WORLD WAR I
EVENTS OF WAR
INTRO REVIEW VIDEO:
TECH DEVELOPMENTS OF WAR
AMERICAN
NEUTRALITY
Officially, the U.S.
was a neutral
country.
However, we traded
food, weapons, oil,
steel, and other
goods far more with
the Allied Powers
than with the
Central Powers.
PROPAGANDA
Both the Allied Powers
and Central powers
used PROPAGANDA
(one sided information
used to persuade)
Tried to make their
enemies seem savage.
FREEDOM OF
THE SEAS
The U.S., as a
neutral nation,
claimed the right to
trade with either
side in the war.
However, Britain
and Germany set
up blockades
around the British
and German coasts.
TROUBLED WATER
German submarines, called U-BOATS, torpedoed enemy
ships and neutral ships trading with the enemy. (VIDEO)
A German U-boat Torpedoes a Steamer, circa 1916
SINKING OF THE LUSITANIA
Two years earlier in 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the
LUSITANIA, a British passenger ship, killing approximately
1,200 people, including 128 Americans
Americans were infuriated with the destruction of the
Lusitania. Germany promised to stop attacking neutral ships.
But two yrs. later did it again, knowing it would lead to war
with U.S  sank 3 more ships
(VIDEO)
ZIMMERMAN
TELEGRAM
Secret message from
Germany to ambassador in
Mexico urging them to
attack U.S. if the U.S.
declared war on Germany
•Germany promised to help
Mexico regain land it lost to
the U.S. in Mexican War.
•British intercepted it & U.S.
declared war on Central
Powers in 1917.
MOVING TOWARD WAR
• WWI became a TOTAL WAR  all
resources are devoted to war effort
• Thousands of women went to work in
factories to replace the men
• Almost no unemployment  most
factories turned to munitions
• Goods in short supply  led to rationing
(buy only small amounts)
 VIDEO:
US Involvement in the War
“SWOOPING FROM
THE WEST”
SWOOPING IN FROM THE WEST
• Russia’s withdrawal from WWI due to
revolution: Russia signs Treaty of BrestLitovsk w/Germany & gave up land
• Led to increased German troops in
Western Front
• Late May of 1918 German troops were
weakened from push to claim Paris
• Allies sensed weakness, US helped with
arrival of 2 million troops
• Central Powers began to crumble- German
soldiers turned on Kaiser Wilhelm II
PEACE AT LAST
Germany declares
itself a republic
At 11 a.m. on
November 11, 1918,
Germany agreed to an
armistice (cease fire),
ending World War I 
signed Treaty of
Versailles
But many are still left
bitter & betrayed from
“war guilt clause”….
* Approximately 13 million people died and 20 million were
wounded in the war.
MANDATE SYSTEM
• During World War I, Great Britain & France agreed
to divide large portions of Ottoman Empire in the
Middle East between themselves.
• After the war, “mandate system” gave Great
Britain & France control over lands that became:
– Iraq, Transjordan, and Palestine (British controlled)
– Syria and Lebanon (French controlled).
• Division of Ottoman Empire through the mandate
system planted the seeds for future conflicts in
the Middle East
Highlight – British Mandates
Highlight – French Mandates