1. The First World War: “The War To End All Wars” MOD 7

2. Causes of the War: M.A.I.N.
Historians have traditionally cited four long-term causes of the First World War
MILITARISM – The growth of nationalism and imperialism led to increased military spending
ALLIANCE SYSTEM – By 1907 Europe was divided into two armed camps (allies and central powers)
IMPERIALISM – Economic and political control over weaker nations
NATIONALISM – a devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation

3. Causes of World War I: Militarism: Alliance System: Imperialism:
European nations built large armies (especially Germany)
Other nations tried to keep up (naval power)
Alliance System:
Allies, consisted of France, Britain, and Russia (US would join later)
Central Powers, consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Imperialism:
Nations around the world were overtaking weaker ones
Provided the resources to build a larger empire
Nationalism
National pride led to rivalries and conflicts between nations

4. Two Armed Camps!
Allied Powers:
Central Powers:

5. The Causes of World War I
Analyze Charts Which nation had the largest navy at the beginning of World War I? Which had the most troops?

6. 3. Economic & Imperial Rivalries

9. The Spark: An Assassination:
Many countries were competing for access to the Ottoman Empire (present day Turkey)
Russia wanted access to the Mediterranean Sea
Germany wanted a rail link to the Ottoman Empire
Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austrian throne was gunned down by an assassin while visiting the city of Sarajevo (Bosnia)

10. The Assassination: Sarajevo

12. THE FIGHTING BEGINS The Schliefflen Plan
Russia pledged to protect Serbia
Germany saw Russia’s movement as aggression against Austria-Hungry
Germany declared war on France
Alliance system pulled one nation after another into the conflict – The Great War had begun
Schlieffen Plan
This plan called for a quick strike through Belgium to Paris, France
Great Britain declared war on Germany
Next, Germany would attack Russia
The plan was designed to prevent a two-front war for Germany
Many countries believed that a strong military force would prevent war. 30 Countries fought in the “Great War”
The Schliefflen Plan

13. The War Becomes A Stalemate:
Trench warfare – hand dug channels that were created all across Europe
There were 3 types of trenches:
front line
Support
Reserve
“no man’s land” – an area pockmarked with shell craters and filled with barbed wire
WWI Trench Warefare footage

15. Trench Warfare
“No Man’s Land”

17. First Battle of the Somme:
During the First Battle of the Somme - the British suffered 60,000 casualties the first day!
Final casualties for the First Battle of the Somme totaled 1.2 million, yet only 7 miles of ground was gained
This bloody trench warfare, in which armies fought for mere yards of ground, lasted for three years
Gas attacks were common features of trench life and often caused blindness and lung disease

18. Should America Join the Fight?
In 1914, most Americans saw no reason to join a struggle 3,000 miles away – they wanted neutrality
Many Americans felt close to the British because of a shared ancestry and language
Many immigrants saw their countries being ripped apart.
USA aids Allies
Weapons & Supplies
They used the sea to transport the goods
Germany warned that any ship found in the waters around Britain would be sunk

19. The Lusitania Disaster:
The Lusitania was a British passenger liner
A German U-boat sank the Lusitania, killing all aboard (1200 people) including 128 American tourists
The Germans claimed the ship was carrying Allied ammunition
Sussex Pledge – not to sink merchant vessels without warning

21. Steps Leading Towards War:
Woodrow Wilson campaigned on the idea of “neutrality”
_________________________
1. He tried to speak with German officials in hopes of peace (they ignored him)
2. 4 more American ships were sunk by U-boats
3. Germany was also trying to ally with Mexico and promised to give them back American lands in return for help (Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona)
Zimmerman Note

22. The Zimmerman Telegram

23. America Declares War: Wilson had reached his breaking point
“The world must be safe for democracy”
Congress passed the resolution a few days later
Declared war to protect the seas.

24. US Joins the War Section 2

25. American Power Tips The Balance:
America was not ready for war – only 200,000 men were in service when war was declared!
Domestic Issues
Little Interest in foreign affairs
Immigration, Industrialization, Progressive Era
Selective Service Act (Draft) - required men to register with the government to be randomly selected to serve in the military About
2 million American troops would reach Europe
Many of them were poorly trained

26. American War Hero Alvin York Conscientious Objector
Morally opposes war
“Thou shall not kill”
Killed 25 Germans
Captured 132 prisoners

27. America Mobilizes for War
America’s Budget:
Army
1917- $377,941
1918 – $4,869,955
Navy
$239,633
$1,278,840
What supplies are needed?
For Soldiers/Sailors
Training
Transportation
Convoy System

