AMSCO 7.3 Conducting World War I Notes

📍Topic 7.3: Conducting World War I

📖 AMSCO p.469 - p.475

Main Idea

Key Timeline

Image Courtesy of Riya

Things to Know

Changes in Warfare

• World War I began in June 1914
• Thousands of boys enrolled in the military as they wanted to seem heroic
• Horrific Effects of New Advances
  • Trench warfare was marked by cold, muddy, rat-infested conditions, influencing the spread of diseases and unhygienic surroundings.
  • Poison gas including chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas, caused soldiers to wear gas masks, leading to lasting lung damage for many veterans.
  • Machine guns were fired more than 500 rounds of ammunition in a minute and made it difficult for either side to gain new territory.
  • Submarine warfare was extensive and made a larger impact.
  • Airplanes were loaded with machine guns and aerial combat began.
  • Tanks moved across difficult terrain and fired directly at the enemy.
  • Overall led to a bloody four-year stalemate, and the death toll was higher than ever.

The United States Enters the War

• Economic ties
  • US had economic links to the Allies and contributed to their entry into the war in 1917.
• Democratic beliefs
  • Americans viewed the Allies as more democratic than the Central Powers.
• Resentment against Germans
  • US grew angrier, especially due to U-boat attacks. This included the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 which had more than 100 US citizens aboard.
• Zimmerman Telegram was intercepted in January 1917 and the telegram revealed that Germany proposed an alliance with Mexico against U.S.

Total War

• Strategy
  • Nation’s fully committed all available resources, including civilians, to ensure World War I victory
  • Massive mobilization efforts involved millions of civilians in war-related industries
• Economic Shift
  • Entire economies shifted to support the war effort
  • Planning boards regulated production, prices, wages, and rationed supplies
• Censorship and Control
  • Governments enforced strict media censorship and measures against war critics
  • Information control aimed at maintaining public morale and support for the war
• Propaganda’s Role
  • Propaganda played a crucial role in shaping public opinion during total war
  • Extensive campaigns aimed to influence attitudes with exaggerated or biased information
  • Posters and articles exaggerated German atrocities in American and British propaganda
  • German propaganda reciprocated by demonizing Americans and the British
  • Used artists to illustrate battle scenes and glorify Allied soldiers

A Global War

• Geographic Scale
  • Fought across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
  • Unprecedented global reach since the Seven Years' War in the late 18th century
• Imperialistic Competition
  • Major combatants ruled colonies in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific
  • Imperialism extended war boundaries, leading to major battles in North Africa and the Middle East
• Japanese Involvement
  • Japan joined the Allies to gain control of German colonies in the Pacific and occupied Tsingtao, a German-held port in China
• Colonial Contributions
  • British seized most of Germany's African colonies
  • Notable contributions from ANZAC troops in Gallipoli, Canadians in European battles, and colonial troops drafted by Britain and France
• Post-War Aspirations
  • Colonial troops enlisted with hopes of gaining recognition and promises of self-rule post-war
  • Arabs fought with the Allies expecting self-rule after victory

Women and the War

• Changing Roles
  • Women, barred from voting or combat roles, saw significant life changes due to men enlisting
  • Took on roles in farms, factories, and crucial positions in support of the war effort
• Varied Policies
  • Most countries didn’t allow women from serving in combat, but Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria allowed it
  • In 1917, Russia's creation of an all-female battalion was aimed at shaming men into continuing to fight
• Women served on the front lines as nurses, ambulance drivers, and switchboard operators

The Paris Peace Conference

• Big Four Leaders
  • Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France), Vittorio Orlando (Italy)
  • Italy left in anger for not getting promised territories
• Differing Visions
  • Wilson wanted "peace without victory," Clemenceau sought revenge on Central Powers
  • U.S. Senate rejected Wilson's League of Nations; new nations formed in Europe
• Self-Determination
  • Conquered peoples had a right to choose their future
  • New nations emerged after Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires dissolved
• Treaty of Versailles
  • Harsh Terms for Germany
    • Germany faced reparations, lost colonies, and restricted armed forces
    • Germans blamed for the war which led to humiliation
  • Post-War German Hardship
    • Reparations caused economic struggles
    • Bitterness toward Weimar Republic fueled the rise of the Nazi party

Terms to Remember