Causes of World War I

• Nationalism- a devotion to the interests

and culture of one’s nation.

• Many small countries looked for protection

from larger countries.

1. Nationalism

2. Imperialism

• Imperialism- The economic and political

control of another nation.

• For centuries European nations had been

building empires.

3. Militarism

• Militarism- the development of armed

forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy.

• 1890- Germany had the best army

• 1890- Britain had the best Navy

4. Alliance System

• 1907 there were two major defense

alliances in Europe.

• Triple Entente- France, Britain, and Russia

• Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary,

and Italy.

• Central Powers- Germany, Austria-

Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire (an

empire primarily in the middle east)

Balkan Peninsula= “Powder Keg”

• Balkan Peninsula- area of interest by many

European leaders.

• Russia= wanted access to the Mediterranean

• Germany= wanted rail link to Ottoman Empire

• Austria-Hungary accused Serbia of subverting

its rule over Bosnia

Assassination• June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand,

heir to the Austrian throne, visited the

Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.

• Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian-National, shot

him and his wife Sophie.

• On July 28 Austria-Hungary declared war

against Serbia.

Archduke

Franz

Ferdinand

Gavrilo Princip

The Explosion

• August 1st- Germany declared war on

Russia

• August 3rd- Germany declared war on

France

• After Germany invaded Belgium Britain

declared war on Germany and Austria

Hungary.

• August 3, 1914, Germany invaded

Belgium.

• Schlieffen Plan- This plan called for a

holding action against Russia and a attack

at Paris by going through Belgium.

• The alliance failed to save Belgium and was

forced to the Marne river in France.

• The German advance was stopped on

September 1914.

• After failing to outflank each other’s armies both

sides dug in.

• In Spring 1915 there were two parallel systems

that ran deep from the Belgian coast to the

Swiss Alps.

• There were three types of trenches.

1. Front line

2. Support.

3. Reserve.

• Between the two opposing lines was “No

Man’s Land”

Poison Gas Canisters

If you are easily

grossed out

look away!

NO JOKE!

Trench Foot

Ok,

Safe now!

• Battle of the Somme- fought in trenches

from November 1, 1916 to mid November.

• 1.2 million dead

• 7 miles was exchanged

America enters the War

• 1917

• America had mobilized for war because:

1. To ensure repayment of debts by Allies

2. Prevent Germans from threatening U.S.

shipping

British Blockade

• British used their navy to blockade the

German coast.

• Food and weapons could not enter

Germany

Results:

1. American ships could not sell food.

2. Germany could not get food or fertilizer.

• 750,000 starved in Germany in 1917

German Response to Blockade

• The German navy began to sink any British or American ship off Britain’s coast.

• Lusitania, a British Ocean liner was sunk by U-boats.

• 1,198 people died, 128 were American

• President Wilson threatened to break all relations with Germany.

• Germany sank the Arabic and the Sussex.

• Woodrow Wilson win 1916 election against Evan Hughes

Anchor of the Sussex

1st German U-Boat (1910)

U-boat Pens

• President Wilson continued to talk to the

warring countries.

• Germany stated in January 1917 they

would sink all ships in their waters.

• Zimmermann Note- a telegram from

Germany to Mexico that was intercepted

by the British. The note was about

Germany wanting an alliance with Mexico.

• Russia changed from a monarchy to a

representative government.

• Democracies v. Monarchies

• America officially enters the war.

American Power Tips Balance

• Only 200,000 in military service when war

was declared and few officers had combat

experience.

• Selective Service Act created May 1917.

• 1918 24 million men had registered.

• 2 million were randomly selected for war.

• ¾ saw combat

• 400,000 African Americans served

America Mass Produces

1- Government exempted shipyard workers

2- U.S. Chamber of Commerce emphasized the importance of shipyard work.

3- Shipyards begin fabricating

4- Government took over commercial and private ships for transatlantic war use.

• The U.S. convinced the British to use the Convoy

System.

• U.S. Navy laid a 230 mile barrier of mines across the

North Sea.

New Weapons

• Tanks and airplanes signaled the

beginning of mechanized warfare.

• Mechanized warfare= war that is powered

by gasoline and diesel.

• Tanks ran on caterpillar treads and were

made from steel.

• The British used tanks in large quantities

to drive over barbed wire defenses.

Mark V

Mark A Whippet

FT- 17

Char Schneider

Schwerer Kampfwagen A7V

Schwerer Kampfwagen A7V

Leichter Kampfwagen II

• Zeppelins were used

as bombers during

World War I, without

notable success.

Observation Balloon

• aircraft were first used for reconnaissance

purposes and later as fighters and

bombers

New Hazards

• Fighting men were surrounded by

lice, filth, rats, polluted water,

decaying bodies and inhaled

poison gas.

• “Shell Shock”- complete

emotional collapse

• 1917 Russia pulls out of the war.

• November 13, 1918 Austria-Hungary

surrenders to the Allies.

• Same day- German sailors mutiny

against government authority.

• November 9th, Germany establishes a

Republic.

• 22 million died in World War I

• 20 million were wounded

• 10 million became refuges

Wilson Fights for Peace

• Before the war was over Wilson presented his 14 points.

1- No secret treaties

2- Freedom of the Seas

3- Tariffs and other economic barriers need to be lowered

4- Arms should be reduced

• Next nine points dealt with boundary changes

14th point

• This point called for a League of Nations.

• This League of Nations would provide a

forum for nations to discuss and settle

their grievances.

Allies Reject Wilson’s Plan

LEADERS

• France=Georges Clemenceau- Lived

through two German invasions

• Britain= David Lloyd George- won re-

election with slogan “Make Germany Pay”.

• Italy= Vittorio Orlando- wanted Austrian

held territory

• Central Powers were not invited to peace

conference.

• Only “Big Four” attended= Wilson,

Celemceau, Loyd George, and Orlando.

Treaty of Versailles

• Established nine new nations

• It carved up Ottoman Empire

• Germany barred from having an army.

• Germany must pay reparations = $33

billion to allies

Problems created by Treaty

1- Humiliated Germany- war-guilt clause

2- Russia lost more territory than Germany

3- treaty ignored claims of colonized people

for self-determination

Domestic Consequences of WW I

• Accelerated America’s emergence as the

world’s greatest industrial power

• More African Americans moved to

Northern Cities

• Intensified Anti-immigrant and anti-radical

sentiments among mainstream Americans.

• 1 million women entered the work force.

Standards

• 11.4 Students trace the rise of the

United States to its role as a world

power in the twentieth century.

- Analyze the political, economic,

and social ramifications of World

War I

Interactive Activities

• Terrain Mapping

• Primary Source Documents

• Audio Clips

• Video Clips

• Strategic Combat Exercises

• Mapping Exercises

Modifications

• Allow additional time as a class to cover this standard.

• Vocabulary introduction prior to beginning of unit.

• Left brain, right brain, instruction is given on a daily basis.

• Notes may be printed out.

• Review prior to taking quizzes and tests.

• Spiraled curriculum method