Unit 1: The First World War 1914-1918
Unit: Essential Question To what extent was the war to make the world a safe for democracy a success failure?
Also known as The War to end all Wars The Great War The First World War
Some WWI Firsts First industrialized conflict; modern technology introduced First use of chlorine & mustard gas (Germans) First use of the flame thrower & automatic machine guns
The skin of victims of mustard gas blistered, the eyes became very sore and they began to vomit. Mustard gas caused internal and external bleeding and attacked the bronchial tubes, stripping off the mucous membrane. This was extremely painful and most soldiers had to be strapped to their beds. It usually took a person four or five weeks to die of mustard gas poisoning. One nurse, Vera Brittain, wrote: "I wish those people who talk about going on with this war whatever it costs could see the soldiers suffering from mustard gas poisoning. Great mustard-colored blisters, blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying that their throats are closing and they know they will choke."
First tank battle (Germans vs British) First use of mass airplanes First fighter pilot, Eddie Rickenbacker-America s most successful fighter ace in the war First use of x-ray in the military First use of a blood bank First use of guide dogs by blinded soldiers First four-star general, General John J. Pershing
First use of trillion in estimating war costs First commissioning of war art for propaganda 1917 use of the IQ Test given to Doughboysnickname of WWI soldier First U.S. president to visit a European country while in office- Woodrow Wilson on 12/04/1918
Propaganda- material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause Information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc
Focus Question What are the four MAIN causes of World War I?
MAIN Causes of World War I 1. Nationalism- a devotion to the interests and culture of one s nation. Having an extreme sense of pride in your country - often, nationalism led to rivalries among nations. - in this atmosphere of competition, many feared Germany s growing power in Europe.
- Various ethnic groups resented domination by others and longed for their nation s to become independent. Many ethnic groups looked to larger nations for protection. Russia regarded itself as the protector of Europe s Slavic people, no matter which government they lived under. - Among these Slavic people were the Serbs. Serbia was an independent nation, but millions of Serbs lived under the rule of Austria-Hungary - As a result, Austria-Hungary and Russia were rivals for influence over Serbia.
2. Imperialism- the policy of extending a nation s authority over other countries by economic, political, or military means Empire building, taking over other countries for your own 3. Militarism- the development of armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy. Building up arms and armies As a result, countries began to build up their Arms in battle to out do one another 4. Alliance System- taking sides, or developing enemies
Britain had the world s largest and strongest Navy By 1897, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany decided that his nation should become a major sea power. The U.S.A., Italy, France, and Japan soon joined the naval arms race.
The Balkan Peninsula was known as the Powder Keg of Europe. Russia- wanted access to the Mediterranean Germany- wanted a Rail line to Ottoman Empire Serbian resistance
Assassination Leads to War- this was the spark that led to the explosion in the Balkans Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary Gavrilo Princip
BOSNIA Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia. Bosnia was under the rule of Austria- Hungary but it was the home to many Serbian people. *Serbian nationalists viewed the Austrians as foreign oppressors
When news of the archduke s visit reached members of the Black Hand terrorist group, they knew immediately what they were going to do. June 28 th was the day of the visit to Sarajevo June 28 th, 1389- Serbia conquered by Ottoman empire June 28 th, 1912- Serbia freed itself from Turkish rule
THE ASSASSINATION 22 conspirators were located along the route from the railroad station to town hall A grenade was thrown, several officers riding in his attendance were injured, the archduke was ok Franz Ferdinand ignored suggestions to leave and asked to see one of his injured officers
One of the corners was very sharp, and the car had to slow down significantly to make the turn Gavrilo Princip sprang from his spot and fired two shots. The first hit Ferdinand s wife, Sophie, in the abdomen. She was pregnant at the time and died instantly. The second shot hit Ferdinand next to the heart- he died almost instantly. He uttered one last word, Sofia -a call to his stricken wife.
