The Beginning of War
Agenda
1. Bell Ringer: Jared Diamond Writing Exercise. (30)
2. Lecture: Onset of World War, the Eastern and Western Front,
Weapons of Warfare (20)
3. Propaganda of WWI (10)
4. All Quiet on the Western Front Analysis (10)
5. Battle of the Marne Primary Video (5)
6. Africa Map Quiz
HW: Reading pg 668, Answer the question for the document “You have
to bear the responsibility for war or peace.”
Objective: Students will analyze World War I propaganda and explain
the message given to civilians.
Students will draw comparisons between African groups during
European Imperialism.
Jared Diamond Question
Answer the following question using evidence from the article
you received last week. You will have 30 minutes to complete
this task.
Explain the factors that led to European domination of
the Americas. Make sure you draw focus to
agriculture, technology, disease, geography of the
area and cultural diffusion of ideas.
Grade is based on three factors:
1. Question is completely answered. 10 pts
2. Organization of response. 10 pts
3. Evidence utilized from reading. 10 pts
Imperialism and Nationalism
• Nationalism- Pride for one’s
country rises during the
time period.
• Rivalry for raw materials,
trade markets, and
industrial dominance.
• Imperial Competition leads
to distrust.
• Arms race ensues for
strongest military.
• Alliance System will lead to
war.
The Balkan Peninsula
• Austria and Serbia
become embroiled in
conflict over the
peninsula as the
Ottoman Empire
declines.
• As Serbians gain power,
Austria-Hungary looking
for reasons to assert
their power.
The Assassination
• Archduke Franz
Ferdinand is
assassinated in
Sarajevo, by a Serbian
member of the “Black
Hand”
– Assassins were
throughout the route,
bombs were thrown and
missed the car, he was
finally shot when making
a wrong turn.
The War Begins
Military Strategy
• Schlieffen Plan- In the event
of a “two-front” war, attack
France first, then Russia.
– Russia would take more time
to mobilize.
– Enter through Belgium to
avoid the mounting French
forces.
• Invasion of Belgium brought
Great Britain into conflict.
The Western Front
• Schlieffen Plan does not
work, stalemate across
France.
• Within two weeks in
September, Germans driven
60 miles back towards the
Western Front.
• First Battle of the Marnedefeat of Germans lead to a
drawn out war around
France.
Trenches
• Soldiers fought each other
from Trenches dug on the
Western Front.
• Between the trenches, “no
man’s land”
• Inside the trenches- dead
bodies stacked to stay
above the mud. Rats and
disease common
throughout the trenches.
Battle on the Eastern Front
• Russian Border, now
Germany had to fight on
two fronts.
• Russia was short on
artillery, but had plenty of
soldiers. (1916)
• Fighting on the Eastern
Front had the Central
Powers with the initial
advantage, but fighting a
war on two fronts never
allows for a full assault.
Using the Colonies
• Imperial Nations such
as Britain and France
would use the people
they forced into
servitude to fight in the
Great War.
• Some volunteered,
hoping for
independence.
The United States Enters War
• 1915, unrestricted
submarine warfare would
lead to the sinking of the
passenger ship Lusitania.
– 128 Americans killed.
– While many were outraged,
the ship was carrying war
supplies.
• 1917, Germany sends
Zimmerman telegram to
Mexico. “Keep America
occupied, so they don’t
declare war on Germany.”
• Zimmerman telegram
caused the US to enter war
on the Allied side. (Triple
Entente)
• Americans that wanted to
stay out of war joined in
droves to fight in the
conflict. (They still had the
romanticized idea of war)