Great War or War to End all War Not called WWI until after WWII Total war Involved 60 nations and 6 continents

Cost of War $400 billion $10 million dollars an hour 16 million deaths First war of the Industrial Revolution…… New Weapons vs old tactics of fighting

world map

Flame Throwers Grenade Launchers

Poison Gas Machine Gun

Trench Warfare

“No Man’s Land”

CAUSES OF THE WAR

Nationalism Countries proud of their heritage and culture Similar to patriotismSimilar to patriotism Ethnic groups of similar heritage wanted to free their oppressed brethren and unite their people into one country Germany wanted to expand its culture and political influence throughout Europe.Germany wanted to expand its culture and political influence throughout Europe.

Imperialism France, Great Britain, Germany and Russia were establishing colonies in Africa and Asia economic and political control over other countries……economic and political control over other countries…… these countries were in competition for colonies

Cartoon- European grab bag European nations competing for colonies around the world…..Imperialism

Militarism European nations began an arms race as they competed for colonies around the world

Militarism & Arms Race Total Defense Expenditures for the Great Powers [Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, British and Russia] in millions of dollars Increase in Defense Expenditures France10% Britain13% Russia39% Germany73% By 1906, President Roosevelt had built the US Navy into the 3 rd largest naval fleet in the world…. By 1906, President Roosevelt had built the US Navy into the 3 rd largest naval fleet in the world…. The Great White Fleet

Alliances balance of powerEuropean nations began forming military alliances with one another to maintain a balance of power …….. Triple AllianceTriple Entente Central PowersAllied Powers GermanyGreat Britain Austria-Hungary EmpireFrance BulgariaRussia

Two Armed Camps! Allied Powers Central Powers Great Britain France Russia Italy Germany Austrian- Hungarian Empire Turkey

alliances1 Austrian-Hungarian Empire controlled several ethnic groups. Serbian nationalists wanted to unite Serbs who lived in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire with Serbia. This led to the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Saravejo

Archduke Franz Ferdinand His assassination June 28, 1914 eventually led to WWI. Garvillo Princip, a Serbian nationalist assassinated the Archduke. He was trying to gain allowances for his fellow Serbs who lived under Austrian rule. Franz Ferdinand ’ s funeral procession franz Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (6/28/14)

alliances1 1.June 28 Assassination at Sarajevo 2.July 27Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia 3.July 30 Russia began mobilization 4. August 1 Germany declared war on Russia, an ally of Serbia

alliances2 5.August 3 Germany declared war on France, invades Belgium 6. August 4 Great Britain declared war on Germany 7.August 6 Russia and Austria/Hungary at war. 8.August 12 Great Britain declared war on Austria/Hungary

battle fronts German invasion in August of 1914, through Belgium to conquer France. FrenchBritish Gave French and British militaries enough time to mobilize their army Belgium puts up a strong fight. 1 st Battle of the Marne River 1 st Battle of the Marne River, France and Great Britain stop Germany from capturing Paris. trench warfare France, England and Germany involve itself in trench warfare from 1914 to 1918 German invasion in August of 1914, through Belgium to conquer France. FrenchBritish Gave French and British militaries enough time to mobilize their army Belgium puts up a strong fight. 1 st Battle of the Marne River 1 st Battle of the Marne River, France and Great Britain stop Germany from capturing Paris. trench warfare France, England and Germany involve itself in trench warfare from 1914 to 1918

battle fronts

Stalemate stalemate  By September 1914, the war had reached a stalemate. “no man’s land.”  Both sides holed up in trenches separated by an empty “no man’s land.” Small gains in land resulted in huge numbers of human casualties.  Both sides continued to add new allies, hoping to gain an advantage. Modern Warfare  Neither soldiers nor officers were prepared for the new, highly efficient killing machines  Machine guns, hand grenades, artillery shells, and poison gas killed thousands of soldiers who left their trenches to attack the enemy.  As morale fell, the lines between soldiers and civilians began to blur. The armies began to burn fields, kill livestock, and poison wells.

Americans were shocked by the outbreak of war but…………..it was in Europe. NEUTRALUS was officially NEUTRAL

The effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon what American citizens say and do. Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned. The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy. Some will wish one nation, others another, to succeed in the momentous struggle. I venture, therefore, my fellow countrymen, the United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men's souls. wilson neutrality1

 Close to 35% of pop. foreign born or 1 st generation Americans (2 or 1 foreign-born parents)

notes2 US believed warring nations It had the right to trade with the warring nations neutrality Warring nations must respect our neutrality freedom of the seas in the freedom of the seas neutrality German submarine warfare and British blockade violated our neutrality

Effects of Allied blockade Central powers 1914, $70 million in trade with Central powers 1916, trade reduced to $1.3 million Allied trade Grew from $825 million to $3.2 billion in same time period debtor creditor WWI transformed the US from a debtor to a creditor nation

The Germans could not match Great Britain's superior navy. Germans introduced unrestricted submarine warfare with U-Boats Germans warned the world they would sink any ship they believed was carrying contraband to Great Britain. Submarine Warfare

U-Boats By 1918, Germans had sunk 6,500 allied ships.

Lusitania ad

Lusitania

war zone

Sussex Sunk: led to Sussex Pledge in March Germany promised not to sink anymore ships. war zone X

Wilson Prepares for War  Told War Dept to increase military planning  National Defense Act (6/1916) – Increased size of army to 175,000  Construction of 50 warships approved

Election of 1916 Charles Evans Hughes

zimmerman code

The February Revolution Nicolas II of Russia abdicates throne Republican govt in power US doesn't’t have to ally itself w/ despotic monarchy

April 8, 1917, the US declares war on Germany. The present German submarine war…..is a war against all nationsOur motive will not be revenge but on the vindication of right, of human right…. The new German policy has swept every restriction aside. Vessels of every kind….have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board….The present German submarine war…..is a war against all nations….Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but on the vindication of right, of human right…. We are…..the sincere friends of the German people…..We shall, happily, still have an opportunity to prove that friendship in our daily attitude and actions towards the millions of men and women of

German birth and native sympathy who live amongst us and share our life…... There are……many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace always carried nearest our hearts……democracy as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world safe for democracy. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts……democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own Governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right…..as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world safe for democracy.

America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured.

Peace w/o victory war to end all warwar to end all war The world must be safe for democracy. defend human rightsdefend human rights defend our trade neutralityneutrality freedom of the seas Self-determination for all nationsSelf-determination for all nations

Red October Bolshevik Revolution Lenin Civil War Nov 1917: Russia out of war