winning the war
WINNING THE WAR Ending the Stalemate
OBJECTIVES
Students will describe how World War I became a total war. Students will analyze the causes and effects of American entry into the war.
VOCABULARY total war: channeling of a nation’s entire resources into a war effort conscription: “the draft,” which required all young men to be ready for military or other service contraband: during wartime, military supplies and raw materials needed to make military supplies that may legally be confiscated by any belligerent propaganda: spreading of ideas to promote a cause or to damage an opposing cause armistice: agreement to end fighting in a war
WAGING TOTAL WAR Modern, mechanized war = all nation’s effort Governments direct economic and cultural life Military conscription becomes important priority At first all immediate countries - France, Germany, Russia 1916 - UK Government control production choices - rationing and directing manufacturing
ECONOMIC WARFARE UK forms a blockade of the North Sea to prevent supplies getting to Germany Legal under international law to blockade and confiscate contraband Stranglehold on supplies for Germans and Austrians Germany responds by creating blockade of Europe using U-Boats Threaten to sink all ships carrying goods to Britain; unrestricted naval warfare 1915 - sank the British ocean liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland 1,200 passengers killed; 125 Americans
PROPAGANDA WAR Total war also depends on controlling public opinion Governments controlled media reports of causalities and battle losses Both sides attempted to use propaganda to influence their own cause as just and the other side as ‘bad’, ‘evil’, ‘wrong’ Influence: Sending men to war, give money to government to continue, ignore horrific stories coming back
WAR FATIGUE Morale collapses in 1917 - fatigue from the war Long casualty lists, food shortages, failure to win this “summer war” - calls for peace No longer praise for glorious deeds of soldier; denounce leaders Some units mutiny
ENTENTE LOSE TO REVOLUTION Two front war kept the Germans at bay; events in Russia were changing 1917 - lack of supplies and incompetent generals and leaders led to bread riots Spiraled into full force revolution with Socialist leader V.I. Lenin Early 1918 - Lenin is in control of much of Russia Signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany; withdraws from the war Germany able to concentrate on the Western front now
US ENTERS THE WAR Unlimited naval warfare began pressure for Americans to wish to enter war President Wilson had negotiated the end of submarine attacks in 1915; 1917 began again 1917 - Zimmerman telegram
DECLARING WAR FOURTEEN POINTS April 1917 - Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany Wilson wants to make World War I the “War to End All Wars” Has in mind Fourteen Points - that if the Allies win, will ensure that further wars won’t happen
VICTORY & ARMISTICE Final showdown begins with about 2 million Americans pouring into France and many German troops returning from the East German troops quickly exhausted and unable to maintain attacks German commanders realized that victory was impossible New government replaces Kaiser November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m. - new German government seeks an armistice to end the fighting
OBJECTIVES
Students will describe how World War I became a total war. Students will analyze the causes and effects of American entry into the war.
VOCABULARY total war: channeling of a nation’s entire resources into a war effort conscription: “the draft,” which required all young men to be ready for military or other service contraband: during wartime, military supplies and raw materials needed to make military supplies that may legally be confiscated by any belligerent propaganda: spreading of ideas to promote a cause or to damage an opposing cause armistice: agreement to end fighting in a war
WAGING TOTAL WAR Modern, mechanized war = all nation’s effort Governments direct economic and cultural life Military conscription becomes important priority At first all immediate countries - France, Germany, Russia 1916 - UK Government control production choices - rationing and directing manufacturing
ECONOMIC WARFARE UK forms a blockade of the North Sea to prevent supplies getting to Germany Legal under international law to blockade and confiscate contraband Stranglehold on supplies for Germans and Austrians Germany responds by creating blockade of Europe using U-Boats Threaten to sink all ships carrying goods to Britain; unrestricted naval warfare 1915 - sank the British ocean liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland 1,200 passengers killed; 125 Americans
PROPAGANDA WAR Total war also depends on controlling public opinion Governments controlled media reports of causalities and battle losses Both sides attempted to use propaganda to influence their own cause as just and the other side as ‘bad’, ‘evil’, ‘wrong’ Influence: Sending men to war, give money to government to continue, ignore horrific stories coming back
WAR FATIGUE Morale collapses in 1917 - fatigue from the war Long casualty lists, food shortages, failure to win this “summer war” - calls for peace No longer praise for glorious deeds of soldier; denounce leaders Some units mutiny
ENTENTE LOSE TO REVOLUTION Two front war kept the Germans at bay; events in Russia were changing 1917 - lack of supplies and incompetent generals and leaders led to bread riots Spiraled into full force revolution with Socialist leader V.I. Lenin Early 1918 - Lenin is in control of much of Russia Signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany; withdraws from the war Germany able to concentrate on the Western front now
US ENTERS THE WAR Unlimited naval warfare began pressure for Americans to wish to enter war President Wilson had negotiated the end of submarine attacks in 1915; 1917 began again 1917 - Zimmerman telegram
DECLARING WAR FOURTEEN POINTS April 1917 - Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany Wilson wants to make World War I the “War to End All Wars” Has in mind Fourteen Points - that if the Allies win, will ensure that further wars won’t happen
VICTORY & ARMISTICE Final showdown begins with about 2 million Americans pouring into France and many German troops returning from the East German troops quickly exhausted and unable to maintain attacks German commanders realized that victory was impossible New government replaces Kaiser November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m. - new German government seeks an armistice to end the fighting
