1914-1918

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Run up to War
By 1907, most countries had their alliances set.
These were secret alliances – Not everyone knew who was on each side.
There were internal issues in all of these European countries.
There were two major “sides”.
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The Triple Entente
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Britain, France, Russia (and their allies)
The “haves”
The Central Powers
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Germany, Austria, Italy (and their allies)
The “have nots”
-Fear of foreign invasion
- Problems with social classes
- Women wanting the vote
- Control of colonies
The “haves” had a chance to expand, had a chance to spread their empires throughout
Europe, and share their influence.
The “have nots” are more recently unified, and have not yet had a chance to share their power, or to expand.
One spark would set it all off.

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Germany (have not) believed that Russia had taken land that rightfully belonged to Germany.
Germany allied with Italy (also recently unified, and with similar goals), and with Austria (similar cultural background).
Germany is waiting for a reason to attack Russia, and to get that land.
HOWEVER
- If Germany invades Russia,
Britain will move in to stop
Germany.
- Britain doesn’t like any
European powers getting too big.
- This leads to an arms race. No one wants to attack anyone just yet, but they all want the biggest and best technology.

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The Spark
Throughout the 1900s, the Ottoman Empire had been collapsing.
It was retreating out of Europe and back towards the Middle East.
This leaves a power vacuum in the
opportunity. The newly formed countries in the
Balkans are not strong yet.
1908: Austria

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The Spark
Serbia saw Austria take over
Bosnia.
Serbia becomes worried that
Austria is going to sweep through the Balkans and take over everything.
In response to this fear, a terrorist organization begins gaining support.
Serbian independence at all costs.
Austria realizes that not everyone is happy about their control of land in the Balkans.
June 28, 1914: Austria sends the heir to the Austrian throne on a goodwill mission to Bosnia.

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The Black Hand recruits 6 assassins.
The Spark
None of these assassins know about any of the others. The
Black Hand doesn’t want a risk of one of them being captured and turning in the others.
All assassins were given the job: Kill Archduke Franz
Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand is the heir to the Austrian throne – on a goodwill mission to Bosnia.
The hope is that, by killing Franz Ferdinand, Austria will realize that they should not be in the Balkans, and should leave Bosnia and Serbia alone.
All six assassins planned to kill
Franz Ferdinand while he was on a motorcade – driving a set route through Sarajevo, the
Bosnian capital.
6 Assassins
-#1-4 lost their nerve, and did not try to kill Franz Ferdinand.
- #5 threw a small bomb. It missed Franz Ferdinand, but injured one of his bodyguards.
- #6 decided to get a sandwich.

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The Spark
The 6 th Assassin was a young college student: Gavrilo
Princip. He got nervous, and decided to get a sandwich.
Meanwhile, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, stopped and had lunch at town hall.
After lunch, they were supposed to continue on their route, but Franz
Ferdinand wanted to go to the hospital first.
He wanted to stop and visit the bodyguard that had been injured by the bomb.

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No one informed the driver, so when they continued on the route, Franz asked him to turn around.
-> They ended up stopping in traffic, reversing, going down an alternate route and stopping in front of a cafe…
-> …where Princip was eating his sandwich.
-> Princip stood up, grabbed his gun, and shot Franz
Ferdinand and Sophie. They both died.
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This was the spark that started WWI .
The Spark

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The Spark
Gavrilo Princip had assassinated Franz Ferdinand. He was immediately arrested.
But the damage had been done.
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Austria quickly found that the assassination was the work of the
Black Hand.
They looked to Serbia.
However, they knew not all Serbians were terrorists.
-> Serbia apologized, and said that they would try to compensate Austria for their loss.
Serbia asked Austria what they could do to make it up to them.

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The Balkans Blank Check
Germany saw all of this happening, and when Austria wasn’t sure what to ask for from Serbia, Germany had a suggestion: demand Serbia itself.
Germany said that Austria should tell Serbia that, unless they gave all of their land to Austria, and unless they gave up their independence, Austria would declare war.
Austria thought this was crazy.
They did not want to declare war.
They wanted peaceful relations.
-> However, Germany said that, it came down to war, Germany would ally with Austria, and back it up to defeat Serbia.
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-> This is called the Balkans
Blank Check.
Serbia was small, with a small army, not really a threat.

