Download World War I

World War I
The War
to end
all War
Europe at the Start of War
Germany is #9
Great Britain #1
Austria-Hungary #12
Russia #13
France #8
Belgium #5
Serbia #16
Romania #17
Ottoman Empire #26
The System of Alliances
 Intense nationalism, the political and economic rivalry
among the nations, and the establishment and maintenance
of large armaments and of two hostile military alliances led
to the war.
 The nations were arming themselves for the purpose of
self-defense and forming alliances with neighboring
countries so as not to “stand alone” in a time of crisis.
 Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple
Alliance (or Central Powers)
 Britain, France and Russia formed the Triple Entente (or
Allies)
Austrian Archduke Ferdinand
Austrian Archduke Francis
Ferdinand was heir
apparent and nephew of
Austrian Emperor
Francis Joseph.While he
and his wife rode in an
open car in Sarajevo,
Bosnia, they were
assassinated by Serbian
nationalist Gavrilo
Princip.
The War Begins - 1914
 June 28: Archduke Ferdinand of AustriaHungary is assassinated
 July 28: Austria declares war on Serbia;
Russia mobilizes against Austria
 August 1: Germany declares war on Russia
 August 3: Germany declares war on France
 August 4: Germany invades Belgium;
Britain declares war on Germany
U.S. Reaction
 President Woodrow Wilson urged peace
and insisted that the U.S. remain neutral.
 American people split:


New immigrants, who were generally from
Southern & Eastern Europe, favored the Central
Powers
Old-line immigrants from Northern & Western
Europe favored the Allies
 America continued to trade with both sides but a
British blockade on German ports meant that
Germany could not usually reach the U.S.
 Nearly all trade was with the Allies (from 1914-1916):


Allied trade went from $800 million to $3 billion
Central powers from $170 million to $1 million
 Loans to the two sides were also affected by the
blockade:


$2.3 billion was loaned to the Allied nations
$27 million loaned to the Central Powers
 Both sides began to attack shipping - Germany
sinking ships and Britain seizing cargoes.
Trench Warfare
Germany’s strategy for the western front focused on
sweeping through Belgium and then quickly
destroying the French forces. After faltering at first,
the French were able to hold back the German forces
and fighting soon deteriorated into trench warfare.
Between 1915 and 1918, French and German forces
built a massive network of trenches along the front
which extended 500 miles from Switzerland to the
North Sea. Battle lines remained almost stationary for
the three years.
Trench Warfare
Trenches were cut through battlefield fronts in Europe to protect troops from deadly
artillery and machine-gun fire. Firing trenches were backed by cover trenches, which
provided a second line of defense in case enemies overran the firing trench. Each was
about 1.8 to 2.5 m (6 to 8 ft) deep. Off-duty troops lived in dugouts in the support
trenches. Supplies, food, and fresh troops moved to the front through a network of
reserve and communications trenches. Between the trenches of opposing forces lay
no-man’s-land.
A New Kind of War
Early in WWI, troops
march and the cavalry
charges (like the wars
of old); then the
brutal efficiency of a
new kind of warfare
emerges – the
machine gun, gas and
trench warfare.
The Submarine
The “Unterseeboote” (or U-boat)
Although Britain, Germany, Russia and the U.S. all had
submarine technology, it was the German concept of
unrestricted submarine warfare (targeting both war ships
and merchant ships) that gave them the advantage in WWI.
The Airplane
 Airplanes were still in their
infancy but would be used
for both reconnaissance and
fighting (mostly air to air
but some air to ground as
well).
 They would prove their
worth so much that air
forces were incorporated
into the militaries of all
major powers after the war.
 The US developed the
Army Air Force (a division
of the US Army) and also
had naval air forces
Tanks
 Unterschutzengrabenvernichtigungskraftwagen


Under shooting ditch destruction strong wagon
Trench Destruction Truck
The Lusitania
On May 7, 1915, the Cunard
liner Lusitania was
torpedoed off the Irish
coast by a German
submarine. It sank in just
20 minutes. 1,198 people
died (128 Americans) as a
result. The Germans
claimed it as a fair target
as they believed she was
carrying arms which the
British and the US denied
(recent explorations of the
wreck suggest this may
have been true).
The Lusitania
Popular feeling in the US
was strong against
Germany and most
demanded the US go to
war. The US did not but
Germany promised not to
target passenger liners.
Germany even went so far
as to place advertisements
in American newspapers
warning people of the
dangers of traveling on
ships of belligerent nations
The Arabic and the Sussex
 On Aug 15, 1915 a
German U-boat
torpedoed the British
liner the Arabic killing
2 more Americans.
 On Sept 1, Germany
promised not to sink
unarmed passenger
liners.
 On Mar 24, 1916 a
German U-boat sank
the French steamer the
Sussex injuring several
Americans.
 On May 31, Germany
agreed to abide by the
rules of visit and
search.
Early Battles - The Western Front
 Sept 6-9, 1914 - First Battle of the Marne - the
French were able to halt the German advance
 Late 1914 (1st Battle of Ypres, Battle of Flanders,
etc.) - these marked the end of the war of
movement and the beginning of trench warfare on
the western front.
 April 22-May 25, 1915 - 2nd Battle of Ypres Germany conducted an experiment of a new
military weapon - chlorine gas.
In Flanders Fields




