1. THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Lasted from and involved countries from every continent. It introduced modern warfare that led to much higher death rates than past wars.

2. CAUSES OF THE WAR
Historians have traditionally cited four long-term causes of the First World War
NATIONALISM – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation
IMPERIALISM – Economic and political control over weaker nations
MILITARISM – The growth of nationalism and imperialism led to increased military spending
ALLIANCE SYSTEM – By 1907 Europe was divided into two armed camps

3. NATIONALISM
Often nationalism led to rivalries and conflicts between nations
Additionally, various ethnic groups resented domination by others and wanted independence
Russia and Austria-Hungary disagreed over the treatment of Serbs in central Europe
1. Nationalism-a country seeks to gain new territory for its own interest even if it means war. Nationalism is when a country has intense pride in one’s homeland. Nationalists placed emphasis on promoting their homelands culture and interest above those of other countries. Nationalism was one of the reasons for the tensions among the European powers. Each nation viewed the others as competitors, and many people were willing to go to war to expand their nation at the expense of others.
Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary while Russia, France and Britain were partners

5. IMPERIALISM For many centuries, European nations built empires
Colonies supplied European nations with raw materials and provided markets for manufactured goods
As Germany industrialized it competed directly with France and Britain
Major European countries also competed for land in Africa
Imperialism-countries were fighting over colonies

7. MILITARISM
Empires had to be defended and European nations increased military spending enormously in the late 19th and early 20th century
By 1890 the strongest nation militarily in Europe was Germany
Germany had a strong army and built up a navy to rival England’s fleet
France, Italy, Japan and the United States quickly joined in the naval buildup
. Militarism-when countries greatly increased the size of their army and navy Large armies dominated the European continent.

8. Battleships were being stockpiled by European nations, Japan and America in the late 19th and early 20th century

9. ALLIANCE SYSTEM
By 1907 there were two major defense alliances in Europe
The Triple Entente, later known as the Allies, consisted of France, Britain, and Russia
The Triple Alliance, later known as the Central Powers, consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (Soon joined by the Ottoman Empire
TRIPLE ENTENTE
4. Alliances-agreements between countries to defend and help each other A web of alliances entangled nations, maximizing the risk that a local conflict could produce a wider war.
Allies-U.K. France, Russia along with Italy, which joined them in 1915 after the other Allies promised to cede Austro-Hungarian territory to Italy after the war.
Central Powers-Germany, Austria-Hungary In Germany, the ambitious Kaiser Wilhem II coveted a world empire to match those of Britain and France. Germany had military treaties with Turkey and Austria-Hungary, a sprawling central European country of many nationalities.
These alliances-caused most countries to get involved in this war
FRANCE
BRITAIN
RUSSIA

11. THE SPARK: AN ASSASSINATION
The Balkan region was considered “the powder keg of Europe” due to competing interests in the area
Russia wanted access to the Mediterranean Sea
Germany wanted a rail link to the Ottoman Empire
Austria-Hungary, which had taken control of Bosnia in 1878, accused Serbia of subverting its rule over Bosnia
Finally, in June of 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne was gunned down by a Serbia radical igniting a diplomatic crisis
Cause (immediate)
Assassination sparks the start of WWI
On June 28, 1914-Austrian arch duke Franz Ferdinand along with his wife were killed while visiting Sarajevo There was long-standing history between the Serbs and Austria-Hungary. In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and the Serbs were furious because they wanted Bosnia to be a part of their nation. In late 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand visited the Bosnian capital. As he and his wife rode through the city, A Bosnian revolutionary rushed their open car and shot the couple to death. Within weeks, Germany, Turkey, and Austria-Hungary were at war with England, France, and Russia. Americans were shocked and Wilson immediately proclaimed neutrality and asked Americans to remain “impartial in thought as well as in action.”
The group called the Black Hand was behind the assassination The assassin was a member of a Serbian nationalist group nicknamed the “Black Hand” The assassination took place with the knowledge of Serbian officials who opened to start a war that would bring down the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The Austrio-Hungarian government blamed Serbia for the attack and decided the time and come to crush Serbia in order to prevent Slavic nationalism from undermining its empire.
4. Extent
This led to Austria-Hungary attacking Serbia
Which led to Russia attacking Austria-Hungary Russia attacked Austria-Hungary because Russia supported the Serbs. So after Austria declared war on Serbia, Russia immediately mobilized its army, including troops stationed on the German border.
Which led to Germany attacking Russia and France Austria-Hungary asked their German allies for support and Germany promised to support Austria-Hungary if war erupted. Three days after Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary, Germany declared war on Russia and France. Germany had long been prepared for war against France and Russia. It immediately launched a massive invasion of France, hoping to knock the French out of the war. The German war had one problem. It required the German forces to advance through neutral Belguim in order to encircle the French troops. The British had guaranteed Belgium’s neutrality. When German troops crossed the Belgian frontier, Britain declared war on Germany.
The Archduke is assassinated in Sarajevo in June 1914

