Transcript WWI Overview File - Learn District 196

The Great War
A Brief Overview
Europe Before the War
• In 1914, Europe was controlled by strong
nations that were all seeking to expand
their power and saw their neighbors as
threats. They saw alliances as a way to
protect themselves from aggressive
neighbors.
Europe in 1914
Alliances
• There were two major alliances that had
formed before 1914, the Triple Entente
(often known as the Allied Powers) and
the Central Powers. Small nations often
sought the protection of larger nations.
The Alliances
The Spark
• Europe was ready to erupt into war and all
it took was a spark to ignite the continent.
The Assassination
The Chain Reaction
• Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the
assassination and declares war.
• Russia, Serbia’s ally began preparing their
army to help Serbia.
• Germany, Austria-Hungary’s ally then
attacked Russia.
• France, Russia’s ally began preparing
their army to help Russia.
The Chain Reaction
• Germany then attacked France.
• As Germany attacked France, they
invaded Belgium, bringing Belgium's ally
Great Britain into the war.
• Germany’s ally, the Ottoman Empire
(Turkey) attacked Russia, entering the
war.
Trench Warfare
• The German army was stopped just
outside Paris.
• The western front became a stalemate.
• Both sides dug into trenches to avoid
machine gun fire and other modern
weaponry.
A War of Attrition
• Neither side would give up.
• Both thought that if they killed enough of
their opponents that they would eventually
win.
• And so, the killing continued for years.
Meanwhile, Back in the USA
• The US remained neutral, not wanting to
get involved in someone else’s war.
Essay Prompt
• Analyze the primary reasons the
United States declared war in
1917.
However, we wanted to make
money…
• So, the US sold weapons and other
supplies to the Allies. We also lent them
billions to buy these goods.
• Germany thought this was unfair, so they
began to attack American ships with their
submarines (U-boats).
Famous Example
The Lusitania
Song: Over There
• Johnnie, get your gun,
Get your gun, get your gun,
Take it on the run,
On the run, on the run.
Hear them calling, you and me,
Every son of liberty.
Hurry right away,
No delay, go today,
Make your daddy glad
To have had such a lad.
Tell your sweetheart not to pine,
To be proud her boy's in line.
• Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum-tumming
Everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over
Over there.
• Johnnie, get your gun,
Get your gun, get your gun,
Johnnie show the Hun
Who's a son of a gun.
Hoist the flag and let her fly,
Yankee Doodle do or die.
Pack your little kit,
Show your grit, do your bit.
Yankee to the ranks,
From the towns and the tanks.
Make your mother proud of you,
And the old Red, White and Blue.
• Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there That the Boys are coming,
The Boys are coming,
The drums rum-tumming
Everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over
Over there.
The Declaration of War
• After years of resisting, the US finally
declared war on Germany and its allies in
1917.
• Major reasons the US declared war
were…
Why the US Went to War
• German submarine warfare—In the 1916
Sussex Pledge Germany promised the US
that they would restrict submarine warfare,
but they returned to a policy of unrestricted
submarine warfare in 1917.
More Reasons
• US had more economic ties with the Allies.
• US sympathized with the democratic
governments of Britain and France.
• Anti-German propaganda and The
Zimmerman telegram increased antiGerman feelings in the US.
• Wilson saw the war as an opportunity to
“make the world safe for democracy”
The Home front
Espionage Act (1917)
• The Espionage Act dealt with a wide range of issues,
from criminalizing various acts of espionage to protecting
shipping. Mostly it was uncontroversial. The act is
remembered, however, for those provisions that affected
civil liberties.
• For example the act made it a crime, punishable by up to
twenty years' imprisonment and a $10,000 fine, to "make
or convey false reports or false statements with intent to
interfere with the operation or success of the military or
naval forces of the United States" and to "cause or
attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or
refusal of duty in the military or naval forces ... or ...
willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of
the United States.“
Sedition Act, 1918
• Congress enacted the Sedition Act, which amended
the Espionage Act, on May 16, 1918. Most notably,
it added a variety of prohibited acts including:
• “any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive
language about the form of government of the
United States, or the Constitution of the United
States, or the military or naval forces of the United
States, or the flag of the United States, or the
uniform of the Army or Navy of the United States, or
any language intended to bring [any of the above]
into contempt, scorn, contumely, or disrepute.”