Germany’s Plan
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Germany was banking on a few things:
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Austria will demand Serbia’s land and independence.
Serbia will say no way.
Austria will declare war, knowing that Germany will back it up.
Serbia will ask Russia for help.
Russia and Serbia have similar ethnic groups, and Russia is likely to defend someone in its area asking for help. Russia is also still embarrassed from its loss to Japan, and wanted to prove that it could protect its European allies.
Russia will declare war on Austria.
Germany (Austria’s ally) will declare war on Russia.
-> This is all an elaborate plan to get Russian land.
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Germany wants an excuse to declare war on Russia so that it can invade, and take over Russian territory.
Everything went according to Germany’s plan.

Germany’s Plan
-> Germany was ruled by Kaiser Wilhelm
II.
-> Wilhelm II fired Otto von Bismarck – leading to significant instability in
Germany.
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Bismarck had finally gained a fragile balance between Germany (unified) and the other European powers.
-> Wilhelm II was not ready to stop expanding. He fired Bismarck and decided that Germany deserved Russian land, and deserved to expand larger and larger.
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By working with Austria, Wilhelm had his chance to declare war on Russia.

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Start of War
Everything happened according to Germany’s plan at first.
Serbia did not give up its independence.
Austria declared war on Serbia.
Serbia asked Russia for help.
Russia saw a chance to redeem itself for its loss to Japan (Russo-Japanese War).
Austria declares war on Russia.
Germany (Austria’s ally) declares war on Russia.
The Balkans Blank Check meant that Germany would back Austria up no matter what.

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Start of War

Start of War
-> August 2, 1914: Germany decides to expand westward as well.
-> Germany declares war on
 neutral Belgium.
Belgium had not been interested in war, and had been neutral
(not choosing a side) for a very long time.
-> Belgium neutrality had been
guaranteed by Britain and
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France, during a secret alliance.
When Germany declares war on
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Belgium, France and Britain have to intervene.
August 4, 1914: Britain and
France declare war on Germany.
World War 1 has officially begun.

Why War?
-> Most people in Europe, and in European colonies, were
excited about the war.
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There had been so many internal issues, that the pressure was unbearable.
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War gave people something to do, gave them a team to cheer for.
-> However, no one realized:
-> How long the war was going to be. It lasted
5 years.
-> How many countries would get involved.
-> How many people would die.
-> People thought the war would be over by
Christmas – that it would be an easy victory for their side.

Why War?
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However – the sides were very evenly matched when it came to technology, and the war lasted much longer than anyone thought.
Still, people were excited about the war
– they wanted to support their country.
This is Nationalism on the rise.
Everyone believed that their country was right, and that they had a good reason to be fighting.
->Parents would bring their teenaged sons down to the recruiting offices. They would lie about their kids’ ages, and send 15 and 16 year olds to the front.
-> These kids were excited – everyone who was anyone was joining in to defend their country and protect what they believed was right.
Again, everyone thought it would be a quick war – over in months, with few casualties. No one knew it would last for years.

Germany’s Plan
-> Von Schlieffen Plan: Germany’s plan to win.
-> Germany realized that, because it had declared war on
Russia, it was going to have to fight a war on two fronts.
-> Front 1: Eastern Front
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Germany vs. Russia
Germany wants a chance for Russian land, and has used the Balkans
Blank Check as a chance to declare war.
-> Front 2: Western Front
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Because of all of the secret alliances, Germany realized that declaring war on Russia would mean declaring war on its allies – France and
Britain.
Germany wanted to attack France before it had a chance to attack
Germany.
So Germany invaded Belgium (neutral) on the way to France.
The goal was to invade France, take it over, and make sure that
Britain had no safe place to land in Europe.
After taking care of the Western front, Germany planned to finish taking land from Russia.

Von Schlieffen Plan
-> The Von Schlieffen Plan: Germany would march through Belgium, and take France. This would remove France from the war, and would leave Britain with nowhere to land their troops.
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The Kaiser thought it would take about 6 weeks for Russia to mobilize its troops. If Germany could take Paris before those 6 weeks were up,
Germany could avoid fighting on two fronts, and just focus on Russia.
->They were close – it did take Russia 6 weeks to get its army organized, however, Germany was not able to conquer Paris.
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This left a war on two fronts – exactly what
Germany wanted to avoid.

Von Schlieffen Plan
-> Germany attacked France on two fronts – North and South.
-> The Northern Army would come around Paris and surround it, attacking from the West (where they would not be expecting to be attacked).
-> The Southern Army would take the rest of France.
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The Northern Army got within 12 miles of Paris, but could move no further.
-> The German army was out of supplies - they couldn’t afford to push forward.
-> Instead, they dug in: digging trenches to protect themselves from the other army.
-> The French army did the same, about 30 yards away.
-> This became the Western Front.

