1. The “Great War” Begins Trench Warfare
Officers would send troops “over the top” out of the trenches to attack the enemy resulting in many deaths with little gained ground.

2. The “Great War” Begins Trench Warfare
The Battle of Verdun in 1916, a great trench battle, lasted 10 months.
The Germans lost over 337,000 men trying to overrun the French lines. The French lost more

3. The “Great War” Begins
French losses:337,231 of which 162,308 dead or missing
German losses:337,000 of which 100,000 dead or missing
Total:714,231of which 262,308 dead or missing

4. The “Great War” Begins Month: French losses: German losses:
February , ,363
March , ,244
April , ,299
May , ,309
June , ,567
July , ,969
August , ,572
Total , ,323
(Note: the numbers of September - December are lacking!)

5. The “Great War” Begins Trench Warfare
Stalemates and trench warfare brought mounting death and destruction on the eastern Front.

6. The “Great War” Begins Trench Warfare
Austria- Hungary and Germany were in battle against the Russians and Serbs. The Russians lost over 1,000,000
Neither side could win a decisive victory

7. American Neutrality
In 1914 Americans were determined not to be forced into the war in Europe.
Officially the United states was neutral while public opinion was divided.
4 August 1914, as World War I erupted across Europe, President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States would remain “impartial in thought as well as in action.”

8. American Neutrality
Most Americans favored the Allies because of their connection to Britain

9. American Neutrality
On the other hand there about 8,000,000 Americans of German or Austrian descent who sympathized with the Central Powers

10. American Neutrality Impacts of the War The American economy boomed
The Allies and Central Powers needed food, weapons, oil and steel
Farmers and manufacturers rushed to fill these orders

11. American Neutrality Impacts of the War
By 1917 trade with the allies had grown 7 times over while trade with the Central powers was much smaller.
This imbalance In trade meant the U.S. was not necessarily neutral

12. American Neutrality
Both the Allied Powers and the Central Powers conducted propaganda wars in the U.S.
Propaganda- the spreading of ideas or beliefs that help a particular cause and hurt an opposing cause.

13. American Neutrality Freedom of the Seas
The use of the seas was key for conducting trade
The U.S. argued that as a neutral country it had a right to trade with both sides of the conflict.

14. American Neutrality Freedom of the Seas Britain blockaded German ports
Germany set up a blockade all the way around Britain
The British were hoping to starve the Germans into submission.

15. American Neutrality Submarine Warfare
A weapon introduced into WWI was the submarine
U- Boats or submarines carried out torpedo attacks on ships entering British waters
Germany warned the U.S. and other countries to stay out of those waters

16. American Neutrality Submarine Warfare
President warned the Germans that they would be held responsible if American ships were attacked or American lives were lost.

17. Sinking of the Lusitania
American Neutrality
Sinking of the Lusitania
Ignoring Wilson’s threats, on 7 May 1915, a German U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British Ocean liner, killing over 1,200 people, 120 of them Americans.

18. Sinking of the Lusitania
American Neutrality
Sinking of the Lusitania
Wilson threatened to break of diplomatic relations if Germany did not stop sinking passenger ships
Germany did not want to antagonize the U.S. and later apologized.

19. Review Give 3 reasons for the tensions in Europe.
What event triggered the outbreak of the war?
What was the United states position concerning the war in 1914?
Ow did the Central powers and the Allied Powers try to influence American public opinion?