THE GREAT WAR World War I 1914-1918

1. THE GREAT WARWorld War I1914-1918

3. CAUSES • MILITARISM • “powder keg” • During the 1800s European countries began to stockpile weapons in the name of defense • No country wanted to fall behind • This led to an arms race

4. CAUSES • ALLIANCES • Secret friendships were formed between countries for security reasons. • When Austria-Hungary and Serbia began the conflict, all of their alliances were brought into the confliction • Snowball effect

5. CAUSES • IMPERIALISM • Competition for territory led the countries of Europe into direct conflict with each other

6. CAUSES • NATIONALISM • Definition: extreme pride in one’s country • The intense loyalty European’s felt to their country and/or ethnic group provided a cause for fighting

7. CAUSES • ECONOMICS • Industrialization caused a desire for resources and markets • As nations competed for these elements, natural conflicts arose

8. The Roots of War: nationalism, militarism and alliances cause tension • Nationalism = extreme feelings of national pride • Countries were in competition for colonies • Militarism = acquiring arms to compete with other countries • large, sophisticated armies and navies were developed • Alliances = countries asked other countries for support in the event of a conflict • Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, and Italy formed the Triple Alliance • France, Great Britain and Russia formed the Triple Entente

9. The United States stays Neutral • US has a long history of non-involvement in European affairs • George Washington advised, “steer clear of permanent alliances” • Thomas Jefferson vowed, “entangling alliances with none” • Americans saw themselves at morally distanced from the power struggles of Europe. • The American Empire was more concerned with establishing power in the Western Hemisphere (Latin America)

10. WWI BEGINS • The Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary • Austria-Hungary had annexed Bosnia, taking it from the Ottoman Empire • Serbia, a country to the south of Austria-Hungary, opposed this control • June 18, 1914 – Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand (a secret Serbian nationalist society) killed the Archduke and his wife during a tour of Bosnia

12. The War Begins as Austria-Hungary strikes back • Knowing it had German support, A-H demanded that Serbia investigate the crime • Confident that it would be backed by Russia, Serbia refused. • A-H declared war July 28.

13. All of Europe was quickly involved because of the alliance system • Germany declared war on Russia when Russian troops mobilized • Germany declared war on France when it chose to honor an alliance with Russia rather than taking a neutral position. • Germany traveled through Belgium to attack France, breaking a treaty with Great Britain, so GB declared war on Germany.

14. U.S. President Wilson declares neutrality, but not all Americans agree

15. Equally matched opponents reached a bloody stalemate • Winston Churchill: “It’s going to be a long war, in spite of the fact that on both sides every wince man in it wants it stopped at once.”

16. Trench warfare • Modern weaponry (machine guns) leads both sides to dig trenches for protection. • 475 miles of trenches reached from Switzerland to the North Sea • First, one side would bombard the other with artillery, then send in infantry • Cold, cramped, and wet conditions led to problems for soldiers

18. Trench foot

19. US stays neutral • Many Americans were horrified by the brutality, and many felt connected to their ancestors in Europe, but President Wilson still stayed out. • American relief organizations (Red Cross) offered help to the Allies (Triple Entente)

20. The German U-Boat and Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • A British Naval blockade kept all kinds of necessary supplies out of Germany • Unterseeboot, or undersea boats = submarines were developed by the Germans to challenge the powerful British Navy • Germany warned that it would use its u-boats to fire without warning on any ships that entered the waters around Great Britain • Between February and May 1915, u-boats sunk over 90 ships

22. British passenger ship, Lusitania had traveled from NYC and was torpedoed and sunk • Of 2000 passengers, 1200 died, including 128 Americans and 125 children • Lusitania contained secret cargo of war materials • German attacks, especially the Lusitania, angered Americans. Germany feared US entry.

23. The Zimmermann Note brings the US into the war • January 1917- a telegram was intercepted by the US on its way from Germany to Mexico which proposed that Mexico should ally itself with Germany if the US entered the war • Promised to help Mexico regain the territories of New Mexico, Texas and Arizona • This note was published in American papers, causing outrage

24. April 1917 - President Wilson asked congress for a declaration of war against Germany • “The World must be made safe for Democracy…” -- Congress passed the declaration. • Peace groups in the US continued to oppose the war

26. War brought changes to the American Home-front • The US scrambled to prepare for war • To increase the number of troops, Wilson initiated a draft in addition to the volunteers • Production of food, weapons and fuel increased • Propaganda campaigns were launched to unite public opinion in favor of the war

27. Civil liberties were abused • Harsh punishments were doled out to people who expressed public opposition to war • Conscientious objectors who refused to fight were fined, jailed and sentenced to death • Rejection of all things German led to discrimination • Sauerkraut renamed “liberty cabbage” • German-Americans were fired from jobs, harassed, placed in prison camps

28. American soldiers were excited and optimistic, yet scared of what was to come. • Inexperienced US troops had trouble at first, but their force pushed the Germans back • Decisive battles of Chateau-Thierry and Meuse-Argonne helped end the war • Central Powers began to surrender: • First Bulgaria, then Turkey, and finally Austria-Hungary • In Berlin, Germans overthrew Kaiser Wilhelm

29. THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES • The Punishment of Germany • Required to admit total blame for starting WWI • Pay reparations (payment for war damages) as much as $300 billion • For destroyed homes and businesses • Pensions for Allied soldiers • Cost of ammunitions and uniforms

30. Limitations on size of army • All German colonies divided among the Allied powers

31. Changes in other territories • Austria-Hungary divided into four countries: Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia • To prevent the spread of communism, other independent countries were set up along Germany’s border with the Soviet Union: Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

32. International Peacekeeping Organizations created • League of Nations (Later became the United Nations) • Countries of the world work together to stop international aggression • World Court • To peaceably mediate disputes between countries

33. The United States rejects the Treaty of Versailles • Even though President Wilson was a key player in creating the Treaty, he could not convince Congress to ratify it • Most Americans agreed with the main provisions, but had some problems with the Covenant establishing the League of Nations

34. The Republican-controlled Senate opposed the treaty as long as it contained the Covenant • Concern was that the League of Nations would cause the US to get involved in other countries’ conflicts and would interfere with domestic issues • After months of debate and speeches, Wilson was still unable to get the support of the Senate unless he made changes to the Covenant • Warren G. Harding replaced Wilson in 1920, and the US never joined the League of Nations