The “World” at War
Agenda
1. Bell Ringer: What major events led to World War I?
2. Technology of War Notes
3. Discussion and analysis: What is the worst
technology of World War I?
4. Zimmerman Telegram Primary Document
5. Shell Shock: A look at World War I Video
HW: Quick Quiz next class on Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.
Complete Propaganda Illustration.
• Objective: Students will learn about the weaponry of World War I,
and the impact of the United States upon entering the conflict.
Technology of War
• Airplane
– Initially used as
reconnaissance planes.
– After the “interrupter was
invented they could position
guns through the prop.
(Combat planes)
– Telsa (seen later) would also
introduce a plane, showing a
wing that pivoted.
•
Tank
– United Kingdom develops this
to run over the trenches.
Armor-plating helps in “noman’s land”
Technology of War
• Machine Gun
– Utilized by all sides, one
man now had the power of
forty soldiers.
– Battle of the Somme in
1916.
• Zeppelin
– Used extensively by
Germany in WWI.
– Quiet, high altitude, and
ability to complete
bombing raids.
– Huge flammable dirigible,
no smoking…
Technology of War
• Mustard Gas
– Only used when
appropriate.
– Wind direction, troop
movements.
– Initial gas masks utilized
cloths soaked in urine to
repel the gas.
• Flame Thrower
– Used to chase people out
of a trench, then open fire
with machine guns.
Technology of War
• The Electric War
– 1890s, Westinghouse purchased
AC technology from Nikola Tesla.
– Went against Edison’s DC power
supply. (Good for short distance)
• Alternating Current was seen as
more efficient over long
distances.
– Edison would wage campaign
against AC, claiming it to be
highly dangerous and used in the
Electric Chair.
– Truth is, they didn’t know what
type of electricity was used in
the chair…
• In World War I
– Tesla developed a
“radar” based system for
torpedoes, but it was
not adopted.
A Global Conflict
• Early 1915, Italy supports
the Allies (Triple Entente)
• Gallipoli Campaign– Take the Dardenelles Strait so
a supply route is established
to Russia.
– It lasts nearly 10 months, with
no success.
• Allied armies (Triple
Entente) manage to control
the Middle East from the
Turks.
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)