Download World War I

World War I
Reasons for WWI
• M•A • I•N -
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
An Attempt to Create a
Balance of Power
• The reason behind alliances was to create
a balance of power that would prevent
war.
– The Big Idea: one side will not dare to attack
the other side if both sides have powerful
friends.
– Gradually, two very powerful alliances
emerged.
Military Alliances (1914)
• Triple Alliance (3 countries; color red on map)
– Germany
– Austria-Hungary
– Italy (dropped out and eventually fought on Allies’ side)
• Triple Entente (Color yellow on map)
– France
– Great Britain
– Russia
Key Leaders(1914)
• Central Powers (1914)
– Germany (Kaiser William II)
– Austria-Hungary (Emperor Francis Joseph)
– Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
• Allies (1915)
– France (Georges Clemenceau)
– Great Britain (Prime Minister David Lloyd George)
– Russia (Czar Nicholas II; Vladimir Lenin after
Communist take-over (Russian Revolution) in 1917
– United States (Woodrow Wilson) (1917)
World War I Alliance System
Central Powers
Triple Entente
Balance of Power Created?
•NO WAY!
• Feelings of distrust
• Tensions increased
• In fact, tensions were so high by 1914
that the only thing missing to ignite a
major war was a spark. That spark
came on June 28, 1914.
What happened on 28 June 1914?
On a bright summer’s day, 28 June 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie, heirs to one of the wealthiest empires in Europe got into their car and drove
through the elegant streets of Sarajevo in Bosnia. The couple were extremely happy that
day – it was their wedding anniversary.
A murder with millions of victims!
Artist’s impression of the moment when Gavrilo Princip stepped forward to
the car and shoots the Archduke in the chest, and Sophie in the stomach.
Reason for the Murder…
• On a spring night in 1914, a small group of young
revolutionaries huddled around a café table in Belgrade,
Serbia as they read a newspaper article.
• The article said Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the AustrianHungarian throne, would visit Sarajevo, the capital of
neighboring Bosnia on June 28.
• The group was very angry! You see, June 28, 1389 was the
date on which Serbia had been conquered by the Ottoman
Empire (Turkey) more than 500 years earlier.
• On June 28, 1912—the very same day, Serbia had at last
gained its freedom from Turkey, neighboring Bosnia, home to
many Serbs, was still ruled by Austria-Hungary.
• The group could not believe Archduke Ferdinand had the
nerve to chose this special day to come to Bosnia, They made
their plan immediately: “Death to the tyrant!”
The Plan…
• Among the group was a 19-year-old Serbian
youth named Gavrilo Princip. He belonged
to the terrorist group known as Black Hand,
and on June 28, he would be waiting on the
streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia… waiting to take
the life of Archduke Ferdinand.
• June 28th was a special day for Archduke
Ferdinand, as well. It was his 14th wedding
anniversary to Countess Sophie. He ignored
warnings of unrest in Sarajevo, and
proceeded with his plans.
The Murder…
• As the royal motorcade drove through Sarajevo,
seven (7) members of the Black hand positioned
themselves along the route.
– Several carried crude hand bombs and pistols.
– The first two lost their nerve as the motorcade
passed by.
– The third threw a bomb at the archduke’s car.
– The bomb missed the archduke’s car but injured
an officer in another car.
– After stopping to see what happened, the royal
couple continued with the day’s program.
The Murder…
• Despite the failures of his co-terrorists, Gavrilo
Princip stayed with his plan and held his position
along the route that the motorcade would follow
later that day.
– After leaving the town hall, Archduke Ferdinand asked to
visit the officer who had been injured earlier.
– However, no one told the chauffeur to drive to the
hospital, so he followed the old route. When told to
change direction, he stopped to put the car in reverse—
right in front of the spot where Gavrilo Princip was
standing.
– Seizing this opportunity, Gavrilo sprang toward the car
and fired twice into the back seat.
Both died within minutes from their wounds. Two
bullets were
about to lead to the deaths of a further 20 million men!
Archduke’s bloodstained jacket
Gavrilo Princip, Serbian terrorist
War Breaks Out
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Triple Alliance (3 countries; red on your map)
– Germany
– Austria-Hungary
– Italy (eventually dropped out)
Triple Entente (yellow on your map)
– France
– Great Britain
– Russia
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination.
A month later (July 28th), Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Russia, an ally of Serbia, began to mobilize to come to the aid of
Serbia.
Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary (Triple Alliance), declared war on
Russia.
