Militarism: Rival countries race to have a stronger, better militaryArms Race
Alliances: Nations create secret alliances to strengthen their position and keep a “balance of power” in the world
Imperialism: Britain, France, Italy, Russia and Germany take colonies overseasTo gain resources, power, naval bases, soldiers, money,
etc.Nationalism: Extreme national pride causing nations to
think they’re better than the othersSmall kingdoms join Germany and Italy to form larger
nations with central governments
Causes of the War
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy
Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, and Russia
In these alliances they agree that an attack on one member is an attack on all
They promise to defend each other
Two Major Alliances
The volatile combination of growing rivalry, militarism and secrecy is ignited into war by one event:
The Spark (1914): Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary
Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on Serbia
The Shot Heard Round the World
Alliances pull countries into war: Germany defends Austria
Russia defends Serbia, so Germany declares war on Russia and its ally France
Aug. 1914: Germany invades Belgium on their way to France
British declare war on Germany to defend Belgium
Before WWI: War was considered good for nationsGlorious adventure that shows what nations are
strongesthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsnH8WX1MHY
Declarations of War
Central Powers: Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire
Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, and Italy -Italy left the Triple Alliance
Stalemate: No one is winning or gaining ground, deadlock or a draw/tie
Trench Warfare: Soldiers fight from ditches in the battlefield, with terrible conditionsHigh causalities due to new technology,
outdated tactics, and diseaseTanks, planes, poison gas, barbed wire and
machines gunsDiseases like Typhus, dysentery, cholera,
influenza and gangrene take many lives 25% of German arm wounds ended in death
WWI: The Great War (1914-1919)
-Dangerous land between trenches was called “no-man’s land”
-1916: Battle of the Somme: one of bloodiest in history with over 1 million killed or injured
-British lose 60,000 in first day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdBvPvTQaZI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_KdMDD_7aY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZnZf4Ayb3M&list=PL3F8AAED2285F9171
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3XtxfN4uzU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0V1yRrjMmM
Majority of Americans was opposed to joining the warWashington warned us not to join major
alliancesPresident Wilson is isolationist, war in Europe
is not our problemNeutrality: Don’t take sides, stay out of warOvertime Americans begin to choose sides
Both Allies and Central use propaganda to influence public opinion in US to joinUS could have major impact on who wins
America during the War
US businesses made huge profits selling supplies to both sidesBusiness leaders want to remain neutral to
make money off of both sidesBritish naval blockade of Germany made it
difficult to deliver supplies to Central PowersRapidly increases US trade with Allies
US economy prospers
US Trade with Belligerent Powers
What was the United States foreign policy called at the beginning of WWI, where you stay out of war?
a. Neutralityb. Big Stick Diplomacyc. Containmentd. Imperialism
Practice Question
Feb. 1915: Germany wants to cut supply lines to AlliesU-boats will attack any ship entering or leaving
English portsUS: Wilson warns he will hold Germany
responsible for any American deathsMay 1917: Sinking of the Lusitania: German
u-boats sink a British ship with Americans on boardSecretly carrying war supplies
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Public is outraged that civilian ships like Lusitania were also carrying hidden war suppliesWilson and US are furious, TR calls for war,
Wilson still remains neutral on warThen Germans attack French ship Sussex,
injuring several AmericansWilson threatens to break off diplomatic
relations with GermanyGermans fear bringing US into war on Allied
sideSussex Pledge: Germany promises to warn any
civilian ships before attacking to avoid war with the US
Submarine Warfare
Which of the following was not a part of WWI combat?
a. Nuclear Weaponsb. Machine gunsc. Submarinesd. Trench warfare
Practice Question
Preparedness: Disagreements in govt about whether or not we should prepare for warWar hawks say preparation is necessary for
protectionPacifists says preparation moves us closer to war
and get in the way of Progressive reformsCongress approves funds to double size of army
and build new warships Both President Wilson and Republican candidate
Charles Evans Hughes campaign for neutralityWilson wins with slogan “He Kept Us Out of the
War”
1916 Presidential Election
January 1917: Germany breaks the Sussex pledgeUS breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany
U-boats will attack any merchant vessel, armed or unarmed, entering or leaving Allied ports
Took chance of forcing US into war believing they could win before US could mobilize
Zimmerman Note: The German govt sent a telegram to German Ambassador in MexicoTells Mexico wage war against the US to regain lost
territoryWants to weaken US for war: America intercepts
messagesPushes US closer to war
1917: WWI
Russia is part of the Allied powers March 1917: Russian revolution overthrows
Czarist monarchyOctober 1917: Bolsheviks in power, led by Vladimir
LeninWanted Russia out of the war to focus on establishing
new Communist govtSigned Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Germany in
March 1918: Allow them to get their troops out of Russia
Russia leaving the war encourages US to enter to help Allies
Red Scare: The US fears Communist expansion into other countries and within the United States
Russia during WWI
Practice QuestionDuring World War I, two revolutions took place in Russia while
Russia was at war with Germany. Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, said:
“There can be no doubt that our army is absolutely in no condition... to beat back a German offensive successfully.” ---
-Source: V. I. Lenin, Collected Works, 4th English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1964, p. 447.
