““The Great War”The Great War”

1914 - 19191914 - 1919

The Pursuit of PeaceThe Pursuit of Peace

• By 1914 Europe had enjoyed a By 1914 Europe had enjoyed a century of relative peacecentury of relative peace– No major wars between large No major wars between large

European nations (except for European nations (except for Franco-Prussian War)Franco-Prussian War)

• The support of Pacifism – The support of Pacifism – opposition to all waropposition to all war– People wanted to keep the peacePeople wanted to keep the peace

Aggressive Nationalism

• One of the forces pushing Europe to the brink of war

• Especially strong in France & Germany

Nationalism in France

• Longed to regain its position as Longed to regain its position as Europe’s leading powerEurope’s leading power

• Very bitter about their defeat Very bitter about their defeat in the Franco-Prussian Warin the Franco-Prussian War

Rivalries Among Rivalries Among European PowersEuropean Powers

Economic Economic RivalriesRivalries

• Britain is Britain is threatened by threatened by Germany’s rapid Germany’s rapid economic economic growthgrowth

Imperialism Imperialism Causes RivalriesCauses Rivalries

• France and France and Germany Germany compete for compete for coloniescolonies

Militarism and the Militarism and the Arms RaceArms Race

Militarism and the Militarism and the Arms RaceArms Race

• Militarism is the glorification Militarism is the glorification of the militaryof the military

• The major European countries The major European countries expanded their armies and expanded their armies and naviesnavies

• Fierce competition in the Fierce competition in the “arms race”“arms race”

Two huge alliances emerge as a result of treaties by

1914• The Triple Alliance (Central Powers)The Triple Alliance (Central Powers)

– GermanyGermany– Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary– The Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire

• The Triple Entente (Allied Powers)The Triple Entente (Allied Powers)– FranceFrance– Great BritainGreat Britain

• Japan grows close to BritainJapan grows close to Britain

– RussiaRussia

Assassination at Sarajevo

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria-Hungary) announced he would visit Bosnia

• Bosnia was under the control of A-H at the time (home to many Serbians)

• News of the visit angered many Serbians,

• Serbian terrorists vowed to take action

Archduke FerdinandArchduke Ferdinand

The Fatal Shots

• Ferdinand visits Bosnia and is assassinated

• Ferdinand and his wife were killed by Gavrilo Princip

A Harsh Ultimatum

•Austria sent Serbia an ultimatum - a final set of demands

•Serbia only partly agreed – July 28th 1914 Austria declared war on Serbia

From Capital to Capital

• Kaiser William II (Germany) promises support to Austria

• Nicolas II (Russia) supports Serbia

• France pledges allegiance to Russia b/c of Franco-Prussian War

• Germany declares war of France

How the Dominoes FellHow the Dominoes Fell

1. 1. Austria declares war on SerbiaAustria declares war on Serbia

2. Germany supports Austria2. Germany supports Austria

3. Russia supports Serbia3. Russia supports Serbia

4. France aligns with Russia4. France aligns with Russia

5. Germany then declares war on 5. Germany then declares war on FranceFrance

The Schlieffen Plan1. Germany would have

to defeat France quickly then fight Russia

2. Germany would have to march through Belgium

3. This causes Britain to declare war on Germany

4. Germany’s defeat at the Battle of the Marne destroyed the Plan

A Global Conflict

Key Information• Newspapers began to call it “The Great War”• 8.5 million French troops• 9 million British troops• 12 million Russian troops• 11 million German troops

Trench Warfare

• Warring armies burrowed into a vast system of trenches

• Rats, lice and heat became major problems

• “Over the top” orders were given and soldiers would leave their trenches and rush toward enemy lines

In the Trenches

The Trench System

Trench Foot Info..• Many soldiers fighting in WWI suffered from trench foot Many soldiers fighting in WWI suffered from trench foot

– This was an infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and unsanitary This was an infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and unsanitary conditions. conditions.

– If untreated, trench foot could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. If untreated, trench foot could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. – 20,000+ men in the British Army20,000+ men in the British Army were treated for trench foot in one year!!were treated for trench foot in one year!!

