THE FIRST
WORLD WAR
1914-1918
Chapter 23: World War I
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World War I Begins
The United States Tries to Remain Neutral
The Nation Goes to War
Wilson Fights for Peace
Militarism
Assassination
Nationalism
Causes
Of
WWI
Imperialism
1. NATIONALISM
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A devotion to the interests
and culture of one’s nation.
(Love of your Country)
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This led to competition and
rivalries among nations
and ethnic groups were no
longer protected.
Russia and AustriaHungary disagreed over
the treatment of Serbs in
central Europe
2. IMPERIALISM
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Imperialism-Ambition of a powerful nation to
dominate the political, economic, and cultural
affairs of another nation or region
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Seizure of a weaker country by a stronger
one
IMPERIALISM
 Colonies supplied
European nations with raw
materials and provided
markets for manufactured
goods
 As Germany
industrialized it competed
directly with France and
Britain
 Major European countries
also competed for land in
Africa
3. MILITARISM
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Militarism—policy of glorifying military
power, preparing an army
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The development of armed forces and their
use as a tool of diplomacy.
MILITARISM
 Empires had to be
defended and European
nations increased military
spending enormously in the
late 19th and early 20th
century
 By 1890 the strongest
nation militarily in Europe
was Germany
 Germany had a strong
army and built up a navy to
rival England’s fleet
 France, Italy, Japan and
the United States quickly
joined in the naval buildup
#19
Battleships were being stockpiled by European
nations, Japan and America in the late 19th and
early 20th century
4. ALLIANCE SYSTEM
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Members of alliances attack a
nation if one of their Allies or
themselves are attacked.
By 1907 there were two
major defense alliances in
Europe
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The Triple Entente, later
known as the
Allies
- France, Great Britain, and
Russia
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The Triple Alliance, later
known as the
Central Powers
- Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy,
and the Ottoman Empire
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5. ASSASSINATION
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Archduke Franz Ferdinand:
 Heir to AustrianHungarian throne.
 June 28, 1914
 Assassinated in
Sarajevo, Bosnia by a
Serbian nationalist
(Gavrilo Princip)
Balkan Region of Europe
 The Balkan region was considered
“the powder keg of Europe” due to
competing interests in the area
 Russia wanted access to the
Mediterranean Sea
 Germany wanted a rail link to the
Ottoman Empire
 Austria-Hungary, which had taken
control of Bosnia in 1878, accused
Serbia of subverting its rule over
Bosnia
The Archduke is assassinated in
Sarajevo in June 1914
Bosnian Crisis of 1908
Another conflict was incited by the Austria-Hungarian annexation of the former Turkish province
of Bosnia in 1908. The Greater Serbian movement had as an object the acquisition of Slavic
Bosnia, so Serbia threatened war on Austria-Hungary. Russia had pledged their support to Serbia,
so they began to mobilize, which caused Germany, allied with Austria-Hungary, to threaten war
on Russia. The beginning of World War I was postponed when Russia backed down, but relations
between Austria- Hungary and Serbia were greatly strained.
Ultimatum- list of demands, that if not
met will lead to serious consequences
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Demands:
Serbian government would condemn all propaganda
against Austria- Hungary and suppress publication and
societies that opposed Austria- Hungary
Serbia would ban from its schools books and teachers
who did not favor Austria- Hungary.
Serbia would dismiss any officials who had promoted
propaganda against Austria-Hungary
Austro-Hungarian officials would participate in the
proceedings against those accused of the crime at
Sarajevo.
It Serbia didn’t agree Austria-Hungary would resort to
military action.
Alliance System kicks in
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Small conflict escalates to World War
Austria-Hungary assumed it would achieve a
quick victory declared war on Serbia on July
28th after the time limit of the ultimatum
expired (Russia moves troops towards
Austria/German border)
August 1, 1914 Germany declared War on
Russia.
August 3, 1914 Germany declared war on
France figuring they would help Russia
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The alliance system
pulled one nation after
another into war.
Section 2: The United States Tries to
Remain Neutral
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President Wilson
 “He kept us out of
war”
 We favor the allies
America & the War
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Americans did not want to join a war over
3,000 miles away.
