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The Great War Largest in history up to that point French mobilized 8.5 million British mobilized 9 million Russians mobilized 12 million Germans mobilized 11 million

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Schlieffen Plan failed Belgians resisted Russia mobilized more quickly than expected First Battle of the Marne

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September 5-12, 1914 Culmination of German advance into France British & French push Germany back Allied victory Sets stage for trench warfare

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Stalemate Deadlock, neither side is able to defeat the other To break stalemate, Both sides launched deadly offenses Germans at Verdun Allies at Somme

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In total, estimates of up to 16 million died and 20 million were wounded in WW1 Western front proved the destructive power of modern weapons Long-range artillery Rapid-fire machine gun

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Poison gas 1915 First Germany, then Allies used it Blinded or chocked victims Agonizing

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Tanks, airplanes and submarines 1916, Britain introduced first armored tank 1915, Germany used zeppelins Designed to move across no mans land

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Both sides equipped airplanes with machine guns Pilots, or flying aces, fought dog fights in the sky

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Submarines proved more important than planes German U-boats Did tremendous damage Allies developed Convoys

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13 By 1915 both sides had built trenches from the English Channel to Switzerland The Western Front spanned 415 miles 6,250 miles of trenches total 6 to 8 feet deep Millions died and little land was won

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Battle lines shifted back & forth over larger areas No trench warfare but higher casualties Just as indecisive

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The Frozen Front lack of food and clothing; 100s froze to death daily Russia not industrialized was always short on food, clothing, weapons, and ammo Russias asset was its numbers Germany blockaded the Baltic Sea and the Ottoman Empire controlled the Black Sea

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Though most fighting took place in Europe, WWI was a global conflict Japan, allied with Britain, used war as excuse to seize German outposts in China & the Pacific

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1915, Bulgaria joined Central Powers Helped defeat Balkan rival, Serbia 1916, Romania joined Allies Hoped to gain some land in Hungary Crushed by Central Powers 1915, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary & later Germany Secret treaty with Allies

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European colonies also dragged in Allies overran German colonies in Africa & Asia Turned to their own colonies for troops Colonies had mixed feelings Why serve rulers who treat you unfairly? Maybe their service would be step towards citizenship or independence?

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1917 Europeans cracking under strain of war Morale was low Stalemate seemed unending One country will leave One country will enter End the stalemate

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Modern war required all of nations resources Governments took stronger role in directing economic and cultural lives of people

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Conscription The draft All warring nations Germany Forced civilian labor Governments raised taxes Rationed food, boots, gasoline, etc. Forbade strikes

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British navy formed blockade in the North Sea International law allows wartime blockades to stop contraband But British blockade stopped everything Germans retaliate Unrestricted submarine Warfare

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May 1915, German submarine torpedoed British liner About 1200 killed 128 Americans Germans stopped unrestricted submarine warfare for the moment

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Total war included controlling public opinion Censored press Hid discouraging news Propaganda was used to spread ideas to promote a cause or to damage an opposing cause

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Women played critical role At home, kept national economies going Nurses near front lines Helped women get voting rights after the war

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Despite efforts, by 1917, morale of troops & civilians plunged Germany was sending 15 year olds to fight Britain near bankruptcy You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray youll never know The hell where youth & laughter go - Siegfried Sassoon, Suicide in the Trenches

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3 years of war hit Russia hard Incompetent generals Corruption Food/supply shortages March 1917, Russians overthrow Tsar Allies welcome the revolution New democratic nation would be a stronger ally However

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Vladimir Lenin Promised to pull troops out of war Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Early 1918 Signed with Germany Pulled Russia out of WW1

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US Support Shared cultural history with Britain Same language as Britain Same democracy as France German Americans favored Central Powers Irish Americans resented British Russian Jewish immigrants didnt want to ally with the Tsar

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Unrestricted submarine warfare stopped after Lusitania, 1915 Pressure from President Wilson 1917 Germans desperate Started again Wilson angrily denounces Germany 1917, British intercept telegram between German foreign minister Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico

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April 1917, Wilson asked Congress to declare war 1918, about 2 million American soldiers join the Allied troops Brought much needed morale boost & financial aid Wilson to Congress, We have no selfish ends to serve- to make the world safe for democracy War to end all Wars

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January 1918, Wilson issued 14 Points List of terms for resolving this and future wars Self determination for Eastern Europe

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Final showdown on Western Front, early 1918 Germans wanted major victory before US showed up Launch huge offensive, push Allies back 40 miles Efforts exhausted Central Powers Americans arrived September, German generals told kaiser the war could not be won William II stepped down & went to exile in Netherlands

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Austria-Hungary near collapse Bulgaria & Ottoman Empire ask for peace 11 a.m. November 11, 1918 New German government sought an armistice The Great War came to an end

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