1. 1914-1918: The World at War World War I

2. During the early years of the 20th century (1900s), many European nations formed alliances. In an alliance, countries agree to help each other if one of them is attacked.

3. The “Spark” In 1914 Archduke Francis
Ferdinand was heir to the throne of
Austria-Hungary. He was assassinated
by Serbians, so Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Russia worried that these two countries fighting would threaten their trade route so they joined Serbia.
Germany was an ally of Austria-Hungary and wanted Russia to not fight, but Russia did not listen. Germany then declared war on Russia.

4. Germany asked France if they planned to join the war
Germany asked France if they planned to join the war. France did not give a clear answer of their plans so Germany declared war on them. Most major battles in WWI were fought in France.
German forces needed to march through Belgium in order to reach France. Germany asked the king for permission to cross his country, and the king refused. Germany invaded Belgium.
Once Germany invaded Belgium, Great Britain joined to help their ally Belgium, and soon every major European country was involved.

5. Archduke Franz Ferdinand & His Family

6. Who’s To Blame?

7. U.S. Joins The Fighting
At first most U.S. citizens wanted to stay out of the war (isolationism).
President Woodrow Wilson won re-election in 1916 vowing not to get the U.S. involved in the fighting.
Over time, a number of things happened that led to the U.S. to enter the war.

8. German U-Boats
During WW I, Germany used U-boats. U-boats were submarines(ships that sail underwater). They could stay hidden beneath the surface of the water as they fired torpedoes that sank ships.

9. German U-boats
German u-boats fired not only on enemy ships but also on ships from other countries. Germany believed these ships were actually carrying goods meant to help the nations it was fighting. Some of these ships carried U.S. citizens.

10. The Sinking of the Lusitania
In May of 1915, German submarines sank a passenger ship called the Lusitania. Over a hundred U.S. civilian passengers died. People in the U.S. were furious. More U.S. citizens wanted to join the war.

11. The Sinking of the Lusitania

12. The Zimmerman Telegram
Another event that caused outrage in the United States was the Zimmerman Telegram.
Germany’s foreign minister, Arthur Zimmerman, sent a secret telegram to Mexico City asking Mexico to attack the United States if the U.S. ever went to war with Germany.

13. The Zimmerman Telegram
In return, Germany promised to help Mexico win back parts of North America it had lost to the U.S. during the 1800s. Mexico did not agree to the deal, but when people in the U.S. learned of the offer, they were alarmed. This pushed more Americans to favor going to war.

14. The Zimmerman Telegram

15. U.S. also entered WWI because…
Germany ordered its submarines to attack any ships that were thought to be carrying supplies and weapons to the Allied Powers. Three American owned trade ships were sunk in March.
Americans were angered by these deaths and on April 2nd President Wilson asked Congress to declare war! On April 6, 1917 Congress declared war on Germany.

16. Allied Powers Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Turkey
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
Belgium
France
Italy
Serbia
Russia
United States
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Bulgaria
Turkey

17. Europe 1914

18. WEAPONS AND WARFARE
Soldiers fought in trenches (long ditches). The area between the trench and the enemy was called “no man’s land”.
Germany began using poison gas as a weapon. The gas burned lungs and blinded eyes.
Engineers began to turn the airplane into a weapon of war. Airplanes dropped bombs on enemy targets and fired machine guns at troops and enemy planes.
Tanks were used for the first time by the British in WW I. Submarines were used on a larger scale to destroy enemy ships.

19. WAR’S IMPACT AT HOME
“I WANT YOU” Uncle Sam posters were placed to call young men to join the Army.
People started raising vegetables in “war gardens” to send to the soldiers fighting overseas. Town squares and parks were dug up and crops were planted to help at home and overseas.
Women went to work in factories, taking over jobs men had done. Women began to help produce weapons, tanks, and ammunition.
Many African Americans moved North to take advantage of the many jobs that had come available.

20. U.S. Involvement
The first U.S. soldiers reached Europe in 1918.The presence of the Americans made it clear to Germany that it could not win.
Germany signed an armistice (agreement to stop fighting) in November President Wilson and the other Allied leaders drafted a treaty ending the war (he did not necessarily think Germany should be harshly punished).

21. THE WAR ENDS On November 11, 1918, the Central Powers surrendered.
Today we celebrate November 11 as Veterans Day to remember the Americans who fought in WW I and our nation’s other wars.
During the war the Central Powers lost more than 3 million soldiers and nearly 3.5 million civilians. The Allied Powers lost nearly 5 million soldiers and more than 3 million civilians.
Everyone hoped there would never be another war like this one and nicknamed it “The War to End All Wars” because no one could imagine it happening again.

22. World War I Casualties

23. Victory in Europe
The Treaty of Versailles forced to Germany to take total blame for the war. It also made Germany pay for the war and greatly decrease the size of its military.
The U.S. Senate refused to ratify it, claiming it would lead to future wars.
An international organization called the League of Nations was formed to prevent wars.

24. WWI KEY TERMS
Nationalism – love of country and the desire to have one’s country free from the control of another
Isolationism – policy in which a nation prefers to remain neutral and let other countries handle their own affairs
League of Nations – international organization formed after WWI to prevent wars
Treaty of Versailles – treaty signed in 1919 that officially ended WWI

25. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What is an alliance?
What event sparked the beginning of WWI?
Who was President during WWI?
Why did the United States not join the war immediately?
What events took place that changed the United States mind and had them join in the war?