World War I

A Truly Global Conflict

• World War I spread to several continents and required the full resources of many governments.

A Truly Global Conflict

• Ottoman Turks and Bulgaria allied with Central Powers.

• Japan and Italy joined on the side of the Allies.• Stalemate on both European fronts.

The Gallipoli Campaign

• The Dardanelles • Allies hoped to gain control of this waterway so

they could get supplies to ally Russia.• Stalemate on Gallipoli Peninsula; Allied defeat.• Allies suffered 250,000 casualties.

Southwest Asia Campaign• Lawrence of Arabia• British soldiers aided Arab nationalists against

their Turkish rulers. With help of Arabs, Allied armies took control of large regions of Ottoman Empire.

• A Broken Promise• British promised Arabs their own independent

state if they helped the Allies. After the war, British and French controlled the area instead.

The Role of the Colonies

• Japan took German colonies in Asia. • France and Britain attacked Germany’s four

African colonies and seized three. • British and French recruited laborers and

soldiers from their colonies.

The United States Enters the War

• Unrestricted Submarine Warfare• Sinking of the Lusitania• 1,198 people killed, including 128 Americans. This enraged many

Americans.

• Economic Reasons for Entering WWI• American citizens had loaned Allies money; if Allies lost, they

would not repay these loans.

• The Zimmerman Telegram• British intercepted a message from Germany that said that

Germany would help Mexico “reconquer” the land it lost to the United States if Mexico would ally itself with Germany in the event that the US entered the war.

The Home Front

• Total War• Rationing – butter, shoe leather, fuel, wheat,

meat, etc. rationed.• Propaganda• Censorship• Loss of family and friends

Allied Victory

• Russia dropped out of war, but US had joined Allies.

• A Failed Final Push• Second Battle of the Marne – Germany’s final offensive on Allies in

France. Allies, with the aid of fresh American troops able to finally push Germany back.

• Central Powers Crumble• Bulgarians, then Ottoman Turks surrendered. Revolution in Austria-

Hungary brought that empire to an end. In Germany, soldiers mutinied and the public turned on the Kaiser.

• November 9, 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II forced to step down.• November 11, 1918, Armistice signed. WWI came to an end.

A Peace Settlement

• The Treaty of Versailles