Chapter 10:
World War I
1914-1918 and following
“Creating America” textbook
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Causes of World
War I
- Europe was
seen as a
“powder keg – it
only needs a
spark to set the
whole thing off”
due to some main
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Causes of World
War I (con’t)
A) Imperialism: countries
were competing for land in
Africa, Asia, etc. and
Germany wanted to keep up
B) Nationalism: People in
Europe loved their nation and
were very protective, loyal,
and proud. Some ethnic
groups wanted their own
country, rather than be ruled
by others.
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Causes of World
War I (con’t)
C) Militarism: Many
countries believed that they
needed a very strong military,
building up their army and
navy forces
D) Alliances: Different
countries formed secret
treaties with another country
to help protect in case
another country attacked
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
•Sent to Serbia
•To help relations
between AustriaHungary and the
Serbs
•Serbs hated it!
•Did not want to
deal with them!
•Seen as invaders
Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his Wife Sophie, Duchess of
Hohenberg one hour before………. June 28, 1914
•What happened?
•(see History
Channel video…)
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Causes of World
War I (con’t)
The “Spark”: In June 1914,
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
and his wife were shot by a
Serbian man in Sarajevo.
When Austria-Hungary found
out that the gov’t of Serbia
gave the man the weapons,
they declared war.
Princip (the assassin)
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Causes of World
War I (con’t)
- Russia helped Serbia,
so then Germany went to
war against France, and
then Britain had to help
them, and so on and so
on…
- This led Europe to split
into two different “sides”:
The Central Powers and
the Allied Powers
REVIEW
Who was on which side?
Central Powers:
Allies:
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Russia
France
Great Britain
Italy
Japan
United States (1917)
Why isn’t the United States involved at first?
America did not get
involved because:
1) The Monroe Doctrine
worked both ways (we
can’t get involved in
Europe’s problems, just
like they couldn’t for ours
2) America didn’t really
want to get involved in
this mess…unless it had
to become involved
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Stalemate in the
Trenches
- the French were able to
hold off Germany’s attack
at the First Battle of the
Marne in 1914, but…..
- both sides then dug in
for trench warfare along
the Western front
See map next page
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
PBS website/map
Stalemate in the
Trenches
- neither side could win
and each attack was met
with death
- Battle of Somme (JulyNov 1916) led to 1.2
million dead/wounded and
only 7 miles of land was
gained for the Allies
More on trench warfare…
Youtube clip from “The Somme” from BBC trailer (2)
Next Slide: “The Somme” w/death & over the top (2)
Youtube “The Somme” Sneak Peek #2
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
War of New Technology:
- new technology led to more
deaths
- British tanks were used to
fight and cross the trenches
- machine guns fired over
600 bullets a minute, killing
efficiently
- poison gas was used by
both sides, burning and
blinding soldiers
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
War of New Tech (con’t):
- airplanes were used for
the first time in warfare
during WWI (see Flyboys
clips)
- “ace” pilots like the
German “Red Baron”
became famous
- German submarines,
called U-Boats sank many
ships at sea
Youtube “Red Baron”)
See “WWI Tech” video
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
America’s Path To War
- President Woodrow Wilson
was against America joining
the war, and many Americans
agreed with him.
- German U-boats started
sinking British merchant
(supply) ships in response to
Britain’s naval blockade of
German ports
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Note in Bottle After Lusitania Disaster
 America’s Path To War
 - in May 1915, the Germans
sank the British passenger ship
Lusitania
 killing 1,198 people, including
128 Americans
 - Wilson demanded an apology
and a promise that the Germans
would not use unrestricted
submarine warfare (sinking
merchant ships without
warning) and they agreed and
we accepted it
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
 America’s Path To War
 - in 1917, Germany started
sinking ships full-force again,
knowing it would get us in the
war (but they hoped they could
end it before we got there)
 - the Zimmerman Telegram was
discovered, which had Germany
promising Mexico their land
(Texas, New Mex, AZ) in return
for fighting against America in the
war
 - this was the last straw, and the
U.S. declared war on Germany
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Vladimir Lenin
Revolution in Russia
- By 1917, Russia’s army
was in trouble and the
country was starving
- the Bolshevik Revolution,
led by Vladimir Lenin,
occurred and a communist
government was established
- Communism is where the
government runs/owns the
economy
Section 1: War Breaks Out in Europe
Endangered:
French!
