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Woodrow Wilson and the Great War: Causes, Technology, and Impact

Learn about the factors leading to World War I, key technologies used, and the global impact of the war, including the entry of the United States under President Woodrow Wilson. Discover the alliances, battles, and major events that shaped this transformative period in history.

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Woodrow Wilson and the Great War: Causes, Technology, and Impact

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  1. Woodrow Wilson and The Great War

  2. WOODROW WILSON • With the republican party split… Wilson wins • Wilson’s Domestic Policy - New Freedom • promoted the need for increased competition to regulate monopolies • stricter enforcement of anti-trust laws • eliminating child labor • improving wages for women • expanding benefits for employees

  3. The Great War aka: WORLD WAR I The War to End All Wars

  4. LONG TERM CAUSES • Nationalism • Deep devotion to one’s nation • Competition and rivalry developed between European nations for territory and markets • (France & Germany – Alsace-Lorraine) • Militarism • Glorifying Military Power • Keeping a large standing army prepared for war • Arms race for military technology

  5. Imperialism • European competition for colonies • Quest for colonies often almost led to war • Imperialism led to rivalry and mistrust amongst European nations • Alliance system • Designed to keep peace in Europe, instead pushed continent towards war • Many alliances made in secret • By 1907 two major alliances: Triple Alliance & Triple Entente

  6. THE TWO SIDES Central Powers:Leaders: • Germany Kaiser Wilheim II • Austria-Hungary Kaiser Franz Joseph I • Ottoman Empire Sultan Mehmed V • Bulgaria Tsar Ferdinand I

  7. Allied Powers:Leaders: • England David Lloyd George • France Georges Clemenceau • Russia Czar Nichols II • United States Woodrow Wilson Other Supporters of the Allied Powers: • Italy, Siberia, Belgium, Switzerland

  8. SHORT TERM CAUSE • June 28th 1914 • Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

  9. SUMMER OF 1914 ENTENTE/ALLIANCE ACTIONS • July 23rd Austria-Hungary presents Serbia with an ultimatum • July 28th Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia • July 29th Russia mobilizes its troops • August 1st 1914 Germany mobilizes troops • August 2ndGermany declares war on Russia  Germany invades Poland & Luxemburg, invasion of France starts

  10. August 3rd Germany declares war on France • August 4th Germany declares war on Belgium & invades it • August 4th England declares war on Germany • August 5th Austria declares war on Russia & Great Britain • By the end of 1914, not only Europe was at war, but also all of Europe’s colonies in Asia, Africa, and South America

  11. NEW TECHNOLOGY • Guns: • Machine Gun • Used by both sides, hundreds of rounds a minute could be shot by one person

  12. TRENCH WARFARE • Both sides dig long trenches that faced each other. They ran for miles.

  13. From time to time, one side would attempt to cross the “No Man’s Land” the area in between the trenches. • Trench warfare made WWI extend from a few months of fighting to 4 years of fighting

  14. TECHNOLOGY: CHEMICAL WEAPONS • WWI was the first major war to use chemical weapons • Mustard Gas & Chlorine Gas were the two most popular weapons: caused suffocation, blindness, and death • Soldiers would protect themselves using gas masks

  15. TECHNOLOGY: U-BOAT (SUBMARINE) • Germany’s secret weapon during the war • Sank dozens of British ships, controlled the oceans

  16. TECHNOLOGY: AIRPOWER • Both sides used aircraft for observation, limited bombing, & air battles • Airplanes were slow, clumsy, & unreliable • Most famous German pilot was BaronionRichthofen (The Red Baron)

  17. Others: airships, tanks, grenades, flame throwers

  18. THE GREAT WAR • Western Front: Germans, Austria-Hungarian vs. French, British, & later Americans • Germany develops Schlieffen Plan • Plan to rush into France as fast as they could, defeat them, then turn towards Russia • They did not want a war on two fronts • Battle of the Marne ( 1914- German defeat) • Trench Warfare on the Western front

  19. Eastern Front: Russians & Serbs vs. Germans & Austria-Hungarians • War more mobile but still a stalemate • Russia’s disadvantages: • Not industrialized • Short on supplies • Advantages: • People • Weather

