World War I (1914-1918)

McFarland

I. The Road to War:

Hidden Causes of WWI: existed well before 1914

1) Imperialism – European powers competed for territory around the world – led to conflicts in those areas

2) Militarism – policy of building up a nation’s armed forces in preparation of war – all the great European powers participated: England, France, Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary

I. The Road to War:

3) Nationalism – countries acted in their own interest, regardless of how it affected other countries – also, many European countries contained many ethnic groups (races) within their borders who wanted their independence

4) Alliances – developed in the late 1800s – designed to increase a nation’s security and to defend each other during an attack

I. The Road to War:

-two great alliances formed in Europe:

a. Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Italy

b. Triple Entente – England, France, Russia

I. The Road to War:

Immediate Cause of WWI (sparkplug):-the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

and his wife Sofie on June 28, 1914-he was the heir to the throne in Austria-Hungary-shot while visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia, which was a

province of A-H-killed by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo

Princip (19 yrs old)

I. The Road to War:

After the assassination:-July 28: A-H blamed the Serbian gov’t and declared war on them-July 29: Russia, Serbia’s protector, began mobilization (the readying of troops for war)- Germany, A-H’s chief ally, demanded that Russia stop mobilizing – Russia refused – Russia’s ally, France, began mobilization as did Germany

I. The Road to War:

-Aug. 1: Germany declared war on Russia

-Aug. 3: Germany declared war on France

-The U.S. remained neutral

I. The Road to War:

Germany knew it would be forced to fight a two-front war (East and West) eventually

-so, they had a plan called the Schlieffen Plan which called for a quick strike on France to knock them out of the war and then they would turn and attack Russia

II. War Begins:

To get to France as quickly as possible, the German Army passed through Belgium, a neutral country

-the invasion brought England, Belgium’s protector, into the war on Aug. 4

-Germany had hoped England, with the world’s strongest Navy, would stay out of the war

II. War Begins:

After the start of the war, countries in Europe began to take sides:

a. Central Powers: Germany, A-H, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey)b. Allied Powers (Allies): France, Russia, Italy (1915), Serbia, Romania, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal, Belgium, Albania

II. War Begins:

Sept. 1914: Germans advanced within 30 miles of Paris but were stopped at the Marne River by French and British troops in the First Battle of the Marne

II. War Begins:

The war reached a stalemate, a situation in which neither side could gain an advantage, on the Western Front (in France)-the Allies began to dig trenches to help reduce casualties and the Germans did the same (trench warfare)-the move to the trenches prolonged the war-heavy casualties resulted from soldiers going “over the top” into “no man’s land” (area between the trenches)

II. War Begins:

While both sides fought evenly in France, the Central Powers took over Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Romania

-they also attacked Italy and began to push the Russian lines back

II. War Begins:

New Weapons used during WWI:1) Machine gun – forced the soldiers to the

trenches – fired up to 450 rounds a minute2) Tanks – first used by the British – used mainly

to smash barbed wire fences to clear the way for the infantry (foot soldiers)

3) Poison gas – chemical warfare – used by the Germans first

II. War Begins:

4) U-boats – German submarines – attacked without warning – used to fight the British blockade – interfered with American trade and threatened the safety of Americans

5) Airplanes – used only for observation at first – later armed with machine guns – ex: Manfred von Richthofen “Red Baron” (German ace pilot – shot down over 80 planes)

II. War Begins:

The American Response:-some Americans felt personally involved – Why?

1/3 were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants -most Americans wanted to Allies to win – Why?1) Cultural ties with England2) Most of the news from the war came from

England3) Kaiser Wilhelm II, German leader, was an

autocrat (ruler with unlimited power)

II. War Begins:

The U.S. remained neutral at first and continued to trade with both sides

-we were an isolated country at that time

III. U.S. Declares War:

3 Major Events led the U.S. to join the Allies:

1) Germany’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare – Ex:a. Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915) – British passenger liner sunk by a German u-boat because it was secretly carrying weapons for the Allies – 1,200 died (128 Americans)

III. U.S. Declares War:

b. Sinking of the Sussex (March 24, 1916) – French passenger liner sunk by a u-boat – the Germans later agreed to the Sussex Pledge (promised to warn ships before attacking) – kept the U.S. out of the war

III. U.S. Declares War:

Election of 1916 – Pres. Wilson ran under the slogan “He kept us out of the war” and was re-elected

Feb. 1, 1917: Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare – thought they could defeat the British and win the war before the U.S. could make a difference

III. U.S. Declares War:

Feb. 3, 1917: Wilson ended Am. neutrality by arming merchant ships – “armed neutrality”

III. U.S. Declares War:

2) Zimmerman Note / Telegram – German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, made a secret offer to Mexico

-if they would attack the U.S., then they would be given back the lost territory in TX, AZ, and NM

-the note was intercepted by the British -neither Wilson nor Mexico took the note

seriously -however, the American public called for war

III. U.S. Declares War:

3) Revolution in Russia – March 1917, Czar Nicholas II was overthrown and replaced by a republican (democratic) gov’t

-since a czar was no longer in power, the U.S. viewed Russia as an acceptable ally

-this was the last stumbling block to a full Am. commitment to the Allies

III. U.S. Declares War:

Pres. Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany saying…

“The world must be made safe for democracy.”