Costly Battles of 1916

• Battle at Verdun– France held off Germany – 11 month struggle– ½ million casualties on each side

• Battle at the Somme River– 60,000 British killed or wounded in

one day– One million dead in a 5 month battle

Technology in Modern Technology in Modern WarfareWarfare

• Poison gasPoison gas– First used by the Germans in 1915First used by the Germans in 1915– Most common was “mustard gas”Most common was “mustard gas”

• Armored tankArmored tank– First used by the British in 1916First used by the British in 1916– Had mounted machine gunHad mounted machine gun

The AirplaneThe Airplane

• Airplanes were Airplanes were primitiveprimitive– Had only 1- 2 seatsHad only 1- 2 seats– With machine gunWith machine gun– Mostly used for Mostly used for

reconnaissance reconnaissance

• ““Dog Fights”Dog Fights”– Air combat Air combat

between planesbetween planes

Automatic Machine GunAutomatic Machine Gun

• Usually 2 man Usually 2 man teamsteams

• Rapid Continuous Rapid Continuous stream of bulletsstream of bullets

• This weapon was This weapon was the main reason the main reason for the war for the war becoming a becoming a stalemate stalemate

SubmarineSubmarine• German “U-Boats”German “U-Boats”– To sink merchant To sink merchant

shipsships

• Unrestricted Unrestricted Submarine Submarine Warfare Warfare – made the oceans made the oceans

unsafe unsafe

ZeppelinsZeppelins

• Gas filled balloons Gas filled balloons used by the Germans used by the Germans to bomb the English to bomb the English coastcoast– They were able to They were able to

carry a much heavier carry a much heavier load than airplanesload than airplanes

Where was WWI fought?Where was WWI fought?• OceansOceans

– Unrestricted submarine warfareUnrestricted submarine warfare

• EuropeEurope– Eastern and Southern EuropeEastern and Southern Europe

• AustraliaAustralia– Australia and New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand

• AsiaAsia– China, India, and TurkeyChina, India, and Turkey– Colonies began to join the war Colonies began to join the war

• Africa Africa – Colonies began to join the war Colonies began to join the war

Total War• The channeling of a nation’s

entire resources into a war effort– Conscription – “the draft”– Governments raised taxes and

borrowed money– Food, boots, gasoline were

rationed

Propaganda War

• Aim was to keep complete casualty figures and other discouraging information from the people

• Propaganda – spreading of ideas to promote a cause or to damage an opposing cause

Propaganda Examples

WWI Cartoon

•

Impact on Women

• Women took over jobs

• Manufactured weapons and supplies

• Nurses worked on the “front lines”

• Helped women’s rights

Collapsing Morale

• By 1917 over 5.5 million Russian

troops had been killed, injured or taken prisoner

• Revolution in Russia 1917 – ended Russia’s involvement in the war– Treaty of Brest-Litovsk– Allowed Germany to concentrate on the

western front

• This opened the door for…….

The U.S. Declares The U.S. Declares War!!!!War!!!!

Why?Why?

1. German sub attacks on ships 1. German sub attacks on ships carrying U.S. citizenscarrying U.S. citizens

2. May 1915 sinking of the 2. May 1915 sinking of the LusitaniaLusitania

3. Cultural ties to “allied” forces3. Cultural ties to “allied” forces

4. The Zimmerman Note (1917)4. The Zimmerman Note (1917)

Declaring WarDeclaring War

• 1917 President 1917 President Wilson asks Wilson asks Congress to Congress to declare wardeclare war

• ““To make the world To make the world safe for safe for Democracy”Democracy”

• 1918 2 million 1918 2 million “fresh” U.S. Troops “fresh” U.S. Troops joined the Allied joined the Allied ForcesForces

Campaign to VictoryCampaign to Victory

• Early 1918 Allies pushed the Early 1918 Allies pushed the Germans back across France and Germans back across France and BelgiumBelgium

• Wilhelm II steps down November Wilhelm II steps down November 19181918

• New German government sought New German government sought an armistice – agreement to end an armistice – agreement to end warwar

• 11:00 am November 1111:00 am November 11thth 1918 1918

Results of World War I

• Killed and Wounded– Over 8 millions deaths– Over 17 million wounded

• After the war– Flu pandemic killed another 20 million people

Paris Peace ConferenceParis Peace Conference• Financial CostFinancial Cost

– FFarms, factories, roads, etc. destroyedarms, factories, roads, etc. destroyed

• Allies felt Central Powers should Allies felt Central Powers should pay for rebuilding processpay for rebuilding process– ““reparations” or payments for war reparations” or payments for war

damagedamage– Total cost is estimated at $338 billionTotal cost is estimated at $338 billion

The Paris Peace Conference

• The Big Four– Woodrow Wilson-USA

• Goal was to establish a lasing peace• Goal was to establish the League of Nations

– Georges Clemenceau-France• Goal was to punish Germany

– David Lloyd George-England• Goal was to punish Germany

– Vittorio Orlando-Italy

Treaty of Versailles

• Main Points of the Treaty– Establishment of the League of Nations– Break-up of Empires (Ottoman and A-H)– Territorial Losses (Germany and Russia)– Military Restrictions (Germany)

• Germany forced to reduce the size of its military

– War Guilt Clause (Germany)• Germany must take full blame for the warGermany must take full blame for the war• Germany must pay $30 billion in Germany must pay $30 billion in

reparationsreparations

THE END