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World War I

World War I. War Breaks Out in Europe. Causes of WWI. Imperialism : Britain, France, Germany, and Italy compete for colonies in Africa and Asia. Germany had fewer and felt it deserved more colonies .

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World War I

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  1. World War I War Breaks Out in Europe

  2. Causes of WWI • Imperialism: Britain, France, Germany, and Italy compete for colonies in Africa and Asia. Germany had fewer and felt it deserved more colonies . • Nationalism: Europeans were very nationalistic (strong feelings of pride, loyalty and protectiveness toward their countries). They wanted to prove they were the best and placed their countries’ interests above all other concerns. • Militarism: The belief that a nation needs a large military force is militarism.

  3. Causes of WWI Continued • Alliances: Tangled network of competing alliances bound European nations together. An attack on one nation forced all its allies to come to its aid. Any small conflict could become a larger war. • Nations divided into two opposing alliances: - Central Powers - Allies

  4. Central and Allied Powers Central Powers Allies Serbia Russia France Great Britain Italy Greece Romania Portugal • Austria-Hungary • Germany • Ottoman Empire • Bulgaria

  5. Beginnings • Germans invaded Belgium on August 4th, 1914. The goal was to reach France. • They made it 40 miles from Paris to the Marne River. • There the French, supported by British, rallied to fight back. • First Battle of the Marne stopped the German advance (September 1914).

  6. Trench Warfare • A quick war turned into both side being stuck in mud and trenches for more than 3 years. • Trench Warfare: became the main way of engagement. Troops huddled in rat-infested trenches. • Each side fired artillery and machine guns at each other.

  7. Trench Lines

  8. Trench Diagram

  9. Constant Threats • Sniper fire • Artillery shelling • Poisonous gas • Area outside of trenches was filled with bullets and gunfire

  10. Casualties of War • Thousands of lives would be lost at a time without any gains • Battle of the Somme: lasted from July to November 1916 with more than 1.2 million casualties • Losses by Country: - Britain: 400,000+ - German: 600,000+ - France: 200,000

  11. New Technology • New technology raises death toll • Tank (British invention) • Machine Guns (600 rounds a minute) • Poison gas • Airplanes (First war used) • Submarines (U-boats, used by Germans. Sank over 11 million tons of shipped goods with machine guns and torpedoes)

  12. Red Baron • Manfred von Richthofen • Germany’s top ace • Shot down over 80 enemy planes.

  13. America’s Path to War • 1914: Woodrow Wilson claims position of neutrality(refusing to take sides). • German attacks shift public opinion, with Britain blocking all German shipped goods. • Germans U-boats sink all Allied merchant ships they find off British coast. • May 1915: U-boats sink British Lusitantia, killing 1,198 people (128 Americans).

  14. Submarine Warfare • Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare • Germans knew this might bring US into war, but are desperate. • Germans hoped to win war before Americans could act.

  15. Zimmerman Telegram • British discover telegram and pass to Americans • Arthur Zimmerman (German foreign minister) tells German ambassador in Mexico to propose German/Mexican alliance • Germany would help get back “lost” territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. • American public is outraged over news.

  16. Declaration of War • March 1917: German U-boats sink 3 American ships. • Wilson asks Congress for a Declaration of War. • A majority in Congress vote for the declaration.

  17. Revolution in Russia • Russians were getting outfought by smaller, better-trained German army (1915) • August 1915: Czar Nicholas II takes control of Russian troops himself – his poor leadership leads to many deaths. • Food shortages led to riots and soaring inflation led to strikes by angry workers in Russia (1917). • March 1917: Nicholas II is forced to step down, giving way to temporary government.

  18. Russian Communism &Withdrawal • November 1917: Communist government is established by a group called the Bolsheviks who take power. • The group is led by Vladimir Lenin. • Communism: political system in which government owns key parts of the economy – no private property(similar to socialism). • Lenin begins peace talks with Germany, leading to Russian withdrawal after signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918).

  19. World War I America Joins the Fight

  20. Raising an Army • American military consisted of less than 200,000 – many recent recruits. • May 1917: Congress passes Selective Service Act: required all males between the ages of 21 and 30 to sign up for military service. • December 1918: Nearly 3 million Americans have been drafted.

  21. John J. Pershing • General of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

  22. Separate Forces • British commanders wanted integrated forces with US and French. • Wilson refused, believing “distinct and separate” American combat units would grant US a major role in peace talks. • Most did fight separately, but few would fight under Allied command.

  23. Female Service • Close to 50,000 American women also serve. • Some volunteer overseas with America Red Cross. • Women also served in the military for the first time in history. • Navy: 12,000 (clerical work) • Marines: 305 (Marinettes) • Army: 1,000 (overseas) • Other Jobs: Interpreters, switchboard operators, entertained troops, ambulance drivers.

  24. African American Service • Armed Forces: 400,000 • More than half serve in France • Faced discrimination just as they did at home. • Most discrimination came from white American soldiers, rather than from European allies. • Army at first denied black draftees, but responded to African American groups by creating 2 African American combat divisions.

  25. Convoy System • System developed by American Rear Admiral William S. Sims. • A heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships across Atlantic in groups. • System began in May 1917 and quickly reduced losses to German U-boats.

  26. Sea Mines • Another American tactic that gave Allies added protection from U-boats. • June 1918: Allies lay 70,000 mines in the North Sea. • Mine field stretched 180 miles and made U-boat access to North Atlantic almost impossible.

  27. German Advance • March 1918: Germans launch offensive in France to end war before Americans can join. • Within 2 months, Germans reach Marne River (50 miles from Paris). • May 1918: One million American troops arrive ready for action.

  28. American Offensive • May 28, 1918: American soldiers attack French town of Cantigny (occupied by Germans). • American soldiers take control of Cantigny within 2 hours. • Germans then move against town of Chateau-Thierry, but Americans hold ground. • Americans help French stop German advance. • French commander, General Ferdinand Foch, orders General Pershing to retake Belleau Wood (forest near Marne River).

  29. Second Battle of the Marne • Summer 1918: Germans launch offensive against French line. • 3 days of heavy fighting took place, with 85,000 Americans helping Allies halt German advance. • The Allies then went on an offensive and cut off German supply lines.

  30. Ally Advance • For the rest of the war, Allies advance steadily. • By September 1918, Germans had lost all territory gained. • September 26, 1918: beginning of final Meuse-Argonne offensive. • 1.2 million US soldiers take part in massive drive to push back the German line between the Argonne Forest and the Meuse River. • Final battle has 26,000 Americans dead, but by Novemeber Germans are retreating.

  31. Alvin York • Becomes hero during Meuse-Argonne offensive. • Tried to avoid draft due to religious beliefs • October 1918: York attacks German machine gunners, killing 25 of them.

  32. Eddie Rickenbacker • American pilot • Won fame as US “ace of aces” • Shot down a total of 26 enemy planes • Wins medal of honor for taking down 2 planes just before Meuse-Argonne offensive

  33. African American Recognition • 4 units receive recognition for battlefield valor. • 369TH(African American regiment) saw more continuous time on front lines than any other American unit.

  34. Germany Halts Fighting • After defeat at Meuse-Argonne, General Erich Ludendorff advised German government to seek peace. • Germany’s Navy had turned by early November • November 9, 1918: the German Kaiser steps down • Germany agrees to armistice on November 11th • About 8.5 million soldiers die, with 21 million wounded

  35. WWI Casualties by Country

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