In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)
Early Battles - The Eastern Front
 In 1914, Austria invaded Serbia
 Aug 26-30, 1914 - Battle of Tannenberg - the
Russian army is defeated by the Germans after
some initial successes
 The Russians were also defeated at the two battles
at the Masurian Lakes in 1914 and 1915.
 When Bulgaria declared war on Serbia (Oct 14,
1915), Allied troops advanced to Serbia.
 By the end of 1915, the Central powers had
conquered and taken over Serbia.
More on the Eastern Front
 The Ottoman Empire entered on Oct 29, 1914
when it helped the Germans attack Russian port
cities on the Black Sea.
 Russia declared war on the Ottomans on Nov 2;
Britain and France did too (on Nov 5) and a
campaign was begun that included British forces
from India
 Italy declared war on Austria on May 23, 1915
and made four attempts to break through Austrian
lines (all unsuccessful).
Battle of Verdun
 Feb 21 - Dec 16, 1916
 Between French and German Forces
 Took place at the Fortress at Verdun on the
heights above the Meuse River in Northeastern
France - the eastern extremity of the trench line in
France - strategic point but the 10 month long
battle proved totally indecisive
 Losses totaled 680,000 casualties - 350,000 for the
French, 330,000 German
 French were weakened economically as well
Preparing for War
Although the U.S. was
still officially neutral,
military recruiting
continued from 1914
through 1918.
Eventually, 4 million
would serve in the
armed forces with 2
million going to
Europe.
American Contributions
 As the war progressed, Americans began to
help the war effort by reducing the use of
supplies that could benefit the Army.
 “Meatless” and “heatless” or “gasless” days
were common.
 Many states restricted the manufacture of
alcohol so that the grain could be shipped to the
Allies
 Anything to help the boys in uniform!
(Gen. John Pershing speaking to the American people)
America Declares War
 On April 2, 1917, after
Germany announced
the resumption of
unrestricted submarine
warfare and the
Zimmerman note
fiasco, Wilson asked
Congress for a
declaration of war –
and got it.
American Home Front - Mobilizing...
 Manpower: Selective Service Act (May 1917)
required all men to register for the draft - 2.2
million eventually drafted
 Industry: Council of National Defense (June 1917)
mobilized factories for wartime production created the War Industries Board




standardized production to cut costs
defined what could be manufactured (or not)
fixed prices
Ultimately increased United States production by 20%
before the end of the war
American Home Front - Mobilizing...
 Transportation:


International: War Shipping Board built or bought merchant
vessels to increase capacity to 10 million tons (from 1 million) built 2 ships for every 1 sunk by German submarines
Domestic: Railroads taken over by the government in Dec 1917
and operated as one system - efficient!
 Farming: Food Administration (Aug 1917) run by Herbert
Hoover




stimulate production by promising to buy all grain for $2 a bushel
other food products encouraged in the same manner
urged people to “hooverize” or find substitutes for meat and
cereals
Food exports in 1918 were twice those of any prewar year
American Home Front - Mobilizing...
 Natural Resources: Fuel Administration stimulated
production & cut down on consumption of coal & oil



spurred miners to work harder and produce more
led to “fuelless Mondays” and “gasless Sundays”
created daylight savings time to conserve fuel too
 Finance:Paid own expenses of $22billion plus loaned
$9billion to Allies to purchase American goods.
Raised money by


taxes - increased in volume and variety
“Liberty bonds” sold to Americans
Mobilizing… Public Opinion
 Domestic: Committee on Public Information (Apr 1917)
under George Creel to make sure Americans were aware of
America’s war aims
 Foreign: Wilson emphasized the war was with the
governments of the Central Powers - not the people. Proposed
the Fourteen Points on Jan 22, 1918
 Treatment of Disloyalty:


Espionage Act (June 1917) - couldn’t obstruct recruiting or spread
treason among the people
Sedition Act (May 1918) - couldn’t obstruct the sale of war bonds,
discourage recruiting, or verbally abuse the government

