A Global Conflict

A Global Conflict

WWI more than a European conflict◦Australia and Japan fought with Allies◦India supplied troops to British◦Ottoman Turks and Bulgaria fight with Central Powers

◦New allies and war fronts around the globe

Allies look to attack the Dardanelles◦Take Ottoman capital of Constantinople

◦Defeat Turks◦Establish supply line to Russia◦Use Danube River to attack Austria

War Affects the World

Efforts begin Feb. 1915◦Repeated attacks on Gallipoli Peninsula British, Australians, New Zealand, French troops

Western side of Dardanelles Strait Turkish troops defend the region

◦May – bloody stalemate◦December – Allies give up◦250,000 casualties

The Gallipoli Campaign

Southwest Asia◦British help Arabs rise up against Turks Lawrence of Arabia turns Arab princes

against Ottoman overlords Allies take Baghdad, Jerusalem, Damascus

Asia and Africa◦Germany’s colonies come under assault

◦Japanese overrun outposts in China Capture Pacific island colonies

Battles in Africa and Asia

British and French recruit colonists◦Troops and laborers from Africa, India, Indochina

Purpose of German blockade◦Starve Britain into defeat before US could go to war

◦Stop all ships going to Britain/Europe Search for weapons or supplies Sink those carrying weapons

Blockade of Britain

May 17, 1915 – Germans sink Lusitania◦British ship◦1,198 dead – 128 Americans◦Germans claim ship carrying ammunition – true

◦American public outraged◦President Wilson protested to Germany

◦2 attacks later Germans stop attacks on neutral and passenger ships

Germans Control the Seas 1917 – Focus of war shifts to the high seas

Jan 1917 - Germans resume unrestricted sub warfare◦Sink without warning any ship in the waters around Britain

Feb 1917 German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman◦Sends note to ambassador in Mexico◦Mexico would ally w/Germany◦Germany would help Mexico “reconquer”

land lost to US◦British decode message and give to US

Zimmerman Note

Americans call for war◦Bond w/England Shared language and ancestry

Apr. 2, 1917 – US declares war on Central Powers

Three years of war before US enters◦More men killed than in 3 centuries before

◦War claimed lives of millions Affected everyone

War Affects the Home Front

Total War◦Countries devote all resources to war

effort Wartime gov’ts take control

◦Told factories what to produce and how much

◦Every able-bodied citizen put to work◦Gov’ts look to foreign workers

Gov’ts Wage Total War

Rationing◦People could only buy small amounts of

items needed for war Gov’ts suppress anti-war activity

◦Censor news about the war◦Use propaganda One-sided information designed to

persuade

War’s Impact on Women◦Thousands go to work Replace men in factories, offices, and shops

Russia withdraws from the War◦March 1917 Civil unrest in Russia brings down czar’s gov’t

Nicholas abdicated throne on March 15

New gov’t vows to keep fighting Army refuses

Allies win the War

◦Nov 1917 – Communist Revolution Lenin ends involvement in war Offers Germany truce

March 1918◦Ends war between Germany and Russia

◦Required Russian gov’t to surrender land Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

◦Nations gain independence at end of war

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk