ImperialismNationalism

Leads to competition, antagonism between nations

Various ethnic groups resent domination, want independence

MilitarismAlliances

Long-term Causes of World War I

Triple Entente (Allies)—France, Britain, Russia*

Triple Alliance (Central Powers) --Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy**

*Russia drops out before the war is over.

**Italy changed sides at the beginning of the war.

Original Alliances

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian nationalistGavrilo PrincipBlack Hand

Alliance system pulls one nation after another into war

Immediate Cause of the War

Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand and wife Duchess Sophie

1. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

2. Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary

3. Germany declares war on Russia & France

4. Britain declares war on Germany

War Declaration Sequence

Germany’s Schlieffen Plan: hold Russia, defeat France, then Russia

German troops sweep through Belgium (neutral)

The Fighting Starts

2 parallel systems of trenches cross France – leads to stalemate during early yrs.

Armies fight to gain only yards of ground

“No man’s land”

Trench Warfare

Illustration from Neil Demarco's The Great War

Socialists, pacifists, many ordinary people against U.S. in war

Naturalized citizens concerned about effect on country of birth

Many feel ties to British ancestry, language, democracy, legal system

U.S. has stronger economic ties with Allies than with Central Powers

U.S. Anti-war Sentiment

Anti-immigrant feelingFear spies (espionage) and sabotageSuppression of German culture—

music, language, literature, name changes

U.S. continues to practice isolationism

Wilson re-elected in 1916 on slogan “He kept us out of war”

Effects of Propaganda

British blockade & mine North Sea, stop war supplies reaching Germany

Germany has difficulty importing food, fertilizer; by 1917, famine

The British Blockade

Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare.

U-boat sinks British liner Lusitania; 128 Americans among the deadU.S. public opinion turns against

GermanyPresident Wilson protests – gets

Germany to agree to Sussex Pledge, must warn ships first

German U-Boat Response

NOTICE! Travellers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travellers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk. IMPERIAL GERMAN EMBASSY WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 22, 1915.

German WWI U Boat

By 1917, U.S. has mobilized for war against Central Powers to:ensure Allied repayment of debtsprevent German threat to U.S.

shipping

The War Hits Home

Germany resumes unrestricted sub warfare

Zimmerman note - proposes alliance of Germany, Mexico against U.S.

Russian monarchy replaced with representative governmentWar of Democracies against

Monarchies

Reasons U.S. Enters War

Wilson calls for war to “make world safe for democracy”

Says this will be the “war to end all wars”

Arguments for War

Tanks break trench stalemateEarly planes flimsy, only do scouting;

later ones stronger, fastercarry machine guns, heavy bomb

loadsPoison GasHand grenadesMachine guns

New Weapons and Technology

World War I British Tank

WW I French Airplane with Machine Guns

World War I Observation Balloons

Captain Eddie RickenbackerFirst US Ace

Dogfighter26 Aerial Victories

New weapons and tactics lead to horrific injuries, hazards

Troops amidst filth, pests, polluted water, poison gas, dead bodies

Constant bombardment, battle fatigue produce “shell shock”

Physical problems include dysentery, trench foot, trench mouth

New Hazards

Aerial View of Gas Attack

German Flame Thrower

After 2 1/2 years fighting, Allied forces are exhausted, demoralized

American troops bring numbers, freshness, enthusiasm

America Turns the Tide

Selective Service Act—men register, randomly chosen for service

African Americans in segregated units, excluded from navy, marines

Women in army, navy, marines as nurses secretaries, phone operators

America Mobilizes

DoughboysGeneral John J. Pershing

leads American Expeditionary Force

Convoy SystemU.S. mines North Sea to

stop U-boats

America Turns the Tide

General John J Pershing1860 - 1948

Russia pulls out of war 1917; Germans shift armies to western frontcome within 50 miles of Paris

Americans help stop German advance, turn tide against Central Powers

America Goes on the Offensive

German sailors, soldiers rebel; socialists establish German republicKaiser gives up throne

Germans exhausted; armistice, or truce, signed November 11, 1918

The Collapse of Germany

Kaiser Wilhelm II 1859 - 1941

World War I bloodiest war in history to date more than half of 22 million dead

are civilians20 million more are wounded

10 million people become refugees

The Final Toll

WWI Russian Refugees

WWI French Refugees

WWI Belgian Refugees

World War I spurs social, political, and economic change in the United States.