  20. Other Fronts: • Japan, Australia, India join allies • Ottoman, Turks, Bulgaria join Central Powers • Gallipoli Campaign in the Ottoman Empire • Battles occur in Africa & Asia for Colonial Possessions

  21. RUSSIA EXITS THE WAR • March 1917, Nicholas II abdicates his throne • Russian Duma continues to fight • October 1917: Lenin & the Bolsheviks take command – Soviet Union is created • March 1918: Soviets & Germans sign the Treaty of Brest – Litovsk, ending the war in the east

  22. U.S. ROAD TO WAR • British Blockade • Did not allow products to leave or enter Germany • German U-Boat Response • Counter to blockade, destroy all boats headed for British shores • May 7th 1915 • Sinking of the Lusitania • German U-Boats sank the Lusitania, killing 128 Americans • The U.S. remained neutral

  23. SINKING THE THE ARABIC • August 1915 • German U-Boats sink this British liner • 2 Americans wounded • Wilson threatens to break diplomatic relations • Germany vowed not to make anymore unannounced attacks • Sank 37 more within a year

  24. SINKING OF THE SUSSEX • March 24, 1916 • Germany attacks the unarmed Sussex • Americans injured • Wilson threatens to break diplomatic relations • THE SUSSEX PLEDGE • Germany pledges to not attack merchant vessels without warning • WILSON TRIES TO NEGOTIATE • Great Britain and Germany both refuse

  25. UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE • January 9, 1917 • Germany decides submarine warfare will win the war • January 31, 1917 • Wilson learns of the plans and breaks diplomatic ties • February 1, 1917 • U-Boat attacks resume

  26. ZIMMERMAN NOTE • Telegram to Mexico from Germany offering to help Mexico retrieve the land lost to the United States during the Mexican-American War if Mexico distracted the United States, preventing the US from joining the war in Europe. • This move generated support for a declaration of war by the US

  27. US DECLARE WAR ON GERMANY • Senate declares war April 4th 1917 • House of Representatives declares war April 6th 1917 • Wilson’s reasoning for war make the world “Safe for Democracy”

  28. ON THE HOMEFRONT • World War I was a Total War • All Resources devoted to home front • Government took over factories to make military goods • All had to work • Women took place of men in factories

  29. Rationing – limit consumption of resources/goods necessary for the war effort • Propaganda – one-sided information to keep support for the war

  30. Espionage Act of 1917 • prohibited interference with military operations or recruitment, prevented insubordination in the military, and prevented the support of United States enemies during wartime. • Sedition Act of 1918 • forbade the use of "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" about the U.S. government, its flag, or its armed forces or that caused others to view the American government or its institutions with contempt.

  31. In a controversial Supreme Court decision, Schenck v. United States (1919), the Espionage Act was upheld. • Congress had the power to enact legislation that under ordinary circumstances might not be acceptable, when faced by “a clear and present danger."  • In Abrams v. United States (1919) the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Sedition Act

  32. ENDING THE WAR 1917-1918 • US enters the War in April of 1917 • March 1918 Russia and Germany sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Germans now use all resources on Western Front • March of 1918 Germany begins a massive attack on France

  33. THE TIDE TURNS • Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates on November 9th 1918 • 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 Germany agrees to a cease-fire • 8.5 million soldiers dead • 21 million soldiers wounded • Cost of 338 billion dollars

  34. THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE • Meeting of the “Big Four” at the Paris Peace Conference

  35. Wilson Proposes his “14 points” • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdhxLVlrhI • Plan to end WWI and secure world peace • Wilson’s 14th point created the League of Nations • However, the U.S. never joined

  36. “Big Four” create Treaty of Versailles • War Guilt Clause - Germany • Break up of German, Austrian, Russian, and Ottoman Empire • Reparations • Legacy of bitterness and betrayal

  37. EFFECTS OF WORLD WAR I • Before World War I feeling of optimism and progress of human-kind • After the War feelings of pessimism • New forms of Art, Literature, Philosophy, and Science • ex. Surrealism, “Lost” Generation, Psychoanalysis, Existentialism

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