3. WORLD WAR I THE WAR IN EUROPE

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1 3. WORLD WAR I THE WAR IN EUROPE OVERVIEW OF THE VIDEO This visually rich program is the first of a two-part World War I study from the America in the 20th Century series. World War I The War in Europe provides a clear and concise narrative discussion of the conflict illustrated by seldom seen photographic and film images, carefully chosen and dramatically presented. Historically accurate, full-color maps provide geographical context for the program, while cogent narration and a dynamic soundtrack bring the period to life. Topics include the roots of the war; European military alliances that ignited the war; industrial age technological advances such as the U-boat, machine guns, air combat, and chemical weapons; U.S. involvement, including the participation of women and African Americans; U.S. economic policies; and public support for the war effort. NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR HISTORY (From The National Center for History in the Schools, Basic Edition, Found at: U.S. History Era 7 Standard 2: The changing role of the United States in world affairs through World War I 2B The student understands the causes of World War I and why the United States intervened. 2C The student understands the impact at home and abroad of the United States involvement in World War I. VOCABULARY Allied Powers Daylight Savings Time fabrication shell shock armed neutrality dogfights mobilization Triple Alliance Central Powers doughboys nationalism Triple Entente chemical warfare draft propaganda U-boats 2003 World War I The War in Europe 13

2 BEFORE THE VIDEO Review the major events that led up to World War I before beginning the video. (These events are summarized briefly at the beginning of the episode.) Emphasize: Woodrow Wilson s campaign promises in both his first and second elections. The Franco-Prussian War and the dispute over the areas of Alsace and Lorraine. The conflict over Serbia that made Russia and Austria-Hungary enemies. The reasons that control of Poland had been a point of contention, and the steps that country had taken to protect its borders. DURING THE VIDEO If I should come out of this war alive, I will have more luck than brains. Baron Manfred von Richthofen, German fighter pilot nicknamed The Red Baron (1918) There are natural PAUSE POINTS within this episode that separate the content into sections. Pause the video at these times for class discussion, using the following questions as springboards. 1. TIME CODE 07:20 If there had been no European alliances at the time of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, how might the conflict have been limited? ANSWER: Allow the class to debate this issue freely, as the events in Europe at the time make this a very complex issue. One possible answer would be that without the agreements of the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance, the conflict might have stayed between Austria-Hungary and Russia in a small, easily ended battle. 2. TIME CODE 12:11 Why did soldiers call WWI the trench war? Which of the modern weapons of war was most responsible for the war on the Western Front being fought in the trenches? ANSWER: In the beginning of the war on the Western Front, generals in both France and Germany ordered men to attack the enemy across open ground, only to watch as wave upon wave of soldiers were cut down by enemy machine-gun fire. In the first two weeks of fighting, the French lost nearly 210,000 men in this manner. The only defense against such weapons was to take cover. As a result, both sides quickly learned to dig trenches and use machine guns to hold their lines. The remainder of the war was spent attacking and defending these trench positions, with less than three miles gained on either side at any time. 3. TIME CODE 16:24 How did Great Britain use the Zimmermann note to pull the United States into the war? ANSWER: The Zimmermann note to Mexico, which promised help to return Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona to Mexican rule in exchange for Mexico s joining with Germany in the war, was intercepted and decoded by British Intelligence. They chose the perfect time to share its contents with Woodrow Wilson, who in turn published the note to sway the American public against Germany. 14 America in the 20th Century 2003

3 AFTER THE VIDEO The episode ends with an on-screen Video Quiz, a series of True/False questions (see page 18). This quiz may be copied for classroom use. Video Quiz Answer Key 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. F 6. T 7. T 8. T 9. F 10. T For in-depth discussion: 1. How did the checks-and-balances system keep the war from starting before it did? 2. Why was World War I called the first modern war? How was it different from earlier wars? 3. What roles did women and African Americans play in fighting the war? What might have been some of the arguments against allowing women to serve in the army, or African Americans to serve in the Navy, which reflect the culture of the time? EXTENDING THE LESSON Research topics for either group or individual study. 1. Time, Continuity, and Change. The purpose of George Creel s Committee on Public Information also referred to as the Propaganda Committee was to sell the war to the American public. What methods did the members of the committee use to accomplish their goal? Name popular books and movies from the time that this committee sponsored. How has this practice been continued throughout the years? What propaganda techniques has the government used in recent years? 2. Viewpoints. Even before America entered the war, Woodrow Wilson had embarked on a preparedness program to marshal the resources of the nation for war, just in case. Describe the preparedness program as outlined by President Wilson. What were some of the opposing points of view concerning the preparedness program, and who held them? 3. Political Perspectives. Outline the measures that Bernard Baruch and the War Industries Board put into place to fund the war effort. What opposition did the Board encounter, and what actions did it take in order to push through its agenda? Discuss the differing political opinions about these measures. 4. Presidential Focus. Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States had a moral obligation to enter the war in order to make the world safe for democracy. Did President Wilson need to make our entrance into the war a moral issue? What character traits did Wilson possess that caused him to take this stand? List other decisions and acts of his two terms as president that highlight these character traits. Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts. Bernard Baruch, head of the War Industries Board of 1918, writing in his memoir of World War I The War in Europe 15

