1. WORLD WAR I
Part II
Standard 7

2. WAR TECHNOLOGY & WEAPONS
WWI was incredibly deadly due to new fighting technology:
Machine Guns - used sparingly in the Civil War, 1st widespread use in WWI
Poison Gas - Deadly in the trenches; led to gas bombs/gas masks

3. NEW WAR TECHNOLOGY
Tanks - Used to break through “No Man’s Land”, secure cities
Air War - Evolved from reconnaissance to bombings to airborne dogfighting
Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) – Germany’s most successful WWI fighter pilot (100+ kills)

4. UNCONDITIONAL SUBMARINE WARFARE
Submarines - Used exclusively by the Germans (U-boats) to sink Allied shipping
Germans fired on & sunk all ships in the North Atlantic
Attempted to keep US and others from supplying Britain with war materials
Sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915 killed over 1,000 passengers, including more than 100 Americans

6. US JOINS WWI
Anger over Lusitania attack pushed some Americans toward WWI
Zimmermann Note – Telegram intercepted attempting to push Mexico to attack US in exchange for German help regaining western US lands
US Declared War & joined Allies April 6, 1917

7. US EMBRACES WAR CAUSE
US quickly increased war production, mobilized forces for WWI fight
Sold War Bonds to raise $ for fighting
Began draft to increase size of military from 370,000 to 4.8 Million
Women served as military nurses & went to work in factories
Used propaganda to increase support for US involvement (“Over There”)

8. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Russian support for WWI fell quickly due to high casualties (2+ Million dead ) and lack of supplies
Food & fuel shortages for citizens, bread lines to receive food
Grigory Rasputin influences the Czar and Czarina too much

9. Revolution Cont. Soviet clubs push for government reform, end to war
Vladimir Lenin led overthrow of government
Russian Tsar Nicholas II and family were murdered
New Communist government set up
March Lenin’s government negotiated Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, withdrawing from WWI and ceding territory to Germany

10. Armistice
Germans tried to mount a final offensive in , but Allied counterattacks pushed them back into Germany
Angry Germans (who had been blockaded by the British and had no food) revolted & Kaiser William II was forced to step down
Armistice (cease fire) was called on Nov. 11, 1918
Parties met in Paris to discuss the final peace treaty
Known as the Paris Peace Conference

11. Big Three The Big Three Prime Minister of France (George Clemenceau
President of the U.S. (Woodrow Wilson)
Prime Minister of Britain (David Lloyd George)

12. President Wilson Woodrow Wilson seeks treaty to address causes of war
Proposes “14 Points” to lessen chance of war in the future:
Arm Limitations for all nations
Open Alliances
Freedom of the Seas
Self-Determination for nations
Wilson’s proposals are rejected by France & Britain

13. TREATY OF VERSAILLES
Final peace treaty forced on Central powers contained very harsh punishments:
War Guilt Clause - Germany was blamed for starting the war
Reparations – Germany had to pay for war damages ($2.7 trillion in modern $)
Arms Limitations – No Air force, No Submarines, Small Army
Germany stripped of Alsace & Lorraine (rich in resources for industrialization)
The League of Nations was created to settle international disputes
Angry at Treaty, U.S. refused to join