FRONTS:
-WESTERN
-EASTERN
-ITALIAN
-BALKAN
WESTERN FRONT
Schleiffen Plan
“Paris for
lunch, dinner
in St.
Petersburg.”
 Failed
 475 miles
of
trenches
formed in
NE France
NO MAN’S LAND
But No Man's Land is a goblin sight
When patrols crawl over at dead o' night
Boche or British, Belgian or French,
You dice with death when you cross the trench
James H. Knight-Adkin
No Man's Land
VERDUN, FRANCE
1 million dead in 6 months - War of Attrition
 “They shall not Pass”
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EASTERN FRONT
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Lack of modern
technology caused
huge Russian
losses
1917-RUSSIAN
REVOLUTION—
more on that later
Lenin signs Treaty
of Brest-Litovsk to
end Russian
participation-- lost
1/4 of country
and population
and significant
portion of industry
BALKAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN FRONT
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Ottoman Empire joins
Central Powers
1915- Allies landed on
Gallipoli Peninsula to
try to capture the
Dardanelles as a way
to supply Russia but
failed and abandoned
the approach.
Only victories were in
the Middle East
against the Ottomans.
TE Lawrence rallied
Arab support – in
return they were
promised support for
independence.
ITALIAN FRONT


1915- Italy
joins Allies to
fight AustriaHungary after
being promised
lands in
southern
Austria and
along the
Adriatic coast
Devastating
fighting and
losses
1917—US ENTERS THE WAR

Unrestricted
submarine warfare



German submarine
attacks on
merchant and
passenger ships
British liner
Lusitania sunk! –
1200 killed (128
Americans killed)
Zimmermann Note


Early 1917 from
German foreign
minister
(Zimmermann) to
his Ambassador in
Mexico
Support Germany
and you can
“reconquer” lost US
territory
MOBILIZING FOR TOTAL WAR

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Total war- utilizing all resources in the war effort, huge
sacrifices on civilians at home
Governments had strong control over industry and society
to insure war needs were met
Many food and materials were rationed (rubber, fuel, metal
etc.)
Civilians were encouraged to grow Victory Gardens (their
own food) so that farms could produce for the soldiers
Germany- all men between the ages 17-60 who were not at
the front had to work wherever the government needed
them
1916-England introduced conscription (draft) in order to
combat Germany’s army
Many men from British colonies served in the British army.
PROPAGANDA—HOW TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO
SUPPORT, FINANCE AND FIGHT IN THE WAR?
NEW JOBS FOR WOMEN


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The role of women in w. Europe changed
dramatically because of the war
With nearly 65 million men mobilized on both sides
of the war, women’s employment shifted to the civil
and industrial jobs (traditionally held by men)
Women worked with munitions and chemicals, as
train conductors, secretaries, bus drivers, bank
tellers, fire fighters, and construction workers.
In Britain alone women employment rose by
approx. 1 million
WOMEN WORKING IN MUNITIONS FACTORY
NEW JOBS FOR WOMEN CON’T

Some middle - upper class women
contributed to the war by serving in
paramilitary organizations
 Voluntary
Aid Detachment- nurses
 Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps- cooks, drivers,
and mechanics
 Women’s Royal Navy Service
 Women’s royal Air Force
 Women’s Land Army- secured supplies for
soldiers and aided families at home
NEW JOBS FOR WOMEN CON’T
WOMEN’S WAGES
Despite working the same jobs as men, women
were paid less
 However the steady and decent working hours
and pay were a great improvement over
traditional work
 Laid the foundation for equal rights and
women’s sufferage (voting)

WOMEN’S CHANGING ROLE
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After the war most women were demobilized (forced
out of their jobs), to make room for returning soldiers.
This created great hardship for women who were now
the support provider for their family
More women began to wear pants, and refused to
return to domestic work and poor pay
Women who kept their factory jobs usually moved out
and lived on their own
Women gained the right to vote in most w. European
nations
Women raised their expectations of their role in society
NEW WEAPONS
WAR ENDS—ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
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Naval Blockade and
fresh supplies and
troops from the US help
to break German lines
on the Western Front in
1918
Bulgaria surrenders in
September
Turkey surrenders in
October
Austria-Hungary
surrenders in November
Germans revolt against
Kaiser and establish
Weimar Republic
Armistice declared
11/11/1918 at 11AM.
Mobilized
Dead
Wounded
Missing/POW
Russia
12,000,000
1,700,000
4,950,000
2,500,000
France
8,410,000
1,375,800
4,266,000
537,000
Germany
11,000,000
1,773,700
4,216,058
1,152,800
Austria-Hungary
7,800,000
1,200,000
3,620,000
2,200,000
Great Britain
8,904,467
908,371
2,090,212
191,652
Italy
5,615,000
650,000
947,000
600,000
Turkey
2,850,000
325,000
400,000
250,000
USA
4,355,000
126,000
234,300
4,526
Bulgaria
1,200,000
87,500
152,390
27,029
Serbia
707,343
45,000
133,148
152,958
Rumania
750,000
335,706
120,000
80,000
Belgium
267,000
13,716
44,686
34,659
Greece
230,000
5,000
21,000
1,000
Portugal
100,000
7,222
13,751
12,318
Montenegro
50,000
3,000
10,000
7,000
Japan
800,000
300
907
3
VOICES OF DESPAIR
The effects of modern warfare also affected
European life at home.
 The public was horrified by the # of deaths, and
injuries (amputations, burns and shell shock)
 Pop. culture that was once filled with patriotic
songs now reflected hatred towards the war.
(Lost Generation)