12. THE FIGHTING BEGINS
The Alliance system pulled one nation after another into the conflict – The Great War had begun
On August 3, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium, following a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan
This plan called for a quick strike through Belgium to Paris, France
Next, Germany would attack Russia
The plan was designed to prevent a two-front war for Germany
The Schliefflen Plan

13. THE WAR BECOMES A STALEMATE
Unable to save Belgium, the Allies retreated to the Marne River in France where they halted the German advance in September of 1914
Both sides dug in for a long siege
By the spring of 1915, two parallel systems of deep trenches crossed France from Belgium to Switzerland
There were 3 types of trenches; front line, support, and reserve
Between enemy trenches was “no man’s land” – an area pockmarked with shell craters and filled with barbed wire
Most of the fighting was between Germany, Britain, and France. Though the Germans had made a strong offensive into France, French, Belgian, and British forces were able to halt them. However, since they were not able to push the Germans completely out of France, there was a stalemate and both sides dug large networks of trenches into the earth
The war developed into a stalemate with neither side being able to gain advantage, lasted for over 3 years
British soldiers standing in mud

14. . Trench warfare
Each side built systems of trenches along the front The European armies dug themselves into trenches only hundred of yards apart in places. Artillery, poison gas, hand grenades, and a new weapon –rapid fire machine guns- kept them pinned down. Even in moments of respite, the mud, rats, cold, fear, and disease took a heavy toll. Deafening bombardments shook the earth, and there was a high incidence of shell shock. From time to time, troops went “over the top” of the trenches in an effort to break through the enemies lines, but the costs were enormous. The space between the opposing trenches was known as “no man’s land” a rough, barren landscape pockmarked with craters from artillery fire. Sometimes soldiers would scramble out of their trenches, race across no man’s land, and hurl grenades into the enemy’s trenches. The results were disastrous. However, the grenades rarely destroyed the enemy defenses and troops crossing no man’s land were easily stopped by enemy machine guns.
Life in the trenches was terrible Many men died during their first day in the trenches due to precisely aimed snipers. It has been estimated that up to one third of Allied causalities on the Western front were actually sustained in the trenches. The day started with everyone being woken up from slumber by the company orderly officer and both sides would often relieve the tension of the early hours with machine gun fire, directed into their front. They would then be issued rum and would attend to the cleaning of their rifle, followed by its inspection by officers. They had breakfast, and then movement was restricted until night fell. They could read or write letters home while in the trenches. Sleep was snatched wherever possible
9. Soldier’s hardships
Soldiers suffered from boredom, fear, mud, trench foot, lice, rats, bitter cold Rats in the millions infested trenches. There were two main types- brown and black. Both were despised but the brown rat was especially feared. Gorging themselves on human remains (disfiguring them by eating their eyes a liver) they could grow to be the size of a cat. Men tried to rid themselves of the mice by gunfire, with the bayonet, and by clubbing them to death but it was useless. A single rat couple could produce up to 900 offspring a year, spreading infection and containing food.
Lice- Lice were a never ending problem, breeding in the seams o filth clothing and causing men to itch unceasingly. Even when clothing was periodically washed, lice eggs remained hidden in the seams; within a few hours of the clothes being re-worn the body heat generated would cause the eggs to hatch. Lice caused trench fever- severe pain folloed by high fever. Recovery- away from the trenches- took weeks.
Trench foot- a fungal infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and unsanitary conditions. It could turn gangrenous and result in amputation. Trench foot was more a problem at the start of trench warfare.
Rotting carcasses lay around in their thousands. Men who had not been afforded the luxury of a bath in weeks or months would offer the pervading odor of dried sweat. Feet stunk. The odor rotting sandbags, stagnant mud, cig smok…
German Soldiers
The conditions in these trenches were horrific; aside from the fear of bombardment, soldiers also had to contend with the mud, flooding and disease associated with living in such a harsh environment.

