Chapter 24: World War IChapter 24: World War ISection 1: War Breaks Out in EuropeSection 1: War Breaks Out in EuropeSection 2: America Joins the FightSection 2: America Joins the Fight

WWI was WWI was notnot called World called World War IWar I

It was called: It was called: ““The Great WarThe Great War”” because…because…

There had not been a major war among There had not been a major war among the worldthe world’’s countries for almost 100 s countries for almost 100

years – since:years – since:

There are usually three There are usually three reasons for fights:reasons for fights:

An underlying An underlying causecause

An immediate An immediate causecause

A sparkA sparkAnd - there were And - there were many underlying many underlying causes for WWIcauses for WWI

The spark that started The spark that started WWI:WWI:

Archduke Francis Ferdinand Archduke Francis Ferdinand (from Austria –Hungary) was (from Austria –Hungary) was shot and killedshot and killed

Imperialism: Imperialism:

Definition: building Definition: building an empire or trying to an empire or trying to rule over other landsrule over other lands

There was There was competitioncompetition for colonies in Africa for colonies in Africa and Asia and Germany and Asia and Germany felt it deserved more felt it deserved more coloniescolonies

This is also sometimes This is also sometimes called called expansionismexpansionism

Nationalism:Nationalism:

Definition: feelings of Definition: feelings of unity, pride, loyalty, unity, pride, loyalty, and commitment to oneand commitment to one’’s s countrycountry

Europeans had strong Europeans had strong feelings of feelings of pridepride, , loyaltyloyalty, and , and protectiveness toward protectiveness toward their own countries. their own countries. They wanted to prove They wanted to prove their nations were the their nations were the best and placed their best and placed their interests above all interests above all others. They were others. They were willing to willing to fightfight for the for the causes they believed in.causes they believed in.

MilitarismMilitarism / Arms Races: / Arms Races:

Definition: Definition: competition to have competition to have the most / best the most / best weapons and military weapons and military equipmentequipment

Many of these nations Many of these nations believed they needed a believed they needed a large large militarymilitary force. force. This is often called This is often called an an ““arms race.arms race.””

Alliances: Alliances:

Definition: nations Definition: nations that have agreed to that have agreed to work togetherwork together

Many alliances bound Many alliances bound nations nations togethertogether. . An attack on one An attack on one nation forced all nation forced all its allies to come its allies to come to its aid.to its aid.

The two sides:The two sides:

The Central Powers The Central Powers Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary GermanyGermany The Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire BulgariaBulgaria

The Allies The Allies Serbia Serbia RussiaRussia FranceFrance Great BritainGreat Britain ItalyItaly And seven othersAnd seven others

The Central Powers The Central Powers Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary GermanyGermany The Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire BulgariaBulgaria

The Allies The Allies Serbia Serbia RussiaRussia FranceFrance Great BritainGreat Britain ItalyItaly And seven othersAnd seven others

World War I had a lot of new World War I had a lot of new and different kind of and different kind of fighting techniques.fighting techniques.

One of those was One of those was trench warfare.trench warfare.

Troops hid in rat Troops hid in rat infested trenches.infested trenches.

If there were If there were ““battlesbattles”” they they often killed often killed thousands (the thousands (the Battle of the Battle of the Somme had 1.2 Somme had 1.2 million million casualties).casualties).

Some other new Some other new inventions:inventions:

TanksTanks Machine gunsMachine guns Poison gasPoison gas Fighter planesFighter planes U-boats U-boats (German submarines (German submarines

and and submarine warfare)submarine warfare)

Did America care? Did America care?

No – this war was 3000 No – this war was 3000 miles awaymiles away

There were no radios, There were no radios, planes, or much planes, or much communications to communications to average people in average people in America.America.

The United States took The United States took a position of a position of neutrality:neutrality:

not taking sidesnot taking sides

Is neutral good or bad?Is neutral good or bad?

Both.Both. You can avoid any You can avoid any direct conflict.direct conflict.

