The First World War (WWI)
TB Connection
Pgs. 450-457
Boys and Girls! War savings Stamps Poster by James Montgomery Flagg
1917-18
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The First World War:
•War involving nearly all the nations of the world
•1914-1918
What?
When?
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The First World War:Why did the war begin?
Long term - 1. Alliance system
2. Imperialist competition
3. Stockpiling of weapons
by countries
Short term – Assassination of Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his Wife Sophie,
Duchess of Hohenberg one hour before their deaths, June 28,
1914
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The First World War:Who was in the war?
GermanyAustria-HungaryOttoman EmpireBulgaria
RussiaFranceGreat BritainItalyJapanUnited States (1917)
Central Powers:
Allies:
Some countries formed alliances with other countries
to strengthen their power. These countries that joined together were called
allies
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The First World War:Where was the war fought?
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Why did it take so long for America to get involved in the war?•America was isolationist
•“Why should I get involved in someone else’s problems?”
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Why did it take so long for America to get involved in the war?•America was isolationist
•“Why should I get involved in someone else’s problems?”Isolationism is the desire to remain neutral
and let other countries handle their own affairs. With the Atlantic Ocean between
the US and Europe, it was easy to stay isolated.
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Thinking Slide
Is isolationism really an option for a country as powerful as the United
States?
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Which side should the US pick?There were many factors the US could consider:
•11 million German- Americans •Irish-Americans hated Great Britain
•Close cultural ties with the US•Countries shared transatlantic cables (so stories might be censored)•Big businesses loaned lots of $$$ to allies
Central Powers:
Allies:
Nations 1914 1915 1916 Britain $594,271,863 $911,794,954 $1,526,685,102 France $159,818,924 $364,397,170 $628,851,988 Germany $344,794,276 $28,863,354 $288,899
$$$ US Exports to both sides $$$
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What did it take to get the US involved?
1. Blockades •Britain blockaded (stopped) all German ships going to America•Germany announced a submarine war around BritainY-53 German
Submarine 1916
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What did it take to get the US involved?
1. Blockades
•In May, 1915 Germany told Americans to stay off of British ships•They could/would sink them
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What did it take to get the US involved?
1. Blockades •Lusitania was torpedoed, sinking with 1200 passengers and crew (including 128 Americans)•Was eventually found to be carrying 4200 cases of ammunitionGerman Propaganda Justifying
Lusitania sinking
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What did it take to get the US involved?
1. Blockades •The US sharply criticized Germany for their action•Germany agreed not to sink passenger ships without warning in the future
Note in Bottle After Lusitania Disaster
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What did it take to get the US involved?
2. Unlimited Submarine Warfare
•1917 Germany announced “unlimited submarine warfare” in the war zone
Why? Otherwise their blockade would
not be successful
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What did it take to get the US involved?
3. Zimmerman Note •US intercepted a note from Germany to Mexico,
•It promised Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back in return for an alliance
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What did it take to get the US involved?
Zimmerman Note plus the sinking of 4 unarmed
American ships led to a
declaration of war
US Involvement
summary
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How was the war looking for the allies?
•Russia left the war after its communist revolution in 1917•This made it a one front war for Germany- all its troops could concentrate on France
Not Good...
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Convincing the American People to Get Involved in the
War:Posters - Gee!!
How do you think this poster helped
to convince the American people
that the war was a good idea?
Propaganda Poster Activity
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Convincing the American People to Get Involved in the
War
1. War to End All Wars
Idealism: 2 Goals For War:
2. Making the World Safe for Democracy
Idealism is the practice of forming ideals and/or
living under their influence
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Convincing the American People to Get Involved in the
WarIdealism: Fourteen Points
What was this?
President Wilson’s Plan for after the war
•It included fourteen promises, including freedom of the seas & a League of Nations to work for world peace
President Woodrow Wilson
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What did the US do to help? The US provided food, money, supplies and
the fresh troops needed to win the war.
American Troops March Through London
Supplies:
US troops were sometimes
referred to as doughboys.
They contributed to the allied victory by
breaking the deadlock of trench
warfare.
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How did the War Affect the US?
Women •Women filled factory jobs•This may have led to the 19th Amendment after the war ( the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote)
•Black soldiers still served in Segregated Units
African Americans
•A “Great Migration” occurred when thousands of African Americans moved North to work in factories
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How did the War Affect the US?
Enforcing Loyalty•Hatred of all things German
Ex. “Liberty Cabbage”•Espionage Act 1917 & Sedition Act of 1918 punished those against the war (this included many labor leaders)
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How was war evolving (changing) for WWI?New Technologies of the War
More destructive combat:•Machine guns•Tanks•Poison gas and gas masks•Airplanes•Trench warfare
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How was war evolving (changing) for WWI?
More destructive combat:•Machine guns•Tanks•Poison gas and gas masks•Airplanes•Trench warfare
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How was war evolving (changing) for WWI?
More destructive combat:•Machine guns•Tanks•Poison gas and gas masks•Airplanes•Trench warfare
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How was war evolving (changing) for WWI?New Technologies of the War
More destructive combat:•Machine guns•Tanks•Poison gas and gas masks•Airplanes•Trench warfare
After four long years, on November 11, 1918 the Central Powers surrendered
The US troops contributed to the Allied victory by breaking the deadlock of trench warfare
The US troops also helped in the peacemaking process by helping redraw state borders in Europe
In January 1919 the Treaty of Versailles officially ended WWI
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The
End
of t
he W
ar
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The Treaty of Versailles:
Took away Germany’s colonies
Redrew its national borders
Demanded it not to rebuild its army
Demanded it pay heavy fines to the Allied PowersTh
e En
d of
the
War
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