1. The End of the War

2. The Breaking of Alliances ► Prior to the War Italy had made an Alliance to German and Austria-Hungary. ► BUT, Italy refused to commit troops arguing that Austria was the aggressor. ► The Allies offered Italy various pieces of land if they joined the Allies and defeated Austria-Hungary. ► They accepted

3. The Breaking of Alliances ► Generally the Allies were not impressed with Russia’s contribution to the war. ► By March of 1917 anti-war protests in Russia led to a civil war.

4. The Breaking of Alliances ► The army became ineffective and people began to support Vladimir Lennon, leader of the Bolsheviks.

5. The Breaking of Alliances ► The Bolsheviks (an anti war party) won power of Russia in November 1917. ► The immediately signed a peace treaty with Germany. ► With the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed the Triple Entente no longer existed

6. Stalemate ► Despite Allied success by 1917 the war had reached a stalemate. ► A British naval blockade was effective in limiting German supply ships. ► Germany retaliated by declaring unrestricted submarine warfare, allowing German ships to attack any country in their war path.

7. Stalemate ► Due to the war effort millions of Britain’s began to starve on the home front. ► Discontent with war began to grow throughout Europe.

8. Stalemate ► During the Neville Offensive French soldiers refused their orders and arrived to battle drunk and without weapons. ► Allied leaders knew they needed a quick end to the war.

9. Stalemate ► In 1917, Austria secretly attempts to negotiate a peace treaty ► Negotiations fail and the attempted treated is revealed to Germany

10. America’s Entry ► America’s initial response to the war was that of non-intervention, the policy to staying out of war but taking part in peace talks ► Americans felt limited connection to Europe and were not interested in going to war

11. America’s Entry ► When a German U-Boat sank the Lusitania, President Woodrow Wilson refused to declare war

12. America’s Entry ► But, after submarines sank 7 U.S. ships America declared war on April 6 th 1917.

13. Hundred Days Offensive ► The Allies final attack to end the war was known as the Hundred Days Offensive ► Began on August 8 th 1918 ► Australian and Canadian forces fought together at Amiens ► This was the beginning of Germany’s defeat

14. Hundred Days Offensive ► Hindenburg Line: Germany’s last line of trenches bordering France and Belgium ► On September 2 nd 1918 Canadian troops crossed the Hindenburg line, a breakthrough on the Western Front

18. Hundred Days Offensive ► September 26 th Allied forces (including the US) launch a massive attack

19. Hundred Days Offensive ► News of defeat began to spread to Germany and Austria-Hungary ► German soldiers began to refuse to fight

20. Hundred Days Offensive ► After suffering 6 million casualties the German government was replaced by: the Weimar Republic ► At 11AM on November 11 th 1918 Germany signed the armistice, a cease fire to war

21. The Lost Generation ► Every nation was affected by WWI ► Troops returned home permanently disabled/disfigured, and shell shocked ► The heroism of war was forever lost during WWI

24. The Lost Generation A generation of innocent young men, their heads full of high ideals like Honour and Glory, went off to war to make the world safe for democracy. They were slaughtered in stupid battles planned by stupid generals. Those who survived were shocked, disillusioned and embittered by their war experiences, and saw that their real enemies were not the Germans, but the old men at home who had lied to them. They rejected the values of the society that had sent them to war, and in doing so separated their own generation from the past and from their cultural inheritance