THE Road to World War I – PART ONE

1. THE Road to World War I – PART ONE Guided Reading Activity Answers

2. 1. Imperialism • when a stronger, more powerful nation takes over a weaker nation • Back before WWI – many European countries were wanting to spread out and take over each other!

4. 2. What other Factor? • Militarism • NATURALLY, Imperialism is not possible without a strong military – duh! It’s like going to play baseball without your bat or even dance without your tap shoes (or insert any other obscure analogy here) – it’s just not possible

5. 3. WHY did Nations engage in Militarism? • Competition, control, power • Isn’t this what we all want? • What else encourages militarism?

6. 4. What is Nationalism? • pride in one’s nation or ethnic group. • But SOMETIMES too strong of a nationalism can be bad, no? • Any examples of having TOO much loyalty or TOO much pride?

7. The Austro-Hungarian Empire The Austro-Hungarian empire suffered because of too much nationalism. In the empire, there were Austrians, Magyars, Bosnians, Serbians, Rumanians, Croats, and a host of other ethnic and national groups who wanted self-government, or their own national governments. Too many countries in this small area!

8. 5. Area in Europe? • The Balkan Peninsula • This area – known as the Balkans – had all of these little countries with VERY prideful people. We don’t have this problem geographically in the U.S. Why?

9. The Balkan Peninsula The Balkan peninsula, consisting of Greece, Albania, Serbia, and a plethora of other national groups who sought self-government and independence, was considered the “powder keg” of Europe. Many people believed these groups would someday fight for independence from colonial rulers.

10. 6. What is an Alliance? • defensive agreements between nations in which one pledged to defend the others in the alliance if they were attacked • Remember back to our warm-up from the other day – what are the good of an alliance? Bad?

11. Military alliances Not only did military alliances cause smaller wars to erupt into much larger conflicts rapidly, but also, they led to confusion. Nations became involved with wars which often had little to do with their own national security or interests. This ever happen to you? Get involved in drama that you had nothing to do with?! 

12. The m.A.I.N. Causes of World War I • MILITARISM - need more power and control! • ALLIANCE SYSTEMS – let’s create a network so we are bigger and stronger! • IMPERIALISM – need more land and resources • NATIONALISM – our country is the bestest! Like my silly little pneumonic device?

13. 7. The Triple Alliance • Germany • Italy • Austria-Hungary • I PROMISE I did NOT mess this up! They are called the “alliance” (although my WWII nerds are like no no no) because they formed first. Therefore, they got to keep the cool name!

14. The Triple Alliance The three nations in the Triple Alliance were: Germany Austria-Hungary Italy NOTE: Italy had promised to protect Germany only against French invasion, and did not join the war effort against England and Russia.

15. 7. The Triple Entente • France • Great Britain • Russia • So, in response to the “triple alliance”, these nations form the entente which, in French, means “agreement”

17. 8. The Spark to Start the War • Archduke (heir to the throne) Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary (and his wife) were assassinated (KILLED) • It’d be like someone killing our VP – that’s just NOT cool

18. 9. Where did the Spark take Place? • During a parade in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary

19. 10. Who was the Killer? • GavriloPrincip • This CRAZY Serbian man, and member of a rebel group The Black hands, murdered Ferdinand. But Austria-Hungary is NOT happy – who do you think they blamed?

20. War between Austria and Serbia • GavriloPrincip, pictured to the left, murdered the Archduke of Austria-Hungary. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, led by Emperor Franz Joseph soon sent a list of demands (ultimatums) to Serbia – most of which were impossible to satisfy – and threatened to declare war on Serbia if they were not met. • Little did Austria-Hungary know that tiny Serbia had signed a secret treaty – a defense alliance – with Russia, the most populous and one of the most powerful nations in all of Europe. The war would expand rapidly from here.

21. 11. What nation declared war? • 1. Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia • 2. Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary. (Secret Alliance with Serbia) • 3. Germany declared war on Russia • 4. France declared war on Germany • 5. England declared war on Germany • 6. Italy – divided – begins to fight France but then quits the war – only to later support the Allies. . .

23. 12. Triple Entente becomes . . . ? • The Allied Powers • (and pretty much stays the Allied powers in WWII – almost!) • And don’t ask me why they changed names! To confuse us 100 years later – that’s why 

24. 13. Triple ALLIANCE becomes . . . ? • The Central Powers • (later becomes the Axis Powers in WWII - for my NERDS)

25. 14. What is a Deadlock? • Stalemate • Like in chess . . . Or is that checkmate?  • Known as “no man’s land” this area was fought on the duration of the war. Which, might explain the high number of deaths and destruction in this part of Europe!

