1. In one paragraph explain what makes a war a “world war”.
Could a “world war” take place today?

2. “The War to End All Wars”
World War I
Chapter 13

3. What are causes of war?

4. From Neutrality to War
Nationalism, militarism, imperialism and alliances led European countries to enter into war
American remained neutral at first but end up entering the war

5. What Caused World War I
Nationalism, or believing in a nation of a single ethnic group, led to rivalries between European countries
France wanted to regain Alsace-Lorraine, a territory lost to Germany
Social Darwinism fueled competitiveness
Countries believed the “most fit” would always come out ahead

7. European leaders increased the size of their armies for inevitable war
Germany had largest army and most weapons
The glorification of the military, or militarism, fueled the competition between countries
Competition showed the next war would include all major countries in Europe

8. Multi-national empires (Ottoman Empire) became destabilized
Independent Serbia wanted to gain land and offer example to diverse peoples
Nationalism effected economic goals of a country
Overseas empires became signs of greatness
Industrial nations fought over Africa, Pacific Islands and China

10. European nations prepared for war by forming alliances
Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance
France, Russia and Britain formed the Triple Entente
If one country got into war the others would follow

12. Gavrilo Princip fired the shots
June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo
Heirs to Austria-Hungarian throne
Gavrilo Princip fired the shots
Member of terrorist group called “The Black Hand”

14. Fighting Begins
Kaiser William II, German Emperor, assured Austria-Hungary that they would help if war started
Support led to a severe ultimatum given to Serbia, which was refused, and war was declared
Alliances caused war to spread quickly
Less than a week enabled all members of alliances to join the war

15. Austria declares war against Serbia
Russia mobilizes for war against Austria
Germany declares war on Russia
Russia asks France for assistance
Germany declares war on France
Germany invades neutral Belgium to reach France
Britain declares war on Germany to help ally Belgium

16. Germany followed the Schlieffen Plan
Defeat France quickly and turn attention to Russia
Created to prevent Germany from fighting a two-front war
War brought unity to countries and led many young men to join the military

17. Germans dug trenches and fortified their position
Used machine guns and artillery to kill attacking enemies
Britain and France used same techniques against Germany
The Western Front in France is where major fighting took place
More advanced defensive weapons led to a long and deadly stalemate

18. Offensive pushes from both sides led to a high number of casualties
Germany pushed through at Verdun and after 11 months over 500,000 had been killed or wounded
Allies pushed through at the Somme River and after 5 months over 1 million were killed or wounded
After both offensive pushes no advantage was gained

20. Conditions in trenches were horrible on the Western Front
Developed “trenchfoot” from standing in wet, muddy trenches
Got lice from rats living in trenches
Feared being shot by snipers if they peaked over the top

22. Modern weapons were one cause of massive casualties
Machine guns mowed down oncoming troops
Artillery could be shot from 10 miles away
Poison gas was used to blind, choke, or burn enemies
Gas masks were created to prevent this
Tanks were used to crossover barbed wire
Airplanes were used for recognizance
Zeppelin blimps were used by Germany for bombing
German U-Boats were submarines used to sink ships

24. Waging Total War
By 1917 populations in European countries started to lose moral due to large casualties, shortages at home, and no end of the war in sight
Nations were forced to use all of their resources to help fight the war in what was called total war

25. Most European nations imposed military conscription that required all young men to be ready for military duty
Germany set up a system of forced civilian labor too
Governments raised taxes and borrowed large sums of money to help pay for the war
Food and other products were rationed so that they could be sent to the front line

27. To hurt Germany’s economy Britain set up a blockade to prevent goods to go in or out of the country
Contraband, like military supplies and raw materials, were also confiscated

28. The German’s created their own blockade with U-boats and sank any ship carrying goods to Britain
The passenger ship Lusitania was sunk killing 1200, including 128 Americans
President Woodrow Wilson threatened to end relations with Germany leading to the stop of unrestricted submarine warfare

30. Government’s also controlled what the public could and could not see
The press was censored in all war time countries
Movies, literature, and the arts were also censored
Both sides used propaganda to promote a cause or to damage the enemy
Used to mobilize military, urged civilians to loan money, and demonized the enemy

37. Assignment
Choose an issue of today (war, gun control, death penalty, etc.) and create a propaganda poster similar to the ones that you have just seen. You cannot use anything having to do with drugs or alcohol. You will be graded on creativity, effort, and completion. Due by Friday.

