WORLD WAR I THE WAR TO END ALL

WORLD WAR I “THE WAR TO END ALL WARS”

Statistics World War One included: ¢ 3 Continents ¢ 31 Countries ¢ 65 Million Soldiers ¢ 37 Million Casualties ¢ 91, 198 Deaths by Gas ¢ 6, 395 Allied and Neutral Ships Lost ¢ $186. 3 Billion Financial Losses ¢

Countries Involved Allied Countries • Serbia • Russia • France • Belgium • Great Britain • Liberia • Japan • Montenegro • Italy • San Marino • Portugal • Romania • Greece • China • U. S. • Cuba • Nicaragua • Brazil • Siam • Costa Rica • Guatemala • Haiti • Honduras Central Countries • Austria-Hungary • Germany • Ottoman Empire • Bulgaria Countries that only cut off trade • Bolivia • Ecuador • Peru • Uruguay That Should Add Up To 31 Countries

System of Alliances By 1914, Europe was split into two hostile alliance systems. ¢ Such a situation contains inherent dangers. Counting on the support of its allies, a country might pursue a more reckless course. ¢ Furthermore, a conflict between two states might spark a chain reaction that draws in the other countries, transforming a limited war into a general war. ¢

System of Alliances ¢ ¢ ¢ Europe was broken into two hostile camps: the Triple Entente of France, Russia, and Britain and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (would drop out and be replaced by the Ottoman Empire). The costly arms race and the maintenance of large standing armies by all states except Britain served to increase fear and suspicion between the alliances. Countries in Europe had become war machines linked to one another through a web of diplomatic alliances---the chaos just needed to be set in order

Immediate Cause Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip, June 28 th, 1914. First Bomb Gunshots Gav. Princip Archduke Ferdinand

The Drift toward War: The Balkan Wars ¢ ¢ ¢ A series of wars in the Balkans strained relations between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria. Hungary, was assassinated while making a state visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. Gavrilo Princip, a young revolutionary assassin from Bosnia, was linked to the Serbian army. Austria-Hungary decided to use the assassination as a pretext to crush Serbia.

Immediate Cause Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip, June 28 th, 1914. First Bomb Gunshots Gav. Princip Archduke Ferdinand

The Drift toward War: The Balkan Wars ¢ ¢ ¢ Seeking a military solution rather than a diplomatic one, Austria presented a list of ultimatums to Serbia that it could not possibly meet. l When Serbia could not agree to all of the demands, Austria-Hungary mobilized its army. Germany pledged to support Austria, believing that a war with Russia was inevitable anyway; Italy did not, thus breaking the Triple Alliance. On July 28, 1914, Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia, with the assurance of French support, began to mobilize its army.

Escalation After the Archduke was killed, a series of events was set in motion, to change the world. 1. A-H declared war on Serbia. 2. Russia mobilized to aid Serbia. 3. Germany aids A-H, declares war on Russia. 4. France mobilizes to aid Russia. 5. Germany declares war on France. 6. Germany invades Belgium. 7. UK declares war on Germany. 8. OE mobilizes to aid Germany and A-H. 9. Italy joins France, UK, and Russia. 10. Bulgaria joins OE, Germany, and A-H. 11. US joins Italy, France, UK, and Russia

The Schlieffen Plan ¢ German plan to avoid defeat from Russia by taking out France first and then fight Russians. l Smash France in 30 days before Russia could respond with troops l Go through Belgium to surround French troops, defeat the French and then rush to Poland front on the German rail system to face Russia l Once Russia began to mobilize, Germany had to attack France.

World War I ¢ ¢ ¢ Russia wanted to stop 15 days into the 30 day time table/Germany did not want to risk it On August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia and implemented the Schlieffen Plan. Once they invaded Belgium (August 4, 1914) on their way to France, Great Britain joined the war.

War as Celebration ¢ Everyone believed that it would be a short war. l ¢ ¢ ¢ (6 weeks) News of war was greeted by most Europeans with great enthusiasm and with outpourings of patriotism and nationalism. For decades, state-directed education had indoctrinated youth with nationalist attitudes, beliefs, and myths designed to promote social cohesion. Thus, Europe marched off to war with great joy, anticipating a great adventure and national glory.

The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature

The Schlieffen Plan ¢ ¢ ¢ Invade western front 1 st After defeating France concentrate on the Eastern front Avoid fighting a 2 front war

The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature ¢ ¢ Germany made vast encircling movement through Belgium to enter Paris Underestimated speed of the British mobilization l Quickly sent troops to France

The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature ¢ Sept 6 -10, 1914 l l l Battle of Marne Stopped the Germans but French troops were exhausted Both sides dug trenches for shelter STALEMATE

The Trenches ¢ ¢ Trenches dug from English Channel to Switzerland 6, 250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both sides for 4 years

The Trenches

Life in the Trenches ¢ Elaborate systems of defense l l barbed wire Concrete machine gun nests Mortar batteries Troops lived in holes underground

Life in the Trenches

“Death is everywhere” ¢ ¢ ¢ “We all had on us the stench of dead bodies. ” Death numbed the soldier’s minds. Shell shock Psychological devastation

“Death is everywhere” ¢ Mustard gas l l l Carried by the wind Burned out soldier’s lungs Deadly in the trenches where it would sit at the bottom

Life in the Trenches ¢ Trench warfare baffled military leaders l l l Attempt a breakthrough Then return to a war of movement Millions of young men sacrificed attempting the breakthrough

Battle of Verdun ¢ ¢ 10 months 700, 000 men killed

The changes of war ¢ New weapons crippled the “frozen front” Poison gas (mustard gas) l Hand grenades l Flame throwers l Tanks l Airplanes l Subs l

Stalemate ¢ The Germans could not quickly secure victory over the French, however, because the Russian army mobilized faster than anticipated and the Germans had to divert troops to the Eastern Front. l ¢ The Germans had great success against the Russians; however, the resources needed to fight on the Eastern Front ensured that the stalemate on the Western front would continue. The result was a deadlock that neither side could break.

