The Great War World War I Understanding the

The Great War World War I

Understanding the World of 1910 • World divided between massive superpowers all looking to expand territory and influence – Many of the people ruled by these Empires are seeking independence through violence and terrorism – The Balance of Power: Seeking to prevent all-out war, the superpowers form a series of treaties and alliances with each other, many of them in secret

World Empires

Treaties • Each of these Empires created secret alliances with one another – Treaties conducted behind the scenes whose agreements were never publicly announced • These treaties promised military assistance if the nation was attacked and established pacts of non-aggression with each other

Treaty Map

Treaties • Two largest groups were the Triple Entente made up of France, Great Britain and Russia and the Triple Alliance made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

Revolution • Various Ethnic Groups in the Empires were beginning to rebel thanks to a movement towards Nationalism started in Italy • Nationalism: The idea that a given ethnic group deserves its own political power and territory – Ex: Zionism

Militarism • As the empires competed for resources a growing atmosphere of militarism dominated Europe – A movement urging military action against a countries enemies

Secret Treaties • In an effort to guarantee swift victory in any war, nations secretly ally with one another. • These Empires often aid terrorist groups in other Empires in order to weaken them – (Do Not Write) In other words we have a series of super powerful Empires, caught in a tangle web of treaties, secretly funding terrorism, all preaching that their militaries are supreme. What could go wrong?

The match • The war exploded with the death of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand – Ferdinand, an Austrian nobleman was touring part of Serbia. A Serbian nationalist ambushed his motorcade, shooting Ferdinand his wife

The ultimatum • Austria-Hungary demanded reparations from Serbia in the form of an ultimatum (give up the criminals and pay, in gold, for killing Ferdinand or be invaded) • Serbia was forced to declare war on Austria. Hungary which brought its ally Russia into the War. Austria brought its ally Germany into the war and from there: France, Britain, and Italy joined bringing most of the world into the conflict with them.

The War Begins • Germany found itself facing both France and Russia in a two front war • Their solution: Take France out as quickly as possible by invading it from the north through neutral Belgium • Result: The Germans didn’t count on strong Belgian resistance, which held them off for three weeks allowing the French to prepare

Battle of the Marne • French troops entrenched along the border with the Netherlands and met the German advance. After a week of slaughter, the French stopped the Germans from taking Paris, but found themselves in a bloody stalemate with Germany on their own territory

Battle of the Marne

Battle of the Marne • The battle saw the rise of Trench Warfare – Machine guns, razor wire and rifles forced armies to dig trenches across from one another and fight for each inch of ground in bloody charges.

Battle of Verdun • Fought from February to December of 1916, this battle resulted in nearly 700, 000 deaths. It involved a series of attacks by the Germans and counter-attacks by the French and British to push through each others lines

Battle of Verdun

Verdun • Verdun saw the first use of mustard gas in combat

Other New Technologies • The Aircraft: Originally designed by the American Wright brothers, aircraft saw use first for reconnaissance, then for bombing and finally aerial combat

The Zeppelin • Rigid balloons used to drop bombs on cities

The Tank • Designed to get troops and weapons across the “no-man’s land of the trenches”

Germany and Britain • In order to defeat Britain, the Germans attempted to establish a naval blockade using U-Boats – Ships that could briefly submerge underwater to attack enemy vessels, also known as submersibles (not submarines)

German U-Boat

Response • Britain responded by using its fleet to blockade German ports

German Response • German ships promised to attack any vessel carrying war material into British ports

Situation in the United States • Woodrow Wilson, President from 1913 -1921 – Skilled compromiser, extremely progressive • Created Federal Reserve to protect currency • Campaigned on keeping U. S. forces out of the war • Chose William Jennings Bryan as his Secretary of State, a pacifist – Someone who resists or dismisses war as a tool of state

Woodrow Wilson • Also an inveterate racist and white supremacist • Segregated the Post Office and other government agencies • Called movie about KKK, History written in Lightning

America’s Position • President Wilson took an official position of neutrality – His campaign slogan was “I kept our boys out of the war” • Both sides attempted to use propaganda to influence Americans

British

German

Propaganda • Germany attempted to appeal to German. Americans living in the United States • British used images of German barbarism in Belgium and elsewhere • Despite neutrality, Wilson and many Americans felt sympathy towards Britain

The Lusitania Crisis • German U-Boats torpedoed an American cruise liner called the Lusitania in the North Atlantic. The German Captain argued that attacking a civilian vessel was justified since it was carrying weapons. Americans were outraged

Lusitania imagery

Lusitania • Germans promised to pay reparations to the Americans for loss of life

The Zimmerman Telegraph • A coded telegraph intercepted by the British sent by the German foreign service offering aid to the Mexican government in retaking Texas, Arizona and New Mexico if they went to war against the U. S.

