Good Afternoon!!!
1. NVC
2. Experience of Civilians in WWI
3. Case Study: The Sack of Louvain
Essential Question: Was the Sack of Louvain a war crime or a legitimate military action?Homework: WWI Project DUE April 2/3
Civilians in WWI• Roughly 6.5 million
civilian deaths in WWI• The Allies– 3.4 million Civilians
• The Central Powers– 3.1 million Civilians
Famine
• Most civilian deaths due to Famine and Disease
• Famine: extreme hunger leading to starvation– Trenches and naval
blockades blocked trade routes preventing food from getting in
– Many farmers sent away to war decreasing food production
Disease• Trenches and blockades
also blocked medical supplies from entering countries
• Spanish Flu: First Pandemic (global disease) since the Dark Ages– spread by mass travel of
soldiers from country to country
– 50-100 million people dead = 1-3% of entire world’s population
Air Raids
• Zeppelin: German airships
• “Terror bombing”: attacks on civilians meant to weaken enemy morale– Introduced by the
Germans– Not yet very effective
Siege GunsParis Gun "It took about three minutes
for each giant shell to cover the distance to the city. The shells climbed so high that gunners, in calculating where the shells would land, had to take into account the rotation of the Earth. For the first time in warfare, deadly projectiles rained down on civilians from the stratosphere."
“Instead of terrorizing the people, shells of the great cannons, as well as the bombs dropped from the German airships, only serve to strengthen the resolve of the French to resist, to the last man if necessary, the invasion of such a foe.”—Charles Horneau, 1918
“The Rape of Belgium”
• 1914 Germany invades Belgium as part of Schlieffen Plan
• Reports of German atrocities against Belgian civilians soon follow– Used by Entente Powers
as propaganda– historians disagree if the
“rape” actually happened
The Sack of Louvain
Was the Sack of Louvain a war crime or a legitimate military action?– War Crime: the murder or intentional violent
mistreatment of civilians or prisoners– Legitimate Action: something strategically
necessary to win the war
• Team 1: The Sack of Louvain was a WAR CRIME!• Team 2: The Sack of Louvain was a LEGITIMATE
MILITARY ACTION!• 30 minutes: actively read each document and DISCUSS
whether it supports your argument WITH YOUR TEAMMATE– TOGETHER construct an ARGUMENT and find THREE
QUOTATIONS that support it. Write these down• 5 min: Team 1 presents, Team 2 listens and takes notes.
RESTATES Team 1’s position• 5 min: Team 2 presents, Team 1 listens and takes notes.
RESTATES Team 2’s position• 10 min: CONSENSUS! Abandon your role and discuss.
AGREE on and answer to the essential question