The World War I Era (1914–1920)

The World War I The World War I EraEra(1914–1920)(1914–1920)

Chapter 19Chapter 19

Section 1:WWI Begins (p.578-586)

1. Causes of World War I

Competition for colonial lands in Africa and elsewhere led to conflict among the major European powers.

A .Imperialism

Main Causes of World War I

By the early 1900s, powerful nations in Europe had adopted policies of militarism, or aggressively building up armed forces and giving the military more authority over government and foreign policy.

B .Militarism

One type of nationalism inspired the great powers of Europe to act in their own interests. Another emerged as ethnic minorities within larger nations sought self-government.

C. Nationalism

In a complicated system of alliances, different groups of European nations had pledged to come to one another’s aid in the event of attack.

D. Alliances

Chapter 19, Section 1

1A. Imperialism --Economic 1A. Imperialism --Economic & Imperial Rivalries& Imperial Rivalries

1B. Militarism (& Arms Race)

1870 1880 1890 190

0 1910 1914

94 130 154 268 289 398

Total Defense Expenditures for the Total Defense Expenditures for the Great Powers [Ger., A-H, It., Fr., Br., Great Powers [Ger., A-H, It., Fr., Br.,

Rus.] Rus.] in millions of £s.in millions of £s.

1910-1914 Increase in Defense

ExpendituresFrance 10%Britain 13%Russia 39%

Germany

73%

Militarism cont.Militarism cont.• Germany was

competing with the UK to build battleships.

• The British feared an attack on their Empire

Militarism cont.• Germany was

competing with Russia and France to expand their armies

1880 1914

• Germany 1.3m 5.0m• France 0.73m 4.0m• Russia 0.40m 1.2m

1C. Nationalism

1D. The Alliance System

Allied PowersAllied Powers::

Central Central PowersPowers::

2.The Major Players: 1914-17

Nicholas II Nicholas II [Rus][Rus]

George V [Br]George V [Br]

Pres. Poincare Pres. Poincare [Fr][Fr]

Allied PowersAllied Powers::

Franz Josef [A-H]Franz Josef [A-H]

Wilhelm II [Ger]Wilhelm II [Ger]

Victor Emmanuel Victor Emmanuel II [It]II [It]

Central PowersCentral Powers::

Enver PashaEnver Pasha[Turkey][Turkey]

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The First World War (1914-1919):

• Who?

GermanyAustria-HungaryOttoman EmpireBulgaria

Central Powers:Allied Powers:

4. The spark that started WWI4. The spark that started WWI

• Princip was a member of the Serbian Nationalist terrorist group, Black Hand.

• Franz Ferdinand, the sole heir to the Austria-Hungary Empire was just gunned down by a Serbian Nationalist.

Who’s To Blame?

The Crisis cont.• “Black Hand”

terrorists attack the Arch Duke

• Bomb attempt fails in morning

• Gavrilo Princip shoots Archduke and wife in the afternoon.

• Austrians blame Serbia for supporting terrorists.

Seal of the Black Hand group

• Convinced that Serbia was behind the Archduke’s assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Germany is ready to help it’s ally, Austria-Hungary.

• Russia, as Serbia’s protector, began mobilization, or the readying of troops for war. France is ready to help it’s ally, Russia.

6. Germany’s Situation• Germany, located between France

and Russia, wanted to conquer France quickly to avoid the need to fight on two fronts. To get to France, German forces had to pass through neutral Belgium; the invasion of Belgium brought Britain into the conflict as well.

• One week after the war started, all the great powers of Europe had been drawn into it. Germany and Austria-Hungary formed the Central Powers, while Russia, France, Serbia, and Great Britain were called the Allies.

6. Germany’s Situation

6. The 6. The Schlieffen PlanSchlieffen Plan• Germany’s Germany’s

military plan military plan to defeat to defeat France and France and Russia.Russia.

• Germany could Germany could not win a two not win a two front war. front war. They must They must deliver a deliver a “Knock out “Knock out blow” aimed blow” aimed at France first.at France first.

• Avoid French Avoid French defences by defences by invasion of invasion of Belgium.Belgium.

Britain’s Reaction to invasion of neutral Belgium

• 1838- UK had signed a Treaty to protect Belgium.

• Britain also scared of Germany controlling Channel ports.

• Did not want Germany to defeat France and dominate Europe. Britain next?

• UK issued ultimatum to Germany to withdraw troops from Belgium. War declared August 4 1914

German Atrocities in German Atrocities in BelgiumBelgium

D. Stalemate and Modern WarfareD. Stalemate and Modern WarfareStalemate on the Western Front• By September 1914 the German advance on

Paris had been stopped. The war had reached a stalemate, a situation in which neither side is able to gain an advantage.