Oct 1918 - aliens who advocated overthrow of the government could
be deported without a jury trial - 190 tried, 1/2 convicted
Sending the Troops
 Naval Operations



The US Navy had two tasks - Sink submarines
and convoy troop ships to Europe
Mines were used to keep U-boats in port and
the US also figured out how to detect enemy
subs underwater
About half of the German sub fleet was
destroyed in the last year of the war while only
six US transports were torpedoed (2 survived)
Sending the Troops - the Army
 The Army rushed troops through 6 months
of training and to Europe as fast as they
could.
 The American Expeditionary Force only got
about 200,000 men to Europe in 1917 but
about 2,000,000 were sent in 1918.
The Military Situation in Europe
 By October 1917, Italy had been defeated at
Caporetto
 In March 1918, the Russians (now under a
Communist government after the overthrow
of Czar Nicholas II) withdrew from the war
with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
 By June 15, 1918, German troops were
threatening Paris
The US Arrives
 Between March and October 1918, 1,750,000
American troops reached France
 The US saw their first serious fighting after
July 15, 1918 in the Second Battle of the
Marne.
 With the French, the US stemmed the German
advance on Chateau-Thierry.
 In September, the US won back the San-Mihiel
salient, a triangle jutting into Allied territory
The San Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne
 Video sequences taken
from the San Mihiel
offensive and the
Meuse-Argonne
offensive.
 The US is involved in
these battles.
More US Fighting
 Beginning in September, the US began a
47-day battle to capture the Meuse-Argonne
area and cut a railroad line that supplied
most of the German front. More than 1.2
million American participated
 Germany suffered similar defeats all along
the western front and informed Wilson that
they would consider peace
The Armistice - Peace at last!
 Kaiser Wilhelm II fled Germany and a
parliamentary government was established
on October 3, 1918
 After a month of negotiations, Germany and
the Allies signed an Armistice on
November 11, 1918 (to become effective at
11 AM)
 All was quiet on the western front
Peace Negotiations
 Obstacles to Peace



Republicans won control of both houses of
Congress in the 1918 elections
France and Britain wanted to punish Germany
for causing the war
In the chaos and poverty following the war,
Communism threatened to expand out of Russia
and take over the rest of Europe
Peace Negotiations
 President Wilson himself led the American
delegation - he only took one Republican and
no members of Congress
 The Peace conference opened at Versailles on
January 18, 1919 with the Big Four making all
of the decisions (Wilson for the US, Georges
Clemenceau for France, David Lloyd George
for England, and Vittorio Orlando for Italy
The Treaty of Versailles




June 28, 1919
Germany was forced to admit guilt
Germany was stripped of her colonies
Germany lost the territories of Alsace-Lorraine,
Posen, the Saar Basin, parts of Schleswig & others
 Germany had to pay reparations of
$56,500,000,000 for the cost of the war
 Germany lost her entire military and naval
establishment
The Treaty of Versailles
 A League of Nations would be created





purpose was to ensure peace
Included an International Court of Justice
it would mediate disputes between nations
members could not declare war unless attacked
members would come to the aid of other
members if they were attacked
 Europeans generally accepted the League
The “Big Four” make the Treaty
 The Big Four
dominated the treaty
making –




Woodrow Wilson (the
US)
David Lloyd George
(England)
Vittorio Orlando (Italy)
Georges Clemenceau
(France)
Wilson’s fight for the League
 Since Wilson didn’t take any Republicans
to the negotiations, they were unwilling to
support the treaty
 The treaty (and League) would also
potentially take away Congress’ war
declaring powers so many were unwilling to
support it
Three groups began to form
 Wilsonians - those who supported the treaty
as it was
 Irreconcilables - those who opposed any
participation in the League
 Reservationists - those who would support
League participation if certain amendments
(reservations) were included
Wilson fights for the League
 To convince Americans that the League of
Nations (and therefore the Treaty of
Versailles) was necessary to ensure peace,
he went on a 22-day speaking tour of the
Midwest, giving 40 speeches to gathered
crowds.
 On October 2, 1919, Wilson suffered a
stroke while in Colorado that permanently
incapacitated him
The Senate and the Treaty
 Wilson refused to compromise on the
Treaty and encouraged Democrats to only
accept the treaty as it was written
 The Senate voted on November 19, 1919


Without reservations, only the Wilsonians
supported the treaty
With reservations, only the reservationists
supported the treaty
The Treaty is defeated
 The Treaty is brought to a vote again in March
1920, and is again defeated
 After the presidential election in 1920 where
Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge defeated
James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt, the treaty had
no hope of passing
 The election results were taken as a mandate to
NOT participate in the League of Nations
therefore the League was doomed to failure
 On August 25, 1921 Congress adopted a joint
resolution declaring the war was over