Battle of the Marne
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When Germany moved through France, at first it looked like they were going to win, and take Paris.
However, they suffered one major defeat, which stopped the advance.
-> This is the Battle of the Marne. (Also known as the Miracle of the Marne).
-> Date: September 5-12 1914
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Germany advanced on France, and went to take Paris,
 planning to attack from the opposite side.
French troops advanced, but the German armies enveloped the troops and continued towards Paris.
-> However, there was one minor flaw. One German regiment
(the First Army) turned quickly to move on Paris. This left a significant gap (30 miles wide) between the armies.
-> Allied scouts, in fighter planes, noticed the gap.
-> French and British troops were able to rush in and break the
Germany army apart.

Battle of the Marne
-> The Allies saw their chance to break up the German armies.
French troops mobilized instantly.
-> The French army mobilized so quickly that there were not enough trucks to transport them all to the front. Instead,
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6,000 troops hopped into 600 taxis and the taxis drove them to the Marne.
These taxis, and their drivers became a symbol for French nationalism and French patriotism.
-> By September 9, it looked like Germany was going to lose. French troops had surrounded the German army, and they could not go any further.

Battle of the Marne
-> This retreat was the end of the Von Schlieffen plan – it had failed. The German armies had not taken Paris.
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They ended up retreating almost 40 miles. The German army outpaced the Allies, and dug in: forming trenches that they would hold for the next four years.
-> One of the German Generals wrote a letter to Kaiser Wilhelm
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II, saying: “Your Majesty, we have lost the war.”
The Allied troops (French and British) dug in about
30 yards away.
-> These trenches moved no more than 30 yards over the course of the next four years.
-> This led to a stalemate – there was fighting, but virtually no more major battles for years.

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Trench Warfare
-> The Western Front ended up being two long trenches – one filled with Germans and their allies (Central Powers) one filled
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Trench Warfare was slightly different down the line. Some
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 trenches were very narrow, some wider, and “nicer”.
Daily life was dirty and boring. Most soldiers didn’t dare attack the enemy until nightfall.
Rise in technology made the trenches deadly.
Snipers picked off people who looked over the edge of the trench.
Explosive shells could collapse whole trenches – leaving the enemy exposed or buried alive.

Trench Warfare
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Other daily problems included rats – which could grow to the size of a cat – flooding, lice, disease, and poor hygiene.
-> While in the trenches, you did not spend the whole time on the ‘front line’. People were rotated to different parts of the
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This rotation helped with some of the boredom, and also meant that those on the front line got some rest.
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An example: You might spend
70 days in the front line, 30 days in nearby support trenches, 120 in reserve
(further away, but still entrenched).
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If you got any leave at all, it was maximum, 2 weeks.
->Most got no leave. Many stayed on the front for 4 years.

The Christmas Peace
-> At the beginning of the war, everyone had said “it will be over by Christmas”.
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However, on December 25 th , 1914, people were still in the trenches.
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They were depressed, and homesick.
On the German side, someone started singing.
On the other side, the Allies joined in. The sides took turns sharing carols with each other.
Both sides were lacking in supplies, and so both helped each other.
The British gave sandbags to the
Germans, so that they could reinforce their trenches. The
Germans shared barbed wire with the British/French.

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The Christmas Peace
“[The Germans] finished their carol and we thought that we ought to retaliate in some way, so we sang
‘The first Noël’, and when we finished that they all began clapping; and then they struck up another favourite of theirs, ‘O Tannenbaum’. And so it went on. First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the
Latin words ‘Adeste Fidéles’. And I thought, well, this was really a most extraordinary thing – two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war”

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The Christmas Peace
Both sides had also been given “bonuses” by their respective government. The British had been given “Princess Mary
Boxes”, which included cookies and other sweets. The Germans received tobacco and cigars from the Kaiser.
Both sides shared the wealth, bringing gifts one another to show that, just for the holiday season, they were not going to be aggressive.
At one place in the front, a British soldier had a soccer ball. He broke it out, and the two sides formed two soccer teams.

The Christmas Peace
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During the Christmas Peace (aka Christmas Truce), both sides agreed on rules to follow for the rest of the war.
1. No shooting anyone using the latrines.
2. Cease fires after skirmishes, so that the dead can be buried.
3. Aiming high.
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The third point is especially import-
 ant. It was hard to aim to kill someone that you knew.
Both sides still had to fire on the other, but they agreed to aim high, to avoid fatalities.

