World War I

World War I

The Belligerents

• Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire

The Belligerents• Territory extended from the North Sea to the Middle East–Helped with communication

The Belligerents

• Germany’s well trained and equipped army was an advantage.

The Belligerents

• Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia• Had more soldiers

The Belligerents• Great Britain’s navy was an advantage–Greatest navy in the world

Innovations in Warfare• U-boats (submarines) were first used by the Germans.• Germans introduce poison gas

U-Boats

Other new Weapons• Machine guns• Long range

artillery

Trenches• Trenches were

dug in defense to the machine guns

Airplanes• Used in air

battles (dog fights)

• Dropped bombs

Other new Areas of War• First war man are drafted• Women start working while

men go to war

Early Years of War• British blockade the North Sea to keep merchant ships form Germany• Germany used u-boats to sink ships carrying food and arms to the British

Early Years of War• 1915: Germany sank the Lusitania (British passenger boat)• 1,200 people were killed,

including 128 Americans• U.S. president, Woodrow Wilson

stated he would not tolerate such actions

The U.S. in the War• U.S. want to remain neutral• Supplied food and raw

materials• Due to the blockade of

Germany, U.S. traded w/ allies• Influenced by propaganda

The U.S. in the War• Arthur Zimmerman–Sent a telegram to German ambassador in Mexico proposing alliance w/ Mexico–Offered Mexico to help regain Arizona, new Mexico, and Texas if they entered the war as a Central Power

The U.S. in the War• British intercepted the

Zimmerman note and it was published in American newspapers• Germany declares a “war

zone” around Great Britain, sinking every ship possible

The U.S. in the War

• This killed many Americans

• 4/6/1917: U.S. declares war on Germany