World War I: A New Kind World War I: A New Kind of Warof War

CH 27 Section 2CH 27 Section 2

The BelligerentsThe Belligerents The warring countries formed two powerful sidesThe warring countries formed two powerful sides {{Central Powers-Central Powers-consisted of Germany, Austria-consisted of Germany, Austria-

Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman EmpireHungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire Allied Powers-Allied Powers- were Great Britain, France, and were Great Britain, France, and

RussiaRussia}} The Central powers had the advantage of easy The Central powers had the advantage of easy

communication and rapid troop movement communication and rapid troop movement The allied powers had more troops and were The allied powers had more troops and were

more industrialized than the central powersmore industrialized than the central powers This along with Britain having the largest navy in This along with Britain having the largest navy in

the world allowed them to get food or raw the world allowed them to get food or raw materials from anywhere in the worldmaterials from anywhere in the world

It also gave them the ability to blockade the It also gave them the ability to blockade the central powerscentral powers

Innovations in warfareInnovations in warfare Because WWI was an industrialized war Because WWI was an industrialized war

weapons were mass produced as never weapons were mass produced as never before and were also trying new weapons before and were also trying new weapons

{{The Germans were the first to effectively The Germans were the first to effectively use submarines use submarines (or U boats)(or U boats) in naval warfare in naval warfare} } along with poison gas on the battlefieldalong with poison gas on the battlefield

Among new weapons were machine guns Among new weapons were machine guns and long range artilleryand long range artillery

Machine guns originally were fired by a Machine guns originally were fired by a team of people and to defend against team of people and to defend against them trenches were dugthem trenches were dug

ContinuedContinued {{Another new weapon was the airplaneAnother new weapon was the airplane} which } which

were mainly used for observing troop movement were mainly used for observing troop movement at the beginning of WW Iat the beginning of WW I

Later they were used against other enemy Later they were used against other enemy airplanes in dogfights and for dropping bombs on airplanes in dogfights and for dropping bombs on enemy targetsenemy targets

{{In 1916 Britain introduced the tank which would In 1916 Britain introduced the tank which would tear through barbed wire and cut through enemy tear through barbed wire and cut through enemy defensesdefenses}}

Even the soldiers were changed most fighting in Even the soldiers were changed most fighting in this war were drafted civilians and before they this war were drafted civilians and before they were professional soldierswere professional soldiers

The government also used The government also used propagandapropaganda to back to back the war effortthe war effort

Early years of the warEarly years of the war Belgium wanted to remain out of the war Belgium wanted to remain out of the war Germany asked to pass through on their Germany asked to pass through on their

way to France and Belgium declinedway to France and Belgium declined {{Germany went through Belgium anyway Germany went through Belgium anyway

bringing Britain into the warbringing Britain into the war}} By September 1914 the {By September 1914 the {Germans were as Germans were as

far as the Marne river on their way to Paris far as the Marne river on their way to Paris when they met resistance from the French when they met resistance from the French and Britishand British}}

The battle of the Marne changed the entire The battle of the Marne changed the entire nature of the war when both sides dug in nature of the war when both sides dug in and soon had trenches dug from and soon had trenches dug from Switzerland to the north seaSwitzerland to the north sea

Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

Western FrontWestern Front Late in August 1914 the Russians battled a Late in August 1914 the Russians battled a

German force at the Battle of Tannenberg The German force at the Battle of Tannenberg The Russian army suffered a humiliating defeat. Russian army suffered a humiliating defeat. About half its force was lost, About half its force was lost,

With this victory, the Germans launched an With this victory, the Germans launched an offensive, moving into Russian Poland.offensive, moving into Russian Poland.

Russia did not have the weapons to equip its Russia did not have the weapons to equip its soldiers properlysoldiers properly

In 1915 Great Britain and France tried to change In 1915 Great Britain and France tried to change this situation. They decided to try to force their this situation. They decided to try to force their way through the Dardanelles so they could way through the Dardanelles so they could capture Constantinople.capture Constantinople.

They hoped to remove the Ottoman Empire from They hoped to remove the Ottoman Empire from the war. Then they would be able to get needed the war. Then they would be able to get needed supplies to the Russians.supplies to the Russians.

Naval WarfareNaval Warfare {{The British decided to blockade the North Sea to The British decided to blockade the North Sea to

keep merchant ships from reaching Germanykeep merchant ships from reaching Germany} } At first the blockade was aimed at cutting off the At first the blockade was aimed at cutting off the

flow of raw materials to German factoriesflow of raw materials to German factories Eventually the blockade became an attempt to Eventually the blockade became an attempt to

ruin the German economy and starve the German ruin the German economy and starve the German people.people.