Empire at War ¢ ¢ The horrors of war reached across continents. The sprawling Ottoman Empire battled Britishand Russian-led forces in Egypt, Iraq, and the Caucasus. In East Asia, Japan declared war on Germany and seized German possessions in China. The British and French conscripted colonial subjects: l l l India: 1 million soldiers to Allies. (60, 000 died) Africa: more than 1 million soldiers, 3 million transported goods. (150, 000 died) Australia, New Zealand, and Canada: Over 1 million.

American Neutrality · Officially, the U. S. was a neutral country. · However, we traded food, weapons, oil, steel, and other goods far more with the Allied Powers than with the Central Powers.

· Both the Allied Powers and Central powers used propaganda in order to support their cause by making their enemies seem savage.

Freedom of the Seas · The U. S. , as a neutral nation, claimed the right to trade with either side in the war. · However, Britain and Germany set up blockades around the British and German coasts.

· German submarines, called U-boats, torpedoed enemy ships and neutral ships trading with the enemy.

A German U-boat Torpedoes a Steamer, circa 1916

· In 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the Lusitania, a British passenger ship, killing approximately 1, 200 people, including 128 Americans.

· Americans were infuriated with the destruction of the Lusitania.

Moving Toward War Zimmermann telegram: – secret message from Germany to Mexico urging Mexico to attack the U. S. if the U. S. declared war on Germany – Germany promised to help Mexico regain land it lost to the U. S. in the Mexican War. * The U. S. declared war on the Central Powers in 1917.

(above) Zimmermann Telegram as Received by the German Ambassador to Mexico, 01/19/1917 (right) decoded words

Zimmermann Telegram: Decoded Message

“Over There” by George M. Cohan Chorus Over there, over there, Send the word, send the Johnnie, get your gun, word over there Get your gun, get your gun, That the Yanks are coming, Take it on the run, The Yanks are coming, On the run, on the run. The drums rum-tumming Hear them calling, you and me, Ev'rywhere. Every son of liberty. So prepare, say a pray'r, Hurry right away, Send the word, send the No delay, go today, word to beware. Make your daddy glad We'll be over, we're coming To have had such a lad. over, Tell your sweetheart not to pine, And we won't come back till To be proud her boy's in line. it's over (chorus sung twice) Over there.

U. S. Involvement ¢ ¢ The U. S. declared war on Germany in April 1917. Many reasons: unrestricted submarine warfare (Lusitania), Zimmerman telegram, British propaganda, the Russian Revolution With America’s entry, the war was transformed (at least according to Woodrow Wilson) into a moral crusade: an ideological conflict between democracy and autocracy. He had been able to claim that because of the revolution in Russia.

How did the U. S Help to Secure an Allied Victory in WWI? U. S. troops added new energy, manpower, and firepower to the allied cause ¢ U. S. industry, untouched by war, provided the weapons and technology needed to win ¢ The entrance of the U. S. (toward the end of the war) broke the stalemate and pushed the allies to victory ¢

Armistice: November 11, 1918 ¢ ¢ ¢ In March 1918, Russians sign separate peace with Germans (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) l With Russia out of the war, the Germans prepared for a decisive offensive before the U. S. could land sufficient troops in France to help the Allies. A war of attrition now favored the Allies, who could count on American supplies and manpower. l Without an immediate and decisive victory, Germany could not win the war. The offensive failed. Fearing an Allied invasion of Germany, Kaiser William II abdicates and flees to Holland. A new German Republic is organized that signed an armistice on November 11, 1918, ending the hostilities.

Cost of the war ¢ 15 million people were killed. l ¢ About 1/3 of the soldiers that fought in the war were wounded. The economic cost was severe. Estimates put the damage at about 100 trillion modern U. S. dollars. l The European economy was left in shambles and the U. S. emerged as the dominant world economic power. l

The Spanish Flu (Influenza)1918 ¢ ¢ Struck in the trenches of the western front and then flourished when soldiers returned home. It became the greatest public health disaster of modern history l l The pandemic killed between 22 and 30 million people worldwide, or roughly twice as many as had died during the fighting In Spain, it killed roughly 40 percent of the population (8 million), thus giving it the name of the Spanish Influenza. British colonial troops carried it to India where it killed 12 million. No disease, plague, war, famine, or natural catastrophe in world history had killed so many people in such a short time.

“I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it. " Woodrow Wilson, 1919

Why did the US Reject the Treaty of Versailles? ¢ ¢ Critics of the Treaty believed that the League would drag the US into future European wars (Senator Henry Cabot Lodge) Americans were “war weary” and wanted to return to isolationism Wilson suffered a stroke and was unable to sell the treaty to the people The US refused to join the League of Nations, making the League a “paper tiger” or weak on the world stage.

Causes of WWI • Nationalistic pride • Competition for colonies • Military buildup • Tangled web of alliances • Assassination of Franz Ferdinand Effects of WWI • Destruction in Europe • Boom in American economy • Suppression of dissent in the U. S. • Allied victory • Defeated empires lose their colonies • The U. S. emerges from the war as a world leader and an economic giant