The Christmas Peace

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The Christmas Peace
In some areas, the Christmas Peace only lasted until the day after Christmas (Boxing Day). In other areas (reserve trenches), the peace lasted through March.
The Generals didn’t like this – there needed to be some sort of progress, even if it was gaining 30 yards.
Some threatened to shoot their own troops if they didn’t go up and over the trench wall and try to take the enemy trench.
However, what was ultimately done was to rotate the troops.
Now, with the troops rotated, both sides now see the other side as “the enemy”, instead of “that guy I played soccer with”.
In all areas, the war started to resume – artillery barges were fired, shells were dropped, people were sniped.
However, almost everywhere along the Front, people followed the Christmas Peace rules.

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Technology
Technology was advancing as the war progressed. Each side though that their new weapons would make a difference and win the war.
Germans began using zeppelins to bomb major allied cities.
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This represents the first time that civilian cities had been attacked during war.
-> Both sides began using airplanes for warfare as well.
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This was new technology, and very dangerous.
At first, pilots would fire pistols at one another, or try to throw grenades.
However, soon, pilots mounted machine guns on their planes.
The first machine guns on airplanes didn’t quite work, and the
British pilot crashed behind enemy lines.
When German and Austrian engineers found the plane, they perfected the technology – timing the machine gun to fire through the moving propeller.

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Also invented by the
Germans was the flamethrower.
Technology
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British invented the armored tank.
-> It was Germans, however, who first started using poison gas.
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Prior to WWI, there had been a meeting called the Hague
Convention – which stated what types of warfare were considered inhumane.
Poison gas was in direct violation of the Hague Convention, but the Germans were desperate.

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Second Battle of Ypres
-> The German army first used chlorine gas during the Second battle of Ypres.
The First Battle of Ypres was when Germany took over
Belgium. Ypres is a major town in Belgium, and having control of it was a huge advantage.
In Spring of 1915, the Second
Battle of Ypres began.
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Central Powers:
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Germany
Allies/Triple Entente:
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Britain
Canada
British India
France/French Africa

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Second Battle of Ypres
In September 1914, Canada had joined the war – joining the
Allied powers, and providing needed reinforcements.
The Second Battle of Ypres
(April, 1915) was the first time Canadian troops had fought in Europe.
The battlefield was quiet when the Canadians arrived. They were immediately moved to the very front lines.
To the left of the Canadians were Moroccan and Algerian troops, from French colonies in Africa.
To the right of the Canadians were British troops.

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Second Battle of Ypres
One morning, the Germans set canisters of chlorine gas in front of their own trenches, allowing the wind to blow the gas toward the enemy troops.
“…From the German trenches in front of the French line rose that strange green cloud of death. The light north-easterly breeze wafted it toward them, and in a moment death had them by the throat. One cannot blame them that they broke and fled. In the gathering dark of that awful night they fought with the terror, running blindly in the gas-cloud, and dropping … and the slow poison of suffocation mantling their dark faces. Hundreds of them fell and died; others lay helpless, froth upon their agonized lips and their racked bodies powerfully sick, with tearing nausea at short intervals. They too would die later – a slow and lingering death of agony unspeakable. The whole air was tainted with the acrid smell of chlorine that caught at the back of men's throats and filled their mouths with its metallic taste…”

Second Battle of Ypres
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The gas rolled right toward the Moroccan and Algerian troops.
They fell back, receiving the full brunt of the gas attack.
-> Chlorine gas was extremely effective when it came to these kind of attacks.
-> It is heavier than air, but will be pushed by wind, so it tends to sink, especially into trenches, and into other divots where the enemy troops might be taking cover.
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The Moroccan and Algerian troops were forced to abandon their trench, and retreat, or else be poisoned by the gas.
Poison Gas During WWI
Chlorine Gas - Greenish yellow gas, that has a chemical reaction with water.
Causes vomiting, burning in eyes, nose, mouth, lungs, watering of the eyes.
In severe cases, causes loss of consciousness, suffocation, and death.
Phosgene - Colorless, odorless, gas. Highly poisonous. Replaces oxygen in the cells, which causes unconsciousness and death.
Mustard Gas – A yellow gas with a mustard smell. Causes blistering and sores on any exposed tissue. The most used gas during the war.

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Second Battle of Ypres
With the French African (Moroccan, Algerian) troops incapacitated, the Canadians had to fill in the gap.
The Canadian soldiers manages to move in, and prevent the
Germans from advancing.
Canadians also were ordered to take Kitchener’s Wood (a tactical vantage point that had been taken over by the
Germans).
By April 23 rd , the Canadians had taken the Wood, held the line, and prevented the Germans from advancing.
This was hugely successful for the Allies.
Though they gained very little ground, it was a moral victory.
This was also the first time that a “colonial” power (the
Canadians) proved that they could hold their own in a
European battle.