War was declared on April 6, 1917

IV. On the Homefront:

Selective Service Act (May 1917) – required all men, 21-30 years old, to register for the draft

-ages later changed to 18-45

-24 million registered and 3 million drafted by lottery

-2 million volunteered (5 million total troops)

IV. On the Homefront:

11,000 women volunteered to serve as nurses, clerks, and drivers – also began working in factories, auto mechanics, traffic cops, etc. (jobs only men used to do)

300,000 African Am.’s volunteered or were drafted – mostly used for manual labor – fought in segregated units

IV. On the Homefront:

War Industries Board – led by Bernard Baruch -regulated how natural resources were used and told factory owners what to make

-ex: iron and steel industries used to make guns and later tanks – factories worked around the clock which created more jobs

IV. On the Homefront:

War Labor Board – settled labor disputes to prevent strikes during the war

Food Adm. – led by Herbert Hoover – conserved food and set crop prices – also encouraged “meatless Tuesdays” and “wheatless Wednesdays” – “victory gardens” were also planted

IV. On the Homefront:

Fuel Adm. – encouraged greater coal production and urged citizens to conserve coal and fuel – “heatless Mondays” – est. day-light saving time to save an hours use of lighting and heat each day

IV. On the Homefront:

Financing the war – two ways to pay for war:

1) Taxes were raised

2) Liberty Bonds were sold – loans by the Am. people to the gov’t – paid back with interest

IV. On the Homefront:

Laws Passed to Enforce Loyalty:

1) Sedition Act – prohibited any speech that was “disloyal, profane, or abusive” about the gov’t, flag, Constitution, or armed forces – very controversial

2) Espionage Act – punished anyone found guilty of helping the enemy, hindering recruitment, or inciting revolts

IV. On the Homefront:

Both acts were upheld in the Supreme Court case Schenck v. U.S. (1919) – ruled freedom of speech could be limited in certain situations or whenever there was a “clear and present danger” to public safety or national security

V. Americans on the European Front:

American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) – led by Gen. John J. Pershing – arrived in Paris on June 14, 1917 – provided reinforcements to British and French troops

-U.S. soldiers nicknamed doughboys

V. Americans on the European Front:

The first job of the doughboys was to help England attack the German u-boats – Americans thought they would only provide naval assistance at first

Convoy system – began in May 1917 – group of unarmed merchant ships surrounded by armed naval ships – reduced number of ships sunk

V. Americans on the European Front:

The Bolshevik Revolution (communist revolution in Russia – Oct. 1917) changed the involvement of Am. soldiers

-led by Vladimir Lenin -Russia signed a treaty with Germany in March 1918

to drop out of the war -allowed Germany to send all troops to the Western

Front -forced U.S. to send in more foot soldiers to help

Allies

V. Americans on the European Front:

Battle of Chateau-Thierry (June 1918) – major turning point in the war – U.S. helped French save Paris and began to push German lines back towards Germany

Battle of Argonne Forest (Sept.-Nov. 1918) – last critical battle of the war – 47 day battle – 1.2 million Allied troops began to push German lines back and eventually broke through

V. Americans on the European Front:

The hero of Argonne was Alvin C. York: -grew up in the mountains of TN -applied to be classified as a conscientious

objector (refuses to serve in military because of religious beliefs) – application denied and was drafted

-killed 25 Germans and captured 132 others -said he killed those Germans to “save lives” -most decorated soldier of WWI

VI. Postwar:

An armistice (cease fire) was signed on Nov. 11, 1918 (11th hour, 11th day, 11th month)

WWI Casualties:

-Russia – 9 million -Germany – 7 million

-France – 6 million -A-H – 7 million

-England – 4 million

-U.S. – 364,000

VI. Postwar:

WWI’s Impact on U.S.:

-lost 116,000 young men

-created a distrust of foreigners

-created new opportunities for women and Afr. Am’s.

-higher wages

-booming economy – richest nation in world

VI. Postwar:

Pres. Wilson’s Plan for Peace:

-to prevent future world wars he outlined his goals in his “Fourteen Points” speech before Congress – included:

1) Ban on secret treaties / alliances

2) Freedom of the seas

3) Reduction of arms

VI. Postwar:

4) self-determination, or power to make decisions about one’s own future, for all A-H’s ethnic groups

5) League of Nations – international org. that would help keep world peace and maintain order

VI. Postwar:

Paris Peace Conference (Jan. 1919) – attended by the “Big 4” (leaders of the 4 major Allied powers):

1) Woodrow Wilson (U.S.)

2) David Lloyd George (G.B.)

3) George Clemenceau (France)

4) Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

VI. Postwar:

-remember: Russia had dropped out of the war in 1917 and Italy joined Allies in 1915

-Goals – Wilson concerned about world peace – brought 14 Points with him – the other 3 leaders wanted to punish Germany (esp. France)

VI. Postwar:

-Treaty of Versailles – officially ended WWI – compromise – included:

1) War Guilt Clause – forced Germany to take the blame for starting the war (big mistake!)

2) Germany stripped of all colonies

3) Germany forced to pay reparations (payment for damages) to Allies - $33 billion total

VI. Postwar:

4) League of Nations created5) Created new countries based on self-

determination: -Poland -Austria -Finland -Estonia -Czechoslovakia -Latvia -Yugoslavia -Lithuania -Hungary

VI. Postwar:

Germany refused to sign treaty at first (too hard on them) – they eventually did sign it on June 28, 1919

Republicans in Congress were upset that they were not represented in Versailles (Wilson was a Dem.), so they refused to approve the treaty – never joined League of Nations (very weak without U.S.)