1. The Great War The War to End All Wars
WWI
The Great War
The War to End All Wars

2. Causes
Militarism: the glorification of the military…mostly practiced by Germany
Alliances: systems of friendships created in Europe to keep the balance of power equal. The two alliances were the Triple Entente (Russia, UK, France) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria)
Nationalism: the glorification of one’s nation. As empires crumbled, many of the ethnic groups wanted to create their own nations. This is particularly true in the Balkans (Powder Keg of Europe)
Imperialism: taking over of another country in order to gain natural resources. Many countries felt left out of the imperialist movement and hoped to gain land through the war.
Assassination: Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo. Austria Hungary gave Bosnia a list of demands known as the July Ultimatum which the Serbs were unable to fulfill.

3. Which of the five causes do think had the greatest impact? Why?

4. Beginning of the war
When Austria Hungary invaded, Russia began to mobilize.
When Germany saw that Russia was mobilizing, they moved troops to the borders and declared war.
When Germany declared war, the rest of the alliances began to mobilize. Soon all of Europe had declared war.
Once war began, the Triple Alliance became known as the Central Powers. The Triple Entente became known as the Allies. Italy will switch sides from the Central Powers to the Allies in the middle of the war.

5. What might be some consequences that Italy will face due to switching sides during the war? Why?

6. Why was WWI different?
Total war: using all of a country’s resources in order to make war
Global war: largest war to date
New technology: included the tank, the submarine, the machine gun and chemical warfare
Trench warfare on the Western Front (France) created a stalemate.
Unrestricted submarine warfare: Germany set up a blockade around England.

15. How was WWI fought?
Schlieffen Plan: depended on Germany attacking France and destroying it quickly
Trench warfare
Emphasis on technology (dog fights in airplanes, mustard gas, Vicker’s machine gun, the airplane, etc)
Countries that are the most industrialized will win (Russia and the Ottoman Empire will suffer)

16. US in WWI
The United States did not want to enter in to European affairs and stayed out of the war until What is the term for this?
Sinking of the Lusitania in 1915
Zimmermann Note in United States declares war on Germany.
The entrance of the United States will turn the tide of the war significantly. Why?

17. Was it a good thing that the United States practiced isolationism or should they have entered WWI immediately? Why?

18. WWI at home Rationing Propaganda economic boom for the United States
Entrance of women and minorities in to the work force
Use of the draft
Great Migration of African Americans to the North. Why?
Huge amounts of immigration from Europe to US.

20. End of the war
In 1917, Russia pulled out of the war and began the Bolshevik Revolution, killing the czar and creating a Communist state
By 1918, the Ottoman Empire and Austria Hungary was almost entirely destroyed and Germany could no longer maintain production of necessary supplies.
Germany agreed to an armistice
The Big Four (France, Italy, UK and America) met to determine the treaty that would end the war. This was called the Treaty of Versailles. It is an EPIC FAILURE. It forced Germany to pay heavy reparations, demilitarize and accept full responsibility.
Woodrow Wilson created the 14 points which he believed would lead to a lasting peace in Europe. These included the ideas of self determination, no secret treaties and the League of Nations (the beginning of our United Nations).