Unit 6: World War I “The War to End All Wars”

1. Unit 6: World War I“The War to End All Wars”

2. Causes of World War I • Nationalism: belief that ones’ nation or people are better than others • Led to rivalries between France, Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Russia • Several nationalities within Austria-Hungry wanted to form their own nation-states

3. Causes of WWI • Imperialism: policy of extending economic and political control over other people/territories • Competition for territory lead to conflict between nations • Race to dominate Africa, Asia, and Caribbean widens the conflict

4. Causes of WWI • Militarism: policy of building up armed forces is aggressive preparedness for war or their use as a tool in diplomacy • The military dominated life in Europe • People extoled the virtues of military discipline and heroism • Generals promoted the idea that it was better to attack than to wait to be attacked • Troops were often stationed at the border to act as a deterrent to others

5. Causes of WWI • “Entangling Alliances” • Nations in Europe have formed mutual defense alliances • If one nation is attacked, all others in the alliance will come to their defense • Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungry are the Central Powers • Great Britain, France, and Russia are the Allied Powers; also known as the Triple Entente

6. Archduke Francis Ferdinand • There were a great many ethnic rivalries within the Balkans • Russia wanted to cross the Baltics to get to the Mediterranean Sea • Germany wanted to cross the Balkans to link their rail system to the Ottoman-Turks Empire • Austria-Hungry had taken control of Bosnia and accused Serbia of interfering with their rule

7. Archduke Franz Ferdinand • The Archduke is heir to the Austrian throne • In June of 1914, he visits Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia • A Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, assassinated the Archduke and his wife, Sofia • Princip was a member of a nationalist group called the Black Hand • Austria-Hungry declared war on Serbia on July 28th

11. Who declared WAR on Whom? • Germany declared war on Serbia and Russia due to their alliance on August 1st • Germany declared war on Russia’s ally, France on August 3rd • After Germany invaded Belgium, Great Britain declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungry • “The Great War” begins!

12. Allied Powers • Serbia • Russia • Great Britain • France

13. Central Powers • Germany • Austria-Hungry • Ottoman Empire (also know as the Ottoman Turks)

16. Predicting the War • Military leaders on both sides predicted that the war would be over quickly • To avoid a 2 front war, German war plans called for them to march thru neutral Belgium to take Paris before Russia could enter the war • Germany was halted before they could get to Paris

17. Trench Warfare • To defend their territory, soldiers dug deep fortified trenches • These ran 100’s of miles along eastern France • They became known as Germany’s “Western Front” • Trench Warfare was a new type of fighting

18. Trench Warfare • The two sides’ trenches were separated from one another by fields filled with: • Barbed Wire • Land Mines • Booby Traps

19. Trench Warfare • The fields between the trenches was known as “no man’s land” • Anyone who climbed out of the trenches faced instant death from machine gun fire • Many soldiers spent years in the trenches subjected to shelling from artillery fire for hours each day • Both sides remained stuck in their trenches

23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB9G2FFWFvQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB9G2FFWFvQ

24. New Type of War • “First Modern War” new weapons, new techniques, wider conflict than in the past

25. Machine Guns • Able to fire more rounds per minute with accuracy and speed

26. Poison Gas • Germany first used poison gas as a weapon at Apres in April 1915. • Allied troops used it in retaliation • In 1925, 25 nations signed the Geneva Protocol to end the use of toxic gas and other biological weapons in warfare • Gas placed in canisters that were fired like artillery shells

27. Mustard Gas • Not actually made w/ mustard, but when mixed is the same color (called sulfur mustard gas, too) • A blister agent that causes chemical burns at the cellular level • Only fatal about 5% of the time, but incapacitated soldiers during an attack

29. Mustard Gas Symptoms • Skin irritation: blisters, rash, chemical burns • Eye irritation: redness, swelling, burning • Shortness of breath, inability to breathe • Dizziness • Severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting • Symptoms appear 2-24 hours after exposure

30. Tanks • First introduced in WWI • Too primitive to be effective in combat

31. Airplanes • Not used in combat at first • Used in spying on enemy lines and carrying messages • Towards the end of the war, “dog fights” between pilots and the use of planes to strafe and bomb the enemy will begin

32. Submarines • Germans called them “U Boats (underwater boats) • Used to sink larger ships • Germans used them extensively to end blockades, disrupt trade, and sink military vessels • Could not travel long distances or go to great depths in the oceans • No sonar or radar available yet • Too small to be used as rescue vessels

33. Blockades • British placed a blockade around Germany and Austria-Hungry to starve them into submission • Russia became cut off from the West and lacked ammunition and supplies • Each side tried to mobilize all its resources turning the conflict into “total war”

34. American Intervention • From the beginning of the war in 1914 until 1917, the U.S. remained neutral • Wilson campaigned on a policy of neutrality • Most Americans are tired of war and want to focus on the economy and jobs

35. American Neutrality Despite European War • Most Americans traced their ancestry to Britain and share a common language • The U.S. , France, and Great Britain all have democratic Republics • 1/3rd of all Americans also have German heritage

38. Trade with Allies • US is the main supplier for many European countries • We provided dynamite, cannon powder, submarines, copper wire, armored cars, and FOOD to GB and France • 50% of all US manufactured goods went to GB and France • The US did not try to break any of the blockades (neutrality)

39. U.S. Shocked at Invasion of Belgium • Belgium was a neutral country, so Americans saw this as an illegal, aggressive act by Germany • Germany invaded in 1914 as part of the Schlieffen Plan • Germany needed to drive thru Belgium quickly to attack France • After the Germans defeated France (didn’t happen) they would turn around and defeat Russia • The Allies were unable to stop the advance into Belgium, so they retreated to the Marne River in France and dug in

40. Schlieffen Plan

41. American reaction to invasion of Belgium

42. Zimmerman Telegram • A secret, coded message was sent from the German Foreign Minister to the German Ambassador to Mexico • In the note, Germany promised that if the US and Germany went to war, they would win and give Mexico the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if Mexico helped Germany • The telegram was intercepted, de-coded, and re-printed in US newspapers

44. “U” Boat Strengths • British blockade prevented food and weapons from getting to Germany • The US supplies arms, food, material to the Allies for the war • German army is too weak to break thru the blockade • Germany retaliates by sinking merchant ships heading to GB • U Boats are too small to rescue people from the ships that are sunk

45. Sinking of the Lusitania • The Lusitania is a British passenger ship • In 1915, it left NY to Liverpool, GB • Much of the cargo was munitions • German sub fired on the Lusitania, sunk it, and killed 1,198 passengers and crew • 128 passengers were US citizens • US public want to retaliate against Germany

47. Propaganda

50. Sussex Pledge • The Sussex was a French ferry ship that took people across the English Chanel between GB and France • German sub attacked the ship and killed 50 passengers • Pres. Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with Germany • Germany pledges to not sink any more passenger ship without a warning or providing help to the passengers