THE GREAT WAR
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Transcript of THE GREAT WAR
THE GREAT WARaka, WWI
FOUR M.A.I.N. CAUSES Militarism Everyone building weapons &
armies to protect empires Alliances
Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Triple Entente – France, Russia, Great Britain Imperialism Extending political & economic
control for resources & markets = POWER Nationalism Devotion to the interests &
culture of one’s nation Many ethnic groups want independence away
from countries like Austria-Hungary & Russia
MURDER IN BOSNIA OF AN AUSTRIAN BY A SERBIAN . . . Assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne
Killed by Serbian nationalist
Alliance system pulls a bunch of countries into defending one another = WAR begins
THE KEY PLAYERS Allied Powers France Great Britain Russia (leaves 1917) United States (enters
1917)
Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire
THE WESTERN FRONT - 1914
TRENCH WARFARE
no man’s land Various trenches
AMERICAN NEUTRALITY, BUT . . . Many immigrants still had ties to Europe U.S. had strong ties to Britain U.S. heavily traded with Allied Powers
Americans traded even more with France and Britain once war began
By 1915, U.S. experienced a labor shortage
AMERICAN NEUTRALITY FADES British blockade stops American goods
from getting to Germany German U-Boats decide to sink ships near
Britain Nov. 1916, Wilson wins re-election with
slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War!”
U.S. HEADS INTO WWI Wilson tries diplomacy to end war
but, Germans decide to sink ALL ships
Zimmerman telegramGermany offers Mexico $$$$ if they
ally with Germany against the U.S. April 1917 - Wilson requests
Congress to declare war, Congress officially declares war!
AMERICA MOBILIZES America not prepared for war
Selective Service Act2 million troops sent, 1.5 million fought
Convey system to stop German subsBritish warships would escort U.S. and other
ships safely U.S. troops in Paris by July 4, 1917 U.S. troops add freshness & enthusiasm to
war
NEW WEAPONS & NEW HAZARDS Machine guns Tanks Airplanes Poison gases
Filth, lice, rats, etc. Poison gas Decaying bodies Trench foot Trench mouth
WWI bloodiest war in history up to that time . . . 22 million killed (half civilians), 20 million
wounded, 10 million refugees U.S. – 48,000 killed, 62,000 dead of disease,
200,000 wounded
WAR AT HOME Streamlined industry to increase
production Food intake at home “monitored” “Sold” the war with bonds and propaganda Anti-immigrant feelings & laws
Espionage & Sedition Acts African Americans fought & aided war
effort Women aided war effort
WILSON FIGHTS FOR PEACE January 1918, Treaty of Versailles begins
with the “Big Four” (U.S., France, Britain, Italy)Central powers & Russia not included in
discussion Wilson presents Fourteen Points for World
PeacePrevent another war, fix boundaries, League of
Nations Treaty of Versailles
Created new nations; Germans to pay reparations
Weaknesses: War-guilt clause; Russian lossesU.S. ends up not joining League of Nations
“The war to end all wars . . .”