1. The War

2. Schlieffen Plan
General Schlieffen believed Germany could reach Paris & defeat the French in 6 weeks
Then move to the Eastern Front & fight the Russians
Problems with his plan
Troops went through an area that was too fortified
Stronger resistance by the Belgians
Russian army mobilized quicker than expected

3. 1914-1915 Most people believed they had a just cause Western Front
Believed it would be a short war
Western Front
First Battle of the Marne: Germans stopped before making it to Paris; saved Paris & boosted French morale
War turned into a stalemate – both sides dug trenches from the English Channel to Switzerland; dug to protect themselves

4. Cabs carrying troops to the
First Battle of the Marne

5. Eastern Front More mobile than the western
Battle of Tannenberg: Russians defeated by the Germans; never really recovered
Battle of Masurian Lakes: Russians defeated – no longer a threat to Germany
Italy got out of the Triple Alliance
Allied Powers: France, Great Britain, Italy, Russia
Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

6. Western Front - 1916-1917 Trench warfare
5 ft. high barbed wire, 30 yds of no man’s land; 500 miles long; land mines
No one knew how to fight this way
Tried to breakthrough the lines – didn’t work, cost many lives
Lived here for weeks at a time
Endured cold, mud, rats, disease
Soldiers went over the top of their trenches to attack the enemy
Opponents then mowed them down with heavy artillery & machine guns
Battle of Ypres
Germans introduced poison gas; chlorine gas
Caused blindness, choking, vomiting, torn lungs, & death

7. Battle of Verdun-1916 Battle of the Somme
Surprise attack by the Germans
Lasted 6 months-bloodiest battle of the war
700,000 men died – Germans lost to the French
Battle of the Somme
British introduced the tank; not an effective weapon during the battle
Planes were introduced during; WWI
First to spot the enemy
Attacked ground targets
Dogfights in the air

8. German Albatross

9. US DeHaviland DH-4

10. German Fokker DR – 1
Red Baron

11. German Fokker
Eindecker

12. French Nieuport

13. British Handley Page
0/400

14. French Nieuport
17C

15. British SE5A Scout

16. British Sopwith Camel

17. Manfred von Richthofen
Red Baron

18. Entry of the U.S. Tried to remain neutral
Immediate cause: Germans sank the Lusitania – had over 100 Americans on it
Zimmermann Telegram: German minister promised Mexico they would get their lands returned if they helped the Germans; telegram was discovered & printed; angered many Americans
Germany stopped unrestricted submarine warfare
1917: Germans began unrestricted warfare again
U.S. came into the war in April 2, 1917 on the Allied side
Brought a psychological boost, money, & war goods

19. Total War WWI had turned into a total war Involved all citizens
Price, wage, & rent controls
Rationed food supplies
Newspapers were censored
Use of propaganda
Women took over jobs when the men left

20. Pair Assignment Why did the U.S. enter WWI?
How did the war turn into a war of attrition?