THE FIRST WORLD WAR

1. THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918

2. Objectives1. The learner will understand the causes of World War I, the reasons the United States entered the war in 1917, and the consequences of the war.2. The learner will identify the long-term causes and the immediate circumstances that led to World War I.3. The learner will describe the first two years of the war.4. The learner will summarize U.S. public opinion about the war.5. The learner will explain why the United States entered the war. State Standards 7.4 Identify the causes of American involvement in World War I (i.e., security concerns, economic benefits, Wilsonian diplomacy, propaganda). 8.3 Recognize the definitions of totalitarianism, fascism, communism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism.

3. CAUSES OF THE WAR • The causes of World War I were Imperialist competition, European nationalism, the stockpiling of weapons. • Historians have traditionally cited four long-term causes of the First World War • NATIONALISM – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation • IMPERIALISM– Economic and political control over weaker nations • MILITARISM– The growth of nationalism and imperialism led to increased military spending • ALLIANCE SYSTEM – By 1907 Europe was divided into two armed camps

4. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy.

5. NATIONALISM • Often nationalism led to rivalries and conflicts between nations • Nationalism encouraged competitiveness between nations and encouraged various ethnic groups to attempt to create nations of their own. • Additionally, various ethnic groups resented domination by others and wanted independence • Russia and Austria-Hungary disagreed over the treatment of Serbs in central Europe Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary while Russia, France and Britain were partners

7. IMPERIALISM • For many centuries, European nations built empires • Colonies supplied European nations with raw materials and provided markets for manufactured goods • As Germany industrialized it competed directly with France and Britain • Closely linked with industrialization, Imperialism involved a contest for colonies. • Major European countries also competed for land in Africa

9. MILITARISM • Empires had to be defended and European nations increased military spending enormously in the late 19th and early 20th century • Militarism involved the development of the armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy. • Militarism in Europe, a policy under which nations built up their armed forces, was a major cause of World War I. • By 1890 the strongest nation militarily in Europe was Germany • Germany had a strong army and built up a navy to rival England’s fleet • France, Italy, Japan and the United States quickly joined in the naval buildup

10. Battleships were being stockpiled by European nations, Japan and America in the late 19th and early 20th century

11. By 1907 there were two major defense alliances in Europe • The Triple Entente, later known as the Allies, consisted of France, Britain, and Russia • The Triple Alliance, later known as the Central Powers, consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (Soon joined by the Ottoman Empire ALLIANCE SYSTEM TRIPLE ENTENTE FRANCE BRITAIN RUSSIA

12. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Allies – in World War I, the group of nations originally consisting of Great Britain, France, and Russia and later joined by the United States, Italy, and others—that opposed the Central Powers. Central Powers – the group of nations—led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—that opposed the Allies in World War I.

14. THE SPARK: AN ASSASSINATION • The Balkan region was considered “the powder keg of Europe” due to competing interests in the area • Russia wanted access to the Mediterranean Sea • Germany wanted a rail link to the Ottoman Empire • Austria-Hungary, which had taken control of Bosnia in 1878, accused Serbia of subverting its rule over Bosnia • Finally, in June of 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne was assassinated by a Serbia radical which sparked World War I • The assassination that triggered World War I occurred in Bosnia. The Archduke is assassinated in Sarajevo in June 1914

15. The Alliance system pulled one nation after another into the conflict – The Great War had begun • The war might have involved only two nations, Austria-Hungary and Serbia, if not for the alliance system. • On August 3, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium which began the active fighting in the war, following a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan • The Schlieffen Plan was effective because it allowed Germany to drive quickly toward the French capital. • Next, Germany would attack Russia • The plan was designed to prevent a two-front war for Germany THE FIGHTING BEGINS The Schliefflen Plan

16. THE WAR BECOMES A STALEMATE • Unable to save Belgium, the Allies retreated to the Marne River in France where they halted the German advance in September of 1914 • Both sides dug in for a long siege • By the spring of 1915, two parallel systems of deep trenches crossed France from Belgium to Switzerland • Between enemy trenches was “no man’s land” – an area pockmarked with shell craters and filled with barbed wire • For more than three years, the major form of fighting on the western front was Trench warfare. • There were 3 types of trenches; front line, support, and reserve British soldiers standing in mud

17. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Allies – in World War I, the group of nations originally consisting of Great Britain, France, and Russia and later joined by the United States, Italy, and others—that opposed the Central Powers. Central Powers – the group of nations—led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—that opposed the Allies in World War I. No man’s land – an unoccupied region between opposing armies. Trench warfare – military operations in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from systems of fortified ditches rather than on an open battlefield.

