World War I

The War to End All Wars

The Road to War

• Causes– Assassination• Archduke Franz Ferdinand• June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, Serbia

– Imperialism• World Powers wanted colonies• Competition led to conflicts

• Militarism– Countries fought rather

than talked– New weapons and large armies

• Nationalism– Countries only cared about their interests– Ethnic groups wanted own nations

• Alliances– Six large countries entangled– If one gets involved, they all get involved

Conflict Expansion

• Austria-Hungry declares war on Serbia• Russia protects Serbia, declares war on AH• Chain reaction started• Troops begin mobilizing• Central Powers – Germany and AH• Allies – Russia, France, Serbia, England

Stalemate

• Both sides thought it would be quick• Germany got to 20 miles

from Paris by September• Dug trenches• Stalemate – situation

which neither gains advantage

• Land between trenches was No Man’s Land

Two Fronts

• Germany’s Schlieffen Plan• Russia on east• France on west• Germany took Paris, lost land to Russia• 1914 – Ottomans joined Central Powers• 1915 – Italy joined Central Powers

Modern Warfare

• Most soldiers were very young• New, more deadly weapons• Machine gun, hand grenades, gas masks• “Over the Top”• Hurt morale• Civilians – burned fields,

killed livestock, poisoned wells

American Response

• “Over There”– 92 Million immigrants felt “involved”– Most favored the side they came from– US supported the Allies– Didn’t like autocrat Kaiser Wilhelm– Autocrat – ruler with unlimited power– Used propaganda to sway opinion– Propaganda - biased information to sway opinions

American Neutrality

• Didn’t want to choose sides• Would lose money from trade• August 4, 1914 Wilson declared neutrality

The Preparedness Movement

• US did start to stockpile

• Wanted US to train men for combat

• Wilson increased military size

The Peace Movement

• Many Americans pushed for peace• Raised taxes• Thought people

would be upset• Preparedness

remained strong

US Declares WarGerman Sub Warfare

• The U-Boat– Unterseeboot– Attacked ships that carried

munitions• The Lusitania– Passenger ships had no defenses– May 7, 1915 – British Passenger

ship– Sank in 18 minutes, killed 1200 – 128 Americans

Sussex Pledge

• German government said they would warn before attacking ships

• US didn’t care• Wilson began to lean toward war

Moving Toward War

• Wilson’s Reelection– 1916 “He Kept Us Out of

War”– Germany tested his patience– Recalled Sussex Pledge– Feb 3rd, 1917 US cuts ties

with Germany

Zimmerman Note

• Some US wanted to keep peace• Arthur Zimmerman, German’s Foreign

Secretary• Made secret offer to Mexico• Mexico declares war on US, Germany give

them SW• Wasn’t taken seriously• Mexico had other problems

Revolution in Russia

• 1917 – 1.5 mil dead, 2.5 mil POW• Army falling behind, losing• Czar Nicholas II dethroned• Revolution ensues

War Resolution

• 3 More ships sank• March 20, 1917 – unanimous war vote

Americans on the European FrontPreparing for War

• Draftees and Volunteers– Selective Service Act –

May 1917– Draft of young men for

service– OK with it since “war to

end all wars”– 24 mil volunteers, 3 mil

draftees– 11,000 women –

nurses and clerks

Training for War

• Many boot camps set up• Fighting, guns, trench digging, gas masks• Stories about German crimes• Some only got a few weeks training

The Convoy System

• Merchant and troops ships traveled in convoys• Convoy – group of unarmed ships with torpedo

boats• Caused losses to drop by half

American Soldiers in Europe

• Fresh troops relieved the French and British who had been fighting for years

• Americans were called doughboys

• 300,000 AA volunteers in segregated units

• Usual given menial tasks

Turning the Tide of WarRussia Leaves

• November 1917 – Bolsheviks overthrew Russia’s government

• Lenin took control, asked for peace• March 3, 1918 – signed truce• Germany got big piece of Russia

Americans Save Paris

• US General Pershing sent to push back Germans• Lost half the troops, but saved Paris• Pushed Germans to Marne River

Allied Counterattack

• 250,000 New American troops arrive• New weapon – Tank• Germans began full retreat

War in the Air

• US only had 55 planes when they started• Not war worthy• Used to find enemies, then became fighters• Zeppelins – floating airship• Bombing raids became very effective

Ending the WarGetting Peace

• German commanders begged for peace

• Allies refused• The Kaiser fled to Holland • New German Republic signed

armistice• Armistice – cease-fire• November 11, 1918 at 5am

The Influenza Epidemic

• Flu outbreak spread through world• Killed more people than the war• Killed a half million Americans• 30 million world wide

Results of the War

• 50,000 Americans died• 8 million total (5,000 a day)• Civilians hurt as well

Americans on the Home Front

• Financing the War– Liberty Bonds – Lend $ to

Gov. to pay for war– Would be repaid later– Raised $20 billion– Sold by Scouts and with

colored posters– Ads before movies

Managing the EconomyNew Agencies

• War Industries Board oversaw war related production

• Unions promised few problems

• Companies who dealt with enemy were punished

Regulating Food & Fuel Consumption

• August 1917 – Lever Food and Fuel Control Act• “Food will win the war”• Price controls – Gov. able to set prices on food• Rationing – distributing goods to consumers in

fixed amounts• Daylight Savings Time – shifted sunlight,

changed fuel consumption

Enforcing LoyaltyFear of Foreigners

• Gov. feared secret agents would spy

• National Security League “100% American”

• Literacy test for immigrants

"Hate the Hun"

• German Americans looked down on

• Called them “Huns”• Anything German

related was stopped• German measles =

Liberty Measles

Repression of Civil Liberties

• 1917 – Espionage Act• Sedition – any speech or action that

encourages rebellion• 1st Amendment forgotten• 1500 cases filed

Controlling Political Radicals

• Socialists held rallies “resist militarism”• Radical labor unions organized – IWW• Wanted to overthrow government• Vigilantes – citizens who take the law in to

their own hands

Social Mobility for Minorities and Women

• Immigration stopped with war• Labor forced reduced with men at war• Women and minorities filled gaps

Global PeacemakerThe Paris Peace Conference

• January 1919• Wilson’s 14 Points Speech• Big Four – US Pres. Wilson, British PM George,

French PM Clemenceau, Italian PM Orlando• Wilsons said he didn’t want spoils of war• Just wanted world peace

Wilson Forced to Compromise

• Three countries wanted everything from Germany

• Russia wasn’t there but didn’t want anything

• Gave up a lot of his plans from 14 points

League of Nations

• Wanted worldwide peace group• Organization of nations to resolve disputes• Would have no power, only countries armies• World created it• US didn’t join,

congress didn’t approve

The Peace Treaty

• Redrew map of Europe• Created 9 new nations• Divided up Germany’s colonies• Blamed Germany – made them pay

reparations $33 million• Reparations – payment for economic injury• Signed June 28, 1919• Germany felt beaten, never forgot

Reaction at Home

• Several more votes for L.N. rejected• Had to sign peace treaties with each country• Economy began to suffer• No way to bring troops back to society• War contracts cancelled• Women gave up jobs to men, went home• People worried about the future