WWI Interactive Lecture

What Caused the Great War? Militarism Each country built up its army Fought small colonial wars over territory Developed new weapons (machine guns; weaponized mustard gas)

What Caused the Great War? Alliances Triple Entente (United Kingdom, Russia, and France) Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire)

What Caused the Great War? Nationalism (extreme loyalty to their individual countries)

What Caused the Great War? Imperialism (fighting over land and colonies) Assassination (Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austrian Empire was killed. Austria declared war on Serbia, which was Russia’s ally, and the other countries split into their alliances and declared war) Blackadder War Begins

Why Did the U.S. Fight? Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Germany warned Americans not to use ships carrying weapons to sell to Britain German submarine attacked Lusitania (1915) and American civilians died The ship was carrying weapons to sell to the Triple Entente but newspapers focused on women and children who were killed

Trench Warfare Armies dug trenches in the ground Bases for the armies Protection from gas attacks Negatives Rain water collected in the trenches Cramped conditions Dirty

Trench Warfare Attacked through No Man’s Land Area between trenches Men would “go over the top” and march through No Man’s Land to the opposite trench to attack Led to a stalemate War of Attrition (try to wear down the other army by attacking until the losses were so much that someone surrendered) Neither side could win large, decisive victories Thousands died to gain small amounts of land in some of the biggest offensives

Trench Warfare Supplies Difficult to supply armies with food Blackadder Baldrick and rats

Trench Warfare New Weapons Submarines, more accurate guns, airplanes, and weaponized mustard gas 65 million soldiers fought; 37 million casualties (KIA, MIA, and wounded)

On the Home Front Schenck v United States Charles Schenck (socialist) argued that the draft was “involuntary servitude” in pamphlets he gave out Arrested and convicted under the Espionage Act (speaking out against the government in times of war) Supreme Court upheld conviction Schenck was not protected under 1 st Amendment (free speech) Acceptable during peace time but not during war Like yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater

Armistice Battle of Argonne Forest (26 September-11 November 1918) General John Pershing’s American Expeditionary Force (AEF) More than 1 million U.S. soldiers in AEF fought through Argonne Forest Trapped Germans between Americans and French Germans surrendered 11 November 1918

Wilson and the 14 Points Wilson’s 14 Points (1918) Addressed Causes of WWI No more secret treaties Reduce militaries and weapons spending Reorganize colonies Freedom of the seas Avoid War in Future No economic barriers Rights for minorities Organization for collective security Treaty of Versailles (1919) Germany had to return annexed territories in Europe Germany’s military would be limited “War Guilt” Clause Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war Had to pay to rebuild European cities Created League of Nations U.S. Congress never ratified treaty Never became member of League of Nations

Remembering the Great War Success U.S. and Triple Entente won

Remembering the Great War Failure Treaty of Versailles angered Germans U.S. failed to ratify Treaty of Versailles Wilson’s 14 Points were rejected

Remembering the Great War