World War I

Ch. 23

1914-1919

9 million casualties

Millions are homeless and hungry

Civil War in Russia

World War I

1. Nationalism 2. Imperialism 3. Militarism 4. Alliances 5. Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Causes

Feeling of intense loyalty to one’s

country or group

Encouraged new nations to form Italy (1860s) Germany (1870s)

Some ethnic groups demanded independence and their own nations

1. Nationalism

European nations were competing to

expand their empires Competed for colonies in:

Africa Asia Pacific Ocean

Great Britain and France had huge overseas empires Germany, Italy, and Russia wanted colonies too

2. Imperialism

Colonies that Great Britain has owned at some point

European nations needed strong armies and

navies to protect their colonies

If one nation increased its military, its rivals felt that they had to do the same

Militarism: Buildup of military strength

Germany, France, and Russia built huge armies Great Britain had the world’s strongest navy

3. Militarism

As a result of militarism, nations formed

alliances to protect themselves Each ally promised to go to war if any of

its other allies were attacked Problem?

Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy

Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, and Russia

4. Alliances

Heir to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire

Assassinated on June 28, 1914 by Gavrilo Princip Serbian nationalist

What does that mean?

5. Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

1. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

July 28, 1914

2. Russia, protector of Serbia, declares war on Austria-Hungary (A-H)

3. Germany, allies with A-H declares war on Russia and France August 1, August 3

4. Germany invades Belgium August 4

5. Great Britain, Belgium’s protector, declares war on Germany

Chain of War

The Allies:

Great Britain, France, and Russia

The Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

(Turkey)

Italy refuses to honor its allegiance to Germany and A-H Joins the Allies in 1915 instead

The “Great War”

Poison Gas

Initially used by Germans Allies began using it as well Soldiers were forced to carry masks

Armored Tanks Could cross battle lines Protection from trenches

Airplanes Machine guns fastened to top wing

Submarine Germans used the U-boat to sink supply ships to Great

Britain

Technology of WWI

Germany was determined to hold onto the

parts of France and Belgium that they took

Germans dug trenches for protection from advancing French and British troops

The Allies began to dig their own as well

For 3 years, neither side could advance more than a few miles

Trench Warfare

President Woodrow Wilson wanted to

stay neutral during World War I

End of Neutrality

German U-Boat sank the British

passenger liner the Lusitania on May 7, 1915 128 Americans died on board It was later learned that the ship also

carried war materials

Lusitania

January 16, 1917

Secret message sent from Germany to Mexico Intercepted by Britain

Asks Mexico to attack the United States if the U.S. joins World War I Mexico would be given Texas, New Mexico,

and Arizona

Zimmerman Telegram

April 2, 1917

Woodrow Wilson asks for a declaration of war against Germany

May 18, 1917 Selective Service Act

Set up a military draft Men aged 21-30 registered

America Enters the War

British and French troops were exhausted from

years of trench warfare

German submarines sank 900,000 tons of supplies/month That number dropped to 300,000 tons when America

joined the war

Russia signed a treaty with Germany in March 1918 Germany could now move thousands of soldiers to

the western front

America’s Involvement

American soldiers began fighting in June

1918 Known as “Doughboys” because of their brass

buttons

The U.S., France, and Britain pushed the German army back into Germany By November, Austria-Hungary and the

Ottoman Empire surrendered to the Allies

Germany surrendered on November 11, 1918

The End of the War

116, 516 dead 204,002 wounded 323,018 total casualties

American Casualties

June 28, 1919

Germany had to: Accept full responsibility for the war Pay billions of dollars in reparations Disarm completely Give up its colonies and some territory in Europe

Germans would resent this and Adolf Hitler would use it to gain power in Germany during the 1930s

The Treaty of Versailles