THE GREAT WARaka, WWI

FOUR M.A.I.N. CAUSES Militarism Everyone building weapons &

armies to protect empires Alliances

Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Triple Entente – France, Russia, Great Britain Imperialism Extending political & economic

control for resources & markets = POWER Nationalism Devotion to the interests &

culture of one’s nation Many ethnic groups want independence away

from countries like Austria-Hungary & Russia

MURDER IN BOSNIA OF AN AUSTRIAN BY A SERBIAN . . . Assassination of

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne

Killed by Serbian nationalist

Alliance system pulls a bunch of countries into defending one another = WAR begins

THE KEY PLAYERS Allied Powers France Great Britain Russia (leaves 1917) United States (enters

1917)

Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire

THE WESTERN FRONT - 1914

TRENCH WARFARE

no man’s land Various trenches

AMERICAN NEUTRALITY, BUT . . . Many immigrants still had ties to Europe U.S. had strong ties to Britain U.S. heavily traded with Allied Powers

Americans traded even more with France and Britain once war began

By 1915, U.S. experienced a labor shortage

AMERICAN NEUTRALITY FADES British blockade stops American goods

from getting to Germany German U-Boats decide to sink ships near

Britain Nov. 1916, Wilson wins re-election with

slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War!”

U.S. HEADS INTO WWI Wilson tries diplomacy to end war

but, Germans decide to sink ALL ships

Zimmerman telegramGermany offers Mexico $$$$ if they

ally with Germany against the U.S. April 1917 - Wilson requests

Congress to declare war, Congress officially declares war!

AMERICA MOBILIZES America not prepared for war

Selective Service Act2 million troops sent, 1.5 million fought

Convey system to stop German subsBritish warships would escort U.S. and other

ships safely U.S. troops in Paris by July 4, 1917 U.S. troops add freshness & enthusiasm to

war

NEW WEAPONS & NEW HAZARDS Machine guns Tanks Airplanes Poison gases

Filth, lice, rats, etc. Poison gas Decaying bodies Trench foot Trench mouth

WWI bloodiest war in history up to that time . . . 22 million killed (half civilians), 20 million

wounded, 10 million refugees U.S. – 48,000 killed, 62,000 dead of disease,

200,000 wounded

WAR AT HOME Streamlined industry to increase

production Food intake at home “monitored” “Sold” the war with bonds and propaganda Anti-immigrant feelings & laws

Espionage & Sedition Acts African Americans fought & aided war

effort Women aided war effort

WILSON FIGHTS FOR PEACE January 1918, Treaty of Versailles begins

with the “Big Four” (U.S., France, Britain, Italy)Central powers & Russia not included in

discussion Wilson presents Fourteen Points for World

PeacePrevent another war, fix boundaries, League of

Nations Treaty of Versailles

Created new nations; Germans to pay reparations

Weaknesses: War-guilt clause; Russian lossesU.S. ends up not joining League of Nations

“The war to end all wars . . .”