18. German Soldiers The conditions in these trenches were horrific; aside from the fear of bombardment, soldiers also had to contend with the mud, flooding and disease associated with living in such a harsh environment.

19. During the First Battle of the Somme - which began July 1, 1916 and lasted until mid-November – the British suffered 60,000 casualties the first day • In the Battle of the Somme, Trench warfare resulted in the exchange of seven miles of territory at the cost of 1.2 million casualties. • This bloody trench warfare, in which armies fought for mere yards of ground, lasted for three years FIRST BATTLE OF THE SOMME Gas attacks were common features of trench life and often caused blindness and lung disease

20. AMERICANS QUESTION NEUTRALITY • People who opposed World War I because they saw it as an imperialist struggle were called Socialists. • People who opposed World War I because they perceived all wars as evil were called Pacifists. • In 1914, most Americans saw no reason to join a struggle 3,000 miles away – they wanted neutrality • The policy that kept the United States out of the war for three years was called Neutrality. • Some simply did not want their sons to experience the horror of warfare • German-Americans supported Germany in World War I • However, many American felt close to the British because of a shared ancestry and language • Most importantly, American economic interests were far stronger with the Allies French propaganda poster portrayed the Germans as inhuman and impacted American attitudes toward the Germans

21. THE WAR HITS HOME • During the first two years of the war, America was providing (selling) the allied forces dynamite, cannon powder, submarines, copper wire and tubing and other war material • Both the Germans and British imposed naval blockades on each other. • The British blockade caused widespread starvation in Germany. • The Germans used U-boats which are submarines, to prevent shipments to the North Atlantic • Any ship found in the waters around Britain would be sunk German U-boat 1919

22. THE LUSITANIA DISASTER • United States involvement in World War I was hastened by the Lusitania disaster • The Lusitania was a British passenger liner that was sunk by a German U-boat. • It carried 1,198 persons on a fateful trip on May 7, 1915 • A German U-boat sank the British passenger liner killing all aboard including 128 American tourists • The Germans claimed the ship was carrying Allied ammunition • Americans were outraged and public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers • The most compelling reason for the United States to enter the war was the outrage of American citizens over German submarine warfare. May 7, 1915

23. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Allies – in World War I, the group of nations originally consisting of Great Britain, France, and Russia and later joined by the United States, Italy, and others—that opposed the Central Powers. Central Powers – the group of nations—led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—that opposed the Allies in World War I. No man’s land – an unoccupied region between opposing armies. Trench warfare – military operations in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from systems of fortified ditches rather than on an open battlefield. Lusitania – a British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.

24. The N.Y. Times reports on the Lusitania

25. 1916 ELECTION • The November 1916 election pitted incumbent Democrat Woodrow Wilson vs. Republican candidate Supreme Court justice Charles Evans Hughes • Wilson won a close election using the slogan, “He kept us out of war” • That slogan would prove ironic because within a few months the United States would be embroiled in World War I Wilson

26. Several factors came together to bring the U.S. into the war; • 1) Germany ignored Wilson’s plea for peace • 2) American supporters of entry into the war could claim their country was fighting a moral war because the United States joined the war only after Russia’s oppressive monarchy was replaced • 3) The Zimmerman Note, a telegram from the German foreign minister to the German Ambassador in Mexico, proposed an alliance • The Zimmerman note contained a suggestion of an alliance between Mexico and Germany that deeply angered the American people. • The Zimmermann note suggested an alliance between Germany and Mexico. • Germany promised Mexico a return of their “lost territory” in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona • 4) Next came the sinking of four unarmed U.S. merchant ships by German subs AMERICA EDGES CLOSER TO WAR (Zimmerman note) Encoded message from Germany to Mexico

27. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Allies – in World War I, the group of nations originally consisting of Great Britain, France, and Russia and later joined by the United States, Italy, and others—that opposed the Central Powers. Central Powers – the group of nations—led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—that opposed the Allies in World War I. No man’s land – an unoccupied region between opposing armies. Trench warfare – military operations in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from systems of fortified ditches rather than on an open battlefield. Lusitania – a British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915. Zimmermann note – a message sent in 1917 by the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico, proposing a German-Mexican alliance and promising to help Mexico regain Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if the United States entered World War I.