The War at Home

U.S. spends $35.5 billion on war effort

1/3 paid through taxes, 2/3 borrowed through sale of war bonds

Selling the War

Economy shifts from producing consumer goods to war supplies

Congress gives president direct control of much of the economy

War Industries Board is main regulatory bodyurges mass-production,

standardizing productsBernard M. Baruch is head of

board

Gov’t Bureaucracy in the U.S.

Woodrow Wilson28th President of the United

States

Bernard BaruchChairman of War Industries

Board

Wilson creates National War Labor Board to settle disputes

Food Administration under Herbert Hoover works to produce, save food (rationing is voluntary)

Encourages public conservation, increase of farm production

War Economy

Railroad Administration, Fuel Administration also control industries

Conservation measures adopted by public, nation

War Economy (cont.)

Industrial wages rise; offset by rising costs of food, housing

Large corporations make enormous profits

Unions boom from dangerous conditions, child labor, unfair pay

War Economy (cont.)

George Creel heads Committee on Public Information

Produces visual works, printed matter to promote war

Volunteers speak about war, distribute materials

Propaganda

Many women take jobs in heavy industry previously held by men

Many do volunteer work for war effort

Some active in peace movementWomen’s effort bolsters support for

suffrage; 19th Amendment passes

Women in the War

Women in World War I

Du Bois urges support for war to strengthen call for racial justice

Most African Americans support warSome think victims of racism should

not support racist government

Social Change

Black Doughboys of the 368th Infantry

Great Migrationescape racial discriminationtake up new job opportunities

Press of new migrants intensifies racial tensions in North

The Great Migration

The Great MigrationBlack Families Move North

Espionage and Sedition Acts—person can be fined, imprisoned for:interfering with war effort, speaking

against governmentViolate 1st amendment; prosecute

loosely defined antiwar activitiestarget socialists, labor leaders

Espionage and Sedition Acts

Eugene V. Debs – Socialist – was arrested for violating Espionage and Sedition Acts and sent to prison.

IWW was targeted because of its socialist members.

Schenk v. United States – freedom of speech is limited when it represents a “clear and present danger”

Restrictions of Civil Liberties

International flu epidemic of 1918 has devastating effect on economy

As many as 30 million people die worldwide

1918 Influenza Epidemic

Wilson’s plan for world peace known as Fourteen Points

Some examples: (1) Remove trade barriers, (2) Arms reductions, (3) Self-determination, (4) Freedom of the Seas, (5) No secret treaties.

The last point calls for international organization or League of Nations

League to enable nations to discuss, settle problems without war

Wilson Fights for Peace

European leaders oppose most of Wilson’s peace plan, and the U.S. Senate fails to ratify the peace treaty.

Wilson (cont.)

Wilson fails to grasp anger of Allied leaders against Germany

Conference excludes Central Powers, Russia, small Allied nations

Wilson gives up most of his points in return for League of Nations

The Allies Reject Wilson’s Plan

Creates 9 new nationsPlaces various conditions on Germany:

Demilitarized: army no larger than 100,000, little navy and no airforce

Loss of Land: Alsace-Lorraine returned to France

Loss of Money: pay reparations, or war damages ($33 billion)

Loss of Pride: War-guilt clause—Germany must accept sole responsibility for war

The Treaty of Versailles

When we have paid one hundred billion marks then I can give you something to eat'

Some think treaty too harsh, fear economic effects

Some feel treaty exchanged one group of colonial rulers for another

Some ethnic groups not satisfied with new national borders

Opposition to the Treaty In U.S.

Some think League threatens U.S. foreign policy of isolation

Senators like Henry Cabot Lodge mistrust provision for joint action

Debate over the League of Nations

Lodge introduces amendments to treatyWilson refuses to compromise

Goes on speaking tour to convince nation to support League

has stroke, is temporarily disabledNeither amendments nor treaty approvedU.S. never signs Treaty of Versailles

U.S. & Germany sign separate treaty U.S. never joins League of Nations

Debate Over Treaty of Versailles

In U.S., war strengthens military, increases power of government

Accelerates social change for African Americans, women

Fears & antagonisms provoked by propaganda remain

In Europe, destruction, loss of life damage social, political systemsCommunist, fascist governments form

Treaty does not settle conflicts in Europe

The Legacy of the War