World War

IChapter 23 Summary

The Allies

Great Britain

France

Italy

Russia

Belgium

Japan

Serbia

Montenegro

…and many, many more…

The US did not enter the war until 1917, and then it entered not as an “ally,” but as an “associated power.”

Germany, Austria-Hungary,Ottoman Empire

Central PowersCalled the “Central Powers” because the allies were located both to their east and their west…

Their alliance was forged in 1879, and the confines of their alliance required that they aid each other in the war…

The Great WarThe War

to End All Wars

World War I began in 1914…

…but what started it??

On the surface…

The war started because of the assassination of one man…

Austro-Hungarian prince, Archduke Ferdinand

He was assassinated by

the “Black Hand”

The Black Hand was a pro-independence movement in Serbia which hoped to oust the Austro-Hungarians

How did this one event lead to the largest war in the history of the world?

Nationalism—the feeling of pride and loyalty that people have for their country or for a shared language or culture

Imperialism—Some European nations had colonies in Africa and Asia; those countries that did not envied those colonies

Arms Race—Different nations competing to have the most military power

Balance of Powers—An attempt to sign treaties and establish allies so that the two groups of nations had almost equal power

America’s Role?

Neutral!

•Arbitration treaties pledged a “cool off” period before committing to war

•The Peace movement was very strong in America

•America’s neutrality allowed it to benefit by exporting goods to BOTH sides

By early 1915, World War I had become the bloodiest conflict in history

Fought on THREE fronts…

• The Western Front– Including, the war on the Atlantic

• The Eastern Front

The Eastern Front

Fought in Russia

The Western Front

Fought in Europe and on the seas

Characterized by trench warfare

Strategies included artillery bombardments

and hand-to-hand combat

Stalemate

No Man’s Land

War on the Atlantic

• British Navy was stronger than the German Navy

• Both sides used blockades

• Germans effectively used “undersea” ships, commonly called…

U-Boats

• The blockades and the German submarine attacks hurt the American economy

When German U-boats began attacking American vessels, President Wilson announced that the Germans would be held accountable for future attacks

Then…

ATTACK!!

• The Germans attacked an American ship called the Luistania

• Wilson did not declare war– He asked the Germans to apologize,

requested that they pay damages, and asked them to promise not to attack American ships in the future

– The Germans agreed in the Sussex pledge

1916—American joins the war…

Wilson was still reluctant to enter the war

He tried to negotiate a “Peace without Victory”

• When the Germans attacked an American merchant ship, Wilson broke off negotiations with Germany

• The Germans tried to ally with Mexico

• In 1917, Wilson asked congress to declare war:

“The world must be made safe for Democracy”

Organizing Wartime America

• Wilson suspended anti-trust laws

• The government seized oversight of railroads

• Established the War Industries Board– Oversee production and manufacturing of

food– Organize American industry as one big factory

The WIB developed slogans and posters to support the war effort.

This propaganda encouraged Americans to sacrifice in order to support the war.

Some of their slogans included:

When in doubt, eat potatoes.

and…

If you have a sugar tooth, pull it out.

and…

and perhaps the most famous...

Food Will Win the War!

Labor in Wartime

• A draft was passed in 1917• Drafted all races, but the military was

segregated• Women were not drafted, but many from all

social classes, volunteered• Conditions for workers improved during wartime

– Increased wages– Upward job mobility– Increase in union memberships

• The war especially helped minority workers and women workers

Propaganda

• The Committee on Public Information was created to help convince Americans to support the war

• Used propaganda to influence public opinion– Anti-German– Anyone against the war was unpatriotic– Selling war bonds to support the war– Supported the draft

Anti-German propaganda…

Protesters and the War…

• Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was a radical labor movement

– They staged strikes

Anti-protestor Legislation Passed

• Espionage Act• Sedition Act• Anti-German sentiment • Communist Revolution• Clear definition of the freedom of speech

– Sensibile limits placed on freedom of speech in wartime

– Cannot shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater– If there is a clear and present danger that something

said might hurt the war effort, then the government can take action

Weapons of the Great WarWar became mechanized

Tanks

Weapons of the Great War

Poison Gas

Weapons of the Great War

Airplanes

Weapons of the Great War

Machine Guns

Other Statistics…

Americans were killed in WWI

230,000 wounded

More died of the Spanish Flu2 million people worldwide died of the Flu epidemic

Wilson’s Plan for Peace

– Wilson was planning for peace, even as America was entering the war

– Wilson wanted fair treatment for all• Did not want to establish such hard terms that the

losers would begin plotting another war to regain what they lost

Wilson’s Plan for Peace

– Fourteen Points• Establishing wartime etiquette• Redrawing the boundaries of European power• Right of self-determination –peoples should be

able to decide which country they belong to• League of Nations—international Congress

established to settle international disputes

– Wilson’s “just peace” helped to shorten the war because the terms encouraged the Germans to surrender

Versailles Peace Conference

– The allies met in Versailles to draft a formal treaty– Wilson represented the American delegation

• First time a President had left office to participate in this way

– Council of Four• America, Great Britain, France, Italy

– Wilson was forced to agree to the terms set down by the British, French and Italian representatives

• Germany had to pay the cost of ALL of the war (reparations--$33 billion)

• Not what Wilson had promised “Peace without victory”

– Established the League of Nations

So what were the effects

of World War I?