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This chapter provides an overview of the factors that led to the outbreak of World War I in Europe, the reasons why the United States entered the war, and how the war impacted American society. It also explores the contents of the Treaty of Versailles and the objections raised by Americans.
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Chapters in Brief - Questions 1. What factors led to war in Europe? 2. What led the United States into World War I? 3. How did the war change American society? 4. What was contained in the Treaty of Versailles and why did Americans object.
Chapters in Brief - Answers 1. What factors led to war in Europe? > the factors that led to war in Europe were nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and a system of alliances that made an attack on one nation a conflict that involved many that involved many interlinked allies 2. What led the United States into World War I? > the United States tried to remain neutral in World War I, but emotional and economic ties to Great Britain gradually moved it to the side of the Allies > German submarine attacks convinced Wilson to declare war
Chapters in Brief - Questions 3. How did the war change American society? > at home during the war, production increased, and so did union membership. > many women entered industry, and thousands of African Americans moved from the South to the North seeking jobs and an end to segregation. 4. What was contained in the Treaty of Versailles and why did Americans object. > many Americans objected to the Treaty of Versailles because it seemed to betray the high principles Wilson had announced > many disliked the idea of a League of Nations, fearing it would involve the United States in foreign conflicts
Background Information • What do you already know about WWI? • When was it fought? • Who was involved? • Where were the battles fought? • What types of weapons were used? • Who won? • What other names is WWI known under?
The First World War • Pre-Unit Video Clips (Causes of The Great War) Causes – part one (8:42) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7kp3vf1uKA Causes – part two (7:49) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjlGoe1mnw0&feature=related
World War I Objective To understand causes of World War I, the reasons the United States entered the war, and the consequences of war
Chapters in Brief As World War I intensified, the United States was forced to abandon its neutrality. Four factors contributed to the outbreak of World War I in Europe: • Nationalism: tensions grew as nations pursued only their own interests • Imperialism: rivalries increased as nations jockeyed for power around the world • Militarism: the nations developed strong armed forces to back up their growing empires • Alliances: a series of treaties grouped the nations of Europe into two armed camps. The war broke out in 1914 when a Serb killed the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. The alliance system resulted in Russia defending Serbia against Austria-Hungary. Germany supported Austria-Hungary and then declared war on Russia’s ally, France. So Great Britain, France’s ally, declared war on Germany.
Chapters in Brief Armies soon opposed each other across a system of trenches. Although neither side gained territory, hundreds of thousands of soldiers died. The United States refused to join either side. Over time, though, stories of German atrocities and close economic ties to Great Britain and France moved Americans toward the Allied camp. A blockade prevented food and fertilizer from reaching Germany. As thousands of people starved, Germany struck back with submarine attacks on ships going to Great Britain. U.S. public opinion turned against Germany when some Americans died in these attacks. Still, President Wilson resisted entering the war, winning re-election with the slogan “He kept us out of war.” In January 1917, he suggested that the warring powers agree to a peace. Germany responded that submarine attacks would resume— and sink American ships. Finally, Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. It did on April 6, 1917.
MAIN Causes of WWI • Militarism • Alliance System • Imperialism • Nationalism
MAIN Causes of WWI • Militarism - the development of armed forces and their use of a tool of diplomacy • each nation wanted stronger armed forces than those of any potential enemy • British and German shipyards competed to see who could build the largest navy • Alliance System - an alliance is a formal agreement or union between nations • an alliance provided a measure of international security because nations were reluctant to disturb the balance of power • one spark set off a major conflict
Imperialism - the policy of extending a nations’ authority over other countries - economically - militarily or politically - cultural superiority Africa is an example of imperialistic powers taking over foreign lands and the rivalries that became of this MAIN Causes of WWI
MAIN Causes of WWI • Nationalism - a devotion to the interest and culture of one’s nation - nationalism led to antagonistic rivalries among nations - in this atmosphere of competition, many feared Germany’s growing power in Europe.
European Alliance Systems • 1907 = two major alliance systems in Europe 1. Triple Entente – turns into the Allied Powers a. Britain b. France c. Russia 2. Triple Alliance – turns into the Central Powers a. Germany b. Austria-Hungary c. Italy
An Assassination Leads to War • June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, visits Sarajevo, Bosnia • Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot and assassinated • Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia • Led to the countries who were part of the alliance systems entering the war • The Great War had begun!