France, an ally of Russia (Triple Entente) declared war on Germany.
Germany declared war on France.
War Breaks Out
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Triple Alliance (3 countries; red on your map)
– Germany
– Austria-Hungary
– Italy (eventually dropped out)
Triple Entente (yellow on your map)
– France
– Great Britain
– Russia
In order to quickly get its troops into northern France, Germany
invaded neutral Belgium.
Great Britain was outraged at Germany’s invasion of Belgium. Fearing
the defeat of France and Russia, Great Britain declared war on
Germany.
By August 6, 1914, Germany and Austria-Hungary, known as the
Central Powers and Russia, France, and Great Britain, known as the
Allied Powers were at war, and many other nations (28 in all) would join.
• World War I was underway!
War Breaks Out
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As the war began, Germany quickly swept through Belgium heading
toward Paris. (Schlieffen Plan)
However, Russia mobilized more quickly than Germany expected, and
after the Russians won a few small victories, the Germans quickly sent
some of their forces to the Eastern Front. This weakened the German
forces on the Western Front.
When British forces reached France, the German offensive stalled.
Both sides then dug in for the winter. Except for brief failed attempts
to advance, the battle lines would remained almost the same for
almost 4 years! On the Western Front, the two sides dug a vast
systems of trenches that stretched from the English Channel to the
Swiss border.
• Trench warfare was a combination or
extreme boredom and extreme misery
with death always lurking nearby.
Life in the Trenches
NOT Like This! War is NOT Nice!
Trench Foot
Trench Foot
No-Man’s Land
No-Man’s Land
No-Man’s Land
New Weapons: U-Boats
New Weapons: Airplanes
New Weapons: Zeppelins
New Weapons: Tanks
New Weapons: Machine Guns
New Weapons: Mustard Gas
Gas Masks
Soldiers on Both Sides
Battle of the Marne
• German army wanted to
defeat France.
• Germans went through
Belgium and were slowed
down by the resistance.
• Germany got within 25
miles of Paris.
• French stopped the
Germans at Marne River.
• French and German troops
faced each other along a
battle line called the
western front.
The Western Front
Eastern Front
The Role of the U.S.
• From 1914 to 1917,
the U.S. remained
neutral.
• This stance helped
Woodrow Wilson get
re-elected.
• The U.S. eventually
traded only with the
Allied Powers--this
makes Germany
upset with U.S.
The End of Diplomatic Relations
• Germans used U-boat
attacks to stop
American supplies
from reaching Allies.
• 1915 - Germans sank
the Lusitania, which
fueled anti-German
feelings.
Russia Leaves the War
• The Bolsheviks, who
were communists.
overthrow the
Russian government.
• The Bolsheviks were
led by Vladimir Lenin.
• 1918- the Russians
signed the Treaty of
Brest-Litovsk with the
Central Powers.
•Woodrow Wilson became President in 1912.
•Americans were shocked by the outbreak of war
but…………..it was in Europe.
•US was officially NEUTRAL
•US believed it had
the right to trade with
the nations at war.
•Warring nations must
respect our neutrality and
allow us freedom of the seas.
•German submarine warfare
and British blockade violated
our neutrality.
notes2
•The Germans could not match
Great Britain's superior navy.
•Germans introduced
unrestricted submarine
warfare with U-Boats.
•Germans warned the world
they would sink any ship they
believed was carrying
contraband to Great Britain.
U-Boats
Two types
•Small subs
with a crew of
24
•Larger subs
with a crew of
60
•By 1918, Germans had sunk 6,500 allied
ships.
•May 7, 1915, the Germans sunk the
Lusitania which was British passenger liner.
•Germans believed it was carrying
contraband (weapons) to the British.
•Killed 1,198 civilians including 128 Americans.
•U.S. and other countries outraged towards
Germany because of “unrestricted submarine
warfare”.
•US believed the Germans had violated
international law of targeting civilians
Lusitania ad
•After the sinking of the
Lusitania, public opinion of
most Americans was to go to
war with Germany.
•Germany promised they would
not sink anymore ships unless
warning them first and
providing safety for civilians.
•BUT, President Wilson was
able “keep us out of war” ….
X
Sussex Sunk: led to
Sussex Pledge in
March 1916. Germany
promised not to sink
war zone
anymore ships.
