The First World War

Invasion of Belgium August 4, 1914 “Allow us through or be conquered” Belgian army resisted but were defeated

The Schlieffen PlanThe Schlieffen Plan: Avoid fighting a war with Russia and France at the same time. Plan fails when France does not fall quickly

The Great War Begins Trench Warfare Armies fight using system of ditches No Man’s Land Area between trenches where soldiers were killed Won very little land

Sleeping where? How to build them

More ways to build from a French hand book.

Soldiers fought from within the trenchesIt was usually tight quarters

Trenches were used by both the Allies and the Central Powers An aerial photograph of the trenches First line of defense

In the trenches Not all trenches were deep.Many nations fought together

Fighting Sometimes an easy target

Dangers of Trench life

Trenchfoot From having wet feet most of the time and nowhere to dry them out

Dead bodies…. Left to rot in the trenches because of the machine gun fire that kept the soldiers in the trenches An easy food source for rats and a place to breed disease

Bring rats

Soldiers of all nations hunted the rats– sometimes rations were short and meat was added to their diet

Christmas truce

Poison Gas A new weapon, hard to combat. Different gas mask styles were created by different countries. None were 100% effective.

Belgian Uniforms and masks Australian Gas mask

Japanese gas maskU. S. gas mask

Gas Training

Trench Warfare

American Neutrality Question Few Americans wanted to send troops Many had family ties to Europe Stronger ties to the Allies Shipped millions of supplies to Allies

British Blockade British blockaded German coast to stop supplies entering By 1917 Germany suffering famine US angry at this threat to freedom of seas

Terror on the Seas U-Boats to sink any Allied or British ships May 7, 1915: British passenger ship Lusitania sunk A number of American passengers were killed Germans claimed carried ammunition U.S. warned Germany to stop sinking ships Lusitania

Path to War Woodrow Wilson ran for reelection in 1916 with the slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War.” He wins On January 31, 1916 German order U-Boats to sink ALL ships in British Waters The Zimmerman Note was a letter sent by Germany to Mexico to get them into the war on Germany’s side. Germany sinks 4 more unarmed US ships without any apology

America enters the War March: Russian monarchy replaced with representative government April 2 nd, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare war “Make the world safe for Democracy.” Wilson addresses Congress

Mobilizing May 1917: Selective Service Act All men to register to be randomly selected to serve in the military 24 million registered

1917 – Selective Service Act 24,000,000 men registered for the draft by the end of ,800,000 men served in WW1 (2,000,000 saw active combat). 400,000 African-America were put in segregated units. Most were put in non-combat duties. 15,000 Native-Americans served as scouts, messengers, and snipers in non-segregated units.

Here Come the Yanks The United Stated adopted the Convoy System This put battleships at the front to guard merchant ships Shipping losses were cut in half US troops brought numbers and enthusiasm Convoy System

The Yanks The American Expeditionary Force was led by General John Pershing U.S. troops nicknamed doughboys

New Weapons: Tanks British Mark IV Tank

New Weapons: Machine Guns Vickers Machine Gun

New Weapons: Airplane and Airships Sopwith Camel Biplane Zeppelin

New Weapons: Poison Gas

Hazards Trench life was horrid Poison gas caused blindness or lifelong nervous and/or lung problems Soldiers had emotional collapses AKA “Shell Shock”