The excerpt above could be used to support the thesis that:
A. Lenin had few skills as a military leaderB. Russia shared in the responsibility for World War IC. Lenin believed that Russia should withdraw from World War ID. The Bolshevik Revolution had the support of the Russian army
Practice Question Which was a common factor in the United
States that caused the Red Scare following World War I?
A. racial tension in major citiesB. signs of economic downturnC. fear of communist expansionD. the counterculture movement
Germany sinks 4 more merchant ships, kills many, so Wilson decides we can no longer remain neutral
April 2nd, 1917: Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war
“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and freedom of nations can make them”
US Enters the Great War
1917: US joins Allies and goes to war with the Central Powers
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: Takes American lives, kills civiliansWe had better trade relations with Allies
The Zimmerman Note: Germans try to convince Mexico to attack us
Allies lose support of Russia: we decide to help them instead after breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany
Why the US Joined the War
Which of the following was not a cause for U.S. involvement in WWI?
a. Zimmerman Telegramb. Unrestricted Submarine Warfarec. Desperate European Conditionsd. Pearl Harbor
Practice Question
Training and shipping out troops is the top priorityThe Selective Service Act: Allows the govt to draft
men into the armed forces2 million drafted, 2 million volunteered
First time women joined armed forces in non-combat roles
300-400,000 African American troops join armyServe in segregated units, given menial jobs, about
100,000 saw combatAfrican American Henry Johnson was first American
to receive the Croix de GuerreWomen, blacks, and Mexicans take war industry
jobs
Mobilizing the US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YYaK0wdni8
Practice QuestionWhat was the purpose of the Selective
Service Act?
a. To protect merchant ships as the cross the Atlantic
b. To allow the government to draft men into the Armed Forces
c. To allow the US to trade with both sides during the war
d. To allow women to join the army in non-combat roles
The power of the federal govt increased during WWI: setting quotas and rationing, institutes the draft, etc.
War Labor Board: Improves wages and conditions
Committee on Public Opinion: Govt uses power to persuade public opinion and gain support for the warPropaganda: To persuade the publicPosters, plays, speeches tell people to hate
Central Powers and be more AmericanGrowing Anti-German sentiment: Change
street names, hamburgers become liberty sandwiches, etc.
Federal Government during WWI
Song “Over There” by George M. Cohan shows eagerness and optimism to joinhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYV044H5muI
US troops turn tide of war: Allies needed reinforcements1st of American Expeditionary Force (AEF) reached
Europe summer of 1917Majority did not arrive until 1918
Rationing: Americans eat less food back home to send more to the Allied troopsHebert Hoover: Head of Food Administration says food
can win the warMeatless and wheatless days once a week
Mobilizing the US
US troops had an immediate impact on the war: great advantage for the Allied Powers
Navy moved quickly to counteract German subsUsed convoy system to increase amount of food
and supplies that got through to the AlliesUse battleships to protect supply ships from
German u-boatsNo US troops die on the way to Europe due to
subsUS troops nicknamed Dough Boys
Originated in Mexican-American War in 1840s due to being covered in dust from the dry desert
US Turns the Tide of the War
Espionage Act (1917): To prohibit attempts to interfere with military operations or support U.S. enemies during wartime and to prevent insubordination in the military or interference with military recruitment
Sedition Act (1918): Forbids the use of "disloyal, profane, or abusive language" about the US government, its flag, or its armedAnything that would make someone feel negatively about
the USPost Office can refuse to deliver mail that fits this
descriptionCan’t criticize wartime governmentServe 5-20 years in prison, until repealed in Dec. 1920
Violating Civil Liberties
Charles Schenck distributed anti-draft leaflets to men
Court found that this was illegal under the Espionage Act because he was attempting to interfere with drafting soldiers
Court said it did not violate 1st Amendment:Free speech can be taken away if the crime
poses a “clear and present danger”First time use of the argument against yelling
“fire!” in a crowded place
Landmark Supreme Court Case:Schenck vs. US (1919)
Charles Schenck was found guilty of violating the 1917 Espionage Act by distributing leaflets through the mail urging men to resist induction under the military draft for World War I. On appeal, Schenck’s attorneys argued that distribution of the leaflets was protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction. This case illustrates how individuals rights can be balanced against:
a. The rights of other individuals. b. The security of the nation in a time of war. c. The opportunities for people to enlist in the military.d. The interest of the government in keeping courts open to
provide justice.
