Presentation given on July 9, 2012 at Yerba Buena High School

1. World War I
1914-1918
The Big Themes and U. S. Involvement
Par Pandit

2. The Monarchs
England -- George V (1910-1936)
Germany -- Wilhelm II (1888-1918)
Russia -- Nicholas II (1894-1917)
Austria -- Franz Joseph I (1848-1916)
Ottoman Empire - Mehmed V (1909-1924)
Italy - Victor Emmanual III (1900-1946)

3. Motivations and Alliances
England - protect Belgium neutrality, alliance with France
and Russia
France - wants territory back from Germany. Alliance
with England and Russia
Germany - Alliance with Austria, global ambitions
Russia - eyes on the Balkan states, protect Serbia
Ottoman Empire - preserve crumbling empire
Austria - fight nationalism within its declining empire
Italy - wanted land from Austria

4. United States
• Wanted to stay officially neutral
• U.S. Banks made large loans to Allies and
small loans to Central Powers
• The RMS Lusitania is sunk in 1915 (128
Americans die)
• The Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico
• Russian Revolution - now make it a war for
democracy
• U. S. declares war on Germany in April,

5. Schlieffen Plan

6. Changes in Warfare
Different from previous wars
Submarines
• Germany and England had them
• England blockade successful while
Germany's blockade was getting ignored by
merchant ships
• Old Rule: fair warning, rescue, honor
• New Rule: unrestricted warfare

7. Changes in Warfare
Different from previous wars
• Tanks - introduced to deal with trench
warfare
• Airplanes
• Poisonous gases
• Last war to use calvery
• Machine guns

8. Major Battles

9. Major Battles
Battle of Tannenberg, Germany, 1914
• From August 17 to September 2
• Russia attacked Germany earlier than
expected
• Germany forced to move troops from
western front to eastern front
• Germany defeats Russia
• Germany is denied a quick victory and
forced to fight a war on two fronts

10. Major Battles
Battle of Verdun, France, 1916:
• February 21 to December 18
• Location has no military value but historical
value for France
• Flamethrower and phosgene gas introduced
by German
• Close to a million total casualties suffered by
German and French troops
• Futile and formless

11. Major Battles
The Battle of the Somme, France, 1916:
• July 1 to November 18
• Another battle along the trenches
• England and France on one side of the river
with Germany on the other side
• No land gained by either side
• British lose 470,000 men
• Germany lose 235,000 men

12. Major Battles
Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915
•From April 25, 1915 to January 9, 1916
•A joint British and French operation was
mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of
Istanbul and secure a sea route to Russia
•Major victory for Ottoman Empire
•Over 120,000 men had died. These included
more than 80,000 Turkish soldiers and
44,000 British and French soldiers, including
over 8,500 Australians

13. U.S. Enter War
• Entered partly because Russia dropped out
of war
• Entered partly due to the declaration of
unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany
• Sending close to 300,000 soldiers a month
• Tips the scale in favor of Allies
• Forces Germany into one last effort to defeat
Allies before there are too many American
troops

14. U.S. Home Issues
• Not enough soldiers so Selective Service is
used a form of draft
• Rationing, Army bonds
• Coordinate business, government, and labor
• Civil Liberties curtailed
• More women join workforce
• Mexicans and African-Americans come for fill
jobs

15. U.S. After the War
• Labor strikes
• High inflation due to no caps on prices
• Competition for jobs due to returning soldiers
• Racism on the rise
• Fear of Communism
• U.S. is now a world industrial leader

16. Links
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXqppJ-
L88U