Fighting World War I

War begins in Europe

• When war begins in 1914 Europeans were enthusiastic about fighting
• *Remember there is STRONG nationalist feelings
• (MANIA)
• Most people believed war would be over by Christmas

War Begins

Once the War Begins

things begin to change...

Changing Alliances

• Just 10 days after the British declare war, the Japanese honor their alliance and join the war on the allied side
• In 1915 Italy switches sides, and declares war on Austria Hungary
• In 1917 the United States joins the war, after maintaining a position of neutrality for most of the war up to this point
• In 1918 due to internal conflict, Russia Withdraws from the war
• (Russia Revolution)

An Unprecedented War

• Although many Europeans thought this would be a short war, it would not be.
• By 1915, the war was at a stalemate
• Each side fortified their positions with trenches
• In order to break this stalemate, more of the advancements made possible by the Industrial Revolution would have to be used
• In addition to new strategy and stronger trench fortification

The Great War

• This war required millions of children, men, and women to make it possible
• Many societies would eventually declare a state of "Total War"
• While many believed total war was necessary to win the war it had many negative impacts around the world as well
• Phobias, discrimination, displacement, stereotyping, alienation, etc. [Think about the negative effects of Nationalism]
• Its "theaters" touched almost every continent on Earth before it ended

Total War

• The full commitment of all parts of a society to win a war is called Total War [Nationalism is strong enough that many people willingly oblige]
• Examples:
• Factories are converted to make war equipment
• Propaganda was used to maintain civilian support for war
• Overseas colonies were used to gain addition resources and/or soldiers
• Governments drafted citizens into the military
• People die in larger numbers than any war before
• Industrial resources were rationed, prioritizing military needs
• "Ration Books"- Had coupons that people would use to get rationed goods
• People were expected to table this grievances/disputes with their country

The War in Images

Women in the War

• WWI provided many women with the opportunity to move out of their traditional roles
• Many historians emphasize that women are typically "guilted" into participating in the war effort (if they were not already motivated to do so)
• A great demand for labor forced places that would not have originally offered women jobs to begin hiring women
• The absence of hundreds of thousands (and eventually millions) of men made women's participation in the war essential
• However, women were still paid less for doing the same jobs
• Women's roles in this war would forever change how they viewed themselves and what they felt was possible for them
• But, it did not immediately change their opportunities
• Many women lost their jobs as soon as the war ended to provide employment for men

Women in the War

Josephine Grima

Trench Warfare

What was life like in the trenches and how did it evolve?

In the Trenches

• Between 1914 and 1918 an estimated 25,000 miles of trenches were dug (enough to circle the Earth)
• Eventually there would be three lines of trenches

1. For mounting offensives

2. Middle trench for off-duty resting

3. Rear trench for supplies and wounded men waiting to be evacuated to hospitals

• Trenches required repeated back-breaking work to maintain, and were not very sanitary or protective for soldiers
• (Trenches were often filled with mud, water, poison gas remnants, mice/rats, and other diseases/sicknesses)

Old Technology

Old Tactics

• The telegraph (USA enters the war because of one)
• Horses and Mules served as the major means of transporting soldiers and refugees during the conflict *ESPECIALLY where there weren't railroads*
• Millions of horses were killed in the war from battle or starving people

PICTURES

Minorities in the War

The Struggle on Two Fronts

• Many minorities in the US saw WWI as their opportunity to prove their value as equal citizens in the US
• However, they were not usually treated equally, even in the armed forces
• Many minority men and women returned to the US with bitter feelings (contrasted to treatment by French)
• Success in France/European theater
• Horrible treatment as veterans returning from war
• Violent conflict between races in the armed forces