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World War I Firsts http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i

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World War I Firsts

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Causes of WW I http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i

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M ilitarism A lliances I mperialism N ationalism S ignificant individuals

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Militarism

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By 1914 all the major powers were linked by a system of alliances. The alliances made it more likely that a war would start. Once started, the alliances made it more likely a war would spread.

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They had an agreement with the Ottoman Empire and later a secret agreement with: France

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And various agreements with: Japan, Spain, United States

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All the great powers were competing for colonies / territory. The British feared Germany in Africa. The Austrians feared Serbia / Russia in the Balkans.

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This was an age when all nations wanted to assert their power and independence. In Europe Slavs, aided by Serbia and Russia, wanted to be free of Austrian rule. Serbias national flag

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http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year9links/wwi/tri ggerevent.pdf

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If war broke out, Germany assumed France would also attack as she was both an ally of Russia and keen for revenge for her defeat in the Franco-Prussian war. If this happened, Germany would face a war on two fronts. Germany wanted to avoid this at all costs.

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Germany would attack France first to avoid a battle on two fronts. They would enter France via Belgium a neutral nation. Knock France instantly out of contention, before Russia had time to mobilize its gigantic human reserves. Germany could then turn her full resources to meeting the Russian threat.

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The British came to the Belgians defense and declared war on Germany.

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One of the two most significant new or improved weapons of the Great War, the Rapid-fire machinegun. Machine guns mowed down waves of soldiers in the no-mans land between trenches.

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The shrapnel or flying debris from Artillery shells killed or wounded more soldiers than machineguns. It could do it from up to 10 miles away. The second of the two most significant new or improved weapons of the Great War, long range Artillery.

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The world's largest and most powerful Artillery piece. Produced by the German firm of Krupp the Big Bertha was a 42cm howitzer, model L/14 designed in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 on behalf of the German Army.

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WWI German Egg Grenade

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More than 9 million died on the battlefield, and nearly that many more on the home fronts because of food shortages, genocide and ground combat. World War I became infamous for trench warfare, where troops were confined to trenches because of tight defenses. This was especially true of the Western Front.

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Trench Warfare http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i

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During the WWI men were exposed to Cold but not freezing conditions often up to their ankles in water that was permanently in the bottom of the trenches. The feet would swell, appear red and blood blistered, the pain would be severe, until the sensory nerves had been damaged and would then be numb in severe cases they became gangrenous and resulted in amputation! Trench foot was one of the most widespread and debilitating that affected men from both sides of the lines, it is linked with WWI hence the name "Trench foot".

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Nevertheless, the German army was the first to give serious study to the development of chemical weapons and the first to use it on a large scale. Weapons of War: Poison Gas Considered uncivilized prior to World War One, the development and use of poison gas was necessitated by the requirement of wartime armies to find new ways of overcoming the stalemate of unexpected trench warfare. First Use by the French Although it is popularly believed that the German army was the first to use gas it was in fact initially deployed by the French. In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans.

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Casualties From Gas - The Numbers Country Total Casualties Austria-Hungary 100,000 British Empire 188,706 France 190,000 Germany 200,000 Italy 60,000 Russia 419,340 USA 72,807 Others 10,000

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By the close of the war, flamethrower use had been extended to use on Tanks, a policy carried forward to World War II. Flame-throwing equipment, somewhat refined, continues to be used today The flamethrower, which brought terror to French and British soldiers when used by the German army in the early phases of the First World War in 1914 and 1915, later adopted by the French and British.

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US Enter War http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i

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In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, offering United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. Reported to U.S. Feb 1917

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The term "armistice" means a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to peace negotiations. The most significant armistice was signed at 5 a.m. on the morning of 11 November 1918, and came into effect six hours later at 11 a.m. (hence the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month). The Germans were keen to conclude a peace based upon Wilson's famous Fourteen Points. Armistice Day

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1.Global capitalism was essential. 2. The League of Nations would prevent war 3. Disarmament 4. Freedom of the seas. 5. Free trade. 6. International gold standard. 7. National self-determination. WILSON'S WORLD ORDER Wilson's Objective Woodrow Wilson wanted to create a new world order. Countries should liberalize their economies and participate in the progress that would surely come with global capitalism. His blueprint, the Fourteen Points, based this new world order on the following principles:

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Treaty of Versailles http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i

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Coming Home From WWI http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i