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Second Battle of Ypres
With the French African (Moroccan, Algerian) troops incapacitated, the Canadians had to fill in the gap.
The Canadian soldiers manages to move in, and prevent the
Germans from advancing.
Canadians also were ordered to take Kitchener’s Wood (a tactical vantage point that had been taken over by the
Germans).
By April 23 rd , the Canadians had taken the Wood, held the line, and prevented the Germans from advancing.
This was hugely successful for the Allies.
Though they gained very little ground, it was a moral victory.
This was also the first time that a “colonial” power (the
Canadians) proved that they could hold their own in a
European battle.
From this point on, the other Allied troops were thrilled when they heard they were getting Canadian support.

Battle of the Somme
-> The Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest battle in WWI…
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It is also one of the bloodiest battles in history.
-> It began on July 1, 1916, and lasted for five months.
-> It was an Allied offensive – the goal was to really push forward, and force German troops out of France, once and for all.
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By the end of the five month battle, the
British and their allies gained six miles of
land. They took no strategic positions.
They won no towns.
They failed in every objective.
-> They also lost half a million people.

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The sides:
Battle of the Somme
Central Powers
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Allies
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Germany
Britain
France
Australia
-For a week before the battle began, the Allied forces bombed the German trench, hoping to cause enough damage that they could move across the no mans land.
- British soldiers also tunneled under the German trench, and planted bombs.
- When they set off the bombs, however, the
Germans were not hurt, and just occupied the new crater.
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New Zealand
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Canada
South Africa
By this point in the war, it is really becoming a global conflict.
This is caused by alliances, and wanting to support former colonizers.

Battle of the Somme
-> The Allied troops advanced across No Man’s Land, and were decimated.
-> Their initial artillery barge had done nothing. The German troops were fully functional, and used machine guns and shells to mow down any person in No Man’s Land.
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This made it impossible to gain any ground, to send reinforcements into the field, or to send reconnaissance – everyone who set foot in the field was attacked.
-> In the first day alone, the Allies lost 60,000 men.

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Battle of the Somme
-> There was virtually no gain during the 5 month battle.
The British/French and Allied troops continued to advance, and were shot down again and again.
-> The British side also had a strange mix of technology. The
Battle of the Somme was the debut of the tank, but the British also had cavalry ready to go.
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At the end of the battle, the British gained virtually nothing.
-> It turned out that the
Central Powers side had an advantage all along – they could see the whole battlefield, the whole no mans land.

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Battle of the Somme
Gains: The Allies gained 6 miles of land.
Losses:
British: 420,000 dead (60,000 on the first day)
French: 200,000 dead
German: 500,000 dead
[On the barbed wire], hundreds of dead were strung out like wreckage washed up to a high water-mark. Quite as many died on the enemy wire as on the ground, like fish caught in the net. They hung there in grotesque postures. Some looked as if they were praying; they had died on their knees and the wire had prevented their fall. Machine gun fire had done its terrible work.

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The Eastern Front
While the Western Front was in stalemate – with hundreds of thousands of troops entrenched along the line, the war raged on the Eastern Front.
-> The Eastern Front was where Germany was attempting to push into Russia.
-> Unlike the Western Front, at first there seemed to be progress on the Eastern Front.
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In 1914, Germany planned to push into
Russian territory and to claim land.
This was Germany’s original goal - the
Eastern Front was the one that they actually wanted to fight.

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The Eastern Front
While Germany was occupied at the Battle of the Marne (in
France), Russian troops were mobilizing.
-> The Russian army began an offensive – pushing into Austria and German territory, to keep them from attacking.
-> This (in tandem with the French/British troops’ success at the
Marne) forced Germany to fight a war on two fronts.
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Russian forces invaded German controlled Poland.
-> However, at the Battle of Tannenberg (August 1914), the
Russian troops were stopped short.
-> Over the next few years, Russia tried to push into German territory, and to mount an offensive.
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However, Russia was unable to move the German line.
-> By mid 1915, Russian troops had been pushed back into their own territory, and Germany was starting to take Russian land.

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Problems in Russia
Russia was under a huge amount of internal stress.
Russia was divided into a very large lower class, and a small elite upper class.
It was the upper class (Tzar Nicholas II and the Commanderin-Chief of the army – the Tzar’s cousin, Grand Duke
Nicholas) who controlled the country’s government.
Though people like Tzar Nicholas and Grand Duke Nicholas ran the army, it was the large lower class that made up the bulk of the troops.
These peasants were poor and ill-equipped. There was a huge gap in the population – economically and socially.
Do these conditions remind you of anything we have learned about already?
What events had similar triggers?
What do you think will happen in Russia?

