WWI: Major Battles, New Weapons, Fighting Techniques, and Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.

1. WWI: Major Battles, New Weapons, Fighting Techniques, and Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.

2. New Weapons • Tanks were used in trench warfare. They were slow and sometimes unreliable. • Poison gas was used during the trench warfare. It was introduced by the French who used tear gas grenades in 1914. The Germans quickly introduced the use of chlorine, and mustard gas. Because of poison gas, gas masks became a necessity to every military uniform. • Airplanes were first used in war in 1914. They were used for observation of enemy troops and in battle. • Machine guns were the primary weapon used and accounted for most of the deaths on the western front. A number of models were designed and used over the course of WWI, such as the German MG08/15 or ‘light Maxim’.

3. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • The use of unrestricted submarine warfare was one of the main reasons that the U.S. joined the war. • Unrestricted submarine warfare was an act of desperation on Germany’s part because they were losing the war on the western front. • It was postponed because Germany feared that America would get involved in the war. • The first U-boat attack was actually in February 1915 near Britain. Germany had set up a blockade around British ports and were firing on neutral ships.

4. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • On May 7, 1915, the British liner Lusitania was sunk, killing 128 American citizens. • On April 18, 1916, the cross-channel steamer Sussex was torpedoed. 2 Americans were injured, but there was a miscommunication that led to President Wilson believe that they had died. This caused America to threaten to end all ties with Germany. Wilson broke off diplomatic relations in hopes of forcing Germany to go back on its decision, but it did not work.

5. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • The Zimmermann telegram was intercepted and deciphered in January 1917. It was from the German Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt. It offered U.S. territory to Mexico in return for them joining Germany. • The Zimmermann telegram was published in the American press on March 1st. • On April 16, 1917, President Wilson summoned Congress and America entered the war.