15. AMERICANS QUESTION NEUTRALITY
In 1914, most Americans saw no reason to join a struggle 3,000 miles away – they wanted neutrality
Some simply did not want their sons to experience the horror of warfare
German-Americans supported Germany in World War I
However, many American felt close to the British because of a shared ancestry and language
Most importantly, American economic interests were far stronger with the Allies
11. American Neutrality
America led by Wilson, wanted to stay neutral. Most Americans accepted neutrality at this point and saw no need in entering the conflict. Progressives believed that the war would end reform and would consume money and attention. They fought to keep the U.s. out of war. Another reason why the United States wanted to remain neutral was because of its population of immigrants from all different countries. Because the war’s outbreak tugged on the heart of millions of immigrant Americans, many people thought it would be wise to accept a policy of neutrality. Wilson was actually reelected in 1916 under the slogan “He Kept us out of war!!”
Watchful Waiting-Wilson’s plan to remain neutral, but to keep trading with both sides Despite the presidents plea for neutrality, many Americans showed support for one side or the other. In general, most of the American public favored the Allied cause.
French propaganda poster portrayed the Germans as inhuman and impacted American attitudes toward the Germans

16. THE WAR HITS HOME
During the first two years of the war, America was providing (selling) the allied forces dynamite, cannon powder, submarines, copper wire and tubing and other war material
Both the Germans and British imposed naval blockades on each other
The Germans used U-boats (submarines) to prevent shipments to the North Atlantic
Any ship found in the waters around Britain would be sunk
The U.S. needed the Allies to win to continue trade and get loans repaid. The Allies ha depended on the American economy for war orders. England and France bought huge amounts of arms, grain, cotton, and clothing. The Allies turned to American bankers for loans.
Reasons the US entered the war (sub warfare)
. the sinking of American boats or other boats with Americans on them by the Germans The germans knew that the Allies depended on food, equipment, and other supplies from the U.S. and from other countries. If Germany could strangle that trade, it could starve the British and French into surrendering. To get around Britain’s blockade, the Germans deployed submarines known as U-Boats. The Germans then announced that they would sink any ship they found in the waters around Britain. Traditional law required a submarine to surface, warn the target to stop, send a boarding party to check papers and cargo, then allow time for passengers and crew to board lifeboats before sinking the vessel. When Germany announced the submarine campaign, it triggered outrage in the U.S. Germans promised not to sink American ships and thereafter the issue became the right of Americans to sail on the ships of belligerent nations. Despite warnings from Germany, British passenger liner Lusitania entered the war zone. A submerged German submarine fired on the ship, killing nearly 1,200 passengers- including 128 Americans. Many Americans were outraged and regarded the attack as an act of terrorism, not war. Then another u-boat torpedoed the French passenger ship Sussex, injuring several Americans on board. The president issued one last warning. He demanded the German gov’t abandon its method of submarine warfare or risk war with the U.S. Germany did not want to strengthen the Allies by drawing them into war, so they promised to sink no more merchant ships without warning.
German U-boat 1919

17. THE LUSITANIA DISASTER
United States involvement in World War I was hastened by the Lusitania disaster
The Lusitania was a British passenger liner that carried 1,198 persons on a fateful trip on May 7, 1915
A German U-boat sank the British passenger liner killing all aboard including 128 American tourists
The Germans claimed the ship was carrying Allied ammunition
Americans were outraged and public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers
May 7, 1915