• Both sides holed up in trenches separated by an empty “no man’s land.” Small gains in land resulted in huge numbers of human casualties.

• Both sides continued to add new allies, hoping to gain an advantage.

Allied Powers

Central Powers

Trench Warfare: Trench Warfare: what was it like?what was it like?

No Man’s Land: The destroyed land between enemy trenches.

The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.

These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.

Rats killed in one trench

The British government wanted to encourage men to enlist for war.

They said the war would be safe, hardly any fighting, a good lark and over by Christmas.

They used advertising posters to encourage this idea!

A picture of soldiers going ‘Over the Top’

Modern Warfare• Neither soldiers nor officers were prepared

for the new, highly efficient killing machines used in World War I.

• New weapons killed thousands of soldiers who left their trenches to attack the enemy.

• What are examples of new weapons?• The machine gun / hand grenade / artillery /

bayonet / poison gas / flame thrower / submarine / airplane /barbed wire /

War on Two Fronts (Eastern/Western Fronts)

Stalemate: Many die for little gains in land

40

Which side should the US pick?

•11 million German-Americans •Irish-Americans hated Great Britain

•Close cultural ties with France and Britain•Shared transatlantic cables (so censored stories)•Big business loaned much $ to allies•Close business ties

Central Powers: Allied Powers:

41

What did it take to get the US involved?

1. Blockades

•Britain blockaded (stopped) all German ships going to America•Germany announced a submarine war around Britain

42

What did it take to get the US involved?

1. Blockades

•In April, 1915 Germany told Americans to stay off of British ships•They could/would sink them

43

What did it take to get the US involved?

1. Blockades

•Lusitania torpedoed, sinking with 1200 passengers and crew (including 128 Americans)

•Was eventually found to be carrying 4200 cases of ammunition

44

What did it take to get the US involved?

1. Blockades

•The US sharply criticized Germany for their action•Germany agreed not to sink passenger ships without warning in the future, this became known as the Sussex Pledge.

45

What did it take to get the US involved?

2. Unlimited Submarine Warfare

•1917 Germany announced “unlimited submarine warfare” in the war zone

Why? Otherwise their blockade would not be successful

46

What did it take to get the US involved?

3. Zimmerman Note

•US intercepted a note from Germany to Mexico

•It promised Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back in return for an alliance

C. Early 1917C. Early 1917 –The pivotal time. –The pivotal time. • Germans gamble on (Feb. 1917)

unrestricted submarine blockade of England and France. (They know that the U.S. may enter the war against them but they believe that the U.S. can not help enough in time.)

• The all out sub blockade works!! The Allies are in danger of loosing the war!!!

• April 1917— Wilson asks for and Congress issues a declaration of war against declaration of war against GermanyGermany ETC.

• The U.S. does make a difference—Convoy System of escorting merchant ships across the Atlantic brings supplies to Br. and Fr.

Allied Allied Ships Ships

Sunk by Sunk by U-BoatsU-Boats

Sept. 1916-April 1917

May 1917-Jan 1918

49

What did it take to get the US involved?•Zimmerman Note and the sinking of 4 unarmed American ships led to a declaration of war

50

Examine the issue:

•Should we tell the story of WWI with Germany as the “bad guy”? Explain.

In the final analysis, why did the In the final analysis, why did the U.S. go to war vs Germany?U.S. go to war vs Germany?

• Sub blockade by Germans—we violated the German zone (subs had to sink) and not the Br. zone (surface ships could just stop).

• Anti German propaganda—only one source of news—sent by the British.

• U.S. sales and loans to Allies –$$$ Billions-we enter the war at Allies darkest hour to save our investment.

• Wilson favored and admired the British.

Section 2:American Power Tipsthe Balance (p.587-

593)

53

How was the war looking for the allies?

•Russia left the war after its communist revolution in 1917

•Made it a one front war for Germany - all its troops could concentrate on France

Not Good...

War on one Front (Western Front)

55

Convincing the American People

1. War to End All Wars

Idealism: 2 Goals For War:

2. Making the World Safe for Democracy

56

Convincing the American People

Idealism: Fourteen Points

What? President Wilson’s Plan for after the war

•Fourteen promises, including freedom of the seas & a League of Nations to work for peace

President Woodrow Wilson

57

What did the US do to help?

• US provided the food, money, and fresh troops needed to win the war

Supplies:

A. Us had to build an army from nothingBuilding an Army• The United States lacked a large and available

military force. Congress therefore passed a Selective Service Act in May 1917, draftingdrafting many young men into the military.

• Draftees, volunteers, and National Guardsmen made up what was called the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing.

