The First World War

Chapter 23

1914-1920

The War Begins

W.W. I lasted 4 years (1914-1918)

15 million killed 80% died from disease,

starvation and exposure cost $350 billion millions killed are civilians <called How Twenty Marines

took Bouresches by Frank Schoonover

Causes of The Great War

1. Nationalism-ethnic groups speaking the same language wanted their own country.

Desire for freedom and self-government is so strong-willing to risk war.

2. Imperialism-competition for colonies to add to their empires

Russia and Austria-Hungary are rivals for Slavic dominance

France and Germany are in competition for Morocco

Great Britain and Germany in the Middle East and Africa

<Take up the Sword of Justice

Causes of World War I

3. A system of Alliances Collective Security Triple Entente becomes the

Allies in W.W. I-France, Great Britain, Russia

Triple Alliance becomes the Central Powers-Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

4. Militarism-stockpile weapons-arms race develops

strengthened navy <European Collective Security

The Start of the War

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife, Sophie

heir to the throne of the Austria-Hungary throne

June 28, 1914 Sarajevo in Bosnia Gavrilo Princip-teenaged

assassin who is a member of the black hand, a secret society to unite all Serbs under one rule

<Route of the Archduke and Sophie

The Start of the War

The system of Alliances goes into effect Austria-Hungary is determined to stamp

Serbian Nationalism out gives Serbs an ultimatum Serbs reject-July 28-Austria- Hungary

declares war on Serbia July 29-Russia orders a general

mobilization to help Serbia three days later-Germany declares War

on Russia on August 3-Germany declares war on

France August 4-Britain declares war on

Germany <Czar Nicholas II of Russia

Sides and Leaders of Countries

Allies: France, Britain, Russia, later: Japan and United States among others

Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, Ottoman Empire

<King Peter of Serbia

Leaders-Allies

Britain <King George V Prime Minister

Herbert Asquith

Leaders-Allies

France: Premier-Georges

Clemenceau President-Raymond

Poincare

Leaders-Allies

Russia: <Czar Nicholas II with son Tsarevich

Alexis

Leaders-Allies

Japan <Emperor Yoshihito

Leaders-Allies

Italy <King Vittorio

Emmanuel Premier-Vittorio

Orlando

Leaders-Allies

United States <Woodrow Wilson reelected in 1916-

slogan “He kept us out of War”

beats Charles Evan Hughes

Commander of the Allied Forces

Overall Commander of the Allied Forces-from France

Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Leaders-Central Powers

Germany <Kaiser Wilhelm-left

w/ sons

Leaders-Central Powers

Austria-Hungary <Franz Joseph-

Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary

Leaders-Central Powers

Turkey <Sultan Mohammed V

Leaders-Central Powers

Bulgaria <King Ferdinand

United States Policy

Beginning of the war “...impartial in thought, as well

as, in action!” neutrality Wilson offers to mediate CAN WE BE NEUTRAL? Ethnic business cultural ties

<Dead at Champagne

Violation of Neutrality

By British First: Britain controls the seas at first, British are just stopping

ships with contraband destined for Germany

later try to stop all trade blockaded: Denmark,

Netherlands, Sweden by 1915-it had strangled

American trade with the Central Powers and neutral states

Britain never pushed too far <British fleet

Violation of American Neutrality

Germany: Submarine Warfare- Germany uses Subs to break

Allies blockade May 7, 1915-British Submarine

torpedoed British Passenger liner <Lusitania off the Irish coast

1198 people go down-128 Americans

Wilson demands a cease on attacks on Passenger liners

Germany publicly does not give in-privately does

Violation of American Neutrality

Sussex Pledge-March 1916-Germans pledge not to torpedo liners, but if hunger blockades were not lifted, they would begin unrestricted sub warfare again

Early 1917-Germany resumes unrestricted Submarine warfare

gambled the sub could assure victory before the United States could have an effect on the war

Wilson breaks diplomatic relations ZIMMERMAN AFFAIR: British intercept message from

German Foreign Secretary-<Alfred Zimmerman to Mexico

Violation of American Neutrality

If Mexico enters on the side of the Germans, when the Germans won, they would give them back New Mexico, Arizona and Texas

US publishes the note on March 1, 1917

After Germany sinks more ships, April 2, 1917-Wilson asks

Congress to declare War April 6, 1917-United States

declares war on Germany <Americans enlisting in Paris

The War in Europe

Germany invades Belgium Belgium is neutral, gateway to France Germany fighting on two fronts-

Russia in the East, France in the west Schlieffen Plan-fight France first-

then Russia-defeat the French-then unite the two armies and crush Russia

American accounts of the German Army entering Brussels

26 hours of men marching into Brussels

<Alfred von Schlieffen

Stalemate on the Western Front

Allies stop the advance of the Germans on the Marne River

results in Trench Warfare-trenches are deep enough to stand and fire their machine guns and still be protected

stalemate for 3 1/2 years 1916-Germans try to break

through but are thrown back at the Somme and Verdun

both sides suffer 100’s of 1000’s casualties

<English dead in a captured trench

Trenches

<Trench diagram (British)

New Weapons

Big Bertha-1914-hurl an 1800 pound shell nine miles

Poison Gas: Chlorine-suffocated and mustard burned the skin

Germans used first at Ypres in 1915

1916-British introduce tanks Germans retaliated with flame

throwers <British prototype “Little

Willie”

United States Goes to War

Involvement by the US comes at a crucial time-Germans are sinking ships 2x faster than replaced

