THE GREAT WAR

1. THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

2. Never in the course of human history had the world seen such a devastating loss of life on the battlefield than in World War I.

3. M.A.I.N. CAUSES • MILITARISM • ALLIANCES • IMPERIALISM • NATIONALISM

4. MILITARISM:Europe was going through a period of military build up which led to the requirement of men to sign up for military service. Conscription- forced enrollment in the military ALLIANCES: the countries of Europe began to make friendships and agreements with one another for protection and to gain power. IMPERIALISM: the policy of stronger countries in taking economic, political, and social control over weaker nations. NATIONALISM: the belief in the traditions and ideas of one’s nation and that there should be unity within that nation.

5. What was the immediate Cause of World War I?

6. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his family.

7. The Black Hand • In May 1911, ten men in Serbia formed the Black Hand Secret Society. • The main objective of the Black Hand was the creation, by means of violence, of a Greater Serbia. Its stated aim was: "To realize the national ideal, the unification of all Serbs. This organization prefers terrorist action to cultural activities; it will therefore remain secret."

8. Franz Ferdinand knew that the journey would be dangerous. A large number of people living in Bosnia-Herzegovina were unhappy with Austro-Hungarian rule and favored union with Serbia.

9. Gavrillo Princip, a 19 year old member of the Black Hand, shot and killed Franz Ferdinand and his wife at point blank range.

11. Ferdinand’s Funeral

12. The Road to World War *Princip, from Serbia, assassinated the future leader of Austria-Hungary. *Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. *Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary. *Russia was allied with Serbia. *Germany declared war on Russia and France. *Germany went through Belgium to get into France which drew in the British.

14. The Christmas Truce of 1914

15. Innovations

16. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF INNOVATION? Innovation: the introduction of something new. A new idea, method, or device.

17. The Machine Gun American-born inventor, Sir Hiram Maxim, it was the first machine gun to operate entirely by mechanical means.

18. The Machine Gun in 1914 The 1914 machine gun, usually positioned on a flat tripod, would require a gun crew of four to six operators.  In theory they could fire 400-600 small-calibre rounds per minute, a figure that was to more than double by the war's end, with rounds fed via a fabric belt or a metal strip. “Going the Whole Nine Yards”

19. The casualties from machine gun were so high that high command instructed the men to dig in for protection. Initially the men protected themselves with foxholes. The foxholes developed into trenches.

20. TRENCH WARFARE The casualties from the machine gun were so tremendous that commanding officers ordered their men to dig in for protection. The trenches began with foxholes but as time went on they became more elaborate.

21. Inside the Trenches

26. The two opposite lines of trenches had been dug across 475 miles of land from the Alps to the North Sea. 1. Foxhole 4. Rats 2. Hideout 5. Barbed Wire 3. Slope 6. Fire Step

27. BARBED WIRE • Barbed wire was invented in 1874. Its practical use of containing animals will change to a defensive purpose during WWI. • In World War I barbed wire was used to protect the area around the trenches.

28. “Caught in the Wire”

29. NO MAN’S LAND • This was the area between two opposing trenches • This area was barren and full of holes from shells • The trench warfare resulted in a stalemate.

31. OVER THE TOP This catch phrase was used to describe when the troops would go over the top of the trench in an attempt to advance towards the enemy.

32. The men dug out sleeping and resting areas in the side of the trench.

35. Trenches today

36. Life in the trenches • Life was very rough in the trenches • Thousands of huge rats would be in the trenches looking for food • Conditions were often wet and damp causing trench foot • Lice was another problem for the men

37. The Flamethrower The flamethrower, which brought terror to French and British soldiers when used by the German army in the early phases of the First World War in 1914 and 1915 was by no means a particularly innovative weapon. They were undeniably useful when used at short-range, but were of limited wider effectiveness, especially once the British and French had overcome their initial alarm at their use. 

38. The Flamethrower

39. Poison Gas Considered uncivilized prior to World War I, the development and use of poison gas was necessitated by the requirement of wartime armies to find new ways of overcoming the stalemate of unexpected trench warfare.

41. How it was used: • The odorless and deadly form of gas would be thrown to the enemy territory in canisters. • The gas would settle to the ground and seek the lowest levels. • It was effective to get the men out of the trenches.

42. Considered uncivilized prior to World War I, the development and use of poison gas was necessitated by the requirement of wartime armies to find new ways of overcoming the stalemate of unexpected trench warfare.

43. Chlorine Gas The effects of chlorine gas were severe.  Within seconds of inhaling its vapor it destroyed the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks.  The gas would cause widespread panic rather than a large number of deaths.

46. Sometimes gas canisters would be thrown into enemy lines and the wind would shift and it would blow back to friendly forces.

47. ANIMALS OF WAR World War I was one of the last wars in which horses were widely used. Animals have served many purposes during wars.

48. Horses

49. Horse drawn ambulance

50. The animals were an essential part of the war effort but could also become casualties.