28. Zimmerman note intercepted by a British agent and decoded

29. AMERICA DECLARES WAR • A light drizzle fell on Washington on April 2, 1917, as senators, representatives, ambassadors, members of the Supreme Court, and other guests crowded into the Capital building to hear Wilson deliver his declaration of war • Wilson said, “The world must be safe for democracy” • Congress passed the resolution a few days later

30. Section 1 World War I Begins Nationalism – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation. Militarism – the policy of building up armed forces in aggressive preparedness for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Allies – in World War I, the group of nations originally consisting of Great Britain, France, and Russia and later joined by the United States, Italy, and others—that opposed the Central Powers. Central Powers – the group of nations—led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—that opposed the Allies in World War I. No man’s land – an unoccupied region between opposing armies. Trench warfare – military operations in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from systems of fortified ditches rather than on an open battlefield. Lusitania – a British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915. Zimmermann note – a message sent in 1917 by the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico, proposing a German-Mexican alliance and promising to help Mexico regain Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if the United States entered World War I.

31. Objectives1. The learner will understand the causes of World War I, the reasons the United States entered the war in 1917, and the consequences of the war.2. The learner will describe how the United States mobilized for war.3. The learner will summarize U.S. battlefield successes.4. The learner will identify the new weapons and the medical problems faced in World War I.5. The learner will describe U.S. offensives and the end of the war. State Standards 7.2 Recognize European countries by their alliance systems and spheres of influence by using a map.

32. SECTION 2: AMERICAN POWER TIPS THE BALANCE • A PERSONAL VOICE EDDIE RICKENBACKER “ I put in six or seven hours of flying time each day. . . .My narrowest escape came at a time when I was fretting over the lack of action. . . . Guns began barking behind me, and sizzling tracers zipped by my head. . . . At least two planes were on my tail. . . .They would expect me to dive. Instead I twisted upward in a corkscrew path called a ‘chandelle.’ I guessed right. As I went up, my two attackers came down, near enough for me to see their faces. I also saw the red noses on those Fokkers [German planes]. I was up against the Flying Circus again.” —Rickenbacker: An Autobiography • Having shot down at least 29 enemy planes, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was America’s leading ace pilot in the war. Eddie Rickenbacker and the First World War

33. AMERICAN POWER TIPS THE BALANCE • America was not ready for war – only 200,000 men were in service when war was declared • Congress passed the Selective Service Actin May of 1917 • The Selective Service Act required men to register with the government in order to be randomly selected for military service. • Men were required to register for military service was a result of the Selective Service Act. • By the end of 1918, 24 million had signed up and almost 3 million were called to duty • Although American women served in the navy, marines, and Army Corps of Nurses, they were not subjected to the Selective Service Act. • About 2 million American troops reached Europe

34. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service.

35. America Turns the Tide • U.S. Navy Contributions • The United States used groups of guarded ships to overcome the threat of German U-boats. • Convoy system—destroyers escort merchant ships across Atlantic • losses drop dramatically • The Convoy System involved merchant vessels traveling in large groups with naval ships acting as guards. • Admiral William S. Sims convinced the British to use the Convoy System as a hindrance to German U-boat attacks. • Navy helps lay mines across North Sea, keep U-boats out of Atlantic • 1918, Germans have difficulty replacing boats, trained submariners World War I Convoy System safe zone cruiser merchant ships defensive boundary destroyer enemy submarine

36. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service. Convoy system – the protection of merchant ships from U-boat—German submarine—attacks by having the ships travel in large groups escorted by warships.

37. FRESH U.S. SOLDIERS JOIN FIGHT • After 2 ½ years of fighting, the Allied forces were exhausted • One of the main contributions of the Americans was fresh and enthusiastic troops • American infantry were nicknamed “doughboys” because of their white belts • General John J. Pershing leads (commands) the American Expeditionary Force • Most doughboys had never ventured far from the farms or small towns they lived in

38. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service. Convoy system – the protection of merchant ships from U-boat—German submarine—attacks by having the ships travel in large groups escorted by warships. American Expeditionary Force – the U.S. forces, led by General John Pershing, who fought with the Allies in Europe during World War I.

