HELPING TO WIN THE WAR

CHAPTER 21, SECTION 2

When the US entered the war, many didn’t realize how desperate the Allies were. More than just men and guns, the US was able to supply food, supplies, and the all important motivation that comes with new blood!

War on the Western Front

Two Words….TRENCH WARFARE!

With new machine guns and automatic rifles both armies had to go on the defensive.

“Stationary Warefare” lead to both armies digging trenches and living underground for 3 ½ years they dug in to their elaborate systems.

Trench Warfare Brings on a Whole New Vocabulary…..

“No Man’s Land”- the area between the two trenches

“Shell Shock”- mind not being able to accept shells exploding all the time

“Trench Foot”- disease, from constantly being wet skin loosening up

“Trench Fever”-dysentery or TB

“Trench Mouth”- disease “Jumping the Wall”- suicide

Example of trench foot

Examples of Trench Mouth

NO Man’s Land

Early Losses in the War… First year of war

(1914) each side had lost ½ mil men (more than all of Germany’s army 50 years ago.

Second year of war (1915) France alone lost 1.5 million men

Third year of war France lost 1 million!!

And the losses kept coming.. In 1916 – At the

Battle of Somme (lasted 5 months) Germany lost more men than during the whole US Civil War

On one bloody day at Somme, 20,000 British Soldiers were killed.

Staggering Numbers Before the War was

over the soldiers killed on both sides would number 1o million, and another 10 million Civilians. would die from disease, starvation, and revolutions from the War. (see page 571 graph)

Almost too late… When the US finally

came into the war, Russia, had already dropped out with staggering losses and Germany (now concentrating on one front) had their trenches only 50 miles outside of Paris in France.

The American Expeditionary Force But the Americans came in

time. The AEF fought bravely and in July 85,000 Americans were there to save Paris.

By August famous general John J. Pershing had ½ mil. US troops and was advancing on Germany.

By Sept. 1 ¼ mil. US soldiers were fighting from France into Germany

Bad Mistake The German

generals had not imagined that the US “doughboys” who were untested in battle could turn the tide. But even though they arrived late, they did make the difference.

Losses Great, But a Great Price Would Have Been Paid If Not for the Bravery of Many…

The US lost 50,280 men in action (nothing compared to 4 mil. Lost by Russia, France, and Great Britain and the millions lost by lesser powers who had done the real dirty work).

The bloodies war yet in history ended on Nov. 11, 1918.

www.firstworldwar.com Assignment – now go to the site above.

You will be creating a slide show or movie maker presentation for the class on a particular aspect of WWI (i.e. - home front, poison gas, archduke franz ferdinand, trench warfare, etc.). Begin to familiarize yourself with the website and specific instructions will be given in class on the assignment (also in handout section of the website).