1. The Great War Continues…
World War I
The Great War Continues…

2. Quick Recap…
Allied Powers: Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Greece
Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria
Germany’s Von Schlieffen plan has collapsed due to:
a loss at the Battle of the Marne on the Western Front
quick Russian mobilization on the Eastern Front

3. The Eastern Front: The Battle of Tannenberg
August 26-30,1914
Russians kept their word to France and attacked before they were fully ready
Disastrous defeat for the Russians.
Germany’s greatest victory in the war.
Russia never fully recovers.

4. The War Continues… Italy remains neutral until May of 1915
The Allies promise Italy land in return for support, and the Italians become part of the Allied powers
Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Greece

5. Trench Warfare
After the Battle of the Marne, both sides settle into their trenches, and the war becomes a stalemate
2 main trenches, 500 miles long, each protected by barbed wire and land mines
Men were in trenches for weeks
Attacks were made in the middle, which was “no man’s land”

6. Trench Warfare

7. War of Attrition
The war becomes a war of attrition, both sides continually try to wear the other side down through constant attack
WW I is now a TOTAL WAR- the countries are putting ALL of their resources into the war effort
Women take the place of men in factories, farms, shops, etc
Propaganda is used to elicit harsh feelings against the enemy. Rumors, posters, and ideas are spread that portray the enemy as a beast.

8. Battle at Gallipoli The Allies wanted the Ottomans out of the war
Churchill opens 3rd front
Allies wanted control of Constantinople and the Dardanelles to supply Serbia and Russia

9. British Defeat at Gallipoli
Allies attack the Gallipoli peninsula
Turks outnumber the Allies ( mostly Aussies)
Turks win one of the bloodiest battles of World War I
Campaign is a disaster for the Allies and they withdrew in Jan. 1916
(Actual trenches in Gallipoli)

10. Battle of Verdun: February 1916
Germans make a surprise attack on the French Fortress Verdun
Attack lasts for 5 months, each side loses 300,000 men
The French are led by General Henri-Philippe Petain: “They shall not pass.”
Germany gained 4 miles, and then abandoned the attack.

11. Battle of the Somme: July 1916
British attack Germans
400,000 British die, 500,000 Germans, and 200,000 French
Britain gained 5 miles
Introduced tanks into warfare
Tanks were slow and clumsy; make very little difference
Generals did not know how to best use this new weapon

12. American Entrance into WWI
American opinion was divided
Wilson urges neutrality (isolationism)
Germany resumes unrestricted sub warfare; attack civilian ships
Remember:1915-Germans attacked Lusitania, a British trade ship, 128 Americans die

13. “The Yanks are coming…”
The Zimmerman Note
Feb. of Britain intercepts a telegram from Germany to Mexico
Germans promise to help Mexico regain territory in the U.S. if Mexico helps the Germans
Result: April 2, Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war

14. Why US entered into the War on the Allied side
Public outrage from the very beginning against Germany for violating Belgian neutrality
The sinking of the passenger ship Lusitania
Propaganda campaign by Allied sympathizers showing the “Horrible Hun”, “Poor little Belgium” etc.
Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare
The Zimmerman Telegram
Allied Propaganda from WWI

15. Significance of American Entrance into WW I
Turned the tide of battle in favor of the Allies
Broke traditional isolationist policy
America emerged as a world power