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February Revolution
Russia underwent two revolutions – one in February and one in October.
February, 1917: Tzar Nicholas II leaves Petrograd (now St.
Petersburg) to visit troops on the front line.
People in Russia were unhappy.
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They were poor, and hungry
Russia seemed to be losing the war against Germany – Russia was losing land.
People begin protesting and going on strike, trying to start social change, and get the Tzar to realize that something was wrong with the country.
February 26: Palace guards fire on unarmed people protesting around the palace.
February 27: 80,000 troops mutiny and go on strike. They feel that they are fighting a pointless war.

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February Revolution
Tzar Nicholas II returns to find the country in rebellion.
Workers, peasants, even soldiers are rebelling against what they believe is an unfair government and a pointless war.
A temporary government is set up.
Tzar Nicholas II
Most people did not hate the
Tzar. They thought that he was receiving bad information from his advisers. Their protest at the palace was to try to tell the
Tzar that they supported him but not his government.
,

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The Romanovs
Nicholas II was the last Tzar of Russia.
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Tzar can also be spelled “Tsar”, “Czar”, and “Csar”, as well as many others. It is translated from the Cyrillic alphabet.
Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra, were facing stresses at home. Specifically the health of their only son.
Alexy, the Tzarvitch (heir to the throne) had hemophilia.
This mean that Alexy was constantly sick, and was in danger of serious illness from even the smallest injury.
Alexandra hired someone who she thought was a holy man, who she thought could heal Alexy.
This “holy man” was Rasputin.

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The Romanovs
Nicholas was an Absolute Monarch – he was very distant from the average citizen of Russia.
Most people loved Nicholas, but hated Rasputin (along with
Nicholas’ other advisers), and thought that they were bad influences.
By March 2,
1917,
Nicholas abdicates the throne.

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Though communism seemed like a good idea to many
Bolsheviks (including later political leader, Joseph Stalin), people were worried.
The Bolsheviks feared that the Russian people would not accept a pure communism.
Instead, they set up a provisional – or temporary government, under a President.
Alexander Kerensky became President of Russia.
Kerensky said that he would get Russia out of the war.

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America Joins the War
In May, 1915, a ship was sunk off the coast of Great Britain.
The RMS Lusitania was a British ship, but was a passenger liner – it carried 128 American passengers too.
When the ship was sunk, many people wanted America to join the war, however, Woodrow Wilson wanted to avoid war at all costs.
Wilson did persuade the Germans to stop unrestricted submarine warfare, at least for a while.
This lasted until Wilson’s re-election in 1917. At this point, the Germans said that they could not afford
to attack any ships in
British waters.
Unrestricted submarine warfare continued.

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America Joins the War
January 1917: An American cruise ship company runs an ad for cross-Atlantic travel. The German embassy runs an ad on the opposite page, which said, “If you take this ship, you might be sunk!”
Wilson though that Germany, by using their submarines, was restricting American trade, and interfering with their ability to trade with Europe.
Wilson is starting to think that war might be a better idea.

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America Joins the War
The Zimmerman Telegram
The second reason why America joined the war had to do with the Zimmerman Telegram.
This was (suposadly) a telegram from Robert Zimmerman – the German Foreign Minister – to Mexico.
The telegram said that, if Mexico declared war on America, then
Germany would support it.
It also promised a return of former Mexican land – such as
California, Arizona, and New
Mexico.
Most modern historians now think that the Zimmerman telegram might be a hoax.

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America Joins the War
At this point, enough was enough.
April 6, 1917: America officially joins WWI – siding with the allies.

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Though Alexander Kerensky (now President of Russia) had promised an end to the war, instead he launched a new offensive against Germany.
This made the Russian people angry – they had decided he could lead the country on the promise that the fighting would stop.
In April, 1917, Lenin returned from his exile, finding a country in turmoil. He immediately received support from the Bolsheviks, former soldiers, and the average person.
Even political leader Joseph Stalin supported Lenin.

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Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin was a Russian political leader.
He was the head of a group called the Bolsheviks. The
Bolsheviks supported communism.
Lenin was forced into exile, and had to leave the country.
However, Lenin saw that people were unhappy with the war.
Throughout the war, he had been publishing communist propaganda – pamphlets and articles that were smuggled into Russia.

