Download World War I PPT

The First World War or
“Great War”
What was it?
•War involving nearly all the nations of the
world
When was it?
•1914-1918
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Europe: Pre and Post WWI
 MAIN Causes of WWI-Long
term
 Militarism – the aggressive build-up of a
nation’s armed forces.
 Alliances – nations formed partnerships
to help protect and defend themselves.

 Imperialism – stronger nations began to
take over weaker nations.
 Nationalism – everybody thought their
nation was the best; this led to radicals
The Alliance System in
Europe before WWI
Dual Alliance
Germany & Austria-Hungary
The Triple Alliance Germany, Austria- Hungary, Italy
Franco-Russian Alliance France & Russia
Entente Cordial
Britain & France
Triple Entente
Britain, France, Russia
The First World War:
Why?
Long term -
1. Militarism
2. Alliances
3. Imperialism
4. Nationalism
Short term Assassination of
Franz Ferdinand of
the AustroHungarian Empire by
Serbian Nationalist,
Gavrilo Princip
6
Declarations of War
 July 23: Austria-Hungary presents ultimatum to Serbia.
 July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
 July 30: Russia mobilizes troops against Germany and
Austria-Hungary
 August 1: Germany declares war on Russia
 August 2: Germany invades Luxembourg
 August 3: Germany declares war on France
 August 4: Germany invades Belgium
 August 4: Great Britain declares war on Germany
 August 6: Austria declares war on Russia
 August 12: France and Britain declare war on Austria
Hungary
Taking Sides in the First
World War:
Who?
Central Powers:
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Allies:
Russia
France
Great Britain
Italy
Japan
United States
(1917)
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WWI becomes a War of
“Attrition”
Tanks
Barbed Wire
Mustard gas
Flamethrowers
Machine Guns
Grenades
Trenches
American Neutrality
Wilson called on
Americans to be
“neutral in fact as
well as in name,
impartial in
thought as well as
in action.”
Discuss with your group:
•Is isolationism really an option for a
country as powerful as the United States?
Why did America want to
remain neutral?
 Neutrality was profitable for awhile
(trade with both sides)
 Isolationists-“Why should the US get
involved in Europe’s problems?”
 Wilson wanted to stay out of the war so
he could negotiate the peace process
 Immigrants were from all over the
world-supported every side in the war.
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Which side should the US
choose?
Central Powers:
•11 mil. GermanAmericans
•Irish-Americans
hated Great
Britain
Allies:
•Close cultural
ties
•Big business
loaned $ to allies
US Exports to both sides:
Nations
Britain
France
Germany
1914
1915
1916
$594,271,863 $911,794,954 $1,526,685,102
$159,818,924 $364,397,170 $628,851,988
$344,794,276 $28,863,354
$288,899
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How was the war looking
for the allies?
Not Good...
•Russia left the war after its communist
revolution in 1917
•Made it a one front war for Germany - all its
troops could concentrate on France
•Trench warfare created a stalemate
•Civilians were suffering—food shortages,
hoarding, rationing, millions of young men being
called to war, dying.
14
What did it take to get
the US involved?
1. Blockades
•Britain blockaded (stopped) all German
ships going to America
•Germany announced a submarine war
around Britain
15
What did it take to get the
US involved?
1. Blockades
•In May, 1915 Germany told Americans to stay
off of British ships
•They could/would sink them
16
What did it take to get the
US involved?
1. Blockades
•Lusitania (British
passenger ship)
torpedoed, sunk with
1200 passengers and
crew (including 128
Americans)
•Ship was eventually
found to be carrying
4200 cases of
ammunition
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What did it take to get the
US involved?
2. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
•1917 Germany announced “unlimited
submarine warfare” in the war zone—no ship
was safe
Why? Otherwise their blockade would not be
successful
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Background
 US was growing in every way– Population-millions of
immigrants
– industry and technology
– production/trade
 Europe was experiencing problems– Hunger
– Poverty
– Ethnic strife
What did it take to get the
US involved?
3. Zimmerman Note
•US intercepted a note from Germany to
Mexico
•It promised Texas, New Mexico, and
Arizona back in return for an alliance
•Violation of the Monroe Doctrine
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The US Enters the War
 “We desire no conquest, no
dominion. We seek no
indemnities for ourselves,
no material compensation
for the sacrifices we shall
freely make. We are but one
of the champion of the rights
of mankind. …the US
participation in the war
would make the world “safe
for democracy.”
 Why did Wilson say the US
would participate in this
War?
Convincing the American
People
Idealism: Fourteen Points
What was it? President
Wilson’s Plan for after
the war
•Fourteen
promises, including
freedom of the
seas & a League
of Nations to
work for peace
President Woodrow Wilson
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Convincing the American
People
 How would the US raise an army to
fight in Europe?
– Selective Service Act of 1917required men 21-30 to register with
the government and be eligible for a
“draft”
How would the US get the
people to support the War?-Propaganda
•How do you think this
poster helped to
convince the American
people that the war
was a good idea?
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Convincing the people
 Propaganda- spreading ideas or
information as a means of mass
persuasion
– Committee on Public Information
•Published pamphlets, papers,
newspaper articles
•The four-minute man (stump
speeches)
What did the US do to help
win the War?
•US provided the food,
money, and fresh
troops needed to win
the war
•Doughboys
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How did the War Affect the
US?
Women
•Filled factory jobs
•Contributed to the 19th Amendment
after the war (Gave women the right to
vote)
African Americans
•Black soldiers still served in Segregated
Units
•“Great Migration” - thousands of
African Americans moved North to work in
factories
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How did the War Affect the
US?
Enforcing Loyalty
•Hatred of all things German
•Ex. “Liberty Cabbage”
•Espionage Act 1917 & Sedition Act of
1918 punished those against the war
(many labor leaders)
•Individual freedoms and privacy
sacrificed for the War effort
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Armistice Day

Kaiser fled, Germans laid down arms at 11th
hour on 11th day of 11th month
(Nov 11,1918)
Where do we go from
here?Wilson’s Fourteen Points
 Wilson wanted quick peace-- worried about
spread of Communism from Russia
 Goals:
– Avoid another war
– Avoid spread of Communism
– Rebuild Europe
 Main Points:
– Adjust borders of countries for self-rule by
ethnic groups
– Limit size, weapons of armies
– Change colonial system by giving colonies a
vote
– Create a League of Nations
Treaty of Versailles (1919)
 Fell into hands of Big 4-US, Italy, France,
Great Britain
 Germany & Austria not allowed voice in
treaty
 Russia not
Present
 Britain and
France want
revenge
Treaty of Versailles
(1919)
 Called ‘politics of hatred’
 Conditions:
– Responsibility-Germany
– Reparations -$36 billion
– German colonies divided
among winners
– Germany not allowed to have
A draft-military destroyed
League of Nations
 Wilson’s goal…
 US Senate…
 Failed ultimately
because no US
support,
participation
 Repercussions….
The Changing Map of
Europe
What were the effects of
WWI?
 10-13 million people died (1/3 civilians)
 20 million wounded
 Estimated cost – $300 billion
 Rise of communism (Red Scare in US)
 US becomes a world power
 New countries: Estonia, Finland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia,
Poland
 Dissatisfied and outcast nations: Japan, Italy,
Russia and Germany
These nations become WWII Axis
powers