18. The N.Y. Times reports on the Lusitania

19. 1916 ELECTION
The November 1916 election pitted obligatory Democrat Woodrow Wilson vs. Republican candidate Supreme Court justice Charles Evans Hughes
Wilson won a close election using the slogan, “He kept us out of war”
That slogan would prove ironic because within a few months the United States would be embroiled in World War I
Wilson

20. AMERICA EDGES CLOSER TO WAR
Several factors came together to bring the U.S. into the war;
1) Germany ignored Wilson’s plea for peace
2) The Zimmerman Note, a telegram from the German foreign minister to the German Ambassador in Mexico, proposed an alliance
Germany promised Mexico a return of their “lost territory” in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona
3) Next came the sinking of four unarmed U.S. merchant ships by German subs
. the Zimmerman telegram-a secret message from Germany to Mexico, asking Mexico to attack the U.S. if the U.S. entered the war. It proposed an alliance with Mexico in case of war with the United States, offering financial support and recovery of Mexico’s “lost territory” in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. It was sent from Arthur Zimmerman, the German foreign minister, to the German ambassador in Mexico. Germany hoped Mexico would tie down the American forces and prevent them from being sent to Europe. The British intercepted the telegram and afterwards it was leaked to American newspapers. No, Americans wanted war with Germany. Then, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. German military leaders believed they could starve Britain into submission in four to six months if they took a more aggressive approach. They knew this might draw the U.S. into the war, but they thought the Americans could not raise an army in time. So Germany sank six American merchant ships without warning. America then declared war.
(Zimmerman note)
Encoded message from Germany to Mexico

21. Zimmerman note intercepted by a British agent and decoded

22. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
A light drizzle fell on Washington on April 2, 1917, as senators, representatives, ambassadors, members of the Supreme Court, and other guests crowded into the Capital building to hear Wilson deliver his declaration of war
Wilson said, “The world must be safe for democracy”
Congress passed the resolution a few days later

23. AMERICAN POWER TIPS THE BALANCE
America was not ready for war – only 200,000 men were in service when war was declared
Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May of 1917
By the end of 1918, 24 million had signed up and almost 3 million were called to duty
About 2 million American troops reached Europe
18. American mobilization (Selective Service)
AMERICAN MOBILIZATION The United States was not prepared for war. Some Americans hoped just declaring war might scare the Germans. Others hoped money and arms supplied to the Allies would be sufficient to produce victory without sending troops. So, Wilson turned to conscription, which he believed was both efficient and democratic.
Selective Service-a new government agency in charge of drafting men into military In May of 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act, providing for the registration of all men between the ages of (later changed to 18-45). A lottery randomly determined the order they were called before a local draft board in charge of selecting or exempting people from military service. Early in June, 9.5 million men registered for the draft. By the end of the war, the act had registered 24.2 million men, about 2.8 million of whom were inducted into the army.
“Doughboys” a nickname for American soldiers, were largely inexperienced, but they were fresh, so their presence boosted the morale of Allied forces.

24. FRESH U.S. SOLDIERS JOIN FIGHT
After 2 ½ years of fighting, the Allied forces were exhausted
One of the main contributions of the Americans was fresh and enthusiastic troops
American infantry were nicknamed “doughboys” because of their white belts
Most doughboys had never ventured far from the farms or small towns they lived in

25. NEW WEAPONS USED
Machine Guns – Guns could now fire 600 rounds per minute
The Tank – New steel tanks ran on caterpillar treads
Airplanes – Early dogfights resembled duals, however by 1918 the British had a fleet of planes that could deliver bomb loads
Poison Gas – mustard gas was used to subdue the enemy
machine gun
2. Submarine
3. airplanes- WWI saw the first use of airplanes in combat. AT first, planes were used mainly to observe enemy activities. Soon, the Allies and Central Powers used tem to drop small bombs. They also attached machine guns to aircraft to engage in deadly air battles known as dogfights.
4. tanks First introduced by the British. First tanks were very slow and unreliable and fairly easy to destroy. They could roll over barbed wire and trenches, but there was usually not enough o them to make a difference. They did not revolutionize the war.
5. poison gases- first used by the Germans. The fumes caused vomiting, blindness, and suffocation. Soon afterward, the Allies began using poison gas, and gas masks became a necessary part of a soldier’s equipment
6. Grenades
7. bazookas

