World War I

1. World War I The Road to War

2. Setting the Scene • Francis Ferdinand was heir to the Empires throne in Bosnia which was a new province within Austro Hungarian . • Bosnians were upset with Austro Hungarian rule but Ferdinand decided to disregard growing tension. • Ferdinand and his wife visited Sarajevo in 1914. Terrorist bombed the Archduke’s car which bounced off causing injury to two officers in another car. • Terrorist GavriloPrincip spotted the car. Princip’s friend stated that the guy in the car shot both the Archduke and his wife. • Princip’s terroristic act in Sarajevo arose grave consequences.

3. Causes of World War I • Militarism: The counties spend large sums of money on new weapons and warship for expanding the arm forces. • Alliances: Alliances developed throughout the nations of Europe. They bound great powers to come to each other’s aid in the event of attack. • Imperialism:. Countries envied the land that other nation controlled and wanted to take land from other colonizers. • Nationalism: Countries that didn’t want to be controlled, rebelled because they wanted to be their own country.

4. Conflict Expands • Bosnia was the focus of a nationalist dispute between Austria-Hungary, which had recently annexed Bosnia, and Serbia, which shared a common national identity with one of Bosnia’s three major ethnic groups. • Morale sank, armies began using any tactic possible. • On august 1, germany declared war on russia . • To avoid fighting both the French and Russian armies at the same time, Germany had developed a first-strike strategy.

5. Conflict Expands: Stalemate • Stalemate is a situation in which neither side is able to gain the advantage. • By using the Schlieffen Plan, the German army was able to advance within 30 miles of Paris. • The combined French & British force stopped their progress & both sides dug & fortified their lines because they were both equal in size & strength. • For months neither sid could reach the other’s lines to push back the enemy without an appaling human cost

6. Conflict Expands:Stalemate • In 1915 Italy joined the allies. Bulgaria joined the central powers that October & Romania joined the allies the following year.

7. Conflict Expands: Modern Warfare • In 1914, the youth of Europe went to fight in the war. • For defensive forces they use machine guns and rapid-fire to stop advancing soldiers. • They where ripped apart by machine guns, hand grenades, or artillery shells, and choked by poison. • The generals ordered the soldiers to go “over the top” of the trenches to attack the enemy. • The British suffered about 20,000 deaths. • They Burned fields, Killed livestock and Poisoned wells. • The British naval slowly starved the German people.

8. The American Response Germany was trying to take over Europe. Other wars between Austria and Serbia. Americans wanted to help other countries, but some wanted to be with Germany, because some of them were from there. The German president has more power then the government itself. German killed many civilians, and destroyed many towns in France and Belgium. British Newspaper published false Propaganda, these stories turned public opinion against Germany. Americans felt personally involved because they where allies of Britain.

9. The American Response • American Neutrality • America overseas investment increased 700 million to 3.5 billion with Europe. • German submarine and British blockade of North Sea placed investment at risk, to protect those investment President Wilson proclaimed the United States the neutral country. • The Preparedness Movement • Preparation to fight for Great Britain because they were allies • Supporters organized a group that promoted patriot education and national sentiment among American people

10. The American Response • The peace Movement • Peace movement broke out by the members of former Populists, Midwest Progressives, and Social Reformers. Women were also particularly active. • They insisted on paying for preparedness through higher income tax on the makers of arms (people who started the war).