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Most Americans had ties in Europe, they still
had relatives there.
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Germany’s style of attacking made
Americans lean towards the Allies
America (con’t)
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America’s economy was tied more with the
Allies’ nations than the Central Powers
nations.
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The U.S. had a labor shortage during the war.
The U.S. sent more goods to the Allies’ side
than the Central Powers’ side.
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Germany Invades Belgium
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August 3, 1914 – Germany invades Belgium
in order to reach France quickly.
Great Britain declared war on Germany for
invading their ally and also on AustriaHungary.
WWI HAS BEGUN !!!!
THE FIGHTING BEGINS
Schlieffen Plan- German plan
to defeat France, then fight
Russia
This plan called for a quick
strike through Belgium to
Paris, France, then, Germany
would attack Russia
 The plan was designed to
prevent a two-front war for
Germany
The Schliefflen Plan
THE WAR BECOMES A STALEMATE
 Unable to save Belgium, the
Allies retreated to the Marne River
in France where they halted the
German advance in September of
1914
 Both sides dug in for a long
siege
 By the spring of 1915, two
parallel systems of deep trenches
crossed France from Belgium to
Switzerland
Between enemy trenches was
“no man’s land” – an area
pockmarked with shell craters and
filled with barbed wire
British soldiers standing in mud
FIRST BATTLE OF THE
SOMME
 During the First Battle of the
Somme - which began July 1, 1916
and lasted until mid-November –
the British suffered 60,000
casualties the first day
 Final casualties for the First
Battle of the Somme totaled 1.2
million, yet only 7 miles of ground
was gained
Gas attacks were common
features of trench life and often
caused blindness and lung
disease
 This bloody trench warfare, in
which armies fought for mere
yards of ground, lasted for three
years
Weapons of World War I
Innovations in Warfare
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Industrialized war (mass production)
Machine gun- rapid firing bullets
Trenches were dug and used
1916 tank was 1st introduced by British. Armored
vehicle/ mounted guns
Airplane- used to watch troop movements and drop
bombs.
Germany was 1st to introduce submarines (U-Boats)
Germany also used poison gas
German soldiers in their trenches near Antwerp (September 1914)
A British trench - the soldier on the right is on guard - the others are resting.
Dead bodies in a trench after an attack
Horse
Casualties
German soldiers after rat hunting in their trenches
German soldiers lice hunting in the trenches near Reims (1915)
Blinded by Mustard Gas
Animals were also
susceptible to gas
THE WAR HITS HOME
 During the first two years of
the war, America was providing
(selling) the allied forces
dynamite, cannon powder,
submarines, copper wire and
tubing and other war material
 Both the Germans and British
imposed naval blockades on
each other
German U-boat 1919
 The Germans used U-boats
(submarines) to prevent
shipments to the North Atlantic
 Any ship found in the waters
around Britain would be sunk
German U-Boat
THE LUSITANIA DISASTER
 United States involvement in
World War I was hastened by the
Lusitania disaster
 The Lusitania was a British
passenger liner that carried 1,198
persons on a fateful trip on May 7,
1915
 A German U-boat sank the British
passenger liner killing all aboard
including 128 American tourists
 The Germans claimed the ship
was carrying Allied ammunition
 Americans were outraged and
public opinion turned against
Germany and the Central Powers
May 7, 1915
The N.Y. Times reports on the Lusitania
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Unrestricted Naval Warfare
Contraband- goods forbidden by
law to be imported or exported;
smuggled merchandise
British Blockade – “Hunger
Blockade”
Sussex Pledge- a pledge issued
by the Germans in 1916, after
the sinking of the Sussex,
promising that no more
merchant ships would be sunk
without warning
U.S. Neutrality Tested
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Wilson Reelected
Eastern Front-site of
main fighting along
the German-Russian
border
 Russia crumbles
 Bolshevik
Revolution
 Brest-Litovsk
Treaty- Russian
Peace Treaty with
Germany in 1918
Zimmerman Note
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A telegram that was
intercepted by the U.S.
The telegram was from
Germany to Mexico.
Germany’s leader told
Mexico that if Mexico
invaded the U.S., that
they (Germany) would
help them.