United States Enters WWI
Causes for U.S. Involvement
Sinking of
the Lusitania
1915
Continued German
attacks on
American vessels
1916
Zimmerman Note
1917
zimmerman code
The Zimmerman Note
• Germany sent a
secret telegram to
Mexico- it stated that
if Mexico declare an
alliance against the
U.S.; in return,
Germany would help
Mexico recover lands
lost in MexicanAmerican War
Berlin, January 19, 1917
On the first of February we intend to begin
unrestricted submarine warfare. In spite of
this, it is our intention to endeavor to keep
neutral the United States of America.
If this attempt is not successful, we propose an alliance
on the following basis with Mexico: That we shall make
war together and together make peace. We shall give
general financial support, and it is understood that
Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico,
Texas, and Arizona. The details are left to you for
settlement....
You are instructed to inform the President of Mexico of
the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it is
certain that there will be an outbreak of war with
zimmerman notes
with the United States and suggest
that the President of Mexico, on his
own initiative, should communicate
with Japan suggesting adherence at
once to this plan;
at the same time, offer to mediate between
Germany and Japan. Please call to the attention
of the President of Mexico that the employment
of ruthless submarine warfare now promises to
compel England to make peace in a few months.
Zimmerman (Secretary of State)
When German
submarines sank
three American
merchant ships in
March 1917, Wilson
asked Congress for a
declaration of war.
Smash the Stalemate
• From the beginning of
the war (1914), to
1917, neither the
Allied Powers or the
Central powers could
win a decisive battlethis is called a
stalemate.
• After Russia leaves
the war in 1917,
Germany plans to
smash the stalemate
U.S. Mobilizes for War
• Selective Service Act
was passed by
Congress. Men
between 21 and 30
can be drafted.
• War Industries Board
meets war demand
• Raise taxes and issue
liberty bonds
U.S. Enters the War
• General John J. Pershing
leads the U.S. troops,
known as the American
Expeditionary Force
(AEF)
• Unlike European soldiers
who were fighting for
three years, Americans
were energetic and fresh
• U.S. stopped Germans at
Belleau Wood and drove
Germans back
Helping at Home
• “Victory gardens”
• Women join
workforce
• People from South
move to the North to
work in industrial
cities.
• National War Labor
Board
Armistice
• Germany is tired of
fighting; many people
are dead/dying.
• Kaiser Wilhelm sees
that Germany is
beaten and gives up
throne and flees to
Netherlands.
• Truce went into effect
November 1918.
The War Ends
• The war officially ended at the 11th
hour on the 11th day of the 11th
month in 1918.
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11:00 A.M., November 11th, 1918.
It was called Armistice Day.
Today, it is called Veterans’ Day.
We celebrate it next Wednesday.
Outcome of WWI
Casualties:
• 5 million Allied soldiers
dead
• 3.5 million soldiers from
Central Powers dead
• 20 million wounded
• 116,000 U.S. soldiers
dead; 200,000 wounded
Outcome of WWI
Financial losses:
• Property worth $32 billion
had been destroyed.
• Allies spent $145 billion;
Central Powers spent $63
billion.
• European countries in
debt to U.S.
• Buildings uninhabitable
and farm land
destroyed food
shortages
Outcome of WWI
Flu epidemic:
• Flu broke out in 1918,
killing 30 million
people over two
years; it killed more
people than the war
itself!
• Started in army camp
in Kansas, then
spread to Europe
from soldiers.
Peace Agreement
Wilson’s Fourteen
Points:
• List of proposals for postwar
peace
• Settle disputes (borders,
tariffs, etc.)
• Self-determination- right of
people to choose political
status
• League of Nationsorganization to encourage
democracy was Point 14.
Peace Agreement
Treaty of Versailles:
• The leaders of the
Allied Power (the Big
Four) met outside
Paris.
• No representative
from Central Powers
or Russia attended
conference.
Treaty of Versailles
Points of treaty:
• Germany must accept
blame
• Germany must pay $32
billion in reparations
(payments for war
damage)
• France and other Allies
take parts of German
territory.
• League of Nations
established
• Colonies from Central
Powers given over to
Allies
Treaty of Versailles
• Treaty did not give Wilson
everything he wanted.
• Senate wanted changes
made to treaty before
ratifying it. It did not want
U.S. military commitment
to League of Nations.
• Henry Cabot Lodge
strongest opponent
• Treaty defeated in Senate
• U.S. never joined League
of Nations—that’s ironic!
World War I was called the “Great War”--the war that
supposedly would end all wars. A mere 20 years later,
the world was again at war… There should always
be a compelling reason to fight a war…