Revolution in Russia
- Lenin signed a peace treaty
with Germany in 1918, and
Russia pulled out of the war
- this let Germany send all of
its troops, etc. to France
(before they had been split
fighting both them and
Russia)
- France was in big trouble
and the Allies really needed
the United States to hurry up
See map…
and get there!
Moving to Section 2
America Joins the Fight
What does America do now that is is
joining the war? What preparations?
How does the War change now that
America is part of it?
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
Raising an Army & a Navy
The U.S. needed soldiers, so
it started the Selective
Service Act in 1917 (all males
between 21-30 must sign up
for military)
By 1918’s end, 3 million
troops had been drafted to
the forces
About 2 million soldiers went
to Europe to fight
Led by Gen. John J.
Pershing (of Nebraska!),
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
Raising an Army & a Navy
Nearly 50,000 women also
served in WWI
They were allowed to serve in
the military for the first time
Nurses made up most of the
over 1,000 who went to
Europe
Also worked as interpreters,
switchboard operators,
entertainers, drivers, etc.
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
 American Ships Make a
Difference
 German U-boats were sinking
supply ships very often
 The Allies started a convoy
system to protect ships
 Destroyer ships would
surround supply ships to
protect them
 The Allies started laying
down sea-mines in the water
to blow up U-boats as well
 This reduced the # of ship
Moving to Sec. 3
“Life on the Home Front”
How did Americans back in the USA
support the war effort?
What else was going on in the U.S.
during this time?
What disease killed many people during
this period?
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
Intolerance and
Suspicion
Why did Garland, Nebraska
change their name during
this time?
Why did many Lutheran
churches change the
language they used during
their church services during
this time?
Discuss…
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
Intolerance and
Suspicion
Anti-German propaganda
got Americans fired up for
the war but also turned
them against anything
German in America
Towns changed names,
sauerkraut became “liberty
cabbage”, hamburger
became “Salisbury steak”,
and anti-immigrant issues
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
 Mobilizing for War
 The U.S. first needed money
in order to fund the war effort
 We spent $35.5 billion dollars
on WWI - with 2/3 of the
money raised by war bonds.
 War bonds were loans given
by citizens that they gave to
the government to be paid
back later
 Liberty Loan drives used
celebrities, posters, etc. to
encourage people to support it
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
 Mobilizing for War
 Schoolchildren collected items
that could help such as tin
cans, paper, toothpaste
tubes, etc.
 Others grew “Victory Gardens”
to feed their families so that
other food could go to soldiers
 Women’s groups got together
to sew and knit clothing, etc.
items
 Wheatless Mon. and Wed. (no
bread), meatless Tuesdays,
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
 Mobilizing for War
 The U.S. government took over
much of the economy to control
materials made, prices, and labor
agreements to keep production
up
 The gov’t also produced a lot of
propaganda from writers, artists,
film-makers, etc. to rally
Americans to support the effort
 Why would the government go to
such lengths to do this?
 Why would Americans go to
these lengths? Would they still?
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
 Intolerance and Suspicion
 In 1917, Congress passed the
Espionage Act which fined or sent
people to prison for anti-war
activities
 In 1918, Congress passed the
Sedition Act which made it illegal to
even criticize the war
 Hundreds went to jail and the
Supreme Court upheld the laws in
it’s ruling that Free Speech (1st
amendment) could be limited if it
caused panic, etc. especially during
wartime
 What would Americans’ response to
Section 3: Life on the Home Front
 The Flu Epidemic of 1918
 A deadly flu epidemic swept the
globe in 1918, killing more than
20 million people by 1919
 It was spread around the world
by soldiers and had no known
cure
 Over 500,000 Americans died as
people tried to protect
themselves by shutting down
schools, etc.
