Villalobos Eamon Barkhordarian

Period C 4/5/09

Review Questions pg. 388

1. Reading Focus
a. How did World War I become a total war?
i. Early on, both sides set up systems to recruit, arm, transport, and
supply armies that numbered in the millions. All of those nations,
except for Britain, set up a draft to have a system of forced labor in
the armed forces. Governments raised taxes and burrowed huge
amounts of money to pay the costs of the war. They rationed food
and other products, from boots to gasoline. Both sides controlled
public opinion, and to do this, they censored the press. Their goal
was to keep complete casualty figures and other discouraging new
from reaching the people. Both sides waged a propaganda war,
where they spread ideas to promote a cause or damage the opposing
cause. When stories were made to make the opposing side look bad,
often they were highly exaggerated or made up completely. Women
played a critical role in total war. As millions of men left to fight,
women took over their jobs and kept national economies going.
Many women worked in war industries, manufacturing weapons and
supplies. Others joined branches of the armed forces.
b. What effect did the continuing war have on morale?
i. By 1917, the morale of both troops and civilians had plunged.
Germany was sending 15 year old recruits to the front. Britain was
on the brink of bankruptcy. Long casualty lists, food shortages, and
the failure of generals to win promised victories led to calls for
peace. As morale collapsed, soldiers rebelled, deserted their posts,
and left the front to join a full scale rebellion at home. Three years of
war had hit Russia especially hard. Stories of incompetent generals
and corruption destroyed public confidence. Soon bread riots in St.
Petersburg mushroomed into a new revolution that brought down the
Russian monarchy. At first, the allies welcomed the overthrow of the
czar. They hoped Russia would institute a democratic government
and become a stronger ally. But later that year, when V.I Lenin came
to power, he promised to pull Russian troops out of the war. Early in
1918 Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. The
Treaty ended Russian participation in WWI.
c. What were the causes and results of American entry into the war?
i. The United States declared war on Germany soon after. One major
reason was the submarine attacks or merchant and passenger ships
carrying American citizens. President Woodrow Wilson insisted that
as Americans, citizens of a neutral country, had a right to safe travel
on the seas. In May 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the British
liner Lusitania. Almost 1,200 passengers were killed, including 128
Americans. Germany justified the attack, saying Lusitania was
Villalobos Eamon Barkhordarian
Period C 4/5/09

carrying weapons. After the president threatened to cut off relations

with Germany which led to Germany stopping its attacks
temporarily by first giving a warning to ships it wanted to attack, in
December 1916, Germany announced that it would resume
unrestricted submarine warfare. This made Wilson denounce
Germany. Many Americans supported the Allies. They felt ties of
culture and language to Britain and sympathized with France as
another democracy. In early 1917, the British intercepted a message
from Germany to Mexico, saying in return for their support,
Germany would help Mexico conquer its lost territory of New
Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Britain revealed the communication to
the American government, further intensifying anti-German feelings.
When congress accepted Wilsons request to join the war, around 2
million troops were sent to aid the allies. This help give the allies the
moral boost they needed and the financial aid provided by the United
States.
2. Identify
a. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
i. At first, the allies welcomed the overthrow of the czar. They hoped
Russia would institute a democratic government and become a
stronger ally. But later that year, when V.I Lenin came to power, he
promised to pull Russian troops out of the war. Early in 1918 Lenin
signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. The Treaty ended
Russian participation in WWI.
b. Woodrow Wilson
i. President Woodrow Wilson insisted that as Americans, citizens of a
neutral country, had a right to safe travel on the seas. Issued a list of
terms for resolving neutrality and future wars in January 1918. He
called for freedom of seas, free trade, large-scale reduction of arms,
and an end to secret treaties.
c. Lusitania
i. In May 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the British liner
Lusitania. Almost 1,200 passengers were killed, including 128
Americans. Germany justified the attack, saying Lusitania was
carrying weapons. This was one event that urged President Wilson to
enter WWI.
d. Fourteen Points
i. Though he had failed to maintain neutrality, Wilson still hoped to be
a peacemaker. In January 1918, he issued the Fourteen Points, a list
of his terms for resolving this and future wars. He called for freedom
of the seas, free trade, large-scale reduction of arms, and an end to
secret treaties. Wilson favored the right of people to choose their
own form of government. All these issued, he believed, helped to
cause the Great War.
Villalobos Eamon Barkhordarian
Period C 4/5/09

3. Define
a. Total War
i. The channeling of a nation’s entire resources into a war effort.
b. Conscription
i. “The draft,” which required all young men to be ready for military or
other service.
c. Propaganda
i. The spreading of ideas to promote a cause or to damage an opposing
cause
d. Atrocity
i. Horrible acts against the innocent people
e. Self-Determination
i. The right of people to choose their own form of government.
f. Armistice
i. Agreement to end fighting.