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