But… both sides But… both sides could come after could come after you. you.

(no (no ““protectionprotection””))

There were some challenges There were some challenges to American neutralityto American neutrality

American OpinionAmerican Opinion

The United States had a lot of The United States had a lot of German immigrants.German immigrants.

We spoke English (and were We spoke English (and were their colony)their colony)

The French helped us in the The French helped us in the RevolutionRevolution

We had trade problemsWe had trade problems

Should we trade mostly with Should we trade mostly with Germany or England?Germany or England?

The Germans were sinking The Germans were sinking a lot of our shipsa lot of our ships

The Lusitania was a main The Lusitania was a main exampleexample

The The Zimmerman Note Zimmerman Note was was anotheranother

Finally…. after the Finally…. after the Germans sank more of our Germans sank more of our

ships……. War!!!ships……. War!!! President President Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson: : ““We We must make the world safe for must make the world safe for democracydemocracy””

(He was so upset we had to go to war, (He was so upset we had to go to war,

he put his head on his desk and cried)he put his head on his desk and cried) Wilson was a Wilson was a

compassionate man. compassionate man. He knew many young He knew many young American men would American men would be killed. He didbe killed. He didnn ’’t approve of war.t approve of war.

Its not easy to say youIts not easy to say you’’re going to be re going to be in a war in a war

and immediately start fighting and immediately start fighting (and especially in a far away place)(and especially in a far away place)

The U.S. was not The U.S. was not prepared for war.prepared for war.

We did not have We did not have enough soldiers, enough soldiers, so the government so the government had a draft.had a draft.

Any male 21-30 Any male 21-30 “signed up.”“signed up.”

In America at first this In America at first this was called: was called: ““The Great WarThe Great War””or or ““The Great AdventureThe Great Adventure””

Most Americans had never been more than Most Americans had never been more than 50-100 miles from their homes.50-100 miles from their homes.

But, the war was a lot different than they But, the war was a lot different than they expected.expected.

It took a year or so until we had It took a year or so until we had enough troops trained, deployed, and enough troops trained, deployed, and

ready to fight in Europe.ready to fight in Europe.

By that time WWI had By that time WWI had been going on for 2-been going on for 2-3 years.3 years.

But our troops did a But our troops did a lot to stop the lot to stop the German advance and German advance and even started to push even started to push them back some.them back some.

Most of this Most of this fighting was taking fighting was taking place in France. place in France.

There was fighting for There was fighting for about another year after about another year after

we arrivedwe arrived The turning point of The turning point of the war was the the war was the Second Battle of the Second Battle of the Marne.Marne.

By 1918 about 1.2 By 1918 about 1.2 million U.S. soldiers million U.S. soldiers were pushing the were pushing the Germans back to Germans back to Germany.Germany.

Fighting was always Fighting was always tough and casualties tough and casualties were usually high were usually high

WWIWWI’’s final battle s final battle left 26,000 Americans left 26,000 Americans deaddead

Finally the Germans had to agree Finally the Germans had to agree to peace and agreed to an to peace and agreed to an

armisticearmistice

An agreement to An agreement to

stop fightingstop fighting

About 8.5 million About 8.5 million soldiers had died.soldiers had died.

Another 21 million Another 21 million had been wounded.had been wounded.

During the course of During the course of World War One, World War One, eleven eleven percentpercent (11%) of (11%) of France's entire France's entire population were killed population were killed or wounded! Eight or wounded! Eight percent (8%) of Great percent (8%) of Great Britain's population Britain's population were killed or wounded, were killed or wounded, and nine percent (9%) and nine percent (9%) of Germany's pre-war of Germany's pre-war population were killed population were killed or wounded!or wounded! The United The United States, which did not States, which did not enter the land war in enter the land war in strength until 1918, strength until 1918, suffered one-third of suffered one-third of one percent (0.37%) of one percent (0.37%) of its population killed its population killed or wounded. or wounded.