Gavrilo Princip, Serbian terrorist
Both died within minutes from their wounds. Two bullets were about to lead to the deaths of a further 20 million men!
Gavrilo Princip, Serbian terrorist
Archduke’s bloodstained jacket

21. Domino Effect
Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared war on Serbia.
Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary.
Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

22. Domino Effect Germany declares war on Russia.
France pledges their support for Russia.
Germany declares war on France.
Germany invades Belgium on the way to France.
Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany.

23. Why did the US enter the war?
The United States reluctantly entered the war on April 6, 1917, after Germany sank American merchant ships (over several years).
Zimmerman Telegram (January 1917)
“On April 6, 1917, two days after the U.S. Senate votes 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the decision by a vote of 373 to 50, and the United States formally enters the First World War.”

24. Weapons of War
Machine gun. How did this change war? How was it fought before?
Trench Warfare = “solution”.
Millions die without gaining ground.

25. Trench Warfare

27. TRENCH WARFARE
Life inside the trenches were very dangerous, especially the ones on the front lines. It was a nasty hole .
A soldier did everything inside the trench they ate, slept, utilized the latrine, and entertained themselves in the trench.
When it rained the trenches became waterlogged and they often most times caught trench foot.
In this photo the French Soldiers are taking a prisoner. This shows that everything was done within the trenches.

29. What new weapons were used in WWI?
Machine gun
Poison gas
Submarine
Airplane
Tank
Why these weapons? Why now?
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION!!

36. How does the war end. http://www. neok12
Russian Revolution
Germany surrendered.
Allies impose Treaty of Versailles.
Declares Germany guilty for war.
Germany must pay reparations to Allies.
League of Nations formed to try to prevent war in the future.

37. The Treaty of Versailles http://www. neok12
The treaty officially ended the war in 1919.
After WWI much of Europe was destroyed.
After losing WWI in 1918, Germany was severely punished for its role in the war. The terms were set in the Treaty of Versailles.
This made it even more difficult for Germany to recover and rebuild after the war.
Other factors that contributed to their difficulty were the worldwide Depression and a flu pandemic.

38. Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Germany had to accept the blame ‘for causing all the loss and damage’ of the war.
Germany had to pay for all damages of war.
Loss of land, colonies, industries, and a significant reduction in military.