Fighting Begins • August 3, 1914 - Germany invades Belgium and the fighting begins
Chapters in Brief New weapons made the fighting in World War I very destructive. Machine guns, tanks, and gas warfare could kill soldiers in large numbers. Fighting took to the air, as both sides used war planes. Soldiers suffered from disease and hardship as well. While 48,000 American soldiers died in combat, another 62,000 died of disease.
New Weapons • Poison Gas 1. soldiers wore masks to protect themselves 2. introduced by Germans; both sides used 3. caused blindness, severe blisters, or death by choking • Machine Guns 1. fires ammunition automatically 2. could wipe out waves of attackers 3. made it difficult for forces to advance
New Weapons (continued) • Tank 1. armored combat vehicle 2. moved on chain tracks 3. could cross many types of terrains 4. introduced by the British 1916 • Airplanes • Submarines 1. 1914 introduced by Germans 2. effective warship 3. primary weapon against ships was the torpedo
Tanks • first used at the battle of Flers • named because it looked like a tank of water on a train car • allowed safer passage across “No Man’s Land” • strange shape allowed them to climb over trenches and straight through defenses • top speed around 3-4 miles per hour • weighed around 30 tons
Tanks Tanks Video From the Military Channel (4:08)
Submarines • submarines existed pre-World War I, but the Germans were the first to use them significantly • ran on diesel engines or batteries • range of 5,000 miles • top speed of eight knots (9 mph) • more submersibles than true submarines • usually attacked from the surface (diesel engines couldn’t function underwater) • mainly used torpedoes • terrified seamen on surface ships • extremely dangerous and difficult life on board a submarine
Airplanes • observation balloons had been previously used, but WWI first time actual aircraft were used in war • initially used for reconnaissance • a lot of skepticism existed about their use in war • planes began carrying small bombs… and small arms to shoot at each other • first planes with mounted machine guns shot themselves down, but technology quickly improved
Airplanes • “Aces High” • pilots were seen as modern knights • pilots with five or more confirmed “victories” were called “Aces” • by the end of the war, there were over 1,800 “Aces” • Top Pilots • William Bishop (RAF): 72 • René Fonck (AéronautiqueMilitaire): 75 • Manfred von Richthofen(Luftstreikräfte): 80 • Edward Rickenbacker (US Army Air Service): 26
Airplanes Dogfight from "Flyboys“ (5:12)
The Airplane “Squadron Over the Brenta”Max Edler von Poosch, 1917
The Flying Aces of World War I FrancescoBarraco, It. Eddie “Mick”Mannoch, Br. Eddie Rickenbacher, US Manfred vonRichtoffen, Ger.[The “RedBaron”] Rene PaukFonck, Fr. Willy Coppens deHolthust, Belg.
Machine Guns • heavy, but deadly (no Rambo in World War I) • took a crew of four to six to operate • in theory, fired 400-600 rounds per minute • frequently overheated (even if water-cooled) • worth about 80 rifles on the battlefield • GREAT for defensive purposes (can wipe out entire lines)
FlameThrowers GrenadeLaunchers
Machine Guns Machine Gun Video from the History Channel (4:36)
Chemical Weapons Poison Gas
Chemical Weapons • both sides used chemical weapons • first used by the French in August 1914 (tear gas grenades) • Germans first to use poison gas (Second Battle of Ypres, 1915) • soldiers quickly began carrying gas masks in order to combat the chemical agents
Chemical Weapons • Chlorine Gas • yellow/green color • smells like pepper and pineapple • tastes metallic • mixes with water in the lungs to form hydrochloric acid (and a very bad day for whoever breathed it in) • concentrates near ground level (most who died from chlorine gas in WWI were injured soldiers at ground level) • not as lethal as some of the other chemical weapons used in World War I • can be combatted by putting a soaked cotton cloth (water or, more effectively, urine) over the mouth
Chemical Weapons • Mustard Gas • yellow/brown color • smells like mustard, garlic, or horseradish • effects can take up to 24 to occur • can become trapped in seams of clothing • causes chemical burns WHEREVER it interacts with tissues (skin, eyes, lungs) • burns can vary from first to third degree and are excruciatingly painful • can be combatted with iodine or bleach, but must be applied quickly (symptoms not quick to show, so many missed this) • most people who died from mustard gas drowned (lovely, I know) • even if one “recovers,” it triggers an increased risk of cancer later in life
Poison Gas Primary Reading During World War I, the Germans introduced the use of poison gases – chlorine, phosgene (tear gas), and mustard gas – in warfare. William Pressey, a British bombardier or noncommissioned artillery officer, was gassed by the Germans at Messines Ridge on June 7, 1917.