26. Animals were also susceptible to gas

27. GERMANY COLLAPSES, WAR ENDS
GERMANY COLLAPSES; THE GREAT WAR ENDS
GERMANY COLLAPSES, WAR ENDS
On November 3, 1918, Germany’s partner, Austria-Hungary, surrendered to the Allies
That same day, German sailors mutinied against their government
Other revolts followed, and Germany was too exhausted to continue
So at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918, Germany signed a truce ending the Great War
War ends 11/11/18

28. THE WAR AT HOME The entire U.S. economy was focused on the war effort
The shift from a consumer economy to war economy required a collaboration between business and government
In the process, the power of the U.S. government expanded
Congress gave President Wilson direct control over the economy

29. WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD
The War Industries Board (WIB) encouraged companies to use mass-production techniques
Under the WIB, industrial production and wages increased 20%
Union membership almost doubled during the war years – from 2.5 million to 4 million
To deal with disputes between management and labor, President Wilson set up the National War Labor Board in 1918
WAR AT HOME To efficiently manage the relationship between the federal government and private companies, Congress created special boards. These boards emphasized cooperation between big business and government. Their goal was to ensure the most efficient use of national resources to further the war effort.
Poster encouraging production

30. Food Administration
To conserve food, Wilson set up the Food Administration (FA)
The FA declared one day a week “meatless” another “sweetless” and two days “wheatless”
Homeowners planted “victory gardens” in their yards
Schoolchildren worked after-school growing tomatoes and cucumbers in public parks
Farmers increased production by almost 30% by adding 40 million acres of farmland
Food Administration-a government agency that encouraged Americans to not waste food and to plant victory gardens. This was the most successful government agency and was run by Herbert Hoover. This agency was responsible for increasing food production while reducing civilian consumption. Instead of using rationing, Hover encouraged Americans to save food on their won. Using the slogan, “Food Will Win the War- Don’t Waste It,” the Food Administration encouraged families to Hooverize by serving just enough and by having Wheatless Mondays, Meatless Tuesdays, and Porkless Thursdays. Hoover also encouraged citizens to plant victory gardens to raise their own vegetables, leaving more for their troops. While Hoover managed food production, the Fuel Administration, tried to manage the nation’s use of coal and oil. To conserve energy, Garfield introduced daylight savings time and shortened workweeks for factories that did not make war materials. Hoover guaranteed the farmer a "fair price" and there was an overseas market for all that could be produced. American food exports tripled. Not only did America help feed the Allies, but the shipments created surplus stores of food that helped prevent a post-war famine in Europe. America after the War not only helped her Allies, but the former Central Powers countries as well as Soviet Russia.

31. SELLING THE WAR
The U.S. had two major tasks; raising money and convincing the public to support the war
The U.S. spent $35.5 billion on the war effort
The government raised about 1/3 of that through an income tax and “sin” taxes
The rest was raised through war bonds sold to the public (Liberty Loans & Victory Loans)
The U.S. Paid for this war by raising taxes and selling war bonds. War bonds- Americans were loaning money to the government. The gov’t agreed to repay the money with interest in a specified number of years. By the end of WWI, the U.S. was spending about $44 million dollars a day. To fund the war effort, Congress reaised income tax rates. Congress also placed new taxes on corporate profits and extra tax on the profits of arms factories. Taxes, however, could not pay for the war. To raise money, the government borrowed over $20 billion from the American people by selling Liberty Bonds and Victory Bonds. Posters, rallies, and “liberty loan sermons” encouraged people to buy the bonds as an act of patriotism.

