World War I and the Russian Revolution Unit

Unit Objective: Following the unit's instructions students will be able to identify and explain the causes,
effects, and significance of World War I and the Russian Revolution.

Standard #1: Choices have consequences.

Benchmark 1.1 - The student will recognize and evaluate significant choices made by individuals, communities,
states, and nations that have impacted our lives and futures.

Standard #4: Societies experience continuity and change over time.

Benchmark 4.1 - The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time and its impact on
individuals, institutions, communities, states, and nations.

Benchmark 4.2 - The student will analyze the context of continuity and change and the vehicles of reform,
drawing conclusions about past change and potential future change.
 WORLD WAR I
Began July 1914

Ended June 1918

Objective: Following instruction students will be able to identify the major players involved and causes of WWI by
completing a unit vocabulary worksheet and graphic organizer over the topic.
Causes of WWI
1. Economic Competition

2. Militarism

3. Imperialism

4. Nationalism

5. Alliance System
 Causes of World War I

Economic Competition – Competing for markets and raw

materials.

Germany emerged as a new World Power and participated in the carving up

of Africa. (Imperialism)

World power – economic and military powerhouse.

Imperialism – the extension of a nation’s power over other lands.

Imperial Expansion fueled rivalries and competition between colonizing
nations.
 Causes of World War I
Militarism – belief that a country should maintain a strong military
and use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.

Led to countries building up their modernized militaries.

Military build-up led to an arms race – countries competing to rapidly

expand their military capabilities.

Britain (UK) and Germany engaged in a naval arms race leading up to

WWI.
 Causes of WWI
Nationalism – a strong feeling of pride and devotion to one’s country.
Extreme nationalism led to a feeling of entitlement and/or superiority
over other nations and populations for most Europeans.

This extreme nationalism fueled the second wave of imperialism in Asia

and Africa.

It also fueled competition and bred resentment between competing

nations.
 Causes of WWI
Alliance System – alliance – an agreement between nations to protect
and defend each other and their interests.
Began as a defense strategy to deter war –
Alliances made it more difficult for a nation to attack and defeat another
nation.
Triple Alliance – Triple Entente -
a.k.a. the Central Powers a.k.a. the Allied Powers
-Germany -Britain
-Austria-Hungary -France
-Italy -Russia
 Causes of WWI
Other Alliances:
– Central Powers -Allied Powers

Germany & the Ottoman Empire

Britain & Belgium

Russia & Serbia

Italy & France

(secret treaty not to attack each other despite being on opposite sides of the big alliances).

Suspicion and distrust were common between countries during this time.
 The Balkan Powder Keg Explodes
June 1914 – Arch Duke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated
in Bosnia by Serbian National Gavrilo Princip.

July 1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

The Alliance System soon pulled the rest of Europe into war.

Stage 1

Russia backed Serbia. France backed Russia.

Germany backed Austria-Hungary. Italy backed Germany.

Stage 2
Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd in order to outflank
the French Army.
Britain backed Belgium. France backed Britain.
Ottoman Empire backed Germany.
Stage 3

By early August of 1914, most of Europe was enveloped in WWI.

 World War I and the Russian Revolution Unit

Fighting the Great War

Daily Objective: Following instruction and after viewing clips from Journey’s End students will be able to identify characteristics
of trench warfare and the military technology of modernized warfare (industrialized warfare) by completing the film analysis
worksheet and participating in an in-class discussion.

Unit Objective: Following the unit's instructions students will be able to identify and explain the causes, effects, and significance
of World War I and the Russian Revolution.
 FIGHTING THE GREAT WAR

1st Industrialized War – meaning machines

replaced manpower.
Ex. - 1 machine gun replaces dozens of men
firing single shot rifles.
- military supplies made in factories on a
large scale.
 FIGHTING THE GREAT WAR

Trench Warfare – an intricate series of ditches

and below ground-level structures designed for
defense.

Stalemate - a deadlock in which neither side is

able to gain a lasting advantage or defeat the
other.
 FIGHTING THE GREAT WAR
"NO MAN'S LAND" - area between opposing trenches.
pandemics - the spread of disease across a large area.
Battle of Verdun – lasted 11 months – ½ million casualties –
less than 1 mile of ground changed control.
Battle of the Somme (Sum) – lasted 5 months – over 1 million
casualties – 60,000 British casualties in 1 day - no advancement
– pure stalemate.
Both Battles occurred in France.
 FIGHTING THE GREAT WAR
Modern Weapons:

- Machine guns - Airplanes

- Flamethrowers - Tanks
- Poison gas - Barbed wire
- Submarines (U-boats) - zeppelins
- Artillery (long-range & individual – “Stove Pipe”)
 FIGHTING THE GREAT WAR

Reconnaissance - the gathering of intel.

Dogfights – aerial battles between airplanes.

Convoys - the Allied response to the U-boat attacks -

ships travelled in groups protected by
military warships.
World War I
– Total War
Eastern Front

Germany
vs.
Russia
 Eastern Front – Germany vs. Russia

Russia was the least industrialized and modernized

of the major powers in WWI.

Russia had the highest rate of casualties – 76%

- Russia had nearly half of all Allied casualties.

Dec 15, 1917 – Russia signed an armistice with the

Central Powers - ending war on the Eastern Front.
 World War I – Total War

WWI Casualties
Allies – 22 million (5.1 million died)
(Russia alone had 9.1 million)

Central Powers – 15.4 million (3.4 million died)

Civilians – 18 million (6 million died)

 WWI Goes Global
Australia & Italy Bulgaria joined the
joined the Allies. Central Powers.