The Telegraph and British Propaganda

The Russian Revolution • Communism: A system that aims at establishing a classless, moneyless society. Originally put forward by Karl Marx believed that capitalism would be overthrown by workers, first to be replaced by a people’s dictatorship and then by a utopia.

Russian Revolution • Communist forces led by Vladimir Lenin overthrow the Czar • Signed the Brest-Litovsk ending Russia’s involvement in World War I and giving Germany control of large portions of Eastern Europe. • This, and the sinking of more American ships brings the Americans into the war on April 2, 1917

America Enters the War

American Troops • Commonly known as Doughboys

Navy • U. S. Navy begins organizing armed relief to French and British ports • First see action at the Battle of Cheateau. Thierry: – Massive German assault across the entire French line. Germans use artillery for 72 hours straight, then use infantry charges. Lost hundreds of thousands of men and a large portion of their munitions.

Battle of Argonne Forest • Biggest battle U. S. involved in: • Using tanks and overwhelming numbers the American Expeditionary Force pushed 5 miles into German territory, threatening the entire line. Germans managed to counter and stop the attack, but most of their reinforcements were now dead or committed to battle

Germany Grows Desperate • Germany begins using Stormtroopers – Soldiers sent in ahead of an attack to crawl through no-mans land to sabotage traps and cut wire. Extremely high fatality rate. – Among these was a young Corporal who would enter hospital after a gas attack Adolf Hitler

Corporal Hitler

Stormtroopers

The War at Home • U. S. prepares for total war including the recreation of a draft for young men ages 18 -29 • In order to smoothly transition into war footing, Wilson created the National Labor Relations Board – Government organization designed to prevent strikes by ensuring that workers demands were fairly met so that factories could keep producing

Paying • In order to pay for the war, Wilson established Liberty Bonds – Low interest bonds paid by citizens to the government to cover the short-term costs of the war

Rationing • Established rationing through the new War Industries Board led by Herbert Hoover • Included “Wheatless Mondays” and “Meatless Tuesdays” to conserve supplies for soldiers overseas.

Propaganda • United States created a network known as the Committee on Public Information to increase public support for the War

Examples of Anti-German Action • Dachshunds become Victory Puppies • Sauerkraut becomes Victory Cabbage • German language classes banned in schools and colleges • German-Americans fired from sensitive government jobs

Great Migration • In an effort to get jobs opened by the war hundreds of thousands of black Americans moved to the north to factory cities became known as the Great Migration

• Led to race riots including the famous 1919 Chicago Riots which killed 40 and led to the burning of thousands of homes

Objectors • Both socialists and pacifists objected to the war – Socialists: Believe that ownership of production should be in the hands of the state, believed the war was wrong because it benefited capitalist arms producers – Pacifists believed war was wrong, typically for religious reasons • Often pacifists and socialists ended up in jail for refusing to participate in the draft

Espionage Act • Designed to prevent people from interfering in military operations, the Espionage Act was used to prosecute pacifists protesting military recruitment

The Sabotage Act • The Sabotage Act was designed to prevent destruction of wartime industries. Was also used to arrest radical labor leaders to prevent strikes

The Sedition Act • Designed to prevent criticism of the government and the war. Argued that in times of emergency, attacking the government was the same as aiding the enemy. Newspaper writers and political leaders could be arrested for “disloyal speech”

The “Spanish” Flu

Spanish Flu • Started in early 1918 as an outbreak of extremely dangerous influenza outbreak in a military barracks in Kentucky. Spread by troops across the ocean. Killed between 50 and 100 million people world wide. Had a major effect on war as it sickened or killed most of Germany’s remaining reserves

The War Ends

The War Ends • Germany requests an armistice in October 1918 • 27 World Leaders gather at the Palace of Versailles to write a peace treaty • Germany is invited but not allowed to participate

Wilson at Versailles • Wilson brings his big idea: the 14 Points – A treaty in which every country would agree to have only open treaties, free and open trade, the protection of the rights of colonized people, restoration of pre-war borders and the creation of a free and independent Poland.

Wilson at Versailles • Wilson also hoped to create a League of Nations: • An association of countries that could openly meet to resolve disputes without resorting to warfare, in which small and large countries would have equal say.

Result • The Allies ignore Wilson • Instead the Allies demand that Germany accept all fault for starting the war and pay reparations

Effects of the Treaty of Versailles • Germany is impoverished by a massive war debt. France and England carve up German foreign territory between themselves. Those hoping that fighting for France and Germany would lead to their freedom (like India or the Arabs) were left disappointed

Arab Delegation to Versailles

Results • Wilson manages to establish the League of Nations but the Senate votes against it, invalidating the treaty • Lawrence of Arabia, after leaving Versailles in disgust said, “The War to end all Wars has been replaced with the Peace to end all Peace. ”