The Great WarThe Great War

World War I World War I

1914-19171914-1917

Illusions

• Many people thought the war would be quick and easy (on both sides)

Propaganda

• Ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause

Two Front War

The Western Front

• Schlieffen Plan• Stalemate• Trench Warfare

The Eastern Front• Mobility• Russians successful early, but

then pushed out of Germany• Russians more successful in

Austria-Hungary• Italians left Triple Alliance

and joined the Triple Entente, now called the Allied Powers

• Germans went to help the Austrians and nearly knocked Russia out of the war

Trench Warfare

• Trenches, artillery, no man’s land

• War of attrition• Verdun- 10 months,

700,000 dead over a few miles

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oabxoP_jVM

War in the Air

• Spies• Attack ground targets,

especially communications

• Air control• Hand held pistols• Attached machine guns

• Zepplins

Widening of the War

• Ottoman Empire joined Germany• Gallipoli• Italy attacked Austria• Lawrence of Arabia- Arab princes against the

Ottomans• British mobilized India, Australia, and New

Zealand to fight in the Middle East• Japan seized German colonies in the Pacific• Australia seized German New Guinea

Entry of the United States

• US tried to remain neutral• German blockade• Lusitania- ended German submarine warfare• To break the deadlock, Germans resumed

submarine warfare• “not one American will land on the continent.”• US entered the war in 1917• Psychological boost, more troops, more money,

more weapons

The Home Front

• Total war- a war involving a complete mobilization of resources and people• Affected the lives of all

citizens

Increased Government Powers

• Draft• Wartime economy• Price, wage, rent controls• Rations• Trade regulations• Government takeover of transportation

Manipulation of Public Opinion• “War Fatigue”• Authoritarian regimes (Germany,

Russia, Austria-Hungary) controlled the population with force

• British- Defense of the Realm Act (DORA)- protesters as traitors

• Censorship• More propaganda- exaggerated

stories

Total War and Women

• Workforce• Temporary• Women’s movement