Allies are shaky on land-French are wearied and Russians are tired of the war

US Navy immediately join British Draft-Selective Service Act of

1917-all men between the ages of 21-30 later 18-45

Congress gives President dictatorial power

<American Troops disembark in Paris in June of 1917

Wilson sets up six wartime agencies

War Industries Board-<Bernard M. Baruch

Food Administration-Herbert Hoover

U.S. Shipping Board-protect American Shipping

Emergency Fleet Corporation-build desperately needed ships

National War Labor Board-handle labor disputes

Committee on Public Information

Mobilization Continues

Committee on Public information staged pep rallies, propaganda:

Germans are evil Kaiser Wilhelm started the war Anti-German Hysteria Restaurant owners-Sauerkraut-

Liberty Cabbage-Hamburger-Liberty Steak

German Valley to Long Valley typical propaganda of the time Government takes over

transportation, communications

Disloyalty is crushed

Espionage Act of 1917- fine and imprison for anyone

who interfered with the draft or showed disloyalty

Sedition Act of 1918-punishment to anyone who wrote, said anything “...disloyal, profane, or scurrilous...” about the government

1500 people are convicted <Propaganda Poster

Americans Arrive

Just in time-Austria-Hungary almost crush an Italian Army in Serbia

Russian Revolution-2 Revolutions

1st Revolution makes the mistake of remaining in the war-<Alexander Kerensky

2nd-Bolshevik (Communist) offers Germany Peace-Vladmir Lenin-November of 1917

Free ups troops to go to the Western Front

Wilson Outlines the Peace Treaty

14 Points Plan-January 8, 1918 first 5 outline general principles-

freedom of the seas, reduction of arms

next 8 promise territorial adjustments including-

German evacuation of Russia, Belgium

the breakup of Austria-Hungary independence for Poland the 14th point is big one: offers

an association of nations keep world peace

The End of the War

Germans force the Bolsheviks (Russians) to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk-Gave Germany a slice of Eastern Europe

The Americans 1st large scale fighting-30,000 doughboys fought the Germans at Chateau-Thierry on the Marne River-27 miles from Paris

The American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) was led by <General John “Black Jack” Pershing

End of the War

Austria Hungary collapses-signs an armistice-Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates throne

Germany signs an armistice-the eleventh month, eleventh day, eleventh hour. ( November 11, 1918)

that ends the war-<Celebration of Armistice 1918

The Treaty of Versailles: some Americans want surrender not

armistice T.R. and other Republican leaders

attack 14 point plan-peace terms are too soft

Wilson takes treaty to the people

The Treaty of Versailles

Wilson in Paris-conference opens January 18, 1919

responsibilities fell on the <“Big Four”

Wilson (United States), David Lloyd George(Great Britain), Georges Clemenceau(France’s Premier), Vittorio E. Orlando(Italy’s Prime Minister)

Problems occur right away-Wilson wants to emphasize a League of Nations- France thinks peace should come first

Versailles Treaty

League of Nations becomes part of the peace treaty

Wilson drew up the league-Constitution-

2 main bodies-an assembly and a council (US, Britain, France, Italy, Japan)

Article 10- Heart of the covenant-Collective Security

this makes the Treaty a loser with the US

<The Symbol of the League of Nations

The Versailles Treaty

The Treaty itself: 1. Germany loses about 1/7th

of its land 2. Large reparations bill for

war damage 3. Admit guilt for starting the

war 4. Recognize the new states of

Eastern Europe created from Austria Hungary

5. League of Nations map of Germany in 1919

Reaction to the Treaty in the United States

<Henry Cabot Lodge-led a group called the “Irreconcilables”

Senator from Massachusetts believe that the United states

should be isolationist-stay out of European affairs

Lodge is chosen as the head of the Committee on Foreign Relations

on July 10, 1919-Wilson asks Congress to approve Treaty

Wilson knows Treaty is in trouble

Reaction to the Treaty in the United States

September 25, 1919-Wilson is on a speaking tour to promote the Treaty to the people

Pueblo, Colorado-Wilson collapses from exhaustion

returns to Washington and takes a stroke-incapacitates him for 6 months

Lodge recommends passage of Treaty with changes-The Lodge Reservations

protect the rights of the US to act independently to the League

Wilson thought it would destroy the League

Reaction to the Treaty in the United States

Wilson urges Democrats not to accept changes

Senate votes 2 x on the Treaty both are turned down Election of 1920: Wilson could not believe the United

States would not be part of the League of Nations-wanted to make a referendum-Americans are sick of it

Democrats ignore Wilson-nominate-James M. Cox with Franklin D. Roosevelt as the VP

Republicans-<Warren G. Harding-(Ohio) with Calvin Coolidge

The Election of 1920

Republican’s platform- 1. Higher tariff 2. lower taxes 3. Immigration restrictions 4. Promises of return to

normalcy <Calvin Coolidge Republicans win

Results in Photos

World War I’s Death and destruction

World War I: From Dutch Archives-Death and Destruction

The Time Between the Wars

The Collapse of Old Empires seen as the triumph of Democracy Russia, Germany, Austria Hungary all fell Wilson wanted a Europe based on Self-determination-

government chosen by the people each nationality group are to be free to set up its own

government or join existing countries eg.-Poles in Poland, Czechs and Slovaks in

Czechoslovakia, Southern Slavs in Yugoslavia most new forms are Representative governments

The Time Between Wars

All this hope is dashed by the Great Depression people felt the effects and thus governments new types of governments form Japanese proclaim the “Japanese Monroe Doctrine” and attack the

mainland of Asia Totalitarian governments take shape- form of Dictatorship-single political party, subordinates the wishes of

the people to make the state more powerful Russia-Lenin, Stalin Italy and Fascism-Mussolini, Capitalism controlled by state Nazism in Germany, Hitler