4 Over there, over there, Send the word, send the word over there. That the Yanks are coming, The Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming Ev rywhere. So prepare, say a pray r, Send the word, send the word to beware. We ll be over, we re coming over, And we won t come back till it s over Over there. George M. Cohan, Songwriter, Over There (1917) 5. History and Technology. How did America s participation in World War I contribute to the development of new technologies? What production techniques still in place today got their start during this time period? 6. Signs of the Times. Explore actual propaganda postcards from World War I on the Internet at After looking at the Web site, create your own postcard that would convince the public to support a war. What other methods did the Propaganda Committee use to sway the American public toward a feeling of nationalism? 7. Curriculum Connections (Health). More than 20 million people died from from hunger and disease related to the war double the number who died in battle. Investigate some of the diseases that plagued both soldiers and civilians as a direct result of World War I. Which were caused by trench warfare, and which came from chemical warfare? What caused illness among non-fighting civilians? 8. Your Region in History. What contributions to the war effort did your community make? Create a table that lists the number of local soldiers who served in World War I, numbers of war casualties, local efforts to raise money for the war effort, and so on. 9. Career Exploration (Air Force). The airplane became a true weapon of destruction over the battlefields of World War I, and by the end of the war the United States had more than 50,000 men enlisted in the Air Service. Research the education, training, ranks, and duties of members of this branch of the American military. What other career opportunities are available in the field of aviation? BIBLIOGRAPHY Ellis, John. Eye-Deep in Hell: Trench Warfare in World War I. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, John Ellis, a military historian, wrote this book to explain the daily routines of the fighting men of World War I. The title of the book comes from the poet Ezra Pound, who wrote an epitaph for the soldiers who survived and died on the battlefields. Fussell, Paul. The Great War and Modern Memory. New York: Oxford University Press, The year 2000 marked the 25th anniversary of the publication of this book, which was a winner of the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and recently named by the Modern Library one of the 20th century s 100 Best Non-Fiction Books. Fussell s landmark study of WWI remains a literate, literary, and illuminating account of the Great War, the one that changed a generation, ushered in the modern era, and revolutionized how we see the world. 16 America in the 20th Century 2003

5 Morrow, John H. Jr. The Great War in the Air: Military Aviation from 1909 to 1921 (Smithsonian History of Aviation). Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, A comprehensive study of the development and significance of airpower in World War I, comparing various military, political, technological, industrial, and cultural aspects of airpower in the major combatant powers, and discussing aviators lives and their attitudes toward aerial combat. (Annotation copyright: Book News, Inc., Portland, OR) Tuchman, Barbara W. The Guns of August. New York: Ballantine Books, In this Pulitzer Prize-winning history, Tuchman writes about the turning point of the year 1914 the month leading up to the war and the first month of the war. Tuchman, Barbara W. Zimmermann Telegram. New York: Ballantine Books, In this slim volume that reads like a whodunit, Barbara Tuchman reveals the little-known secret of the Zimmerman telegram, and the part it played in the United States entry into the Great War. WEB RESOURCES Note: Teachers should preview all sites to ensure they are age-appropriate for their students. At the time of publication, all URLs were valid. This companion resource to the PBS series contains time lines, maps, and more than 20 interviews with World War I historians: The Library of Congress exhibit on U.S. Participation in the Great War (World War I), containing many primary source documents: A History Channel affiliate, this is a personal Web site, created by a WWI history buff, with articles and information on all aspects of the war. (The site contains no ads, but it is recommended that teachers preview the site before students.): This Web site provides information on Aces and Aircraft of World War I: World War I The War in Europe 17

6 VIDEO QUIZ: WORLD WAR I THE WAR IN EUROPE Name Date Read each of the following statements and circle T if it is true, or F if it is false. T F 1. Asian military alliances were responsible for the outbreak of World War I. T F 2. Americans were universal in their desire to enter World War I. T F 3. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the declaration of war against Germany. T F 4. The sinking of the Titanic sealed the U.S. decision to enter World War I. T F 5. The Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance combined to form the Central Powers. T F 6. More than 65 million people fought in World War I. T F 7. Battlefield trenches were choked with mire, rats, and lice. T F 8. German U-boats sunk many merchant ships destined for Great Britain. T F 9. Women and African Americans did not participate in World War I. T F 10. General John J. Pershing led the American Expeditionary Force. 18 America in the 20th Century 2003