World War I 1914 The War Begins Archduke

World War I

1914 - The War Begins Archduke Ferdinand • War began • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand • Killed on June 28 th, 1914

1919 – The War Ends • Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles • The War officially ended • Versailles is on outskirts of Paris

War Causes • Militarism • Nationalism • Imperialism • Alliance system

Militarism • Competition to have most military power • Britain had great navy: Germany wanted great navy • Germany and France both wanted largest army • Major emphasis on military power

Nationalism • Devotion to one’s country • Increased pride and patriotism • Groups got idea to form independent nations • Led European nations to compete for the largest army and navy

European Imperialism • European nations ran African and Asian countries • France and England had large colonial empires • Germany and Italy desired a colonial empire

Alliance System • Nations of Europe had been making alliances for 20 years • One argument between two non-allied nations would lead all to fight

Triple Alliance • Germany • Austria-Hungary • Italy

Triple Entente • France • Russia • Great Britain

Once the War Breaks Out! Central Powers Germany Allied Powers Great Britain France Austria-Hungary Russia Ottoman Empire Italy Bulgaria Later United States 1915

Chain Reaction Assassination • Franz Ferdinand from Austria-Hungary assassinated by Serbian • Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia • Russia prepared to back Serbia • Germany declared war on Russia

Chain Reaction • Germany declared war on France • Germany declared war on Belgium • Great Britain declared war on Germany • Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia

Why a World War? • Eventually involved 32 countries • 28 countries supported the Allies • Some did not participate in the fighting

The Leaders • David Lloyd George – Great Britain • Tsar Nicholas II – Russia • Georges Clemenceau – France • Kaiser Wilhelm II – Germany Clemenceau • Woodrow Wilson – United States George

New Instruments for War • Submarine • Poison Gas • Tank • Airplane

Trench Warfare • Armies dug trenches to remain out of sight • Soldiers lived, fought, and died in trenches • Most fighting in trenches was at night

Trench Diary “Nothing to see but bare mud walls, nowhere to sit but on a wet muddy ledge; no shelter of any kind against the weather except the clothes you are wearing; no exercise you can take in order to warm yourself. ” --World War I Soldier Single click the speaker icon or audio words to hear the clip >>>>

More on Trench Warfare • Germans were first to dig trenches • Germans had tactical advantage • Trenches always filled with water

Trench Diary “Our trenches are…ankle deep mud. In some places trenches are waist deep in water. Time is spent digging, filling sandbags, building up parapets, fetching stores, etc. One does not have time to be weary. ” —Private Livesay (British Soldier) Single click the speaker icon or audio words to hear the clip >>>>

Another Diary Entry “The trench, when we reached it, was half full of mud and water. We set to work to try and drain it. Our efforts were hampered by the fact that the French, who had first occupied it, had buried their dead in the bottom and died. Every stroke of the pick encountered a body. The smell was awful. ” —Private Pollard (British Army) Single click the speaker icon or audio words to hear the clip >>>>

British Diary “We have just come out of the trenches after being in for six days and up to our waists in water. While we were in the trenches one of the Germans came over to our trench for a cigarette and then back again, and he was not fired at. We and the Germans started walking about in the open between the two trenches, repairing them, and there was no firing at all. I think they are all getting fed up with it. ” —Private Stanley Terry (British Soldier) Single click the speaker icon or audio words to hear the clip >>>>

“Over the Top” • An order to attack the other side • “No Man’s Land”-narrow strip of land between trenches. • Machine-gun fire killed the soldiers • Bodies fell on barbed wire

Battle of Verdun • Longest battle of the war • February 21 st – December 18 th, 1916 • German surprise attack on French • Estimated one million casualties

Battle of the Somme • Estimated one million casualties • British attack on Germany • July 1 st—November 13 th, 1916 • No real breakthrough for the allies

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • The most dreaded weapon of the War • Attacked without warning • Violation of international law

Sinking of the Lusitania • Sunk May 7, 1915 • British passenger-liner sailing from New York to England • Germans warned ship not to sail • Contraband (weapons) believed on board

Lusitania • 128 Americans were killed, mostly women and children • Blown up by a U-Boat in the North Sea • Wilson made demands on Germany • Germany did not agree to all demands

Zimmermann Note • Offer by Germany to Mexico to declare war against U. S. • Telegram intercepted by British Intelligence January 19 th, 1917 • Mexico would receive New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona Zimmermann • Caused extreme anti-German feeling in U. S.

America’s Early Stand on War • Woodrow Wilson was President • Campaign slogan was, “He kept us out of War. ” • Americans declared neutrality Wilson

Reasons America Enters WWI • Sinking of the Lusitania • Attacks on American trading vessels • Zimmermann Note

Wilson’s New Quotes • “The War to end all Wars” • “Let’s make the world safe for democracy”

Selective Service Act • Required all men between the ages of 21 and 30 to sign up for military service • Nearly three million were drafted

The Home Front • War Industries Board • Liberty Loans • Espionage Act • Sedition Act

War Industries Board • Regulated raw materials useful for war • Big business supported government regulations • Jobs and union membership increased • Women offered jobs formerly reserved for men

Liberty Loans • Bonds sold to help pay for the War • Numerous recruiting posters with Uncle Sam saying, “I Want You” Single click the speaker icon or audio words to hear the clip >>>>

Espionage Act - 1917 • Punished anyone found guilty of not helping war effort • First Amendment rights were restricted

Sedition Act - 1918 • Prohibited any speech that was considered anti-American or against the war effort

Home Front Sacrifices • Herbert Hoover-U. S. Food Administrator • Meatless Mondays • Wheatless Wednesdays Hoover

Revolution in Russia • Domestic issues suffered as Tsar Nicolas II oversaw war effort • Nov. 7, 1917 -Bolshevik socialists take control, led by Vladimir Lenin • Trotsky signed armistice with Germany • Treaty of Brest Litovsk Tsar Nicholas II

Armistice Day • Occurred November 11, 1918 • 11 th hour on the 11 th day of the 11 th month • Germany signed ceasefire that ended war

Total Casualties • • • Russia France Great Britain Germany Austria-Hungary United States 9, 150, 000 6, 160, 800 3, 190, 300 7, 142, 600 7, 020, 000 364, 800

America After the War • U. S. became richest nation in world • U. S. had not suffered like Europe • War inspired higher wages and improved standard of living • Americans desired isolation and normalcy again

Wilson’s Plan for Peace • Referred to as Fourteen Points • Included no secret treaties, freedom of the seas, reduced tariff barriers and weapons • League of Nations most controversial point Wilson

Controversy and The League of Nations • Senate did not ratify U. S. joining the League

Treaty of Versailles - June 28, 1919 • Formal agreement to end W. W. I • Germany stripped of colonies and other assets • Germany fined $33 billion for starting the war

Concluding Thoughts • • The roots of WWII planted at Versailles Revenge sought in Wilson’s absence War ended Germans left bitter