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Vladimir Lenin
Lenin returned to Russia – smuggled in on a German train.
The train was sealed: Germans didn’t want Lenin getting out halfway through the trip and spreading communism to Germany, instead of Russia.
The German army loved the idea of sending Lenin to Russia.
They figured that if Russia underwent a revolution, then it would no longer be strong enough to fight in the
Eastern Front.
Lenin successfully landed in Russia, and with the help of his Bolshevik supporters, overthrew the government.
Nicholas II and his family were put under house arrest.

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End of Romanovs
For the past few months, Nicholas II and his family (wife, four daughters, and one son), were placed under house arrest.
The house they stayed in was called, “The House of Special
Purpose.”
After staying there for several months, one day, Bolshevik soldiers told the Romanovs to go to the house’s basement.
The Romanovs went to the basement, where they were gunned down.
Lenin and the Bolsheviks did not want any competition in the government.
Though popular culture says that one Romanov daughter (Anastasia) may have survived, this is not true.
Imposters made money pretending to be Anastasia, though, using knowledge of the Romanov family to con remaining family members.

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Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Lenin immediately wanted to end the war.
He contacted the German leaders, and said that Russia no longer wanted to fight in the war.
They signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
This said that Russia would give a large parcel of land to the
Germans, and in return, they would have peace.
This was the end of the Eastern Front.
Now, Germany had what it wanted in the first place – a large piece of Russian land.
Germany now wanted to end the war in the
Western front as well.
Meanwhile, Lenin was searching through the Winter Palace – he found several secret treaties that Nicholas II had made with other countries, all talking about secret alliances, and who would join what side.
Lenin immediately published the treaties. Now everyone knew the real reasons why they went to war: land disputes.

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America’s Reaction
Wilson saw the published treaties – including decisions as to what country would get what land when the war was over.
One treaty especially bothered him – it said that if Italy switched sides, it would get a chunk of Austrian territory.
Wilson did not appreciate the fact that he had not been told about these treaties.
America had just joined the war. Now, though, they saw that the war had no good reason to be fought – it was about small bits of territory, and secret alliances.
Wilson though that America had been lied to by France and
Britain.
In response, Wilson wrote his 14 Points.

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Wilson’s 14 Points
Wilson came up with 14 Points.
These points outlined what Wilson though would be key to keeping a democratic peace.
When Lenin published the secret treaties that Nicholas II had made, Wilson was shocked.
He was bothered by all of the secret alliances.
Wilson thought that these alliances led to the war escalating so quickly.
In his 14 Points, Wilson wanted to ensure that, from this point on, everyone would be aware of alliances and treaties signed between countries.

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Wilson’s 14 Points
Wilson first presented his 14 Points during a speech to
Congress. In plain English, they are…
1. No more secret agreements or alliances.
2. Free navigation of all seas.
3. An end to all economic barriers between countries.
4. All countries shall reduce the amount of weapons they own.
5. All decisions regarding colonies should be impartial.
6. The German army is to be removed from Russia. Russia is to be left alone to develop its own government.
7. Belgium is independent again.
8. France is fully liberated – no German troops.
9. All Italians are allowed to live in Italy. Italy is recognized as a country.
10. Self-determination shall be allowed for people living in Austria-Hungary.
11. Self-determination is guaranteed for people of the Balkans.
12. Turkey should be governed by Turks.
13. An independent Poland shall be created, with access to the sea.
14. A League of Nations shall be set up to guaranteed the political and territorial independence of all states.

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Wilson’s 14 Points
Perhaps the most important of Wilson’s Points are the ones that suggest fixing the problems that caused the war in the first place.
Wilson wanted an end to secret alliances – he figured that if everyone knew what was on the table, then people would be less likely to go to war.
Wilson also wanted self-determination – groups to be able to form independent countries based on their ethnic group, language etc. It protects smaller countries from being invaded by larger, more powerful ones.
Poland is created as an independent country for the first time.
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This
the whole reason why Germany went to war in the first place. Neither Russia nor Germany gets the debated land – it is made into its own country.
A League of Nations is established – this is the first time that there has been any international group to discuss international problems. It is the pre-cursor to the modern
United Nations.

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1.
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3.
4.
Wilson’s 14 Points
There were 4 main issues in Wilson’s 14 Points:
Arms Control: After the war, there will be no more arms races, and countries will reduce the amount of weapons they have.
Open Diplomacy: After the war, every country will know what the others are doing. No more secret treaties.
End of Empires/Self-Determination: No more empires or empire-building. Everyone who wants their independence should be given it.
League of Nations: A League of Nations will be created to deal with international problems before a war happens.
The other leaders in Europe – France, Britain, etc. all liked
Wilson’s points.
Ultimately, the points formed the basis of the eventual peace treaty between the Central Powers and the Allies.

