World War I

1. World War I

2. Tensions in Europe • Long term causes (1) • Nationalism • Strong sense of pride and loyalty to one’s nation or culture • Imperialism • Wanted more and more land and fought over colonies • Militarism • Aggressive strengthening of armed forces to prove who is strongest • Alliances • Even though the initial spark was only between two countries, all the other countries were dragged into the war because of Alliances

3. The Spark • Hostility was growing even more between the European countries. Everyone expected a war • Bosnia and Herzegovina tried to break away from Turkish rule and join Serbia, but Austria Hungary annexed them first, causing animosity • WWI spark came with the Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand heir to Austria-Hungary throne by a Serbian nationalist (2)

4. Beginning of the Great War • Peace Shattered, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia • Up to this time period there were alliances • Reasoning? • Problem? • Sides • Central Powers- Austria-Hungary and Germany (3) • Allied Powers-France, Russia, Britain, and Italy (1915) (4)

5. First Battle of the Marne • Germany marched through Belgium to France • Kept advancing until the Marne River (25 miles from Paris) where they were able to push the Germans back after several days • This created the Western Front (from North Sea to Switzerland • The Eastern Front was between Russia and Germany (from Black Sea to Baltic Sea) • War is longer than planned

6. New Warfare • Trench Warfare (5) • Defending positions by fighting from the protection of deep ditches • Instead of retreating far away, trenches were dug and were hid behind. • Trenches were cold, wet, muddy, disease ridden holes

7. Modern Technology (6) • Machine guns • Huge Artillery guns • Poisonous gases that sunk into trenches • Banned at the beginning, but were used by both sides at the end • U-boats- submarines used by Germans • Tanks • Airplanes

8. Stalemate (7) • Neither side could declare a victory • Both sides attacked and counter attacked trying to break the stalemate • Central Powers attacked Verdun • Allies attacked Somme River • 1 million men died at these two battles

9. Sea Battles • Because of the stalemate, sea battles were growing more and more important • Britain blockaded and mined the Central Powers sea ports stopping supplies • Germany responded with U-boats sinking ships (8) • Unrestricted submarine warfare- sinking any boat (even neutral countries) that was helping the Allies • This eventually pulled the US into WWI

10. US position during WWI • At the beginning of WWI, the US declared itself neutral because it had immigrants from both the Central Powers and Allied Powers, and it considered the war a European problem (9) • US ships supplied the war, and banks invested money into Liberty Bonds (war bonds)- however it was mostly to the Allies • German U-boats attacked trying to stop supplies from reaching the Allies

11. US in the War • Germany sank the Lusitania (British Passenger liner) killing 1,200 people (128 of whom are Americans) • Angered Americans. America’s official response was a protest note from Wilson • Germany sank the Sussex, and the US stated that if attacking non-military ships was not stopped, the US would enter the war • Sussex pledge was an agreement that Germany would not attack non-military ships without warning

12. US entering the War (10) • Wilson was reelected with promise of neutrality • Germany broke the Sussex pledge- even directly attacked US ships • Wilson broke diplomatic relations with Germany • Zimmerman Note- telegram sent to Mexico from Germany urging Mexico to join WWI against the United States. Germany promised Mexico getting back land that they lost to the US during the Mexican War. • US outraged, and declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917 • Declared “The World must be made safe for democracy

13. Getting Support for War (11) • Committee on Public Information (CPI) formed to get support for the war effort • Public speakers spoke supporting the war • Propaganda- opinions expressed for the purpose of influencing the actions of others • Limitations on US freedoms • Anti-espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918 both restricted free speech and allowed the government to arrest people • 900 people arrested for violating these laws • Sedition Act was repealed, but Anti-Espionage is still in effect

14. Support Continued (11) • War Industries Board oversaw the production and distribution of steel, copper, cement, and rubber • Food Administration worked to increase food supplies to the troops • Citizens (still in the US) were encouraged to have “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays” • Victory Gardens grown for veggies (to support the War)

15. Getting Troops • Selective Service Act (1917) was passed (12) • Required men from 21-30 register to be drafted • 3 million men were drafted to fight WWI • African Americans who were drafted were segregated into their own troops, but led by white commander • Training was expensive so Liberty Bonds were issued to pay for it (billions raised for the Allies) (13)

16. Wartime Opportunities (14) • Women’s War Efforts • 1 million women joined the labor force • 25,000 worked in European war effort as nurses, telephone operators, signalers, typists, and interpreters (in France) • No combat jobs, but could be ambulance drivers • Jane Addams and Jeanette Rankin spoke against war effort

17. Labor (14) • Even with the women, more workers were needed • Minorities (Mexican Americans, African Americans, etc.) moved north to find jobs • Union membership increased • 4 million workers went on strike during the war, and the owners had to agree to the demands because of the labor shortage • National War Labor Board (April 1918) tried to help avoid strikes and reach agreement, they were able to settle more than 1,000 labor disputes (15) • Establish minimum wage and limited work hours and fair pay for women