32. PROPAGANDA
To popularize the war, the government set up the nations first propaganda agency called the Committee on Public Information (CPI)
George Creel led the agency and persuaded many of the nation’s artists to create thousands of paintings, posters, cartoons and sculptures to promote the war
The Committee of Public Information-a government agency that used propaganda to build support for the war. They had to ‘sell” the war to American people. They wanted to help sway public opinion in favor of the war. They distributed pamphlets and arranged for thousands of short patriotic talks called “four minute speeches” to be delivered at movie theaters and public halls and gathering places. The Four Minute Men urged audiences to support the war in various ways, from buying war bonds to reporting draft dodgers to the proper authorities.
Fear of spies led to the mistreatment and persecution of German Americans. To avoid German-sounding names, advertisers began calling sauerkraut “liberty cabbage” and hamburger “Salisbury steak”. Many schools dropped German language classes and orchestras stopped performing the music of German composers. German Americans were not the only ones under suspicion. Newspapers ads urged Americans to monitor the activities of their fellow citizens.

45. ATTACK ON CIVIL LIBERTIES
As the war progressed, Civil Liberties were compromised
Anti-Immigrant feelings were openly expressed especially anti-German and Austrian- Hungarian
Espionage and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress
These acts were designed to prevent anti-war protests but went against the spirit of the First Amendment (Free speech)
Socialists and labor leaders were targeted
23. War at home (Espionage and Sedition Acts)
the government made it illegal to spy or speak harmfully against the war effort.) Espionage, or spying to acquire secret government information, was addressed in the Espionage Act of 1917, which established penalties and prison terms for anyone who gave aid to the enemy. This act also penalized disloyalty, giving false reports, or otherwise interfering with the war effort. The Post Office even hired college professors to translate foreign periodicals to find out if they contained antiwar messages. The Sedition Act of 1918 expanded the meaning of the Espionage Act to make it illegal for any ay public expression of opposition to the war. It allowed officials to prosecute anyone who criticized the president of the government.
Schenck v the U.s. ruled that an individual’s freedom of speech could be curbed when the words uttered constitute a clear and present danger. The Court sued an example of someone yelling “fire!” in a crowded theater as a situation in which freedom of speech would be superseded by the theater-goers right to safety. There were, for sure, German spies in the country who wanted to encourage strikes in American arms factories. Also, the U.S. government was aware of how divided Americans had beena bout entering the war. They set out to promote unity.
More than 1500 persons were arrested under the new law. .
Any anti-American sentiments were targeted during wartime

46. SOCIAL CHANGE DURING THE WAR
The greatest effect of the First World War on the African American population was that it accelerated the Great Migration
The Great Migration was the large scale population shift for hundreds of thousands of blacks from the south to Northern cities
They left to escape discrimination and to seek greater job opportunities
Popular destinations included Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia
Minorities-forced to serve in segregated units during war The draft included black men as well as white, and four African American regiments were among the first sent into action. African American soldiers encountered discrimination and prejudice in the army. Despite their contributions, however, no black soldiers were allowed to march in the victory celebrations that eventually took place in Paris. Nor were they included in a French mural of the different races in the, even though black servicemen from English and French colonies were represented
War at home (Great Migration)
. Great migration-movement of black Americans from the south to the north during WWI because factory jobs available in urban cities. The war also opened new doors for African Americans. Wartime job openings and high wages drew thousands of African Americans to factories producing war materials. Encouraged by recruiting agents promising high wages and plentiful work, between 300,00-500,000 African Americans left the South to settle in Northern cities. It greatly altered the raicial makeup of such cities as Chicago, new York, Cleveland, and Detroit.
This African American family settled in Chicago