Chapter 19, Section 2

•Convoy system Convoy system allows supplies to get allows supplies to get to Br. and Fr. thru German sub to Br. and Fr. thru German sub blockade—Germans get no supplies blockade—Germans get no supplies thru Br. Blockade.thru Br. Blockade.•US troops not yet in Europe but the US troops not yet in Europe but the allies push back Germans in mid to late allies push back Germans in mid to late 1917.1917.

•Convoy System: Convoy System: Allied warships escort Allied warships escort groups of supply and troop ships groups of supply and troop ships across the Atlantic to protect them across the Atlantic to protect them from German U-Boats.from German U-Boats.

B. April 1917--Nov. 1917: With U.S. B. April 1917--Nov. 1917: With U.S. supplies the Fr. and Br. make gainssupplies the Fr. and Br. make gains

Communist Revolution in Russia• In 1917, Vladimir Lenin leads a

communist takeover of Russia. Tsar Nicolas II and his family are arrested and killed. Russia withdraws from the war to fight its own civil war.

C. Spring 1918--Germans make one last all out attack

•Without Russia in the war it Without Russia in the war it meant that the meant that the German military could concentrate German military could concentrate exclusively on the Western frontexclusively on the Western front. . •( March – June 1918) Before the arrival of ( March – June 1918) Before the arrival of American troops, Germany launched a American troops, Germany launched a furious attack that was able to gain ground furious attack that was able to gain ground in France, coming within 50 miles of Paris.in France, coming within 50 miles of Paris.•AEF begins to arrive in large numbers.AEF begins to arrive in large numbers.•General Pershing’s troops (AEF) pushed General Pershing’s troops (AEF) pushed back the Germans in a series of attacks. back the Germans in a series of attacks. •Finally, the German army was driven to full Finally, the German army was driven to full retreat in the retreat in the Meuse-Argonne OffensiveMeuse-Argonne Offensive begun on September 26, 1918.begun on September 26, 1918.

D. American Soldiers in EuropeD. American Soldiers in Europe

• By 1918, European nations had begun to run out of men to recruit. Energetic American soldiers, nicknamed doughboys, helped replace the tired fighters of Europe.

• Amer. soldiers were plugged into the front lines where need -most often as part of Br. or Fr. units. Pershing and his AEF were finally given a section of the front to control at St. Mihiel.

• Many African Americans volunteered or were drafted for service. However, these men served in segregated units and were often relegated to noncombat roles.

American “Dough Boys”• ..be eat’n all

Europe’s doughnuts…

E. Ending the War- late 1918E. Ending the War- late 1918

• In the face of Allied attacks and domestic revolutions, the Central Powers collapsed one by one. Austria-Hungary splintered into smaller nations of ethnic groups, and German soldiers mutinied, feeling that defeat was inevitable.

• When the Kaiser of Germany fled to Holland, a civilian representative of the new German republic signed an armistice, or cease-fire, in a French railroad car at 5am on November 11, 1918.

• The Great War ended on at 11:00, 11/11/18. Famously, remembered as the Eleventh Day, in the Eleventh Month, in the Eleventh Hour.

Chapter 19, Section 2

The Final Cost

1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic:

Depletes All Armies

50,000,000 – 50,000,000 – 100,000,000 died100,000,000 died

Some estimates place the dead at 20-40 million

Weapons of WWIWeapons of WWI

New Technology + old tactics = horrible losses

Trench knife

Trench Shovel-Germans

Gas Masks

German stick grenade

WWII grenade

Barbed wire strung out over No Man’s Land slowed speed of the advance of the attacking troops

At times electrified cable ran thru the mass of barbed wire-had to be cut first!!

The Machine Gun: The whole9 yards…

Germans first to mass produce it– the British thought it was not “sporting”

Poison Gas

Chlorine Gas – 1915 Germans first used it

Mustard Gas-sulfuric acid gas - yellow

rags soaked in water or urine

Gas Mask

TanksBritish-first tanks

Early tank-Little Willie 1915

French Tank

German Tank – lagged behind Allies in tank development

Both sides used bolt action rifles for the infantry

U-boatsSubmarines& Torpedos

In the beginning they surfacedto warn the other ship

1918 depth charges improved

Fokker

Airplanes

Dog Fight

The Flying Aces of World War I

Eddie Rickenbacher, US

FrancescoBarraco, It.

Rene PaukFonck, Fr.

Manfred vonRichtoffen, Ger.

[The “Red Baron”]

Willy Coppens deHolthust, Belg.

Eddie “Mick”Mannoch, Br.

Zeppelins

Flamethrowers

• Big Bertha (Range: 9 miles)

The War at HomeThe War at HomeSection 3 (p.594-601)Section 3 (p.594-601)

A. Financing the War--how we paid for it• The government raised money for the

war in part by selling Liberty Bonds, special war bonds to support the Allied cause.

