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World War I. Causes of War. I. Militarism: build up of armed forces Meant to use to threaten Germany strongest army Britain Navy. Alliance System -Friendships that had been set up -Sometimes secret -Triple Entente/Allies: France, Brit., Russia
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Causes of War • I. Militarism: • build up of armed forces • Meant to use to threaten • Germany strongest army • Britain Navy
Alliance System -Friendships that had been set up • -Sometimes secret • -Triple Entente/Allies: France, Brit., Russia • -Triple Alliance: Germ., Aust.-Hung., Italy • -Eventually called Central Powers when Ottoman Empire/Turks joined them • -Countries had made promises to defend each other when one was attacked. • With the four factors in place all that was needed was a spark to start the war:
Nationalism -a devotion to the interests of your country’s above all other countries • usually led to rivalries between countries • also led to the feeling that one ethnic group was better the another • caused the belief that one ethnic group should dominate another
Imperialism Large Nations had been building empires, and using other countries for raw goods. Had caused bad feeling between the smaller and larger countries
Assassination • An Assassination starts the fire of war: • -War started in the Balkan Peninsula • -Ethnic rivalries: groups that did not get along • -Other countries wanted the land for access to waterways • -June 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand visits Bosnia. • -Assassinated with his wife by Serb, Princip • -Princip belonged to group called the Black Hand: -Group wanted Serbian freedom • -Austria Hungary had to declare war to save face
-Declared war against Serbia -Serbia was allied to Russia -Germany sided with Austria-Hungary • France sided with Russia • Britain sided with France • Europe was at war
The Fighting • -Germany is aggressor -has a strategy called the Schlieffen Plan -Attack France first, then Russia -Road to France through Belgium -Allies have to fight in France, cannot save Bel. -Line up at Marne River, no one could win quick • -
Began Trench warfare -Three types of trenches: Front line, support, reserve -Between trenches was No Man’s land -1.2 million dead by end of war
Would America get Involved? • -Early in the war most Americans not want in • -not everyone agreed on who should win though • Critics of war: • 1.Socialists: Capitalist and Imperialists were using little countries for their benefits • 2. Pacifists: War was evil Some just didn’t see it as our fight I did not raise my boy to be a soldier
Ties to old country -some supported their home country some Germans want Germany some Irish want Germany, because Brit. Had been bad to Irish -Many US supported Brits because they were like cousins -Germany’s aggressiveness caused some here to hate them
Money makes Friends -More then anything we were tied economically to the Allies -When war started, Allies gave us business we needed -We were making money off of war, labor shortage As much as the people of the US wanted to stay out of war, we could not stay out, it was just a question of when
Brits start a Blockade: -Britain wanted to starve Germany out • Germany has little water access, so Britain tried to stop all supplies coming to it • US at first happy to do business with anyone at first, but now forced to only do business with Brits • Result: Germans starve: 750,000 starve to death • Germany had to respond, helps US get into war
U-Boat Response: • -Germany uses submarines to sink British ships -Does not follow rules of war • 1915: Lusitania sunk: 1198 dead, 128 Americans • -Germans said liner had war supplies on it • -US starts to lean towards war • Three months later: Arabic sunk: 2 Americans • 1916: Sussex sunk, more Americans killed • -Sussex Pledge: Germany claims to not sink anymore ships if Britain will open shipping routes: US only hears Germany will not sink more ships.
1916 Election: • -President Wilson defeats Charles Evans Hughes -He campaigned on the slogan “He kept us out of war” But could he? • -Wilson tried to help bring Peace: Peace without Victory! No one took bait • -Germany declared unrestricted sub. Warfare -All ships shot on sight -Zimmerman Letter: • -Final straw: A telegram to Mexico: Invade US and after war they will get land back that US took • Russia fell to Revolution, no longer a monarchy • -US did not have to align itself with a government it did not agree with, but one that it could support
It’s ON! • -April 2nd: War declared, Congress voted to support -Wilson called it a war to make the World Safe for Democracy -Also was going to be called the War to end All Wars • What would happen now?
Section 2 Before US gets involved… The war was not going well for the allies Ships were being sunk GB down to two months of food Allies morale low
The US prepares US military in horrible shape pre-war Less then 200,000 men Need to increase army Selective Service Act 1917 All men 18-45 24 million registered
Propaganda worked Army rose to 3 million Most no high school education or had ever left town African Americans allowed in Army, but not Navy or Marines Segregated units Many stuck in non combat units
Women Noncombat roles Most were nurses Also worked in factories to make supplies for war
Needed to increase the amount of supplies not just soldiers Modernize and increase the size or army and navy Needed to build more ships: Don’t draft shipbuilders Promote importance of factory work Increase efficiency Gov. took control of ships and converted for war use
Modernize Weaponry Build new Tanks Long Range artillery Machine Guns (600 shots per minute) Chemical warfare Develop Army Air Corps First American Ace Eddie Rickenbacker
Allied Leaders: John Pershing head of whole AEF Allied leader: Marshall Foch
Conditions Soldiers suffered bad conditions Lice Mud Polluted water Disease Shell shock
How did US make a difference? We were “Fresh” Nicknamed “Doughboys” We had good morale We helped develop Sonar We helped place mines Convoy system to protect supplies
The end… Central powers finally collapse 1. outnumbered 2. soldiers refused to fight 3. flu
Peace Nov. 11 1918: Armistice 22 million dead US 110,000 20 million wounded US 200,000
Section 3 3 Priorities of Congress during war 1. Supply allies with food and equipment 2. Raise money to pay for war 3. Get American public to maintain support for the war