Japan – the strongest power in Asia – joined the

Allies in 1914.

- Japan seized German outposts in China and

German Islands in the Pacific.
Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers in October,
1914.

-Dardanelles - a strait connecting the Black Sea

to the Mediterranean Sea.
-Battle of Gallipoli – unsuccessful Allied
offensive to re-gain access to the Dardanelles.

- strait - a narrow passage of water connecting 2

larger bodies of water.
Genocide - the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially
those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

total war - modern war requiring a nation to funnel all of its resources
into the war effort.

rationing - to limit resources consumed by the general population.

conscription - aka the Draft - being called into military service by the
government.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare - Germany declared in 1915 that it

would sink all ships carrying any goods to Britain.
Propaganda in WWI
Propaganda - the
spreading of ideas
to promote a cause
or to damage an
opposing cause.
atrocities -
horrible acts
committed against
humanity – often
used as motivation
or a call to action.
 Propaganda Assignment
Directions: Using what we have learned in class through lectures, discussions, and films to
create your own piece of WWI Propaganda. You can choose from any topic or motivating force
related to WWI .
Examples of possible topics:
-Encouraging women into the workforce
-Buy war bonds
-Recruiting soldiers
-Encouraging Rationing

Assignment will be graded on the relevance of your propaganda in relation to WWI, amount of
detail, and amount of effort put into the task…not your artistic ability. Do your best to inspire
others to rally to your cause.

BEST PROPOGANDA EXAMPLE FROM EACH CLASS WILL RECEIVE 5 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS IN
ADDITION TO THE ASSIGNMENT GRADE.
Be creative, yet appropriate.
Best of luck.
War Takes its Toll
in Europe /
US joins WWI
 The Effects of War: War is Taking its Toll
- Britain and most of the other belligerents were
nearing bankruptcy.

- Soldiers & civilians had grown tired of war and the

sacrifices involved.

- Food shortages and the lack of consumer goods

were causing civil unrest.
The Effects of War: War is Taking its Toll
- Public opinion (in Europe) was shifting from
supporting government war efforts to objecting to
the needless death and destruction.
- Soldiers deserting their posts became a serious
problem (especially Russian soldiers leaving to join
the Russian Revolution back home).
 US Joins WWI
February 1917 – Germany resumed Unrestricted
Submarine Warfare.

Direct Result: US was drawn into WWI.

April 2, 1917 – US declares war on Germany (Dec

1917, US declares war on the other Central Powers).
 Reasons US joined WWI
1.Germany resumed Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

2.Zimmerman Telegram

3.US sympathized with Britain & France

4.“War to end war” – President Wilson

America’s Impact on the War
-America’s financial aid to the Allies throughout
WWI saved the war effort long before the 2 million
US troops hit the front lines in early 1918.
-Most US Troops never participated in active
combat.
-The presence of US soldiers was a morale boost to
the Allies.
America’s Impact on WWI
The Central Powers negotiated an Armistice with Russia in
late 1917 – ending their two-front war.

1918 German Spring Offensive – the last major German

assault of WWI.

America swooped in at the right moment to counter this

offensive and maintain the stalemate.
 WWI Ends
November 11, 1918 - Germany asked for an armistice - an
agreement to end fighting.

Central Powers saw the armistice as a cease-fire, not a

surrender.

reparations - payments for the cost of war.

 President Woodrow Wilson’s Plan

14 Points - President Wilson's plan to end WWI and prevent

future war via collective security and self-determination.
collective security - nations acts together to preserve the
peace for all.
self-determination – the peoples' right to choose their own
form of government.
League of Nations - collective security - organization to help
resolve conflict and prevent future war.
 League of Nations
League of Nations- is a precursor – early example – to the
United Nations.

Member nations agreed to negotiate disputes not wage war.

United States did not join the League of Nations.

Senate did not ratify Wilson’s 14 Points or the Treaty of

Versailles out of fear that collective security would lead to future
war.
 Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles was drafted by the Allies big 3 powers:
– Britain, France, & United States

US wanted to ensure future peace.

Britain and France wanted to punish Germany for starting the

war. (We discussed this fallacy earlier – all were responsible).

Germany was forced to sign the treaty in June 1919 or face

invasion by the Allies.
 Treaty of Versailles
Germany
- was to assume full blame for causing WWI.

- was forced to pay reparations.

- limited the size of the German military.

- Lost all of its colonies and much of its territory.

All of these factors contribute to the outbreak of WWII.

 Before WWI

After WWI
 Created From Germany &
Russia (renamed the Soviet
Union):

-Poland
-Baltic States – Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
-Finland

Created from Austria-

Hungary:

-Czechoslovakia
-Austria
-Hungary
-Yugoslavia

Ottoman Empire lost a great

deal of territory and was
Ireland was recognized and Britain became the United Kingdom. renamed Turkey.
The new countries were created out of the drive for self-
determination - the peoples' right to choose their own
form of government.
Self-determination was only applied in Europe.
Imperial Powers maintained their colonies and overtook
Russian and German colonies calling them mandates.

Mandate – territories controlled by western powers until

they are strong enough to self-govern.
 Other unresolved issues – the Seeds of WWII
Japan – its claims in China went unrecognized (only formerly German
colonies were recognized as Japanese).

Italy – lands promised to them by the French were not received.

Colonies and mandates had hoped for autonomy – self rule.

Russia was excluded from the peace talks and drafting the Treaty of
Versailles.

Russia and Germany were upset because they lost territory.

Germany felt unfairly blamed and punished for WWI.