World War IWorld War IThe beginnings and aftermath of war.

1914-1919

Causes of WarCauses of War

Great Strides in international communication made war seem close to impossible.

European ‘spheres of influence’ began to clash.

Europeans had increasing sense of nationalism.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian sympathizers sparked conflict.

Central PowersCentral Powers

Austria-Hungary: declared war on Serbia 28 July 1914.

Germany: linked to Austria-Hungary by Dual Alliance. Declared war on Russia 1 August as result of Russian mobilization.

Ottoman Empire: Entered war 28 October 1914 after signing Turco-German Alliance

Bulgaria: October 1915

Triple EntenteTriple Entente

Russia: bound to Serbia by Treaty of San Stefano.

France: German declaration of war 3 August.

Great Britain: had moral obligations to defend France and Russia, but did not join war until Germany invaded Belgium.

Allied PowersAllied Powers

Italy: Originally allied to Germany, joined Allies in secret Franco-Italian Alliance.

Japan: declared war on Germany 23 August.

United States: joined war 6 April 1917 as a result of unrestricted submarine warfare.

Neutral NationsNeutral Nations

Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and United States (initially).

Geneva would become base League of Nations.

Difficulties of NeutralityDifficulties of Neutrality

Eight million Germans and Austrians living in U.S.

Irish Americans also against Britain.Manifest DestinyCommerce: Britain established naval

blockade and seized US ships.

TechnologyTechnology

Machine guns: able to hold off advancing infantry. Trench warfare becomes important.

Tanks: entered war in 1916, not really effective until late in war. Replaced cavalry.

Airplanes: used mainly as method of transportation and observation, by 1918, developed use for bombing raids.

U-boat (Unterseeboot): ability to move undetected and spy on shipping patterns.

Innovations in WarfareInnovations in Warfare

Chemical Warfare: Introduced by Germans. Chlorine gas could blind and suffocate the enemy.

Gas masks were not effective.

Election of 1916Election of 1916

Progressive Party had lost support in 1914 Congressional elections. Wilson appointed Louis D. Brandeis to Supreme Court (first Jewish appointee).

“He kept us out of war!”Government reform.Child Labor laws and women’s suffrage.

Election of 1916Election of 1916

Republicans nominated Charles Evans Hughes. Theodore Roosevelt had planned for this position after declining the Bull Moose Party.

“Straight and honest neutrality”Viewed as war candidate because of

Roosevelt’s speeches.

Conflict in MexicoConflict in Mexico

Manifest Destiny and Monroe Doctrine: keep European savages out of Latin and South America.

German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman sent letter to German minister in Mexico.◦Germany promised to return land lost in 1848

(Texas, New Mexico, Arizona)◦1 March 1917, Zimmerman note released to

American public.

US Enters the Great WarUS Enters the Great War

Bolshevik revolution in Russia forced Russian withdraw from war.

German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

Major US BattlesMajor US Battles

Battle of Cantigny: 28 May 1918. Major morale boost for Allied troops.

BattlesBattles

Second Battle of the Marne: (15 July-16 September 1918) turning point of war.

BattlesBattles

St. Mihiel Salient: Largest concentration of airplanes in one battle. Around 1476 Allied planes.

First victory by independent US Army.

BattlesBattles

Meuse-Argonne Offensive: Largest offensive and victory for AEF during war. Ended with cease-fire.

CasualtiesCasualties

Great Britain: 947,000 killed; 2,122,000 wounded; 192,000 prisoners

France: 1,358,000 killed; 3,044,000 wounded; 446,000 prisoners

Russia: 1,700,000 killed; 4,950,000 wounded; 500,000 prisoners

Italy: 460,000 killed; 947,000 wounded; 530,000 prisoners

United States:115,000 killed; 206,000 wounded; 4,500 prisoners

CasualtiesCasualties

Germany: 1,808,000 killed; 4,247,000 wounded; 618,000 prisoners

Austria-Hungary: 1,200,000 killed; 3,620,000 wounded; 200,000 prisoners

Turkey: 325,000 killed; 400,000 wounded

Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

The Big Three: David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France), Woodrow Wilson (United States).

The United States wanted isolationism and little influence in Europe.

Britain wanted Germany to pay for damage, but not so much as to allow communism to spread.

France wanted to bring Germany to her knees.

Four main points: territory, military, financial, and general.

TerritoryTerritory

Alsace-Lorraine: FranceEupen and Malmedy: BelgiumNorthern Schleswig: DenmarkHultschin: CzechoslovakiaWest Prussia, Posen, Upper Silesia: PolandThe Saar, Danzig, and Memel put under

control of League of Nations.

Europe Before WWIEurope Before WWI

Postwar GermanyPostwar Germany

MilitaryMilitary

Army reduced to 100,000 men.Six capital ships, no submarines.No air force.Demilitarized zone: west of Rhineland and

50km east of Rhine River.

FinancialFinancial

Industrial territory lost, including coal mines of Saar and Upper Silesia.

Reparations, not determined in Versailles, but later to be £6,600 million.

Forbidden to reunite with Austria.

GeneralGeneral

Three Clauses:“War Guilt Clause”: Germany must admit

full responsibility for starting war.Germany responsible for all war damage.Establish League of Nations.

Other Central PowersOther Central Powers

Austria: signed Treaty of Saint Germain on 10 Sept 1919. Recognized independence of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs.

Bulgaria: signed Treaty of Neuilly on 27 Nov 1919. Loss of land.

Turkey: signed Treaty of Sevres on 10 Aug 1920. Harsh punishment for actions at Gallipoli. Ottoman Empire diminished.

Hungary: signed Treaty of Trianon on 4 June 1920.

Wilson’s Fourteen PointsWilson’s Fourteen Points

8 January 1918. Creation of League of Nations.Limit capabilities of any nation to start

war.

League of NationsLeague of Nations

Intervene before dispute broke out into war.

No active military force. US, Germany, Russia did not become members.

Domestic Impact of WarDomestic Impact of War

Financial: cost United States $33 billion and another $112 billion in veterans benefits.

Federal Power: Larger Army. Regulation of Interstate commerce. Control of railroads and shipyards.

Labor: Women in workplace; telephone operators, nurses. Black laborers replaced lack of immigrant laborers.

Women’s Suffrage: Nineteenth Amendment