World War I

World War I1914-1919

By: Gaby RodriguezStasha Smith

• During the day, snipers and artillery observers in balloons made movement risky, so the trenches were mostly quiet.

• Really busy during the night• The cover of darkness allowed the movement of troops and

supplies• The greatest killer was disease.

• Sanitary conditions were poor• Diseases like typhus and cholera• Poor hygiene also led to conditions like trench mouth and

trench foot.

Continued… Trenches• There were rat infestations

• Millions of rats infested the trenches

• Two types of rats: the brown and the black rat.

• The brown rat was mostly feared because they fed themselves on human remains and could grow to the size of a cat.

• Lice would breed in the seams of filthy clothing

• Caused men to itch unceasingly, causing Trench Fever.

Weapons of War- Poison Gas• The French were the first ones to use gas• April 22nd 1915 the first poison gas,

chlorine, was used.• Effects were severe• Within seconds of inhaling its vapor

it destroyed the victim’s respiratory organs, bringing choking attacks.

• Phosgene- caused victims to violently cough and choke.

• Mustard Gas- an odorless chemical• Brought serious blisters both

internally and externally• Protection against it was difficult• Chemical remained potent in soil for

weeks after release• The Germans army ended the war as

the heaviest user of gas.

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Casualties From Gas- The Numbers

1,00010,000Others

1,46272,807USA

56,000419,340Russia

4,62760,000Italy

9,000200,000Germany

8,000190,000France

8,109188,706British Empire

3,000100,000Austria-Hungary

DeathTotal

CausalitiesCountry

Weapons of War- Tanks• History with the tanks was made on

September 15 1916, when Captain H. W. Mortimore guided a D1 tank into action at the notorious Delville Wood.

• They were usually used for fighting the trench warfare.

• They sometimes broke down and became ditched

• The tanks were hot inside from the heat generated and fumes often nearly choked the men inside.



Weapons of War- Trench Mortars

• The Mortar: a sort, stumpy tube designed to fire a projectile at a steep angle so that it falls straight down on the enemy.

• It could be fired from the safety of the trench.

• Lighter and more mobile than other artillery pieces.

• The Stroke Mortar was 3 inches in size and weighted around 4.5 kg.

• They could fire as many as 22 bombs per minute and had a maximum range of 1,200 yards.



Propaganda Posters• Were used to justify

involvement to their own populace, but also as a means of procuring…• Men• Money• Resources to

sustain the military campaign



Women in World War I• Women served as

Physical and Occupational Therapists.

• They served as nurses• At least three of them

were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross

• The nations second highest military honor



Dorothy Lawrence• During the war women were to be

found mostly at the home or helping the wounded

• The only woman soldier enlisted in the British Army• Managed to pass herself as a man.

• 20 year old ambitious journalist• Joined in 1915• Gave herself in after 10 days worried

about the safety of these man• Had to endure an absurd interrogatory

• Authorities thought she was a ‘camp follower’, or a prostitute

We remember them… in Kansas: National World War I Museum at

Liberty Memorial• World War I museum

opened up on December 2, 2006

• Imagined as a future possibility by the people of Kansas City.

• Nations first official World War I museum



Education

World War I