The First World War Flashcards
Causes of the War
Historians traditionally cite four long-term causes:
NATIONALISM: Devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation.
IMPERIALISM: Economic and political control over weaker nations.
MILITARISM: Increased military spending due to nationalism and imperialism.
ALLIANCE SYSTEM: Division of Europe into two armed camps.
Nationalism
Led to rivalries and conflicts between nations.
Ethnic groups resented domination and desired independence.
Russia and Austria-Hungary disagreed over the treatment of Serbs.
Germany allied with Austria-Hungary; Russia, France, and Britain were partners.
Imperialism
European nations built empires for centuries.
Colonies supplied raw materials and provided markets.
Germany's industrialization led to competition for colonies.
Militarism
Empires needed defense, leading to increased military spending in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Germany was the strongest militarily by 1890, building a navy to rival England’s.
France, Italy, Japan, and the United States also increased naval power.
Battleships were stockpiled by European nations, Japan, and America.
Alliance System
By 1907, two major defense alliances existed in Europe:
The Triple Entente (Allies): France, Britain, and Russia.
The Triple Alliance (Central Powers): Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (later joined by the Ottoman Empire).
The Spark: An Assassination
The Balkan region was “the powder keg of Europe” due to competing interests.
Russia wanted access to the Mediterranean Sea.
Germany wanted a rail link to the Ottoman Empire.
Austria-Hungary accused Serbia of subverting its rule over Bosnia (taken in 1878).
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, was assassinated by a Serbian radical in June 1914, igniting a diplomatic crisis.
The Fighting Begins
The alliance system drew nations into conflict, starting the Great War.
On August 3, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium, following the Schlieffen Plan.
The Schlieffen Plan aimed for a quick strike through Belgium to Paris, then an attack on Russia.
The plan was designed to prevent a two-front war for Germany.
The War Becomes A Stalemate
The Allies retreated to the Marne River, halting the German advance in September 1914.
Both sides dug trenches, leading to a long siege.
By 1915, parallel trench systems crossed France from Belgium to Switzerland.
“No man’s land” was the area between enemy trenches, filled with shell craters and barbed wire.
Trench Warfare Conditions
Conditions in trenches were horrific, including:
Fear of bombardment.
Mud and flooding.
Lice and vermin.
Disease.
First Battle of The Somme
Began on July 1, 1916, and lasted until mid-November.
British suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day.
Total casualties were 1.2 million, with only 7 miles of ground gained.
Trench warfare lasted three years.
Gas attacks caused blindness and lung disease.
Americans Question Neutrality
In 1914, most Americans wanted neutrality, seeing no reason to join the war.
Some German-Americans supported Germany.
Many Americans felt closer to the British due to shared ancestry and language.
American economic interests were stronger with the Allies.
The War Hits Home
America sold dynamite, cannon powder, submarines, copper wire, tubing, and other war materials to the Allied forces.
Germans and British imposed naval blockades.
Germans used U-boats to prevent shipments to Britain, sinking any ship found in the waters.
The Lusitania Disaster
The Lusitania was a British passenger liner sunk by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans.
Germans claimed the ship carried Allied ammunition.
Americans were outraged, and public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers.
1916 Election
Democrat Woodrow Wilson vs. Republican Charles Evans Hughes.
Wilson won, using the slogan “He kept us out of war.”
America Edges Closer To War
Germany ignored Wilson’s plea for peace.
The Zimmerman Note proposed a German alliance with Mexico, promising the return of territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
German subs sank four unarmed U.S. merchant ships.
America Declares War
On April 2, 1917, Wilson declared war, stating, “The world must be made safe for democracy.”
Congress passed the resolution.
American Power Tips the Balance
America was not ready for war; only 200,000 men were in service.
Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May 1917.
By the end of 1918, 24 million had signed up, and almost 3 million were called to duty; about 2 million American troops reached Europe.