47. Rosie the Riveter was the symbol of women’s war contributions
WOMEN IN THE WAR
Many women were called upon to take on jobs previously held by men who were serving in the war
They became railroad workers, cooks, dockworkers, factory workers, and miners
Many women served as volunteers in organizations such as the Red Cross
Their service hastened the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 giving women the right to vote
Women-were not allowed in military except as nurses. WWI was the first war in which women officially served in the armed forces, although only in noncombatant positions. As the military prepared for war in 1917, it faced a severe shortage of clerical workers because so many men were assigned to active duty. The navy authorized the enlistment of women to meet its clerical needs. By the end of the war, over 11,000 women had served in the navy. The army still did not enlist women. It stead, it hired them as temporary clerical workers. The only women to actually serve in the army were the Army Nursing corps. They were the only women in the military sent overseas during the war.
Rosie the Riveter was the symbol of women’s war contributions

48. SECTION 4: WILSON FIGHTS FOR PEACE
Despite the hero’s welcome he received in Europe, Wilson’s plan for peace would be rejected by the Allies
Wilson’s plan was called the “Fourteen points”
Included in his “points” were:
No secret treaties
Freedom of the Seas
More free trade
Reduction of arms
Less colonialism
League of Nations to promote peace
14 Points-President Wilson’s peace plan that wanted to treat all sides fairly, even the Germans The principal figures in the negotiations were the “Big Four” the leaders of the victorious Allied countries. Germany was not invited to participate. It was based on the principle of “justice to all peoples and nationalities”. In the first five points, the president proposed to eliminate the general causes of the war through free trade, disarmament, freedom of the seas, impartial adjust meant of colonial claims, and open diplomacy instead of secret agreements. They also required the Central Powers to evacuate all of the countries invaded during the war, including France, Belgium, and Russia.
Wilson’s 14 points in his own short hand

49. ALLIES REJECT WILSON”S PLAN, SIGN TREATY
The Big Four leaders, Wilson (U.S.), Clemenceau (France), Lloyd George (England), and Orlando (Italy), worked out the Treaty’s details
Wilson conceded on most of his 14 points in return for the establishment of the League of Nations
On June 28, 1919, the Big Four and the leaders of the defeated nations gathered in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and signed the Treaty of Versailles
The Allies wanted to punish Germany and were not interested in most of Wilson’s plans England and France distrusted Wilsonian idealism as the beasis for peace. They wanted Germany disarmed and crippled; they wanted its colonies; and they were skeptical of the principle of self-determination. As the end of the war neared, the Allies, who had in fact made secret commitments with one another, did not think the Fourteen Points should be the basis for peace
Hall of Mirrors

50. TREATY OF VERSAILLES
The Treaty established nine new nations including;
Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia
The Treaty broke up the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire empires
The Treaty barred Germany from maintaining an army, required them to give Alsace-Lorraine back to France, and forced them to pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies
34. Provisions of the Treaty of Versailles
TREATY OF VERSAILLES Wilson announced that he was going to attend the peace conference. This was a break from tradition, and his personal involvement drew attacks from Republicans. As the peace talks progressed in the Palace of Versailles, it became clear that Wilson’s ideas did not coincide with the interests of the other Allied governments. Upon his arrival, Wilson received a tumultuous welcome in England, France, and Italy. People yelled “The Just” as he drove passed and threw flowers at him. Wilson was sure that the people of Europe shared in his goals and would force their leaders to accept the peace. He was wrong. The Treaty of Versailles weakened, or discarded, many of Wilson’s proposals. They criticized his plan of being too lenient toward Germany.
Treaty’s provisions
9 new countries were created to represent the different ethnic groups of Europe The war resulted in the dissolution of four empires: the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, which lost territory in the war and fell to revolution in 192, the Germany empire, and the Austria-Hungary empire, which was split into separate countries.
2. The League of Nations was created The League was designed to achieve international peace and security. It pledged to submit to arbitration every dispute threatening peace and to enjoin military and economic sanctions against nations resorting to war. They were to look out for one another’s independence and land.
3. Germany had to pay reparations, admit guilt for the war, get rid of their army, and give up land Under the treaty, Germany was stripped of its armed forces and was made to pay reparations, or war damages, in the amount of $33 billion to the Allies. This sum was far beyond Germany’s financial means. Perhaps more humiliating, the treaty required Germany to acknowledge guilt for the outbreak of WW1 and the devastation caused by the war.
The Big Four met at Versailles