Practice Question
Summer 1918: Germans began last major offensiveAllies would have lost without US supplies/troopsUS troops, led by General John J. Pershing, helped
contain the Germans pushing toward Paris, France Battle raged for almost seven weeksUS leads a giant push and Allies win, leaders
realize that victory was no longer possible1918: Armistice: “11th day of the 11th month in
the 11th hour”German govt accepts cease-fire demands and war
was over
Road to Victory
Number killed: civilians and military was around 15 million, with 20 million woundedUS: Battle Deaths: 52,947; Wounded 202,628England, France, Russia, Germany and Austria each lost
1-2 million soldiersOttoman Empire: +2 million of 3 million killed were
civiliansEuropean economy is ruined, millions homeless and
suffering from hunger, malnutrition, and diseaseIdea of war being noble and heroic is lost and many feel
disillusionedAmerican author Ernest Hemingway writes about this
feelingVeterans suffer from Shell Shock
Aftermath of WWI
Wilson becomes first president to travel to EuropeThe Big Four: US, Great Britain, France and ItalyLeaders meet to negotiate peace treaty
Russia and Germany were not invitedWilson faces challenge of convincing British Prime Minister
David Lloyd George, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, and Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando to be forgiving
US Peace Plan: Wilson wanted peace without victory or punishment
European Peace Plan: Allies want revenge on Germany and Central Powers, Wilson is forced to compromise his views
Struggle for Peace
The Big Four: Orlando, Lloyd-George, Clemenceau and Wilson
Negotiating at the Palace of Versailles, France
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_8cOIFbUM
1. No more secret treaties/alliances; “open covenants, openly arrived at”
2. Freedom of the sea3. Free trade; removal of barriers to free trade among
nations4. Arms reduction; cutbacks and limitations on military
arms5. Peaceful settlements of disputes over colonies;
interests of colonized people to be considered6-13. National self-determination; Promoted independent
self-governing nationsNew nations proposed; adjusted national boundaries
14. Proposal for the League of Nations; world organization to settle international disputes
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Which was not one of Wilson’s Fourteen Points?
a. Military reductionsb. Freedom of the Seac. National Self-determination d. Restrictions on Free Trade
Practice Question
Germany is punishedDisarm: No military over 100,000 troops, no
war manufacturing, demilitarized Rhineland between France and Germany
Reparations: Must pay huge sums to compensate for damages of the war
Guilt Clause: Must take responsibility for causing war
Alsace-Lorrainne: Territory given back to France
Poland: Regains territory and independence from Germany
The Treaty of Versailles: July 1919
Practice QuestionWhat was the goal of Treaty of Versailles?
a. Create peaceb. Punish Germanyc. Eliminate alliancesd. Reduce military power for all nations.
The treaty changes the map of Europe as Russia and Germany are forced to give up landAustro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires
broken upTurkey, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and
Lithuania gain independenceNew Nations created: Czechoslovakia,
Yugoslavia, Iraq
Redefining Boundaries in Europe
Wilson goes back to US to convince the Senate to ratify the treaty with a 2/3rds majority voteSenate majority: Republican, Wilson: Democrat
American Opponents of the Treaty: Henry Cabot Lodge
Opponents believed the League of Nations would take away US govt authority and drag us into wars
Senate demands that League charter be changed before they will approve it, Wilson refuses
Speaking Tour: Wilson hopes to change their opinion by swaying the public opinion
Ratifying the Treaty
Wilson travels the country by train to convince the public to support the treaty and the League of Nations
He travels 8000 miles in 3 weeks giving 10 speeches a day
In Colorado he collapses and suffers a strokeHe is permanently debilitated, never fully
recovers, his wife handles his affairs for the rest of his presidency
Wilson’s Speaking Tour: Sept. 1919
Wilson encourages supporters to refuse compromise
1920: Senate votes and rejects the Treaty of Versailles
The US never joins the League of Nations, which makes it a weak organization in Europe
The Europeans agree to the brutal treaty, which causes a bitter legacy that leads to WWII
1921: After Wilson left office, US negotiates separate peace treaties with each of Central Powers and finally officially ends WWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOrzp5KcCw
The Treaty of Versailles
The League of Nations was created after World War I as a forum for resolving international conflicts. However, the
League was unable to resolve tensions that led to World War
II. One factor that contributed to the ineffectiveness of the League was theA. breakup of colonial empires in Africa and AsiaB. decision of the United States not to join the LeagueC. opposition of League members to the Treaty of
VersaillesD. rise of the Cold War between the United States and the
Soviet Union
Practice Question