39. New Weapons Used • By 1917, British learn to use tanks to clear path for infantry • Early planes flimsy, only do scouting; later ones stronger, faster • carry machine guns, heavy bomb loads • Mechanized warfare began with the introduction of the tank and the airplane as weapons. • Some of the weapons of mechanized warfare that were introduced in World War I was the airplane and tank. • Observation balloons were used extensively, because they were a prime target of ace pilots

40. NEW WEAPONS USED • Machine Guns – Guns could now fire 600 rounds per minute • The Tank – New steel tanks ran on caterpillar treads • Airplanes – Early dogfights resembled duals, however by 1918 the British had a fleet of planes that could deliver bomb loads • Poison Gas – mustard gas was used to subdue the enemy

41. Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum est (1917) Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind. Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And floundering like a man in fire or lime. Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in. And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. Famous poem by Wilfred Owen about the evils of mustard gas

42. Animals were also susceptible to gas

43. AMERICAN TROOPS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE • When Russia surrendered to the Germans in 1917, it allowed the Central Powers to focus on the Western Front • After defeating Russia on the eastern front, the Central Powers concentrated on fighting in France. • By May, the Germans were within 50 miles of Paris • The Americans arrived and immediately played a major role in pushing the Germans back • In July and August the Americans helped the Allies win the Second Battle of the Marne Men of the 42nd Division during the Second Marne. These men were killed by artillery fire just 5 minutes after this photo was taken

44. AMERICAN WAR HERO • Alvin York, a blacksmith from Tennessee, originally sought an exemption from the war as a Conscientious Objector • A Conscientious objector describes a person who opposes warfare on moral grounds. • York eventually decided it was morally acceptable to fight if the cause was right • On October 8, 1918, armed with only a rifle and a revolver, Alvin York killed 25 Germans and (with six other soldiers) captured 132 prisoners. • Upon his return home he was promoted to Sergeant and hailed a hero The man The movie

45. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service. Convoy system – the protection of merchant ships from U-boat—German submarine—attacks by having the ships travel in large groups escorted by warships. American Expeditionary Force – the U.S. forces, led by General John Pershing, who fought with the Allies in Europe during World War I. Conscientious objector – a person who refuses, on moral grounds, to participate in warfare.

46. GERMANY COLLAPSES; THE GREAT WAR ENDS GERMANY COLLAPSES, WAR ENDS • On November 3, 1918, Germany’s partner, Austria-Hungary, surrendered to the Allies • That same day, German sailors mutinied against their government • Other revolts followed, and Germany was too exhausted to continue • So at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918, Germany signed the armistice (a truce) ending the Great War • The United States suffered the fewest casualties. War ends 11/11/18

47. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service. Convoy system – the protection of merchant ships from U-boat—German submarine—attacks by having the ships travel in large groups escorted by warships. American Expeditionary Force – the U.S. forces, led by General John Pershing, who fought with the Allies in Europe during World War I. Conscientious objector – a person who refuses, on moral grounds, to participate in warfare. Armistice – a truce, or agreement to end an armed conflict.

48. Section 2 American Power Tips the Balance Selective Service Act – a law, enacted in 1917, that required men to register for military service. Convoy system – the protection of merchant ships from U-boat—German submarine—attacks by having the ships travel in large groups escorted by warships. American Expeditionary Force – the U.S. forces, led by General John Pershing, who fought with the Allies in Europe during World War I. Conscientious objector – a person who refuses, on moral grounds, to participate in warfare. Armistice – a truce, or agreement to end an armed conflict.

49. Objectives1. The learner will understand the causes of World War I, the reasons the United States entered the war in 1917, and the consequences of the war.2. The learner will explain how businesses and government cooperated during the war.3. The learner will show how the government promoted the war.4. The learner will describe the attacks on civil liberties that occurred.5. The learner will summarize the social changes that affected African Americans and women. State Standards 7.9 Compare and contrast the philosophies of DuBois, Washington and Garvey.

50. SECTION 3: THE WAR AT HOME • The entire U.S. economy was focused on the war effort • The shift from a consumer economy to war economy required a collaboration between business and government • In the process, the power of the U.S. government expanded • Congress gave President Wilson direct control over the economy