 More than 1/4 of U.S. army
soldiers got the flu and the
German army was hit harder
also
Back to Section 2:
Now that the US is in the war,
How does it end?
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
 U.S. Troops Enter the War
 In 1917 the U.S. could send
14,000 troops to help
 It took about a year to get the
rest of the troops, etc. to Europe
 Germany rushed its troops from
To the Rescue!
Russia (since Russia signed a
peace treaty with Germany) to
France to quickly try to take
France before the U.S. got
= HELP!
there
 They reached the Marne river
France
(50 miles from Paris) again…
PBS website/map
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
 Germany Stops Fighting
 In early November, 1918
German navy mutinied
(rebelled against its
commanders) and its allies
dropped out
 Nov. 9th, the Kaiser resigned
 On November 11, 1918 at
11am (11th hour,11th day, of
the 11th month) the Germans
agreed to stop the fighting
and the war was now over
 We now celebrate this day
Section 2: America Joins the Fight
Germany Stops Fighting
The aftermath of the war:
About 8.5 million soldiers
dead
Around 21 million wounded
About 12 million civilian
deaths from starvation,
bombing, disease, etc.
Total of about 20 million
deaths, all from one
“spark” that started it all
Moving to Section 4
How did World War I change the world?
How did it change relations between
countries?
What was done to try to prevent
another World War?
How did it effect the countries that
fought in the war?
Europe at start of WWI
Europe after WWI
1) How are they different?
2) How and why did this happen?
Section 4: The Legacy of WW1
 Wilson’s 14 Points
 President Wilson offered Congress
14 points for world peace.
Highlights…




Smaller military forces
No more secret treaties/alliances
Free trade and freedom on the seas
New country boundaries in Europe
(more countries made)
 14th Point: Form a League of
Nations to help negotiate and
prevent major wars from breaking
out
 This was the beginning basically of
the current United Nations
Section 4: The Legacy of WW1
 Treaty of Versailles
 Leaders in Europe did not agree
with Wilson on some things, and
they wanted Germany to pay
heavily for their part in the war
 The Treaty forced Germany to
accept full blame, took away their
colonies, and made them pay $33
billion in reparations to pay for the
destruction caused by the war
 The treaty also divided up land
from Austria-Hungary and Ottomon
empire into smaller, independent
countries (like Yugoslavia &
Poland)
Section 4: The Legacy of WW1
 Treaty of Versailles
 The League of Nations was also
part of the treaty and was heavily
debated
 The U.S. Senate argued for
weeks on whether to accept the
treaty and join the League of
Nations (didn’t want to get
involved in Europe’s problems
again)
 Wilson toured the country
intensely to try to drum up
support for the League of
Nations & the need for the U.S.
Section 4: The Legacy of WW1
 Treaty of Versailles
 Wilson suffered a stroke in
Sept, 1919 and never fully
recovered
 The U.S. didn’t accept
membership into the League of
Nations
 The reparations, etc. in the
treaty helped “sow the seeds”
with hurt feelings in Europe
that helped lead to WWII
Section 4: The Legacy of WW1
 Longing for Normalcy
 By 1920, labor strikes, race riots,
the Red Scare and the League of
Nations debate had worn citizens
out and voters wanted a break
 Warren G. Harding, Republican
candidate for the 1920
Presidential election promised a
“return to normalcy” for America
 Harding won a landslide election
and Americans looked toward a
new hope and a new beginning…
 Sound familiar???????
 Next slide for closure…
Closing Thoughts…
The world after WW1…
New countries in Europe & League of Nations
(but without the USA in it)
An angry and wounded Germany
Communism in Russia
The USA was tired of war, global issues, etc.
and was ready for a new President
On the horizon… the Roaring 20s and the
Great Depression