• Like all bonds, these could be redeemed later for their original value plus interest.

• Many patriotic Americans bought liberty bonds, raising more than $20 billion for the war effort.

Chapter 19, Section 4

B. Managing the EconomyChapter 19, Section 3

Government Regulation Effect on USAWar Industries Board • Worked with US factories to

boost production for the war effort

• Turned whole US economy to winning the war

National War Labor Board • Tried to smooth relations between unions and management to keep production going

• “Work or Fight”• Promoted reforms like 8 hour

day, safe conditions, and ban on child labor

Food Administration • Did not ration food• “Gospel of the Clean Plate”• “Meatless Mondays”• “Wheatless Wednesdays”• Victory Gardens

Enforcing American Loyalty During World War I

Fear of espionage, or spying, was widespread; restrictions on immigration were called for and achieved.

Fear of Foreigners

The war spurred a general hostility toward Germans, often referred to as Huns in reference to European invaders of the fourth and fifth centuries. German music, literature, language, and cuisine became banned or unpopular.

“Hate the Hun”

Despite Wilson’s claim that the United States fought for liberty and democracy, freedom of speech was reduced during the war. Sedition, or any speech or action that encourages rebellion, became a crime. The Espionage and Sedition Act allowed the government to jail or fine those who spoke out against the war or in support of the Central Powers.

Repression of Civil Liberties

Socialists, who argued that workers had no stake in the war, won popular support in some states. The radical labor organization Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) tried to interfere with war production; vigilantes took the law into their own hands.

Political Radicals

C. Enforcing LoyaltyChapter 19, Section 3

91

D. Changing People’s Lives

Women •Women filled factory jobs

•May have led 19th Amendment after the war (Gave women the right to vote)

•Black soldiers still served in Segregated Units

African Americans

•“Great Migration” - thousands of African Americans moved North to work in factories

Section 4 (p.605-609)

Wilson Fights for Peace

A. President Wilson’s ProposalsA. President Wilson’s Proposals

• As the war neared an end, President Wilson developed a program for peace around the world known as the Fourteen Points, named for the number of provisions it contained.

• Important Points:– End “Entangling Alliances”– Reduce the size of all nation’s militaries– Self-determination: Ethnic groups within

collapsed empires should decide their own future.

– Spread of democratic government– Freedom of the Seas– League of Nations: A council of world

nations, where members would come together to settle disputes peacefully.

Chapter 19, Section 4

• Wilson wanted a “Just Peace” which was fair to all sides.

• The Allied Powers, which suffered greatly in the war demanded a “Peace of Vengeance” to prevent a future threat from Germany.

• Although both Wilson and the German government assumed that the Fourteen Points would form the basis of peace negotiations, the Allies disagreed. During peace negotiations, During peace negotiations, Wilson’sWilson’s Fourteen Points were Fourteen Points were discarded one by onediscarded one by one.

B. The Paris Peace ConferenceB. The Paris Peace ConferenceWilson Forced to Compromise• France and Britain demanded Germany pay

for “war damages” or reparations for all of the damage done in war.

• German’s colonies were not given self-determination, instead France and Britain divided them.

• Germany disarmament, or Germany was not allowed to have a military.

Chapter 19, Section 4

C. C. The Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles

• The treaty which was negotiated at the Paris Peace Conference redrew the map of Europe to the Allies’ advantage.

• Nine new nations were created from territory taken from Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany—none of which were invited to the negotiations. Although most borders were drawn with the division of ethnic minorities in mind, the redivisions created new ethnic minorities in several countries.

• On June 28, 1919, the peace treaty, which came to be known as the Versailles Treaty, was signed at Versailles, outside of Paris.

Chapter 19, Section 5

D. Reactions at HomeD. Reactions at Home

Congress and the Treaty of Versailles• Despite Wilson’s intensive campaign (suffered

stroke) in favor of the Versailles Treaty, Congress voted against ratifying it in November 1919.

• The United States declared the war officially over on May 20, 1920. It ratified separate peace treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary. However, the United States did not join the newly formed League of Nations.

• Republicans in Congress, were concerned about Article 10 of the League’s charter, which contained a provision that they claimed might draw the United States into unpopular foreign wars.

Chapter 19, Section 5

The Somme American Cemetery, France

116,516 Americans Died116,516 Americans Died

World War I CasualtiesWorld War I Casualties

01,000,0002,000,0003,000,0004,000,0005,000,0006,000,0007,000,0008,000,0009,000,000

10,000,000RussiaGermanyAustria-HungaryFranceGreat BritainItalyTurkeyUS

• “I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it.”

• Woodrow Wilson, 1919

One generation later…• Germany touches off WWII,

largely because it wants revenge for its treatment under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.