28. Fighting “Over There” American infantry were nicknamed “doughboys”
General John J. Pershing led a group called the American Expeditionary Force.- this was a group of newly trained, rural farm boys that got called in to fight
American infantry were nicknamed “doughboys”
white belts / buttons (they polished with a white clay – “dough”)
Also viewed as being very “soft”

29. New Weapons of War:
Machine Guns – Guns could now fire 600 rounds per minute
The Tank – New steel tanks ran on caterpillar treads (semi-bullet proof)
Airplanes –The British had a fleet of planes that could deliver bomb loads
Poison Gas – mustard gas was used to subdue the enemy

30. The Collapse Of Germany:
Germany’s partner, Austria-Hungary, finally surrendered to the allies
Other revolts followed, and Germany was too exhausted to continue
Sailors started to mutiny
So at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918, Germany signed a truce ending the Great War
Armistice
Nov

31. The Final Toll: WW I was the bloodiest war in history up to that time.
Deaths numbered about 22 million. (more than half were civilians)
20 million additional people were wounded.
The cost of the war was around $338 billion.
The US lost 48,000 men in battle and another 62,000 from disease.

32. The War at Home 7.3

33. The War At Home: The entire nation of US had to focus on the war
economy was focused on the war effort
Total War
Consumer goods to war supplies
Business owners and government started to work together
In the process, the power of the U.S. government expanded
Direct control over the economy
Fix prices
Nationalize war related industries.

34. War Industries Board:
The War Industries Board encouraged companies to use mass-production techniques
Bernard M, Baruch
Under the WIB, industrial production and wages increased 20%
People and the war effort
National War Labor Board
“work or fight”
Labor disputes were kept to a minimum because the affect they would have on production

35. A Culture of Change:
To conserve food, Wilson set up the Food Administration
The FA declared one day a week “meatless” another “sweetless” two days “wheatless” and two other days “porkless”
Homeowners planted “victory gardens” in their yards
Farmers increased production by almost 30% by adding 40 million acres of farmland

36. Selling The War: Propaganda
The U.S. had two major tasks
Raising money
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
Propaganda
To popularize the war, the government set up the nations first propaganda agency
Committee on Public Information
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

39. Attacks On Civil Liberties:
As the war progressed, Civil Liberties were compromised
German and Austrian-Hungarian immigrants were targets
Hamburger – Freedom Burger
German not taught in school
Congress decided to pass the
Espionage and Sedition Acts –
Interfere with the War Effort
Saying anything disloyal, profane or abusive
Eugene V. Debs – 10 yrs in prison
Speaking out against the war and draft
went against the spirit of the First Amendment
(Free speech)
Is it morally right to protest during war times?

40. The Great Migration
By the thousands, southern African Americans streamed into northern cities such as Chicago and Detroit
Black populations of these communities rose sharply
This major relocation of African Americans is known as the Great Migration

41. The War Changes U.S. Society
Social Changes
Women
War helped women gain momentum for voting
Women replace me in the workplace
Munition factories, telegraph operators
Red Cross
Doctors, Nurses, ambulance drivers
Army Corps of Nurses
War effort convinced Pres. Wilson to support Women’s Suffrage
th Amendment Passed

42. Causes of the Flu:
In 1918, a Flu Epidemic killed as many as 500,000 in the U.S. before it disappeared in 1919
Worldwide, the epidemic killed more than 50 million people (More than the death toll of World War I !)

43. Wilson Fights for Peace 7.4

44. Wilson Fights For Peace:
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
Wilson’s 14 pts. In his own shorthand

45. The Allies Reject Wilson’s Plan:
League of Nations – an international organization to address worldly problems
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty to end WWI
Punish / Blame Germany
Prevent another World War
Germany
No Army / Air Force
Give land back to France
Reparations
pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies
Broke up the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire empires

48. The Weaknesses Of The Treaty:
The Treaty humiliated the Germans
- War-Guilt Clause
forcing them to admit sole responsibility for the war
Germany would never be able to pay $33 billion in reparations – war damages to other countries
Germany was furious! – this would lead into WW II

49. DEBATE OVER TREATY AT HOME
In the United States, the Treaty was hotly debated especially the League of Nations
Many wanted the U.S. Congress to maintain the right to declare war (Constitution)
Didn’t want to get pulled into another European Conflict.
Ultimately, Congress rejected U.S. involvement in the very League the U.S. President had created
The U.S. never did join the league

50. 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
WWI
22 million dead, more than half civilians. An additional 20 million wounded.