World War I

1. World War I

2. Four Reasons • Imperialism • Nationalism • Militarism • And Entangling alliances

3. Nationalism • Devotion to ones country • Nations prior to the mid 1800s were viewed as a collection of different ethnic groups • In the late 1800s people believed that a nation should represent the nationality of a single group • This increased internal conflict and foreign rivalries • Lead to conflict over territory where one ethnic group controlled another

4. Alsace-Lorraine • Territory once controlled by the French who lost it to the Germans in 1871 • Most of the citizens were French • Wanted it back and to avenge their loss • Will become a source of tension between the Germans and the French

5. Nationalism • Devotion to ones country • Nations prior to the mid 1800s were viewed as a collection of different ethnic groups • In the late 1800s people believed that a nation should represent the nationality of a single group • This increased internal conflict and foreign rivalries • Lead to conflict over territory where one ethnic group controlled another • Also lead to threats on the minority groups within a nation.

6. Nationalism Fuels Social Darwinism • The idea that “survival of the fittest” will lead to the best ethnic groups surviving lead to increased tensions • Lead to the belief that constant conflict would weed out the weak and leave the strongest nations to thrive.

7. Nationalism tears up countries • Ethnic divisions tore apart countries as well • Austria Hungary and the Ottoman Empire • Serbia fought for independence in 1878 and won • Demanded that the land occupied by Serbians in Austria Hungary should be given to them. • Nationalism also fueled Imperialism and Militarism • Competition to be the biggest and the best in the world.

8. Militarism • Glory of the military • Countries competed to create the best military with the biggest and best stuff and soldiers • Most countries knew it was not If but When a war would break out • Germany started the increase of military power • By 1914 had largest standing army and the largest stash of deadly weapons in the world. • Also built its navy up to compete with Great Britain.

9. The world tries to keep up

10. Alliances • Before 1914 two major alliances formed • The Triple Alliance • Germany • Austria Hungary • Italy (wouldn’t fight for Triple) • The Triple Entente • France • Russia • Great Britain • Alliance cause leaders to act more reckless, • Knew that if war came people had their backs • And nobody wanted to be unreliable • As time went on European leaders looked to war as a good option and not as something that would destroy Europe

11. The Spark • June 28 1914 Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne in Austria Hungary and his wife Sophie left for a visit to Sarajevo (capital city of Bosnian province) • Bosnian people not happy with the archduke • Bosnia rightfully belonged to Serbia and they thought he was a tyrant for keeping it • GavriloPrincip, noticed the couple in the car, pulled a pistol and shot the couple. Both died. • World was in Shock and the assassination • This murder would be the spark that starts the great war.

12. All In • Soon after the assassination Kaiser William II assured Austria-Hungary that Germany would stand by its alliance • Austria sent an ultimatum to Serbia demanding cooperation in an investigation • Serbia said no way! • Austria-Hungary Declared war on July 28 1914 • Russia Declared war to help its ally Serbia • Germany declared war on Russia • France declared war on Germany to help Russia • Germany declared war on Belgium (neutral) do it could invade France. • Great Britain, had treaty with France and Belgium, Declared war on Germany • Ottoman Empire would back Germany and Austria-Hungary

13. Germans March in France • Germans marched through Belgium and France and were on the approach into Paris when they met the French and British near the Marne River • The British and French (allied powers) held off the Germans (Central Power) back to the high ground • The Germans dug trenches to fortify themselves and used machine guns to hold off the attacking troops • Killing thousands • The British and French Dug in and used the same strategy to kill thousands in a counter attack • Soon 450 miles of Trenches stretched from Belgium to Switzerland • This would become the western front and would be critical for determining the outcome of the war.

14. Stalemate • The two sides made little to no progress for years, both trying and failing to invade each others trenches • Primary Reason for Stalemate • Defensive weapons were better and more advanced than offensive weapons. • No real understanding of new strategy with powerful weapons • Commanders sent soldiers into assaults without considering the new weapons • In almost every battle the attacking side lost and suffered extreme losses

15. Weapons of Trench Warfare

16. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Battled in Harsh conditions, winter and rain made trenches muddy and full of disease • Lead to the common development of “Trench Foot” from standing in wet mud all day

17. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Harsh Conditions • “Trench Foot” • Lice was common from the Rats that also resided in the trenches

18. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Harsh Conditions • “Trench Foot” • Lice • Lived in constant fear that the next time your head popped above the trench you would be shot • Or that your commander would order you into “no mans land”

19. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Harsh Conditions • “Trench Foot” • Lice • constant fear • Poison Gas was a Common weapon that killed silently or made people blind or burned

20. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Harsh Conditions • “Trench Foot” • Lice • constant fear • Poison Gas • Constant barrage of shells had made no mans land a deadly wasteland of dead bodies and debris, but it had to be crossed in order to win.

21. Trench Warfare • Nasty, Awful, Terrifying, Deadly • Harsh Conditions • “Trench Foot” • Lice • constant fear • Poison Gas • “no mans land”

22. Deadly war • Casualties- people killed wounded or missing-Mounted in the hundreds in the first days • Then in thousands, and then hundreds of thousands and by the end of the first 3 months over 1 million French and nearly 1 million Germans had died. • In 1916 at Verdun and the Somme • The French Germans and British sustained more than 2 million casualties • British lost 60,000 on first day and gained nothing

23. Back in the US • The United States was in a difficult situation • Melting Pot • Wilson told America to avoid the war unless our interests were directly threatened • But Americans were still divided and concerned about war • 1/3 of Americans are foreign born • Many were German American and supported the Central Powers • Most supported the British and French • Primary trade partners and heritage • France supported the US during Revolution.

24. American Opinion • Propaganda • News articles or pictures that influence public opinion • News of German murders and atrocities covered the front page • Killing unarmed civilians in Belgium • Three opinions surfaced • Isolationists • None of our business • Interventionists • US should support the Allies • The internationalists • Should work for peace but stay out of the war

25. US moves towards war • Wilson was an internationalist but couldn’t keep us out of war • British were blocking German ports from every good • Breaking international law • Can only take contraband, weapons and things for war, • Germany responded by using U-Boats to sink British ships • Sunk the Lusitania a passenger ship that was carrying contraband to the Allies • Citizens in outrage because it was a passenger liner • Germany said it wouldn’t sink passenger ships, but it broke that promise • With this threat the US readied for war

26. America goes to war • In 1917 the final straw came • Germany sent a telegram to Mexico • The Zimmerman Note • Proposed an alliance with Mexico • If the US declares war on Germany than Mexico should declare war on the US • In return if Germany wins Mexico would receive Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back • Telegram intercepted by British who gave it to Americans • Germany then said it was doing unrestricted U-boat warfare • Wilson was shocked by Germany’s methods of war and asked congress to declare war on Germany • The US officially enters the war on April 6