World War INew Technologies, New

Challenges

Causes of War Nationalism = feeling that a specific nation,

language, or culture is superior to all others Had become a source of unification

Imperialism As nations competed for overseas territories,

attitudes became uneasy

Militarism = A policy of aggressive military preparedness

New Alliances Balance of Power = strength of rival

alliances is equal

Triple Alliance = Germany, Austria Hungary, Italy (1879)….Eventually = Central Powers

Triple Entente = Britain, France, Russia (1893)…..Eventually Allied Powers

The Spark Austria Hungary = many nationalities

The Slavs wanted to break free to create a united Slavic empire

Austria Hungary felt threatened

Serbia = angry, so members of Serbia’s Black Hand (a secret group who used violence to achieve their goals) assassinated Austria Hungary’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia Then, the dominoes began to fall!

The War

Trench Warfare

Strategy of defending a position by fighting from the protection of deep ditches

Simple holes to complex systems with rooms for sleeping and eating

Cold, wet, dirty Health problems – disease spread rapidly No-man’s-land = area between opposing

trenches

Trench Warfare

New Technology

Machine guns fired 400 to 600 rounds of ammo per minute

Huge guns launched artillery shells, exploded into deadly metal fragments (shrapnel)

Gases Poison gas, mustard gas Destroyed men’s lungs, killed them slowly Gas masks – effective when used

constantly

New Technology Continued… Tanks

Hard to destroy Cause very heavy damage

Planes Used airplanes to gather info, shoot

down enemy planes, fire on trenches Planes and tanks = British and French

Submarines/U-Boats = Germans

New Technologies

Trench Mortar

Gas Masks and Water-Cooled British Vickers Machine Gun

German Machineengewehr 08

(Maxim).

A US Navy 7" gun on a Caterpillar tractor mount in WWI:German Plane WWI

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British Tank WWI

Wilson Pursues Neutrality

Why American Opinion = European War Isolationist Foreign Policy

America’s Attitude Most sided with allies More and more immigrants came to

U.S. sympathizing with Central Powers

Wilson Pursues Neutrality Cont.

Trade U.S did not stop trading with

warring European nations U.S. Ships carried most supplies, including war supplies to Allies

American banks invested heavily in European war bonds

Campaigning for Peace

Wilson wants re-election 1916 Pledged to keep country neutral and

work for peace Ran against Charles Evans Hughes Wilson won by little

Peace without victory Angered British

Wanted to gain something from war

America’s Push into War

Promoting WWI Involvement

Propaganda Used to influence American public

opinion of war Represented Germans as inhumane

and cruel German propaganda pictured Wilson

as falsely claiming neutrality while actively favoring Allies.

British Propaganda

Americans Under Fire

Germans violated rules of neutrality in Atlantic

Attacking merchant ships without search Lusitania = British passenger Liner – May

1915, U Boat sank killing 1200 people, 128 Americans

“Violation not only of international law, but of the fundamental decencies of civilization.”

-Wilson

Lusitania loading…….sailing…….sinking

Americans Under Fire Cont.

Sussex – March 24, 1916 Torpedoed by Germany U.S. threatened to end diplomatic relations

Sussex Pledge Germany’s response “We promise not to sink merchant vessels

w/out warning and w/out saving human lives.”

The Last Straw

Germans violated Sussex Pledge February, 1917

Zimmerman Note German foreign minister = alliance

between Germany and Mexico

Wilson’s war declaration = April 6, 1917 “The world must be made safe for

democracy.”

Rallying the Public

Committee on Public Information (CPI) Increase public support for war effort Rallies, parades, posters, pamphlets Movie stars

Entertained troops Promoted liberty bonds Films – The Kaiser: The Beast of Berlin

Four-minute-men = gave short, patriotic speeches in theaters, churches, schools

CPI Continued…

Espionage Act 1917 Severe penalties for aiding the enemy

Sedition Act 1918 Severe penalties for aiding the enemy,

refusing military duty, or speaking disloyally about U.S. govt., constitution, or flag

Result of CPI 73,000 soldiers joined the 98,000 already

enlisted – not enough to fight a modern war

Various WWI Roles

The Draft May 18, 1917 = Selective Service

Act required men 21-30 to register for draft

3 million draftees serve Negative attitudes Training camps

African Americans

Filled non-combat roles Pressure from NAACP = combat units

and one officer training camp Segregated units headed by whites Hypocritical

Women’s War Effort Abroad

25,000 female volunteers served in France Nurses, signalers, typists,

interpreters, Hello Girls handled military telephone service, Red Cross

Not allowed in combat, but many worked at front lines Nurses, ambulance drivers

Women’s Domestic War Effort

Filled important industrial jobs Some worked for peace

Mary McDowell & Jane Addams

Organizing for War Needed $ and supplies

Congress increased some taxes, imposed tax on business profits, war bonds

Liberty bonds – sale provided allies with loans for food and war supplies

Raised >$20 billion

War Industries Board Oversaw production and distribution of

goods manufactured by war industry “No steel, copper, cement, rubber, or

other basic materials could be used without our approval.” -Bernard Beruch

Feeding the Troops Lever Food & Fuel Control Act of 1917 helped

govt. gain greater control of war efforts Wilson established $ and production controls

over food and fuel

Food Administration – Hoover Created to increase food supply for troops by

expanding agricultural production and decreasing domestic consumption

“Meatless Mondays” “Wheatless Wednesdays” Victory Gardens

Labor and the War

Benefits = Increase wages and favorable labor environment

Why American products = essential to Allies

War created serious labor shortages

Immigration nearly stopped during war

So… Remaining Workers pushed for increased

wages and better conditions Unions Strikes actually worked…why?

April 1918, Wilson created National War Labor Board

Settled disputes between workers and management to prevent strikes

Minimum wage, maximum-hour standards, fair pay for females

Closure (You don’t have write this)

Despite efforts to remain neutral, America gets pushed into a war for which they were not necessarily prepared. In response, America rallied around the cause and organizations were created to strengthen America’s ability to be a major competitor in a major war. This Great War served as a turning point for America and warfare itself. How do you think the Great War changed America? Warfare? Other countries involved?

Questions- Please copy these down and use your notes to

answer them!1. What limitations did new technologies

provide troops?2. What forces pushed Wilson to stay neutral?3. What forces pushed Wilson into war?4. In what ways did America react to the war

domestically? How were those reactions supported?

5. How necessary were the war-related organizations?

6. In what ways did the Great War open doors for more people? Why were the doors opened?

7. How did the labor industry benefit from the war?