World War I Begins1914-1918SWBAT: Identify the causes of WWI and explain why the U.S. chose neutrality.

Homework: Vocabulary Sheet

Do Now: Write down everything you know about WWI. Consider:

Countries involvedReason for fighting

US involvementImportant people and places

Causes of World War I• Nationalism• Imperialism• Militarism• Alliance System

• What were some of the acronyms you created?

An Assassination Sparks a War• June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to

the Austria-Hungarian throne is in Sarajevo.• While driving, a Serbian nationalist shot the

Archduke and his wife, Sophie. • On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared what

was expected to be a short war against Serbia.

How does this political cartoon illustrate the alliance system?

But it gets worse

The Alliance System takes its toll• The alliance system pulled one nation after another into the war.• Germany, Austria-Hungary’s ally, declares war on Russia, Serbia’s ally.• Germany then declares war on Russia’s ally, France.• After Germany invaded Belgium, Great Britain declares war on

Germany and Austria-Hungary.• By September, 1914, the world is at war.

So, who ends up on which side???• Allied Powers

France Great Britain Russia Italy Serbia Romania Japan Belgium Greece Portugal

Central Powers German Empire Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Bulgaria

But, what country is missing from the list?

The United States and Neutrality

United States Position• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=38

89

• Students will read to see the United States’ official position.

America Enters the War

SWBAT: Identify reasons the U.S. finally enters WWI

Homework: Vocabulary

Do Now: Yesterday we discussed reasons why we should stay out of the war. But what are some reasons Americans might support war in Europe?

Lets make a list…

Pros Cons

Avoiding the war gets more difficult

• British begin a blockade of German ships Nothing gets into Germany,

nothing gets out.• Germany responds with

counter blockade. Any British or Allied ship fund in

waters around Britain would be sunk.

• U-boats sink the British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. Dead: 1,198 American loss: 128

Looking at this picture, why might the Lusitania disaster have changed American public opinion against Germany?

Problems Worsen• 1916 Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare. U-boats would now sink any ship-

hostile or neutral- on sight.• Still, Wilson refused to declare war.

• Wanted to wait for “actual overt acts” before asking Congress for declaration of war.

An “Overt” action• Zimmermann Note: a telegraph from the German foreign minster to the German ambassador in Mexico that was intercepted by British agents. Proposed an alliance between

Germany and Mexico and promised that if war with the US broke out, Germany would help Mexico take back “lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona”.

America joins the war

• On April 2, 1917 America declared war on Germany and the rest of the central powers.

Activity- Wilson’s Speech

America and the War SWBAT:

Homework: Study for vocab quiz

Do Now:

America mobilizes• The U.S. was NOT prepared for war.• To meet the needs for more soldiers, Congress passed

the Selective Service Act. Required men to register w/the gov’t to be selected

randomly for service. In all this totaled 24 million men.

• By the end of the war, 3 million men were called up for service.

• 2 million were in Europe by the war’s end ¾ of which saw combat.

Who were these soldiers?• 1 in 5 were foreign born.• 400,000 were African Americans

½ served in segregated combat units. ½ served in non-combat roles

(cooked, did laundry, etc.) None were allowed in the navy or

marines.• 13,000 women accepted non-

combat positions Served as nurses, secretaries, and

phone operators.

Primary Source Analysis: Soldier’s experiences in the Trenches

Realities of War• Trench warfare occurred when a revolution in firepower was not

matched by similar advances in mobility.• Both sides quickly recognized that assaults against the enemy

trenches were suicide if begun in broad daylight, so attacks tended to take place just before dawn or right at dawn. 

• Conditions: unsanitary.

No man’s land: the territory between the opposing front trenches. Whenever possible, both sides filled this land with barbed wire to slow down any rapid advances by the enemy. The machine gun and the new long-range rifles made movement in this area almost impossible.

Exit Slip• Use five words to describe trench warfare during WWI

America Turns the TideSWBAT: Why America’s involvement in World War I turned the tides of war towards Allied victory.

Homework:

Do Now: Study for vocab quiz

Fighting in Europe

• By the time the U.S. entered the war, Allied troops had been fighting for 2.5 years.

• Many felt exhausted and demoralized.• American soldier’s freshness and

optimism helped raise morale

Convoy System• German U-boats were a serious

threat to shipping soldiers and war materials over the Atlantic.

• A navy admiral devised the convoy system: When a heavy guard of destroyers

escorted merchant ships across the Atlantic.

• Cut losses in half over a year.

Collapse of Germany• After a series of successful battles, the

Allies start winning the war.• On November 3, 1918 Austria-Hungary

surrendered to the Allies.• German soldiers, tired of fighting began

mutinying calling for an end to the war. • At 11:00am on November 11, 1918,

Germany surrendered and signed an armistice.

Reactions

The Final Toll• Was the bloodiest war in history up to

that time.• Total deaths: 22 million of that half

were civilians.• Wounded: 20 million

• US losses Deaths: 48,000 in battle, 62,000 of disease Wounded: 200,000

• Cost: $338 billion

Exit Slip• How do you think America’s position as a world power will change after the end of World War I? Explain.