38. Women took over the jobs that men had left in war time countries
Others joined women branches of the military
Most servicewomen worked as nurses on the frontline
Women gained a sense of pride and confidence with the men off to war leading to them gaining more rights after the war

40. Morale Collapses
Countries on both sides were feeling “war fatigue” as the war continued with no victor
Many civilians were calling for peace and criticized those in charge of the war
Some soldiers mutinied or deserted their companies
Riots broke out in Russia due to resource shortages and a huge number of lives lost
The government was eventually overthrown by communists which led them to pull out of the war

41. The United States Declares War
Many Americans supported the Allies because cultural ties with Britain and sympathies the French democracy
German Americans supported the Central Powers along with Irish and Jewish Americans who thought Britain and Russia were cruel
Germany would restart unrestricted submarine warfare leading President Wilson to denounce Germany

42. In early 1917 a message was intercepted going from Germany to Mexico
Asked Mexico to declare war against America to keep them out of Europe in return for lands lost during the Mexican-American war
Wilson then asked Congress to declare war on Germany “to make the world safe for democracy”
By million U.S. soldiers had joined the Allies on the Western Front giving the Europeans a morale boost

44. President Wilson drew up a list of things to resolve any future war called the Fourteen Points
Called for freedom of the sea, free trade, a reduction in arms, and an end to secret treaties
Also called for countries to be able to choose their own government called self-determination
Wanted the creation of a “general association of nations” to keep peace in the future

46. Victory at Last
Germany tried one last offensive to try and end the war before America could come to Europe in early 1918
They pushed the Allies back 40 miles but used all of their resources in the process
Once America came to Europe the Allies counterattacked and drove the Germans back
The losses led to uprisings in Germany calling for the government to step down and call for peace

47. The new German government wanted an armistice, or agreement to end fighting, with the Allies
On November 11, 1918 the Great war had ended

48. The Costs of War
After the war, millions of soldiers were dead and many more were wounded
By 1918 a deadly pandemic of influenza spread across the whole world
The flu killed more then 20 million world wide

51. Throughout Europe homes, farms, factories, roads and churches had been destroyed
The cost of rebuilding and enormous war debt became a financial burden for many countries
The Allies blamed the Central Powers for all of the war damages and ask for reparations from those countries

53. Political radicals looked to take over the destroyed governments in European countries and colonies saw opportunities for independence

54. The Paris Peace Conference
The Allies met in Paris to go over the terms of peace
The Central Powers and Russia were not invited
The three main figures at the conference all wanted different outcomes

55. President Wilson urged for “peace without victory”

56. British Prime Minister David Lloyd George aimed to strengthen Great Britain

57. French leader Georges Clemenceau wanted to weaken Germany

58. Other countries besides the “Big Three” had their own demands
Allowing countries to choose their own government, or self-determination, and the formation of an organization based on collective security were goals most countries agreed upon

59. The Treaty of Versailles
The German government was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles which was drawn up at the Paris Peace Conference
Forced Germany to assume full blame for causing the war
Forced Germany to pay reparations that paid for war damages and pensions for soldiers
Reparations totaled $30 billion ($2.7 trillion today)
Reduced the size Germany’s military
Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France and took away Germany’s colonies

60. Outcome of the Peace Settlements
New nations were formed from previous empires after they were broken apart
European colonies were given no new rights and old German and Austrian colonies were shared between Britain and France

61. The U.S. Congress refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles
A League of Nations was created to help prevent future wars from starting
Would negotiate disputes before wars began
The U.S. Congress refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles
The U.S. therefore never joined the League of Nations making it weak