Pres. Wilson and
Congress agreed to join
the war.
Zimmerman
note
intercepted
by a British
agent and
decoded
A SECTION 3: THE NATION GOES
TO WAR
 A light drizzle fell on
Washington on April 2, 1917,
as senators, representatives,
ambassadors, members of the
Supreme Court, and other
guests crowded into the
Capital building to hear Wilson
deliver his declaration of war
 Wilson said, “The world
must be safe for democracy”
 Congress passed the
resolution a few days later
 America was not ready for war –
only 200,000 men were in service
when war was declared
Selective Service Act (May 1917)Law which requires men to register to
be randomly selected for military
service by the government.
 By the end of 1918, 24 million had
signed up and almost 3 million were
called to duty
 About 2 million American troops
reached Europe
WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD
 The War Industries Board
(WIB) encouraged companies
to use mass-production
techniques
 Under the WIB, industrial
production and wages
increased 20%
 Union membership almost
doubled during the war years –
from 2.5 million to 4 million
 To deal with disputes
between management and
labor, President Wilson set up
the National War Labor Board
in 1918
Poster encouraging production
VICTORY GARDENS
 To conserve food, Wilson set
up the Food Administration
(FA)
 The FA declared one day a
week “meatless” another
“sweetless” and two days
“wheatless”
 Homeowners planted
“victory gardens” in their
yards
 Schoolchildren worked afterschool growing tomatoes and
cucumbers in public parks
 Farmers increased
production by almost 30% by
adding 40 million acres of
farmland
WOMEN IN THE
WAR
 Many women were called upon
to take on jobs previously held
by men who were serving in the
war
 They became railroad workers,
cooks, dockworkers, factory
workers, and miners
 Many women served as
volunteers in organizations such
as the Red Cross
 Their service hastened the
passage of the 19th Amendment
in 1920 giving women the right
to vote
Rosie the Riveter was the symbol of
women’s war contributions
SELLING THE WAR
 The U.S. had two major
tasks; raising money and
convincing the public to
support the war
 The U.S. spent $35.5
billion on the war effort
 The government raised
about 1/3 of that through an
income tax and “sin” taxes
 The rest was raised
through war bonds sold to
the public (Liberty Loans &
Victory Loans)
PROPAGANDA- ideas, facts, or rumors spread
deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause.
-newspapers, magazines, fliers etc… were used to stir up
nationalism
 To popularize the war, the
government set up the nations
first propaganda agency called
the Committee on Public
Information (CPI)
 George Creel led the agency
and persuaded many of the
nation’s artists to create
thousands of paintings,
posters, cartoons and
sculptures to promote the war
ATTACK ON CIVIL LIBERTIES
 As the war progressed, Civil
Liberties were compromised
 Anti-Immigrant feelings were openly
expressed especially anti-German and
Austrian- Hungarian
 Espionage and Sedition Acts- the
acts passed by Congress in 1917 &
1918 to control dissent by allowing
censorship of magazines,
newspapers, and films
 Designed to prevent anti-war
protests, but went against spirit of
First Amendment (Free speech)
 Socialists and labor leaders were
targeted
Any anti-American
sentiments were targeted
during wartime
Allies Defeat Germany
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Breaking the Blockade
 Admiral William S. Sims
Convoy System- means of protecting merchant
ships from U-boat attacks by having the ships
travel with a large group of destroyers (used in
WWI & WWII)
Fighting in Europe
 Western Front
nd Battle of the Marne
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Armistice Signed – “ALL Quiet on the Western
Front”
AMERICAN TROOPS GO ON
THE OFFENSIVE
 When Russia surrendered to
the Germans in 1917, it allowed
the Central Powers to focus on
the Western Front
 By May, the Germans were
within 50 miles of Paris
Men of the 42nd Division during the
Second Marne. These men were
killed by artillery fire just 5 minutes
after this photo was taken
 The Americans arrived and
immediately played a major role in
pushing the Germans back
In July and August the Americans
helped the Allies win the Second
Battle of the Marne
John “BlackJack” Pershing
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Eastern Front-site of main fighting along
the German-Russian border
 Russia crumbles
 Bolshevik Revolution
 Brest-Litovsk Treaty- Russian Peace
Treaty with Germany in 1918
THE END
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Italy will switch from the Central
Powers to the Allies during the
war.