July 28 th - Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia ( the support of Germany was a major reason why this happened- Germany gave Austria-Hungary a support system * The alliance system pulled one nation after another into the conflict Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary Germany declared war on Russia Germany invaded Belgium (Schlieffen Plan) Britain declared war on Germany & Austria- Hungary
23
Alliances during WWI Triple Entente (Allied Powers) Great Britain (UK) France Russia Japan-few weeks later (Aug. 1914) Italy-1915 US-1917 Serbia Triple Alliance (Central Powers) Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Italy-1914 Bulgaria-1915 24
Focus Question Why was trench warfare utilized during WWI and what were the affects on soldiers?
The Fighting Starts The Schlieffen Plan- Germany s plan to avoid fighting a two-front war (one against the Russians to the east, and one against the French to the west)
Germany thought that Russia s huge military would take a long time to mobilize- during that time Germany would invade Belgium and then swing south behind French lines and capture Paris. Then, they could concentrate their efforts on Russia. Germany expected a quick victory in Belgium but the forces there gave strong resistance This unexpected resistance allowed the Russians to get their troops closer to Germany- the Schlieffen plan was failing. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed
Trench Warfare and a deadly stalemate
The Trenches When mobility was halted, troops dug in Trenches had different layers Traditional charge tactics were used New weapons made these tactics very costly Charging into machine gun fire killed many men quickly
The organization of the trench system No-man s land Trench rats Over-the-top/trench warfare Artillery, then attack The fight over just yards of ground Machine-gun fire Planes Gas Warfare Shell Shock PTSD- Johnny Got His Gun - victim example
The British Blockade They blockaded the German coast to prevent the movement of weapons, military supplies, and most importantly, food! They extended their blockade to neutral ports and mined the entire North Sea.
By 1917, famine spread throughout Germany An estimated 750,000 Germans starved to death as a result of the British blockade The German U-boat response German U-boat
Germany responded to the British blockade with a counter-blockade using U-boats and forming wolf packs Any British or Allied ship found in the waters around Britain would be sunk- and it would not always be possible to warn crews and passengers of an attack.
Sinking of the Lusitania Torpedoed by a German U-boat 1,198 people were killed (128 Americans) Germany defended their actions by saying the ship carried ammunition This outraged many Americans
Germany goes too far President Woodrow Wilson wanted to remain neutral, but was finally pushed too far Germany sank 6 more vessels, all having American passengers aboard
American Neutrality: Since fighting against Great Britain in the War of 1812, the U.S. had remained neutral and uninvolved in conflicts in Europe In 1914 most Americans including President Wilson believed the war in Europe did not involve U.S. interests Unclear of which side to support (GB or Germany?) Why do you suppose? War was too far removed from home
The Atlantic Ocean was viewed as a great barrier that separated the U.S. from Europe As a neutral nation, the U.S. could continue to trade with any other country But a neutral nation could not. 1) Shelter war ships in ports, train troops, or sell weapons and munitions to either side
Private companies or banks, however, could still make loans or sell weapons to the governments of combatant nations
Wilson was adamant that the U.S. government abide by the terms of neutrality set by the London Declaration (1909 negotiation by Britain, Germany, the United States, and other nations concerning the terms of neutrality) Wilson could not however prevent private transactions with both sides Highly profitable enterprise during wartime
Between 1914-1916 American companies trade in munitions increased from $40 million to $1.3 billion Private banks issued loans of $27 million to Central Powers and $2.2 billion to the Allies This trade helped the U.S. out of an economic slump
Wilson s desire for America to steer clear of the conflict- Isolationism; and to remain neutral was ultimately unsuccessful
The Zimmermann Note Telegram from German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico which stated: A proposed alliance between Mexico & Germany if the U.S. entered the war Germany would support Mexico in recovering lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, & Arizona This telegram was intercepted by British agents
Zimmerman telegram-coded & decoded
Focus Question Why did the U.S. turn from a position of isolationism and neutrality to entering World War I?
