The Battlefield1917 – the US enters the war

2 million American soldiers served in FranceFresh troops and supplies helped the allies win!

Germans and Allies were in a stalemateA deadlock where neither side was strong enough to beat the other

Preparing to Fight

• Homefront– The American Nation: 689 Propaganda, 693-696– US History 2: 112-114 and 116

• Battlefield– The American Nation: 688-689 trench, 698-702– US History 2: 114-115

Preparing to FightRead through your text and pull out 8 details for each side.

Completed by the end of class for points.

The Homefront• Propaganda – spreading of ideas

that help or hurt a cause• Selective Service / draft –

required 21-30 year old men to join the military

• Educating the troops• Food Administration• War Industries Board• Liberty Bonds• Women Workers• Anti-German Feelings• Great Migration• Espionage & Sedition Act

The Battlefield• E & W Front• Trenches• AEF• Harlem Hell Fighters• Belleau Wood• Argonne Forest• Armistice• Flu• New Weapons

Trench Warfare

• For 3 years – the Allies and Central Power armies fought huge battles with no change

• Both sides dug in creating a maze of trenches

• Shallow ditches to elaborate tunnels

• “no man’s land”• Heavy artillery and shelling• Long and deadly offensives

Trench Life

• Trench Foot• Trench Mouth• Trench Fever – Lice / Ticks• Rats• Frogs• Horrible smells

Flu Epidemic• 1918 – 1919 deaths from epidemic – rapid spreading of

contagious disease among large numbers of people.– 500,000 Americans – 30 million worldwide

• Believed to be spread by traveling soldiers• US could not keep up with building coffins

New WeaponsBoth sides used new technology to attack more soldiers from greater distances.

Artillery field gunsUsed to shoot airplanes out of the sky Poison gas (Chlorine & mustard)

Yellow-green chlorine fog sickened, suffocated, burned, and blinded its victims. Gas masks became standard use.

Machine Guns600 rounds per minute

AirplanesFront mounted with machine guns

or loaded with bombs

SubmarinesAttack from under water – did

not see until too late

Tanks and armored cars“mowed down” barbed wire or soldiers

• In 1905 GB, France, and Russia formed an alliance– They feared that Germany was growing too strong

and may attack• Germany feared that they were surrounded

now and they may be attacked.• So they created the Schlieffen Plan

• The Plan was for a quick strike!

• Quickly move in and knock out France before Russia had time to mobilize.

"Paris for lunch, dinner at St. Petersburg.“- Kaiser Wilhelm, Germany

• They felt that if they defeated France quickly that GB and Russia would not want to continue fighting.

• Germany would march through Belgium, which was neutral and make their way into France.

• The plan would backfire!

• Germany did not take into account, that Belgium’s forces would actually fight.

• This slowed the Germans down and caught them off guard.

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJXAcl8D51Y&feature=related

Germans move through Belgium as British retreat.

British retreat 200 miles

France counter attacks, pushing German lines back only 10 miles

France counter attacks, pushing German lines back only 10 miles

Both sides “race to the sea”

Ypres, Allies determine to hold, Germans determined to take

Setbacks for Allies• Russia makes a separate peace and withdraws– Treaty of Brestlitovsk – Russia gave up large amounts of

land, including coal mines to Germany– Russia now focuses on communist revolution under Lenin

• Allies view as betrayal – Germany gained resources and Germany could focus all troops on France

Germans mobilize for all out attack on Allies – “Peace Offensive” hoping a final push ends the war. Amiens

Germans give up attack at Amiens but continue east

Americans enter the warJohn J Pershing – General commanding the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)• Insists Americans operate as a separate unit• Independent role in shaping the peace

Harlem Hell Fighters• African American infantry unit• Attached to French Army• French were glad to fight side by side• Spent more time under fire than any other unit• Croix de Guerre – highest French military honor• Welcomed home with huge parade in NY

BattlesBelleau Wood – 3 weeeks• French General – prepare trenches in

rear in case you are needed.• “We dig no trenches to fall back on.

The marines will hold where they stand”

• US stop Germans on their way to Paris

Argonne Forest – 47 days• Final Allied Offensive• High casualties – 100,000+• Germans forced to retreat• Great War finally nearing its end• Alvin York - hero

Armistice

• Germany must accept Wilson’s Plan• German Emperor must abdicate – give up power.

Germans request armistice – an agreement to stop fighting.

11-11-1918The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

World War I ended

The Cost of the War • 8-9 million people died in battle• More than all the wars in the past 100 years combined• 4 million Russia, French, and British• 2 million Germans• 100,000 Americans• TOTAL – 20 million injured on both sides• Many died of disease, starvation and other war related

causes• Homeless and orphaned children• Europe (mostly northern France) was in ruins