WORLD WAR IPart II

Standard 7

WAR TECHNOLOGY & WEAPONS WWI was incredibly deadly due to new fighting

technology: Machine Guns - used sparingly in the Civil War, 1st widespread

use in WWI Poison Gas - Deadly in the trenches; led to gas bombs/gas masks

NEW WAR TECHNOLOGY Tanks - Used to break through “No Man’s Land”, secure

cities Air War - Evolved from reconnaissance to bombings to

airborne dogfighting Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) – Germany’s most

successful WWI fighter pilot (100+ kills)

UNCONDITIONAL SUBMARINE WARFARE• Submarines - Used exclusively by the Germans (U-boats) to sink Allied shipping• Germans fired on & sunk all ships in the North Atlantic

• Attempted to keep US and others from supplying Britain with war materials• Sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915 killed over 1,000 passengers,

including more than 100 Americans

US JOINS WWI• Anger over Lusitania attack pushed some

Americans toward WWI• Zimmermann Note – Telegram

intercepted attempting to push Mexico to attack US in exchange for German help regaining western US lands• US Declared War & joined Allies April 6,

1917

US EMBRACES WAR CAUSE• US quickly increased war production, mobilized forces for WWI

fight• Sold War Bonds to raise $ for fighting• Began draft to increase size of military from 370,000 to 4.8 Million• Women served as military nurses & went to work in factories• Used propaganda to increase support for US involvement (“Over There”)

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION• Russian support for WWI

fell quickly due to high casualties (2+ Million dead 1914-1916) and lack of supplies• Food & fuel shortages for

citizens, bread lines to receive food• Grigory Rasputin influences

the Czar and Czarina too much

Revolution Cont.

• Soviet clubs push for government reform, end to war• Vladimir Lenin led overthrow of

government• Russian Tsar Nicholas II and family were

murdered• New Communist government set up

• March 1918 - Lenin’s government negotiated Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, withdrawing from WWI and ceding territory to Germany

Armistice• Germans tried to mount a final offensive in

1917-18, but Allied counterattacks pushed them back into Germany• Angry Germans (who had been blockaded by

the British and had no food) revolted & Kaiser William II was forced to step down• Armistice (cease fire) was called on Nov. 11,

1918• Parties met in Paris to discuss the final peace

treaty• Known as the Paris Peace Conference

Big Three

• The Big Three • Prime Minister of France (George Clemenceau• President of the U.S. (Woodrow Wilson)• Prime Minister of Britain (David Lloyd George)

President Wilson• Woodrow Wilson seeks treaty to address causes

of war• Proposes “14 Points” to lessen chance of war in

the future:• Arm Limitations for all nations• Open Alliances• Freedom of the Seas• Self-Determination for nations

• Wilson’s proposals are rejected by France & Britain

TREATY OF VERSAILLES Final peace treaty forced on Central powers contained very harsh

punishments: War Guilt Clause - Germany was blamed for starting the war Reparations – Germany had to pay for war damages ($2.7 trillion in

modern $) Arms Limitations – No Air force, No Submarines, Small Army Germany stripped of Alsace & Lorraine (rich in resources for

industrialization) The League of Nations was created to settle international disputes

Angry at Treaty, U.S. refused to join