In May 1916 the only large naval battle of the war In May 1916 the only large naval battle of the war was fought, at the Battle of Jutland, in the North was fought, at the Battle of Jutland, in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark Sea off the coast of Denmark

Both Germany and Great Britain claimed victory, Both Germany and Great Britain claimed victory, However, the German navy remained in port for However, the German navy remained in port for the rest of the war.the rest of the war.

German U BoatGerman U Boat

The LusitaniaThe Lusitania {{In the process of this naval war a German In the process of this naval war a German

U boat sank the British passenger ship the U boat sank the British passenger ship the LusitaniaLusitania}}

The passengers on the ship included 128 The passengers on the ship included 128 AmericansAmericans

The attack was denounced by Woodrow The attack was denounced by Woodrow Wilson and angered many Americans who Wilson and angered many Americans who wanted to join the warwanted to join the war

Understanding they could not afford Understanding they could not afford America entering the war, Germany America entering the war, Germany backed off their unrestricted submarine backed off their unrestricted submarine warfarewarfare

The LusitaniaThe Lusitania

The StalemateThe Stalemate By late 1915 the war in the west had By late 1915 the war in the west had

become a stalemate on land as well as on become a stalemate on land as well as on seasea

Both sides wondered if they would be able Both sides wondered if they would be able to break through the others front linesto break through the others front lines

Both sides continued to attack exchanging Both sides continued to attack exchanging small pieces of land and losing thousands small pieces of land and losing thousands of lives in the processof lives in the process

The conflict became a {The conflict became a {war of attritionwar of attrition a slow wearing-down process in which a slow wearing-down process in which each side was trying to outlast the othereach side was trying to outlast the other}}

The United States and World War IThe United States and World War I

Most Americans had agreed with President Most Americans had agreed with President Wilson’s declaration in 1914 that the United Wilson’s declaration in 1914 that the United States should be neutral and that the war was States should be neutral and that the war was strictly a European affair.strictly a European affair.

According to international law, however, if a ship According to international law, however, if a ship carried carried contrabandcontraband the goods could be seized. the goods could be seized.

British propaganda had a great influence on British propaganda had a great influence on Americans. Stories about German {atrocities-Americans. Stories about German {atrocities-brutal acts against defenseless civilians}-angered brutal acts against defenseless civilians}-angered Americans. They did not realize that many of the Americans. They did not realize that many of the stories were exaggerated or not true.stories were exaggerated or not true.

{{In January, Arthur Zimmermann sent a secret In January, Arthur Zimmermann sent a secret telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico proposing an alliance between Germany and proposing an alliance between Germany and MexicoMexico}}

The Zimmerman noteThe Zimmerman note

In the Zimmerman note Germany In the Zimmerman note Germany offered to help Mexico regain offered to help Mexico regain Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas if it Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas if it would help fight on Germany’s sidewould help fight on Germany’s side

The British intercepted the telegram The British intercepted the telegram and decoded it and it was then and decoded it and it was then published in American newspapers. published in American newspapers.

Americans were enraged.Americans were enraged.

America Joins the warAmerica Joins the war After the Zimmerman note and the sinking of the After the Zimmerman note and the sinking of the

Lusitania the American people understood it was Lusitania the American people understood it was a matter of time before they joined the wara matter of time before they joined the war

As a result Germany continued their unrestricted As a result Germany continued their unrestricted u boat attacksu boat attacks

None of the Central powers had a democratic None of the Central powers had a democratic government while all of the allied powers had sogovernment while all of the allied powers had so

When revolutionaries in Russia overthrew the When revolutionaries in Russia overthrew the czarist government president Wilson went to czarist government president Wilson went to Congress and said “the world must be made safe Congress and said “the world must be made safe for democracy”for democracy”

On April 6, 1917 the Congress voted to declare On April 6, 1917 the Congress voted to declare war on Germanywar on Germany

Review QuestionsReview Questions Who made up the Central powers?Who made up the Central powers? Who made up the Allied powers?Who made up the Allied powers? Who were the first to effectively use Who were the first to effectively use

submarines in war?submarines in war? Name two new weapons used for the first Name two new weapons used for the first

time during this war.time during this war. Germans were as far as the Marne river on Germans were as far as the Marne river on

their way to Paris when they met their way to Paris when they met resistance from what two countries?resistance from what two countries?

What was the name f the British passenger What was the name f the British passenger ship the Germans sank?ship the Germans sank?