What major events (political, economic, military, and social) influenced the U.S. decision to enter into WWI? 1) Unrestricted Submarine Warfare- Germany announced it s U-boats (submarines) would once again sink all ships entering British waters despite having signed the Sussex Pledge. 2) The Zimmermann Telegram
3) The Russian Revolution- In 1917 the Russian Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown and the U.S. expected Russia would have a democratic government. Therefore, the U.S. felt comfortable joining the Allies
How did the U.S. Government prepare resources and rally public opinion for the war effort? Although neutral, the U.S. decided to prepare for the war through a military build-up after German submarines sank a number of passenger ships including the R.M.S Lusitania Propaganda rallies begin Committee on Public Information was created
How did the U.S. make the final decision to declare war on Germany? President Woodrow Wilson urged Congress to declare war against Germany in order to make the world safe for democracy
The U.S. backs the Allies- NOT the Central Powers Allies: (Great Britain, Russia, France) Central Powers: (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire) Decision making process
The U.S. and Great Britain shared similar values, customs, and language The U.S. recognized the support of France during the American Revolution Both the U.S. and France were democratic nations, where as their enemies were ruled by monarchs
The U.S. maintained trade with Britain including millions of dollars of war materials The U.S. was fearful of German economic power. If Germany were to gain control of the Atlantic, U.S. trade with other nations would be stymied U.S. public opinion was influenced by British and French propaganda against Germany
Focus Question What impact did World War I have on the U.S. socially, politically, and economically?
How did the war affect Americans at home? The Selective Service Act of 1917 authorized a military draft of young men. It was opposed by Pacifists, Socialists, Anarchists and some Progressives.
With the help of the government, the economy shifted from a peacetime economy to a wartime economy. What does this mean?
Women worked at jobs vacated by men who had gone to fight The Espionage Act 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918 restricted freedom of speech If you were caught speaking out against the war effort imprisonment was the often result
Mutiny Eugene V. Debs was convicted under the Sedition Act of 1918 for making an antiwar speech. While in prison, he ran for president of the Socialist Party ticket and received over 900,000 votes And. Schenck vs The United States- The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of The Espionage Act under which Charles Schenck was convicted of distributing anti-draft leaflets through the mail
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Homes said that the right to Free Speech was not absolute In comparison Should the U.S. Government restrict the rights of students to express their political opinions about the War Against Terror on their Facebook pages??
More than 260,000 African American Men joined the armed forces What were the major effects on the lives of women and minorities during World War I? As America went to war, minorities and women were able to assume jobs previously held by white men in factories and shipyards Mexicans immigrated to the South West (CA, AZ, NM) to work agricultural jobs
Who do you suppose received priority when returning American soldiers at the end of the war were in need of jobs? White veterans wished to return to their normal jobs Black veterans expected to find better jobs after their military service Women and Mexicans hoped to continue working in their respected industries
The Spanish Flu pandemic spread across the world largely due to World War I soldiers returning home from war Unusually severe/deadly Shell shock often experienced https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrv56gsqk zs Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) a long term effect
America brings a Breath of Fresh Air
America brought numbers (about 2 million troops), financial aid to the Allies, and most importantly they brought a much-needed morality boost. The Convoy system The Great Migration War Bonds Alvin York- America s greatest WWI hero Carried small revolver and knife Captured 125 prisoners with 6 other soldiers Killed 25 Germans with limited resources
War Industries Board (WIB) Established in 1917 Encouraged companies to use mass-production to increase efficiency Fuel Administration promoted gasless Sundays and lightless nights Introduced Daylight Savings time (first proposed by Ben Franklin in the 1770 s as a way to take advantage of the longer days of summer) Replaces artificial lighting in an effort to conserve fuel for the war
Food Administration Established to help produce and conserve food Herbert Hoover was the leader Advocated meatless Mondays Homeowners were urged to plant victory gardens American food shipments to the Allies tripled
Focus Question: What were President Wilson s 14 Points and what was he trying to achieve with his plan?