Austria-Hungary surrendered to
the Allies on Nov. 3, 1918.
On Nov. 9, 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm
abdicates his throne and takes
refuge in the Netherlands
German sailors and soldiers
refused to fight.
Germany agreed to an armistice
on Nov. 11, 1918
Armistice was on 11th month, 11th
day, 11th hour
SECTION 4: WILSON FIGHTS
FOR PEACE
 Despite hero’s welcome in Europe,
Wilson’s plan for peace would be
rejected by the Allies
“Fourteen points”- President
Wilson’s plan for world peace
 Included in his “points”
were:
 No secret treaties
 Freedom of the Seas
 More free trade
 Reduction of arms
 Less colonialism
 League of Nations to
promote peace
Wilson’s 14
points in
his own
short hand

14 Points Plan
 Causes of War (1st
Five)
 Self-Determinationthe right of a people to
freely decide upon its
own political status or
form of government
 Formation of League
of Nations
League of Nations
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This would provide a place for nations to
discuss and settle their problems without
going to war.
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Most Allies wanted revenge on Germany and
did not agree with the Fourteen Points.
BIG FOUR
They worked out the Treaty’s details
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Woodrow Wilson
(USA)
David Lloyd George
(England)
George Clemenceau
(France)
Vittorio Orlando (Italy)
The Big Four met at Versailles
ALLIES REJECT WILSON”S
PLAN, SIGN TREATY
 Wilson conceded on most of
his 14 points in return for the
establishment of the League of
Nations
 On June 28, 1919, the Big Four
and the leaders of the defeated
nations gathered in the Hall of
Mirrors at Versailles and signed
the Treaty of Versailles
Hall of Mirrors
Treaty of Versailles
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The treaty which ended WWI.
Britain, U.S., France, and Italy (BIG FOUR)
decided the end of WWI.
Russia, even though on their side, was not
invited to the conference.
New nations were formed: Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Finland, and
Iraq.
Treaty of Versailles
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1. Germany was blamed for the causing the
entire war: War-guilt clause
2. Germany had to reduce the size of their
army and navy, could not develop air force
3. Germany had to stop all creation of war
materials.
4. Germany had to pay reparations- money to
all of the Allies.
Treaty (con’t)
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5. Germany had to pay $33 billion to the
Allies.
6. Germany had to recognize Belgium,
Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria as
nations.
7. Germany had to return Alsace-Lorraine to
France.
8. Germany had to give up West Prussia
Treaty (con’t)
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9. Germany had to give up overseas
colonies.
10. Germany had to give up land.
- Germany could not afford to pay the money
to the Allies.
-Germany was upset that they alone were to
blame for the war.
U.S.
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Many people in the U.S. thought the treaty
was harsh.
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Congress was against the League of Nations
The U.S. did not join the League of Nations
and signed their own treaty with Germany.
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New Nations
9 new countries created:
-Some were Finland, Estonia, Poland,
Yugoslavia, & Czechoslovakia
Austria-Hungary was split into two separate
nations and land was taken away from them
The Treaty broke up the Austro-Hungarian
Empire and the Ottoman Empire empires
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Legacy of Treaty
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Germany is angry and wants revenge, will
help lead to WWII.
Germany can not pay the $33 billion.
Germany is forced into a severe economic
depression.
U.S. Senate refuses to pass treaty due to the
League of Nations.
Senate does not want to get involved in
European affairs and wars.
Legacy of War
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U.S. has a strong military
Europe is devastated by the war.
Germans wanted revenge for what was taken
away from them.
Adolf Hitler later promises Germany that they
will once rise again.
Costs of the War
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Costs had huge consequences
10 million dead, 20 million wounded (many
crippled for life)
Germany lost 1.8 million soldiers, Russia
around the same, France 1.4 million, AustriaHungary 1 million, Great Britain 1 million,
U.S. lost 120,000 in battle.
Civilian casualties were also high
Estimated total costs of war $300 billion
World years after WWI