Fresh U.S. Soldiers Join Fight
Allied forces were exhausted after 2 ½ years of fighting.
Americans provided fresh and enthusiastic troops.
American infantry were nicknamed “doughboys.”
Important New Weapons
Machine Guns: Fired 600 rounds per minute.
The Tank: Steel tanks ran on caterpillar treads.
Airplanes: Used for duals and bombing by 1918.
Poison Gas: Mustard gas was used to subdue the enemy.
Other Weapons & Equipment
Howitzers
Flame throwers
Torpedoes
U-boats
Phosphorus grenades
Field phones
Search lights
Gas masks
Camouflage
Railroad guns
Blimps
American Troops Go On the Offensive
Russia surrendered to Germany in 1917, allowing the Central Powers to focus on the Western Front.
By May, Germans were within 50 miles of Paris.
Americans played a major role in pushing the Germans back.
The Americans helped the Allies win the Second Battle of the Marne in July and August.
Germany Collapses, War Ends
On November 3, 1918, Austria-Hungary surrendered.
German sailors mutinied, and other revolts followed.
Germany signed a truce on November 11, 1918, ending the Great War.
The War At Home
The U.S. economy focused on the war effort, shifting from a consumer economy to a war economy.
The power of the U.S. government expanded.
Congress gave President Wilson direct control over the economy.
War Industries Board
The War Industries Board (WIB) encouraged mass-production techniques.
Industrial production and wages increased 20%, and union membership increased from 2.5 million to 4 million.
President Wilson set up the National War Labor Board in 1918 to deal with disputes.
Victory Gardens
The Food Administration (FA) declared “meatless,” “sweetless,” and “wheatless” days.
Homeowners planted “victory gardens.”
Farmers increased production by almost 30% by adding 40 million acres of farmland.
Selling The War
The U.S. needed to raise money and convince the public to support the war.
The U.S. spent 35.5 billion on the war effort.
The government raised about 1/3 through income and “sin” taxes.
The rest was raised through war bonds (Liberty Loans & Victory Loans).
Propaganda
The Committee on Public Information (CPI) was the nation’s first propaganda agency, led by George Creel.
Artists created paintings, posters, cartoons, and sculptures to promote the war.
Attack on Civil Liberties
Civil Liberties were compromised.
Anti-Immigrant feelings arose, especially against Germans and Austrian-Hungarians.
Espionage and Sedition Acts were passed, preventing anti-war protests but violating the First Amendment.
Socialists and labor leaders were targeted for disloyalty.
Wilson Fights for Peace
Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” included:
No secret treaties.
Freedom of the Seas.
More free trade.
Reduction of arms.
Less colonialism.
A League of Nations.
Allies Reject Wilson’s Plan, Sign Treaty
The Big Four (Wilson, Clemenceau, Lloyd George, and Orlando) worked out the Treaty of Versailles.
Wilson conceded on most points for the League of Nations.
On June 28, 1919, the Big Four and the defeated nations signed the Treaty of Versailles.
Treaty Of Versailles
Established nine new nations.
Broke up the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires.
Barred Germany from maintaining an army.
Required Germany to give Alsace-Lorraine back to France.
Forced Germany to pay 33 billion in reparations.
The Weakness of the Treaty
The harsh treatment of Germany prevented lasting peace.
The Treaty humiliated Germany by forcing them to admit sole responsibility for the war (War-Guilt Clause).
Germany could not pay 33 billion in reparations.
Debate Over Treaty at Home
The U.S. never joined the League.
Conservative senators, led by Henry Cabot Lodge, were suspicious of the League’s commitments.
Congress rejected U.S. involvement in the League.
The Legacy of the War
The war strengthened the military and government power.
The propaganda campaign provoked fears in society.
The war created political instability and violence in many countries.
Russia established the first Communist state.
World War I was called “The War to end all Wars,” but unresolved issues led to another conflict.
22 million dead, more than half civilians, and an additional 20 million wounded.