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WWI Study Guide
1) Show the component parts of two opposing sides of WWI and major countries which made up each
side?
WWI was fought between the Central Powers and the Allies. The major
countries that made up the Central Powers were Germany, AustriaHungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. The major countries that
made up the Allies were Russia, France, Italy, Serbia, and Great Britain.
2) What were the major causes of WWI and the effects of each that led to war?
There were many causes to WWI: The first cause was the assassination
of the Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand. Even though this has been said to be
the event the started the war, there were also underlying causes.
1. Imperialism played a role in causing WWI because France and Great
Britain had numerous colonies in Africa. Germany had far less and
believed it deserved more.
2. Nationalism played a role in starting WWI because many people felt
strong senses of pride and loyalty for their countries and wanted to
prove that their countries were the best.
3. Militarism played a role in starting WWI because countries began to
build up their navies and armed forces.
4. Alliances played a role in starting WWI due to countries becoming
bound or attached to deals or promises they made. Once one country
declares war, all the rest must enter due to alliances. Like a row of
dominos, any country that was part of an alliance would be forced to
enter the war.
3) Define trench warfare. Identify the advancements in technology which made trench warfare especially
deadly.
Trench warfare was a new style of fighting introduced in WWI. It
involved soldiers digging deep trenches across the battlefield. Each side
would then “live” in their trenches and fight against the enemy from
their trench.
1. The introduction of poisonous gasses such as chlorine gas and
muster gas left soldiers crippled, unable to breathe, with burning
eyes and skin.
2 . The machine gun also added to the dangers of trench warfare.
Soldiers could now aim their guns at the opposing trench and fire
up to 600 bullets per minute.
3 Tanks: could go over barbed wire and over trenches to reach the
enemy
4 Airplanes: Could spy on the enemy or shoot at the trenches from
the air and bomb enemy positions
5 Submarines: could sneak up on ships ,naval or cargo, and sink
them.
4) Classify with related details the reasons why the U.S. entered WWI.
The two events that led the United States to enter the war were the
unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann telegram.
a. Unrestricted submarine warfare: German U-boats would sink any
allied or neutral shipping, usually without warning. Although
many ships were sunk, The Lusitania is the most famous example.
After the sinking, Pres. Wilson got the Germans to agree to stop
USW. However, in Feb of 1917 the Germans resumed USW and
with ships being sunk Wilson wanted to declare war.
b. Tensions between the United States and Germany heightened
after the discovery of the Zimmermann telegram. British officials
intercepted a telegram sent by the German foreign minister,
Arthur Zimmermann, intended for Mexico. In the telegram,
Zimmermann proposed to have Mexico join forces with the
Central Powers. In exchange, Germany would help Mexico gain its
lost territories of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. British officials
passed the telegram on to American officials who informed
President Wilson.
Outline of Section 2 Chapter 23
Raising an Army and a Navy
The US was not ready to fight a war because the military had only
about 200,000 men, so the US had to start the draft.
The Selective Service Act
The SSA required all males 21 or over to register for the draft, and
nearly 3 million men were drafted.
Wilson and Gen. Pershing wanted to keep the US troops
independent of the allied forces which would guarantee the US a
major role in peace talks
Nearly 400,000 African Americans served.
Women Volunteer
Nearly 40,000 women volunteered to serve. Many did clerical
(office work), some worked for the Red Cross and others were
Nurses.
Civilians Raise Money and Economize
To help pay for the war the govt issued war bonds that the people
bought. War bonds were loans by civilians to fund the war.
People economized (saved and reused); rolled bandages, collected
metal, knit socks and sweaters, victory gardens, and rationed (used
smaller portions or limited amounts) of foods and resources.
Controlling the Economy and Information
To control the economy to help the war effort, the govt. set up the
War Industries Board: managed all industries that were related to
the war.
The Committee of Public Information was also set up that
produced propaganda; influenced the people to be in favor of the
war.
Attacks on Civil Liberties and Dissent
Congress passed the Espionage Act, which set large fines or prison
terms on people who acted against the war effort, and the Sedition
Act, which made it illegal to criticize the govt.
5) Recount the Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States including the reason it was important.
*Schenck v. United States was a Supreme Court
*Charles Schenck who was arrested for violating the Espionage Act.
*CS was distributing pamphlets, which spoke negatively about the draft
and the US involvement in WWI. CS claimed that his 1st amendment
rights had been violated. All the SC justices stated that one’s freedom of
speech was limited during wartime. They said that Schenck’s pamphlets
endangered the war effort and should not have protection under the 1st
amendment. Schenck served time for the crime. The significance of the
case was the limiting of freedom of speech. No longer could anyone say
anything negative about the war effort or the government.
6) Using page 746, list and elaborate upon Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
Wilson’s Fourteen Points was his radical goal for peace after WWI.
Wilson’s plan called for smaller military forces, an end to secret treaties,
freedom of the seas, free trade, treating colonies fairly, and changes to
national boundaries. Lastly, the plan called for the creation of the
League of Nations. The League of Nations would be responsible for
peacefully settling future disputes to avoid another World War. The
League of Nations would allow for a “peace without victory”.
7) Identify the date WWI ended and the human costs of the war.
WWI ended on November 11, 1918 at 11:11am… the eleventh hour of
the eleventh day on the eleventh month. The human costs of the war
were staggering. About 8.5 million soldiers died in the war. About 21
million were wounded, and nearly 13 million civilians were killed, many
due to starvation and disease.
8) List the major provisions of the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace conference held in France following
the end of WWI. The goal was to determine what the next steps would
be for the countries involved in the war. Other Allie countries did not
share in Wilson’s plan for peace without victory.
1. The Allies wanted Germany to take all blame for the war and pay
$33 billion in reparations for the destruction caused by the war.
2. Germany had its colonies taken away and military reduced to 100,000
3. The treaty divided up the empires of Austria-Hungary and the
Ottoman Empire, and created new countries
4. Wilson did manage to include the League of Nations in the treaty.
However, the U.S. Senate did not approve of the League upon Wilson’s
return. The League of Nations would be adopted, but the United States
would not be a part of it.
The treaty caused major economic burdens for Germany. Germany had
a great deal of resentment towards to treaty as well. The treaty
ultimately planted the seeds for WWII.