The World War I Era
1914-1918
Central Question: When is a nation
justified in waging war?
The Road to War
The Causes
► Imperialism—competition
for land, colonies
and possessions intensified and Japan
joined the race as an imperialistic nation.
► Militarism—aggressively building military
strength in preparation for war—practiced
by Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great
Britain, and Russia
► Nationalism—countries
acted in their own
interest and ethnic minorities pushed for
independence.
► Alliances—countries entered into entangling
alliances both openly and secretly
The Catalyst
► Assassination
 Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand and wife Sophie
were visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia
 Serbian Nationalist, Gavrilo Princip shot them
both to death on June 28, 1914
 Austria blamed Serbia for the deaths.
The War Escalates
► July
28, 1914—Austria-Hungary declared
war on Serbia
► July 29—Russia (Serbia’s protector)
mobilized for war.
► Germany’s (A-H’s chief ally) warned Russia
and began mobilizing.
► France (Russia’s ally) began to mobilize
► August 1, 1914—Germany declared war on
Russia
► Germany
initiated the Schlieffen Plan (knock
out France quickly, then attack Russia)
► The German army took Belgium on the way
to France.
► August 4—British (Belgium’s protector)
declared war.
The Sides
► Central
Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and later the Ottoman Empire.
► Allies—Russia, France, Great Britain, Serbia,
and later the US, Italy, and Japan.
Stalemate
► Most
thought the war would end in 6
weeks.
► Neither side gained advantage and the
conflict became a war of attrition.
► Both sides soon settled into trench warfare.
Modern Warfare
► The
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War Introduced:
Machine guns
Long range artillery shells
Hand grenades
Poison gas
Tanks
Barbed Wire
Air planes / Dirigibles
America’s Response
► To
protect investments, Pres. Wilson
declared the US neutral on August 4, 1914.
► Americans were primarily isolationists.
► Most Americans, however, disliked the
Germans b/c of the Kaiser.
► Despite isolationism, there was a strong
“Preparedness” movement to prepare the
US if it were drawn into the war.
The US Declares War
German Submarine Warfare
► Germany
used U-Boats to attack ships w/o
warning.
► May 7, 1915—The Lusitania (UK ship) was
sunk and 128 Americans died.
► May 20, 1916—Germany sand a French
passenger ship the Sussex
► Under pressure Germany issued the Sussex
Pledge—warn ships b/4 attacking
Prelude to War
► February
1, 1917—Germany resumed
unrestricted submarine warfare.
► Feb 3—US broke diplomatic relations w/
Germany
► Zimmermann Note00Arthur Zimmermann
(GR Foreign Sec.) sent a note w/ a secret
offer to Mexico—regain lost lands in US in
exchange for joining the Central Powers
when war broke with the US.
► Russian
Revolution
 By 1917 had lost 1.8 million, 24 million were
POWs, and 2.8 million were sick or wounded.
 March 1917—Czar Nicholas II was overthrown
by Communists under Vladimir Lennin
 March 3, 1918 Russia Left the War
► March
16-18, 1917—Three US ships were
sank by the Germans
► War Declared
 April 6, 1917—Congress declared war.
Americans on the Front
Preparation
► Americans
were very unprepared for the
war. (120K enlisted 80K national guard)
► Forces were placed under Spanish-American
War veteran Gen. John J. Pershing.
► Pershing took 14,500 men to Europe.
► He then asked for 1 million by 1918 and 3
million by 1919.
► May
1917—Congressed Passed the Selective
Service Act
 24 million registered
 3 million were drafted
 Few objected b/c this was thought to be the
“War to end all wars.”
 Draftees, volunteers and Guardsmen became
the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)
► Navy
implemented the Convoy System—
Merchant and troops ships traveled
surrounded by destroyers and torpedo
boats.
Turning the Tide
► Overview
 When Russia left the war, GR turned all its
strength toward the UK and FR lines. It is the
arrival of the Americans that turns the tide of
the war.
► Americans
Save Paris
 Battle of Chateau-Thierry
►June
1918, GR forces were 50 miles from Paris
►Brigadier Gen. James G. Harbord declared, “We dig
no trenches to fall back on. The marines will hold
where the stand.”
►Paris was saved.
►US lost over ½ their men in the battle
► The
Allied Counter-Attack
 Began to use tanks to break GR lines
 August 8—Battle of Amiens—Allies stopped the
GR advance completely.
 Battle of St. Mihiel—Gen. Pershing defeated the
Germans and sent them into full retreat.
 Allies began to use planes to drop bombs
Corporal Alvin York
► Born
in Tennessee
► Fought in the final Allied assault—MeuseArgonne Offensive
► Single handedly killed 25 machine gunners
in a machine gun nest and captured 132
Germans.
► Later told the General, “. . . I would hate
to think I missed any of them shots; they
were all pretty close range—50 or 60
yards.”
Armistice
► Signed
Movember 11, 1918, at 11:00 AM
► Over 50K Americans died in battle; more of
sickness and disease.
► 8 million Europeans died / 5K a day
The Home Front
Paying for the War
► The
government sold Liberty Bonds to the
public.
► Raised over $20 million.
The War Economy
► War
Industries Board—oversaw war related
production.
► War Trade Board—regulated trade.
► War Labor Board / Labor Policies Board—
settled disputes, set wages, set hours, and
regulated working conditions.
► Congress
gave the President the power to
regulate food and fuel
 Price controls and rationing were instituted.
 Reduced consumption was encouraged—
“Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless
Wednesdays.”
 Daylight savings time was implemented to
reduce fuel consumption.
Enforcing Loyalty
► Americans
feared that foreigners might try
to undermine the war effort.
► There was great hostility toward Germans
and any immigrant.
► German Measles became “Liberty Measles;
Hamburger the “Liberty Burger”
► Congress passed the Espionage Act and
later the Sedition Act.
Prohibition
► 1917—Congress
proposed 18th Amendment
partly because of the need for grain.
► Ratified in 1919.
Peace!!!
Wilson’s Plan—The Fourteen Points
► Had
14 Provisions which included
An end to entangling alliances
Removal of trade barriers
Reduction of armaments
National self-determination for ethnic groups /
colonies.
 No spoils or reparations— “Peace without
Victory”
 Formation of the League of Nations
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Paris Peace Conference
► The
Other Allies wanted to divide up
Germany’s colonies.
► France pushed for the humiliation and
destruction of Germany.
► Wilson was forced to compromise.
Treaty of Versailles
► Germany
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was forced to:
Give up its colonies
Sign the War Guilt Clause
Pay the Allies $33 billion
Demilitarize the Rhineland
Dismantle its army
Give France control of the coal assets in the
Saar Valley
► Established
the League of Nations
► US Congress never ratified the treaty b/c of
the League of Nations provision. Congress
later negotiated separate peace w/ each of
the Central Powers.