War Industries Board
• The War Industries Board (WIB)
was a United States government
agency established on July 28,
1917, during World War I, to
coordinate the purchase of war
supplies.[1] The organization
encouraged companies to use
mass-production techniques to
increase efficiency and urged
them to eliminate waste by
standardizing products.
Armistice
• At 11AM on 11-11-1918, the fighting
stopped after Germany agreed to
surrender.
• A formal peace treaty ending the war was
signed in 1919.
Death Toll
There were over 16 million deaths in World War
I ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in
human history. The total number of deaths
includes about 10 million military personnel and
about 7 million civilians. The Entente Powers
(also known as the Allies) lost about 6 million
soldiers while the Central Powers lost about 4
million. About two-thirds of military deaths in
World War I were in battle. (Wikipedia)
The Aftermath of World War I
14 Points
• By 1918, the Allies were likely to
win the war and began thinking
about what the terms of the final
peace treaty should be.
• In January of 1918, Woodrow
Wilson gave a speech to the US
congress outlining his plans for
peace. Because he had 14
points, the speech became
known as Wilson’s 14 Points
(quite creative).
14 Points Summary
•Replacing secret diplomacy with open diplomacy
•Freedom of the seas.
•Removal of international trade barriers and establishment of
equal trading conditions.
•Reduction of armaments (military) to the lowest point consistent
with public safety.
•Adjustment of colonial claims, taking into account the interests
of the colonial population as well as those of the rival colonial
powers.
•Evacuation of German troops from occupied territories.
•Redraw the map of Europe & the Middle East based on
nationality.
•Establishment of a general association of nations to protect
large and small nations alike.
Wilson the Idealist
• Wilson hoped that World War I would be
the war to end wars and that it would
“make the world safe for democracy”
The Armistice
• Germany agreed to a ceasefire (armistice) on Nov. 11,
1918. They hoped that the
14 points would be a basis
for the final peace
agreement, but this had to be
negotiated.
The Versailles Peace Conference
• At the Paris Peace Conference in the
spring of 1919, nations met to make
a peace treaty. The Conference was
led by the “Big Four,” Britain, France,
United States, Italy. The first three in
particular made the important
decisions. Wilson became the first
American president to travel to
Europe while in office. He personally
headed the American delegation.
Georges Clemenceau (France), Woodrow Wilson (USA) and
David Lloyd George (UK) on the day the treaty was signed.
The Versailles Peace Conference
• The European powers were determined to punish
Germany for the war. None of the defeated nations had
any say in shaping the treaty. The German delegation
was presented with the treaty it had no say in; it was
shocked at the severity of the terms and protested the
contradictions between the assurances made when the
armistice was negotiated and the actual treaty. Wilson
did not agree with the punishment of Germany, but
accepted it to get his greatest wish—the creation of a
league of nations.
The Treaty of Versailles
The US Senate Debates the
Treaty
• Wilson needed 2/3 of the Senate to ratify
the treaty
• Wilson strongly supported the treaty and
campaigned for it. He had the support of
some Senators.
• Some Senators opposed the treaty
altogether
• Others wanted Wilson to compromise on
some provisions.
Article X
“The Members of the League undertake to
respect and preserve as against external
aggression the territorial integrity and
existing political independence of all
Members of the League. In the case of
any such aggression or in case of any
threat or danger of such aggression the
Council shall advise upon the means by
which this obligation shall be fulfilled.”
Senate Rejects
• Wilson suffered a stroke while
campaigning for the treaty and was never
the same.
• He refused to compromise in any way and
this resulted in the treaty being defeated.
• The US never ratified the Treaty of
Versailles and never joined the League of
Nations.