1. Overview of World War I: From Start to Finish
What was the immediate spark that led to WWI?

3. Austria Hungary declares war on Serbia
Russia mobilizes troops to help Serbia, France mobilizes troops to help Russia
Germany declares war on Russia & France
Germany entered neutral Belgium and so Great Britain declares war on Germany (so do all of the British colonies!)
Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joins to help Germany

4. What about Italy?
Italy reversed it allegiance and joined the war on the side of the Allies against Germany and Austria-Hungary

5. The 2 sides of WWI (main countries)
Allied Powers
Great Britain
France
Russia
Italy
(later Japan, US)
Central Powers
Germany
Austria Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Colonies of European countries fought on the side of the “mother” country

6. What is the message of this source?
June 2009

7. Building Up the British Army
At the start of the war Britain could only send 100,000 troops to fight Germany (Germany’s standing army was huge – 850,000)
500,000 joined up in the first 6 weeks

8. Why did men join?

9. Conscription 1915 – a National Register listed men and women 15-65
Military Service Acts- Jan: UNMARRIED MEN May: MARRIED MEN
Reserved occupations (miners and munitions workers) not called
About 2,500,000 conscripted

10. Schlieffen Plan German strategy to avoid a 2 front war
Defeat France first before Russia mobilized
(had already beaten France in the Franco-Prussian war)
Austrian Hungary would hold off Russia and then Germany would come help defeat them.

11. Did it work? Battle of the Marne
Allies attack Germans at the Marne River Valley
When more soldiers were needed, 600 taxicabs rushed soldiers from Paris to the fighting front
Allied victory, Germans retreat and then begin to dig trenches
Significance: ends German offensive, failure of the Schlieffen Plan puts an end to the hope of a quick war
German troops near Paris
Taxis rush soldiers to the front

12. Why did it fail? Germans held up by Belgians
Stopped by French & British at the Battle of the Marne.
Russians also mobilized more quickly than expected.

13. Western Front: Race to the Sea
Germans attempted to work their way in order to take control of the English Channel.
Allied troops fought them along the way
Both sides dug trenches along the way
Significance: establishes trench warfare as the main tactic used on the Western front, leading to years of STALEMATE with little movement

14. New Technology

15. War of Attrition Wear down your enemy to the point of collapse
Stalemate: Armies were at a breaking point
Began drafting old men and young boys
French soldiers mutinied

16. Significance: ended the Russian threat to Germany
Eastern Front
Mobile- changing front lines
Battle of Masurian Lakes
Russian casualties: 100,000, German: 40,000
Significance: ended the Russian threat to Germany

17. USA & WWI
Isolation to War

18. Debating the issues Close ties with England
GO TO WAR
OPPOSE WAR
Close ties with England
Economic ties with Allied nations
Germany invaded Belgium- neutral country
British propaganda
Doesn’t involve the US
Pacifists- war is wrong
Immigrants- ties to their old countries
Socialists- the war is an imperialist struggle
Parents- don’t want to send sons off to fight war

19. Steps to War Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Zimmerman Telegram
Lusitania
Sussex Pledge
Zimmerman Telegram

20. American Doughboys Arrive!
500,000 troops quickly arrived
Give a psychological boost to the Allied troops
Second Battle of the Marne: push Germans back
Kaiser Whilhelm declares the war unwinnable

21. German Naval Mutiny
German Navy ordered to attack British- last ditch effort
Sailors viewed it as a suicide mission and refused to leave the port
Resistance spread to industrial workers and then to rest of the country
Germany has lost

22. End of German Empire Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates and flees the country
Allies will not negotiate with old German government
The Social Democrats create a new government
Weimar Republic

23. Wilson’s 14 Points Plan to create lasting peace
Some of the main ideas:
No secret treaties
Freedom of the Seas
Reduce Arms
Self-determination
League of Nations

24. Armistice Day!
The Eleventh day, of the Eleventh month, at the Eleventh hour
November 11, 1918 at 11am