Honors U.S. History

1. Honors U.S. History Chapter 33 World War I

2. Road to War • June 28, 1914 • Austro-Hungarian Empire Archduke Franz Ferdinand & wife Sophie • Visit Sarajevo, Bosnia.

3. Franz Ferdinand was heir to Austro-Hungarian Empire... • Bosnia, new province. • That morning, a bombing attack. 2 officers injured. • FF goes to state ceremony. • Visits wounded in hospital. • Then, disaster!

4. Shot by 19 yr. Old Gavrilo Princip • Member of the Black Hand. • Bosnian nationalist group. • Believed AH had no right to rule Bosnia.

5. Grave Consequences! Ignited, "The Great War".

6. Causes of WWI: existed before assassination... • # 1: Imperialism: scramble for colonies, late 1800’s in Africa & far East caused rivalries between European countries.

7. # 2: Militarism • Diplomacy takes a back seat to militarism. • Great powers, AH, France, Germany, Britain & Russia built up armies. • Military gains authority. • If you prepare for war ?????

8. # 3: Nationalism • Love of country, patriotism. • Great powers act in own national interest. • Countries with diverse populations. • Ethnic minorities want independence. • Nationalism often leads to violence.

9. # 4: Alliances • Complicated system developed. • Bound countries to aid each other. • “Big Brother” system.

10. At Franz-Ferdinand's death dispute between AH, Bosnia & Serbia.

11. AH believes Serbia responsible for the assassination... • July 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. • “Chain Reaction!”

12. Russia-Serb BB mobilizes for war Germany-AH BB demands Russia stop. Russia refuses. Russia's BB France readies troops. Germany does too!

13. August 1, 1914 Germany declares war on Russia!

14. Germany has a plan…. • Schlieffen Plan. • To avoid being trapped between France & Russia. • Quick sweep through France. • Knock them out!

16. After France defeated…on to Russia! • Germany has to pass through Belgium. • French border was fortified. • When Germany entered Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany. • G didn’t want to deal w/British navy.

17. 1 week after AH-Serbia declarations of war…all powers of Europe are involved! • 2 sides • Central Powers:Germany, Austria-Hungary & Ottoman Empire. • Allies:Russia, France, Serbia, Britain, Italy.

18. Each side thought quick victory…maybe 6 weeks! • Sides relatively equal. • Bloody stalemate-neither side can gain an advantage. • Sept. 1914 German advance to 30 miles from Paris. • River Marne: Br & Fr forced held the line. Both sides dug in.

19. Schlieffen Plan doesn’t work as planned… • Belgian resistance delays Germans long enough to allow France & Britain to prepare. • Train foul up hurts Germany.

20. Trench warfare!

21. Dig trenches…no man’s land. • Try to destroy or push back enemy. • Terrible loss of life for small gains. (miles) • Horrible conditions for the soldiers.

22. Weapons advance before tactics... • Machine guns, • hand grenades, • artillery shells, • poison gas.

23. Battle of the Somme • British lost 20,000 men in one day! • Morale was terrible.

24. War becomes desperate... • Civilians brought into the war. • Fields burned • Livestock killed. • Wells poisoned. • Becomes total war.

25. British blockade starved Germans. Germans torpedoed ships possibly carrying supplies to Allies.

26. U.S. Response • Country of immigrants with ties to Europe. • Lots of opposing sympathy. • 1/3 of 92 million population were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants.

27. Most opposed the Central Powers... • Kaiser Wilhelm, ruler of Germany. • Autocrat. (ruler with unlimited power) • Germans seen as ruthless, militaristic.

28. Trade influences the US... • Huge investments overseas are at risk. • German subs interfering. • British blockade of Germany.

29. President Wilson declares the US as neutral... • Tried to be a peacemaker and stay out!

30. Many want the US to be prepared… • Aid Britain, if necessary. • By summer of 1916, Congress approves large increases in US Armed Forces. • Peace movement at start of war. • Populists, Midwest progressives, & social reformers. Women very active.

31. U.S. declares war!

32. German sub use made US angry... • Worked militarily, but cost US public opinion. • U-boats (unterseeboot) new weapon. • Ships had no defense against. • Moved undetected. Gave no warning.

33. US thought uncivilized • Britain cut German/US Trans-Atlantic cable. • All news of Europe then had to come from Britain. • Pro-Allied bias.

35. May 7, 1915 Sinking of the Lusitania. British passenger ship. Was carrying Allied supplies. 1200 dead, 128 Americans

36. Wilson protests! • Germany agreed to give warnings in the future, but ships must not resist search or seizure.

37. March 24, 1916 French ship Sussex is sunk... • US threatens to cut diplomatic ties. • “Sussex Pledge” • Again, Germany promises to give warnings before attacks.

38. Wilson’s hands tied... • Can’t threaten force w/o entering the war. • US neutrality begins to weaken. • Wilson’s re-election campaign slogan, “He kept us out of war!” • Wilson wins re-election.

39. Feb 1, 1917, Germany violates Sussex Pledge... • Germany took a risk…to defeat Britain before the US could enter the war and help. • BAD miscalculation! • Feb 3, US breaks off relations w/ Germany. • Wilson asks Congress for permission to arm US merchant ships.

40. "The world must be safe for democracy!"

41. Senate filibusters…talk to prevent vote! • British reveal contents of “Zimmerman Note”. • Intercepted German telegram. • Arthur Zimmerman, Foreign Minister offers secret deal to Mexico. • If Mexico joins Central Powers, will regain US territory at end of war. Texas, New Mexico, Arizona

42. Then... Revolution breaks out in Russia!

43. So far, in WWI... • Russia had 1.8 million dead. • 2.4 million taken prisoner. • 2.8 million sick, wounded. • March 1917, Czar Nicholas II forced to give up power, replaced by republican government. • Removal of Czar takes away last roadblock to US entry.

44. April 6th, 1917 US declares war!

45. Americans on the European Front

46. Allies need replacement troops... • 14,500 US troops head to Europe in June. • Commander, General John J. Pershing. • Spanish-Amer. War veteran, time at West Point.

47. Big morale boost... • Pershing realizes more troops needed. • Receives 1 million by 1918, 3 million by 1919. • At US entry, 120,000 enlisted men and 80,000 National Guard.

48. May 1917 Selective Service Act

49. By Nov. 1918, 24 million men registered... • Lottery chose 3 million. • “American Expeditionary Force”. • 1l,000 women: nurses, drivers, clerks. • 14,000 abroad as civilian, govt., or private workers.

50. By May 1917, all US ships travel in convoy... • Unarmed ships surrounded by naval vessels. • Cuts loses from sub attacks. • Torpedo boats equipped to track & sink subs.