52. THE WEAKNESS OF THE TREATY
The harsh treatment of Germany prevented the Treaty from creating a lasting peace in Europe
The Treaty humiliated the Germans by forcing them to admit sole responsibility for the war (War-Guilt Clause)
Furthermore, Germany would never be able to pay $33 billion in reparations
Germans felt the Versailles Treaty was unfair

53. DEBATE OVER TREATY AT HOME
In the United States, the Treaty was hotly debated especially the League of Nations
Conservative senators, headed by Henry Cabot Lodge, were suspicious of the Leagues’ joint economic and military commitments
Many wanted the U.S. Congress to maintain the right to declare war
Ultimately, Congress rejected U.S. involvement in the very League the U.S. President had created
37. Treaty opponents
Henry Cabot Lodge led a group of republican senators who opposed the treaty because they feared getting the U.S. involved in the world’s problems Senator Lodge produced a “round robin” signed by 37 senators declaring they would not vote for the treaty without amendment. He at least wanted major changes that the Allies would have to approve. Fed up with Lodge’s tactics, Wilson set out in early September to take the case directly to the people.
38. Wilson’s stubbornness
To bypass Lodge and his proposed reservations, Wilson decided to take his case directly to the American people. He set out by train on the most ambitious speaking tour made by any president. Already exhausted from the peace conference in France, he collapsed on tour in Colorado. He returned to Washington and had a massive stroke.
From his bed, he could only observe the Senate battle concerning ratification.
39. Treaty’s fate in America
Two times the Senate refused to ratify the treaty, once with the Lodge reservations and then without the reservations; thus the U.S. never became a member of the League of Nations.
The rejection of the Treaty by the Senate transferred to the public. At first they supported the treaty but in the end, they wanted to be left alone, hide behind our beloved policy of isolation and not be drawn into future wars.
The U.S. never did join the league

54. THE LEGACY OF WWI
At home, the war strengthened both the military and the power of the government
The propaganda campaign provoked powerful fears in society
For many countries the war created political instability and violence that lasted for years
Russia established the first Communist state during the war
Americans called World War I, “The War to end all Wars” --- however unresolved issues would eventually drag the U.S. into an even deadlier conflict
Results of WWI
1. The U.S. never joined the League of Nations
2. over 50,000 Americans died
3. Germany wanted revenge, which led to WWII
4. The countries of Europe were left in terrible shape which led to dictators taking over many countries
5. Worst flu epidemic in world history happened in 1918 Also known as the Spanish Flu (although it is likely that it began in the United States), the Great Influenza was most likely the deadliest plague in history. The extremely virulent influenza virus killed an estimated 50 to 100 million people in the space of just six months. And unlike other influenza outbreaks, it didn’t just target the old, and the very young. One study says that it struck 8 to ten percent of all young adults.
The pandemic was no doubt magnified by conditions existing during World War I, especially with large numebrs of young men packed into very close quarters in military barracks. The flu is said to have begun as an isolated mutation in Haskell County, Kansas, and transmitted through the movement of American soldiers from base to base.
The numbers killed by this flu are even more staggering, when you consider that the world’s population at the time was just 1.8 billion. A similar outbreak today, therefore, could kill 350 MILLION people in a similar time span.
Hospitals would be overwhelmed. During a typical flu season in the United States, hospital respirator use approaches 100 percent. In a pandemic flu outbreak, most people would not be able to get respirators or hospital care.
This nightmare scenario is what drives the concern about the swine flu, and the avian, or bird flu outbreaks. Memories of the Great Influenza are what sparked the media frenzy over such things as the Swine Flu outbreak of the 1970s and the SARS incident of the early 2000s.
Without being alarmist, the outbreak of a global flu pandemic (avian flu or any other kind), is the number one public health threat today. Unfortunately, the United States government is entirely unprepared. The political reality is that other, less deadly diseases get much more money and attention because of their powerful lobbies.
WWI
22 million dead, more than half civilians. An additional 20 million wounded.