26. 15. What is Trench warfare? • Fighting from a dug-out ditch

27. TRENCH FOOT

28. 16. New weapons in the war? • Airplanes • Tanks • Zeppelins (kind of like blimps) • Poison Gas • Gas Masks • U-Boats (German submarines) • Machine Guns

29. Murderous weapons of WW I The U-Boat (German Submarine) The Zeppelin

30. Murderous Weapons of WW I Biplanes Tanks

31. Chlorine gas • Chlorine gas and other forms of poison gas were first used by the Germans at the Battle of Ypres in France. The weapon was perhaps the most feared of the entire war, because of the gruesome and painful deaths caused by the chemicals – soldiers who inhaled the poison gas would suffer chemical burns of the lungs, then slowly drown as their lungs filled up with mucus and fluids.

32. Gas Masks Horses were used during World War I in many capacities, and were still relied upon heavily by cavalry units, supply carriers and ambulance services. They dragged heavy guns into position, moved men and equipment, and literally saved lives. Hence, they needed to be protected, too!

33. The machine gun

34. 17. President Woodrow Wilson says: • Stay neutral • Why not, right? I mean – what do we have to do with this war? What did anyone but Serbia and AH have to do with the war? • This is easy to do – stay neutral, right? • Umm . . . • ? ? ?

35. THE Road to World War I – PART TWO Guided Reading Activity Answers

36. President Woodrow Wilson President Wilson asked Americans to stay neutral in mind as well as in action. By following a “strict and impartial neutrality,” Americans would be able to stay out of the war and remain unified. Many Americans feared that the millions of German-American immigrants in our country could prove disloyal.

37. 18. Which Americans held interest in the war?

38. 19. What is propaganda? • information designed to make people feel passionately about a cause

39. propaganda Propaganda was produced in the United States by an organization known as the Committee on Public Information. Joseph Creel was the leader of the group. Propaganda, in general, is information designed to make people feel passionately about a cause – often using incomplete, exaggerated, or dubious information.

40. World War I: American Neutrality Anti-German Propaganda: Freedom of the Seas:

41. 20. What side did businessmen want? • BOTH – gotta make that money! But they MAINLY traded with the Allies

42. 21. What helped the blockade? • U-Boats Using their U-boats, Germany established a blockade around all of England to prevent trade between the US and England. They sank any trade vessels they could. English naval vessels, in turn, prevented any trade between the United States and Germany.

43. 22. What British Ship was sunk? • Lusitania

44. American propaganda makers used the sinking of the Lusitania to encourage the war Effort.

45. 23. Wilson maintains U.S. Neutrality “He Kept Us Out of War.”

46. 24. What did Germany say to Mexico? • Attack the United States!

47. 25. How will this benefit Mexico? • They will get their land back that the US stole! • In the Zimmermann Telegram, German Secretary of State Arthur Zimmermann suggested that Mexico should attack the United States. His hope was that if the US was occupied at home by a domestic war, they could not enter the war with Germany. In return, Zimmerman promised, they would help Mexico win back the land it had ceded to the United States – New Mexico, Texas and Arizona.

48. 26. What nation underwent a revolution? • Russia • In March 1917, the Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov dynasty was overthrown by Revolution. This was a good thing for the US because we didn’t like him – he fought democratic values, and the US wanted to spread democracy. The fall of the Tsar made it easier for the US to enter the war on the alliance with Russia. By joining the war we would not be siding with a tyrant – he was gone! Wilson said we would be joining other democracies to fight tyranny! (sounds good, doesn’t it?!)

49. 27. What were Wilson’s Goals? • Freedom of the Seas • A War To End all War • A War to Make the World Safe for Democracy Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against the Central Powers in April of 1917, immediately after the Tsar had been overthrown and replaced by the democratically elected Duma. Wilson gave the United States several reasons to fight in World War I: • World War I would be a war for “Freedom of the Seas.” • World War I would be “A War To End all War.” • World War I would be “A War to Make the World Safe for Democracy.” Since Russia was now democratic as well, all of the Allies – Great Britain, France, Russia, and now the United States – were democratic governments.