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End of the Western Front
Once Germany realized that America was joining the war, things changed.
The Germans were exhausted, and they were sick of fighting.
Thanks to Lenin, they had gotten land from Russia, which was the original goal of going to war.
They wanted to end the war on the Western Front before the
American reinforcements had time to make a difference.
By the Fall of 1918,
Germany asked for an armistice (a pause on the war).
Fighting officially stopped at
11:00 AM, November 11,
1918.

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Paris Peace Conference
There were four main players at the Paris Peace Conference:
USA: Woodrow Wilson
Britain: David Lloyd George
France: George Clemenceau
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Italy: Vittorio Orlando (dropped out halfway through the conference, not a part of final proceedings).
There were different points of view as to how peace should be reached.
Wilson wanted the countries to use his 14 Points – to focus on open diplomacy, selfdetermination, and the creation of a League of
Nations.
Not everyone agreed with
Wilson. Many wanted revenge.

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Paris Peace Conference
Clemenceau (France) said that they would not use the 14 Points.
Instead, they thought that Germany should be punished for
“starting the war”.
The resulting peace treaty was very biased – in favor of the Allies and not fair toward the Central Powers.
This lead to the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles: Major Points
- Set up a few new countries, but did not embrace self-determination.
The Allies wanted to make sure that any countries created would be big enough to stand up to Germany.
- Poland is created. Germany no longer even gets the land it wanted in the first place.
- The Rhineland is demilitarized (former Western Front). France wanted a buffer between French territory and Germany.
- France takes back land from Germany.
- Austria is made much smaller, and turned into many separate countries. It is extremely weakened.
- The War Guilt Clause

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War Guilt Clause
In order for peace to be official, Britain and France insisted that Germany sign the War Guilt Clause of the Treaty of
Versailles.
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The War Guilt Clause essentially says this:
Germany, and Germany alone, is responsible for WWI.
The German representative was reluctant to sign it – many countries had been involved in the war, and escalated it.
However, Britain and France threatened to invade Germany, and eventually the clause was signed.
The War Guilt Clause also said that Germany had to
for the war, literally. France and Britain said that, to pay for loss of lives, land, and material, Germany had to pay $33
billion dollars.
It also said Germany couldn’t have a large army, or an air force, and had to destroy most of its weapons.

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War Guilt Clause
Wilson though the War Guilt Clause was too much – he said that, if Germany was forced to sign it, it would cause so much bitterness that there would be another World War within 20 years.
Britain and France responded by saying that, after owing so much money, and after losing their military (much smaller army, no air force, fewer weapons), Germany wouldn’t be a threat.
Money Issues:
Not only was Germany expected to pay $33 billion to France and Britain,
France and Britain owed $32 billion to the United States.
The US had supplied France and Britain with supplies, and with cash, to help the war effort.
Britain and France were relying on the war reparations from Germany to pay back America.

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Peace
An agreement of peace was reached in June of 1919.
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The results:
Britain and France agree to found a League of Nations.
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Even though it was Wilson’s idea, congress doesn’t agree, and
America does not join the League.
America moves into a period of Isolationism – focusing on rebuilding the American economy, and leaving Europe to Europe.
The German economy is devastated – they did not win the land they wanted, and now owe $33 billion in war debt.
Troops are removed from France. The former Western Front
(Rhineland) is left as a buffer zone.
Russia is led by Vladimir Lenin, and has become a Communist state.
Communism beings to become popular in other countries – specifically in former British and French colonies in Asia.
Assignment: Do Now
How do you think these results may have led to later world conflicts?
Is there anything here that could be the seeds for another world war?

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Use the rest of the period to your advantage.
1. Work on completing make up work. Miss Begin has a list of missing assignments.
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2. Use the Review Packet, your notes, or the course textbook to study for the midterm.
Remember: the midterm is from the WHOLE COURSE so far.
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You need to know: Age of Enlightenment, Absolutism,
French Revolution, The Terror, Napoleon/Napoleonic Wars,
Industrial Revolution, Nationalism, Imperialism, and WWI.
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The Midterm will be 100 multiple choice questions (50 points total), 5 short answer questions (5 points each), and
1 essay – 3-5 paragraphs, your choice of 3 topics (25 points total).
3. Come up with any questions, areas of confusion, or issues that you have with the material. Next class is a review period
– it will be your chance to ask these questions!