World War One

1. World War One 1914 to 1918

2. The Main Causes of World War One • Militarism • Policy of larger European nations to build up their armies and navies • Felt a large military force would give them both prestige and power • Creates fear and distrust amongst European nations- leads to an arms race in Europe • Alliances • Tensions and distrust amongst European nations leads to forming of alliances • Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy • Triple Entente- Britain, France and Russia • Imperialism • European nations possess a desire to rule over lands beyond their own borders • This desire direct cause of conflicts amongst European nations • Nationalism • Europeans felt themselves to be superior to the peoples of other nations • Pan-Slavism- desire of Russia to protect Slavic people throughout Europe • Leads to Russia backing of newly independent nation Serbia • Pan-Germanism- Germany’s desire to protect all German-speaking people in Europe • Leads to German backing of Austria-Hungary

3. European Alliances 1914

4. The Spark • 1908- Austria-Hungary gains control over Bosnia from Ottoman Empire- This angers Serbiaand the people of Bosnia • Archduke Francis Ferdinand • Heir to Austrian-Hungarian throne • Visits Sarajevo(city in Bosnia) with his Wife to oversee military training in newly acquired area • The Black Hand-Serbian nationalist group plots to kill Ferdinand during his visit to Sarajevo • GavriloPrincip- walks up to the Archduke’s car and fires two shots killing both the Archduke and his wife • Austria-Hungary immediately blaMEs the Serbian government for the assassination • July 18, 1914- Austria-hungary declares war on Serbia • The alliances amongst European nations is what turns a limited conflict in the Balkans to explode into the first world war

6. The Great war begins • Central powers • Formerly the triple alliance • Made up of Germany, austria-hungary, Bulgaria and the ottoman empire • Allied powers • Formerly the triple entente • Britain, France and Russia • Later joined by Italy, japan, the united states and other nations. European Alliances During World War One

7. The first offensive • The Schlieffen plan • December 1905- Alfred von schlieffen, german army chief of staff, devises plan to counter joint attack from France and Russia • Schlieffen realized the French were Germany’s biggest threat and had to be defeated quickly • Calls for 90% of german army to invade Belgium on its way to france • August 2nd, 1914- schlieffen plan put into action • With help from Belgium army and british forces, germans are stopped at the Marne river

8. Trench Warfare • INTRODUCTION OF THE MACHINE GUN AND QUICK FIRING ARTILLERY CAUSED FOR LARGE SCALE USE OF TRENCHES • TYPICAL TRENCH SYSTEM CONSISTED OF TWO OR MORE PARALLEL TRENCHES, CONNECTED BY COMMUNICATION TRENCHES

9. Conditions in the Trenches • Stand-to- before dawn and dusk soldier on front line manned the fire step ready for attack • Day-time hours were spent doing small chores, writing letters home, or trying to sleep • Night-time hours is when trenches became very busy • Rats infested trenches by the millions • Lice were never-ending problem causing trench fever • Trench foot-fungal infection cause by the cold, wet and unsanitary conditions of trenches • The smell in the trenches was horrible especially those who first came to the trenches

10. Trench warfare continued…

11. The Western Front • The most important battles of World War One were fought along the Western Front in Europe(mostly in france) • Stalemate- very little territory along the western front changed hands • War of attrition-wearing down an opposition by causing them to exhaust all their resources • Battle of Verdun(February 21,1916- December 16,1916) • Attempt by germans to take city of Verdun in France • Longest lasting single battle of world war One • Battle of somme(july 1, 1916-November 1916) • British offensive meant to ease pressure off French forces in verdun

12. The Eastern Front • The eastern front saw territory change hands more than on the western front • German and Austria forces invade Poland which was part of Russian empire • Russian revolution in 1917 • Russian losses and suffering cause Russian people to rise up and overthrow the czar • The communists come to power in Russia • The treaty of bret-litovsk(march 1918) • Signed between Germany and Russia • Withdraws Russia from world war one • Germans gained many of the most fertile farming lands in western Russia • Most importantly Germany no longer had to fight on two fronts.

13. The War at Sea • At the beginning of world war one the british owned the worlds strongest navy • Germany attempted to build a navy that rivalled the british royal navy • British navy blockades german coast • Battle of jutland(1916)- Germany navy attempts to break british blockade • Submarine warfare • German naval fleet consisted of 20 u-boats during world war one • January 9, 1917-Germany proclaims unrestricted submarine warfare • German u-boats attacked many allied supply ships • German u-boats sunk many neutral supply ships- angering many neutral countries especially the united states

14. The Russian Revolution of 1917 • Russian revolution in 1917 • Russian losses and suffering cause Russian people to rise up and overthrow the czar • The communists come to power in Russia • The treaty of bret-litovsk(march 1918) • Signed between Germany and Russia • Withdraws Russia from world war one • Germans gained many of the most fertile farming lands in western Russia • Most importantly Germany no longer had to fight on two fronts.

15. The United States Enters the great war • While remaining neutral American sympathies did side with the allies. • the sinking of the Lusitania • On may 17, 1915 a germanu-boat torpedoed and sunk the british liner named the Lusitania • 1,198 people were killed with 128 being American citizens • As the war continues more American supply ships are sunk by germanu-boats • The Zimmerman note • January 1917- german foreign secretary Arthur zimmermann sent a telegram to the government of mexico • Asks Mexican government for help should Germany go to war with the united states • In return german promised to help mexico conquer states of texas, Arizona and new mexico • Making the world “safe for democracy” • Americans began to fear whether or not democracy could survive in Europe if Britain and france lost the war • Central powers were regarded as undemocratic and militaristic • President Wilson believed America needed to aid the allies to make the world “safe for democracy” • April 6, 1917- with president Wilson’s urging congress declared war on germany

16. The end of the great war • June 1917- American forces begin arriving in france • Presence of American fighting troops gives new spirit to exhausted French and british troops • American troops help allies gain victories in important battles of chateau-Thierry and belleau wood • German people revolt against their government and Kaiser Wilhelm ii • November 11, 1918- an armistice is reached ending world war one

17. Peace conference? • January 1919- allied leaders meet in france to draw up an official peace treaty • President Woodrow Wilson of united states, prime minister david Lloyd George of Britain, premier georges Clemenceau of france, and premier Vittorio Orlando of Italy • Woodrow Wilson’s fourteen points-publicized January 1918 • Calls for a “peace without victory” • Wilson also called for an end to secret alliances, freedom of the seas, and a reduction in weapons • Treaty of Versailles-signed june 1919 • War guilt clause-Germany took full responsibility for world war one • Forced Germany to pay reparations to the allied nations • German colonies and territories taken away, industrial areas placed under allied control, and military greatly reduced • League of nations- established to prevent future wars by finding peaceful solutions • United states senate rejected both the treaty of Versailles as well as membership in the newly formed league of nations

18. Europe After World War One Europe Before World War One