In anticipation of the Allies winning the war over Germany, why did Woodrow Wilson believe that a peace without victory would help avoid future wars? Wilson develops The 14 Points Former President Theodore Roosevelt was a critic of Wilson claiming that peace must be obtained by machine guns and not typewriters
Called for Wilson s 14 Points An end to secret alliances #1-5 Restoration of freedom in the seas #1-5 Reduction of arms #1-5 Self Determination #6-13 European colonial powers to respect the native people #6-13 Boundary changes to allow different ethnic groups to create nations #6-13 **Nations to join into an organization to secure world peace (League of Nations)** #14
German officials agreed to surrender, believing that Wilson s Fourteen Points would be the blueprint for the negotiation to be held in Paris However The terms specified in the Fourteen Points didn t directly outline what would be spelled out in the Treaty of Versailles- document that would officially end the war
The Collapse of Germany German troops were exhausted and starving November 3, 1918- Austria-Hungary surrendered to the Allies; that same day, German sailors mutinied against government authority. The mutiny spread quickly. At the 11 th hour, on the 11 th day, in the 11 th month of 1918, Germany agreed to a cease-fire and signed the Armistice, or truce, that officially ended the war.
Notes of interest November 11 becomes U.S. national holiday (WWI Veterans Day- later just Veterans Day) Peace symbol is represented as two guns resting against a tree
The Paris Peace Conference Objective: Determine a Peace agreement that would end WWI France sends invitations to countries that could be considered on the Allied side to participate in the conference The allies were angered by Germany and wanted them to pay
Representatives from over 30 nations came to Paris- all expected to participate For the most part, however, matters were decided by the BIG FOUR President Woodrow Wilson- US Premier Georges Clemenceau- France Prime Minister David Lloyd George- GB Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando- Italy
THE BIG FOUR:
Why did Germany and Russia not participate in the conference? French anger and resentment over its war loses kept Germany out of the discussions All BIG FOUR members feared and distrusted Vladamir Lenin s new Russian Bolshevik government and kept it away from Paris
Peace Conference Outcome: Wilson s hope that his 14 Points would be turned into reality was shot down The German s were also hoping this would become reality Remember why they surrendered? Peace without victory was not shared by the other committee members The Treaty of Versailles was written
Focus Question How did the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for World War II?
The Treaty of Versailles How it lead us into a war that was even worse, WWII Barred Germany from maintaining an army Required Germany to return the Alsace-Lorraine region to France (rich agricultural area) Forced Germany to pay over $33 billion in reparations to the Allies Impossible for Germany to repay War Guilt Clause: Forced Germany to admit sole responsibility for starting WWI The only one of Wilson s 14 Points that was adopted was his idea for the League of Nations Hitler s Feelings
Division of Land Russia and Germany lost land and colonies and new nations were created Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia Austria and Hungary were divided into two nations Ottoman Empire was divided into 5 areas that were given to France and Britain Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq
German Reaction to treaty: They were shocked when they saw that the terms contained few of Wilson s original 14 points. Feelings of betrayal set in Hesitated to sign the treaty In the end, the Allies threatened to resume the war if they failed to comply
Problems/short comings of the Treaty o Russia was dealing with a civil war and was not present Land was taken from them to create new nations They lost more land than Germany o Germany was humiliated Anger started building up and erupted later in WWII o The peace treaty for the war to end all wars ignited another world war that started building in the 1930s
Many political figures upset with the treaty s foreign policy entanglements and feared that it would take from Congress the power to declare war Some felt the League of Nations would compromise the sovereignty of the U.S.& entangle us into foreign conflicts (ARTICLE X) o Senator Henry Cabot Lodge- R/MA o June 28, 1919- Treaty of Versailles was signed o United States did NOT ratify the treaty
Focus Question How did Europe change politically and geographically between 1914 and 1919?