World+War+I

Throughout the 20th century the world has been torn apart by wars. Unlike previous conflicts these “modern” wars involved more nations, took advantage of the technological improvements related to the Industrial Revolution, and engulfed the entire populations of the combatant nations. We are going to examine both the First and Second World Wars at the same time to find the common themes and differences that characterized each conflict.

Helpful Timeline with Links: 1914 June 28th - [|Assassination of Arch-Duke Ferdinand] August 1st- Germany Declares War on Russia October 29th – [|Trench Warfare] becomes dominant on Western Front 1915 May 7th- [|Lusitania] is sunk by German Submarine [|(U-Boat)] 1916 September 15th- British introduce the [|tank] to the battlefield 1917 January 16th [|Zimmerman Note] February 1st- Germans begin unrestricted submarine warfare April 6th- United States declares war on Germany December 5th- Communist [|Russia] reaches separate peace with Germany General “Black” Jack Pershing leads the first of 1.8 Million American Soldiers 1918 October 4th- Germany asks for Armistice (cease fire) November 11th- Armistice is signed bring an end to the fighting [|World Wide Influenza epidemic] 1919 June 28th- [|Treaty of Versailles] is signed with the League of Nations 1921 [|Extreme inflation] hits German economy as they pay reparations 1922 [|Mussolini] and his followers march on Rome 1923 [|Hitler] launches a failed coup in Bavaria writes =//Mein Kampf//= 1929 Stock Market Collapse in United States marking the beginning of Depression 1933 Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany March 12th First [|Concentration Camp] Opened 1934 June 30th [|Night of the Long Knives] 1937 December 13th [|Rape of Nanking] 1939 March 15th Nazis take Czechoslovakia through [|appeasement] September 1st Invasion of Poland using the [|Blitzkrieg] 1940 June 22nd France force to sign armistice with Germany September Beginning of the [|Blitz] 1941 June 22nd [|Germany attacks Soviet Union] a strategic mistake December 7th Japanese attack [|Pearl Harbor] drawing the United States into war 1942 September 13th Battle of [|Stalingrad] a key turning point of the War June 4th [|Battle of Midway] another key turning point of the War 1943 [|Battle of the Atlantic] Climaxes with many sinkings 1944 June 6th [|Normandy Landings] Americans in France August 25th [|Paris Liberated] December 16-27 [|Battle of the Bulge] Last German offensive of the War 1945 Feb 13th [|Dresden Firebombed] Many civilians are targeted by allies. April 28th Mussolini Hanged April 30th Hilter commits suicide May 7th German’s Surrender August 6th First Atomic bomb used on [|Hiroshima] September 2 [|Japanese] Surrender October 4th United Nations formed

 World War I Alliances Triple Entente France Russia England USA

Triple Alliance Germany Austria-Hungarian Empire Ottoman Empire

World War II Alliances Axis Powers Germany Japan Italy

Allied Powers Great Britain United States Soviet Union France*


 * Project:** In **each** of the following categories you will research and explain ONE critical point from each category. You must support and illustrate your answer with FOUR PICTURES and ONE OTHER PRIMARY SOURCE. Your answer and evidence must connect and cover the First and Second World Wars. You may submit an answer in one of the following formats.

· // New technologies changed how war was waged Old techniques of fighting were decidedly ineffective against new tools. (chart the changes that armies made in how they fight ie. trenches vs. movement) // · // Developments in weapons extended their range and effectiveness. (examine the improvements made to a weapon of your choice through both wars ie. The tank) // · // Destructive capability increased so much that weapons became almost unusable because of their power.(Look at some of the most ghastly moments in both wars and make comparisons about the weapons that brought them about ie. Somme vs. Dresden //
 * Why these Wars Matter! **
 * T echnology ** -Both conflicts featured many new inventions and weapons that were developed and improved throughout the first half of the twentieth century. These inventions included ** tanks, aircraft, submarines, better communications devices, radar, sonar, and many more **. The introduction many of the inventions prompted improvements and innovations that continue through today.
 * Critical Points ** -

World War I Airlplanes World War II Airplanes "The steamer appeared to be close to us and looked colossal. I saw the captain walking on his bridge, a small whistle in his mouth. I saw the crew cleaning the deck forward, and I saw, with surprise and a slight shudder, long rows of wooden partitions right along all decks, from which gleamed the shining black and brown backs of horses." - A portion of a journal entry from Adof K.G.E. von Spiegel, a U-Boat commander during WWI. · // As men were mobilized for war, women’s roles on the home front expanded greatly(evaluate how production in both conflicts depended on women’s labor and support) // · // Using blockades and the denying supplies of food as weapons was practiced by all sides. (examine the blockades or WWI with the mass starvation of WWII in Leningrad) // · // Maintaining the war effort through propaganda was common and very important for morale.( compare the types of propaganda in both world conflicts) //
 * T otal War **-Both World Wars engulfed the civilian populations of the opposing sides. Civilians supported the wars through factory production and agriculture. Civilians were targeted by all sides as the wars progressed, and civilian opinion was critical to the continued war efforts.
 * Critical Points-**

Women During WWI Women During WWII “I felt that it was a privilege,” Bettie Jane Wingfield wrote, “to help nurse our American boys.” This quote is from a journal of a head nurse who worked in France during WWI. · // Racial and religious prejudice reached new heights in this period. Genocide became a “final solution” for several regimes during the Second World War. (Examine how the Armenians in Turkey were treated during WW I versus how the Jews were treated in WWII) // · // Internal opposition was not tolerated during the First and Second World Wars. (How did America treat people of German descent during WWI and Japanese during WWII) // Armenian Genocide: WWIJewish Genocide, WWII "Today I will once more be a prophet: If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the bolshevization of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe!" - An exerpt from a speech given by Adolf Hitler in 1939.
 * G enocide -**World Wars also allowed countries to propose and act upon solutions for portions of their populations that they could characterize as undesirable. From forced internal exile or relocations, mass executions and even extermination camps the First and Second World Wars changed how unwanted populations were treated.
 * Critical Points-**

Kaiser Wilhelm: WWI Adolf Hitler, WWII "We will frighten the British flag off the face of the waters and starve the British people until they, who have refused peace, will kneel and plead for it." A quote by Kaiser Wilhelm to the people of Germany.
 * A uthoritarianism -** As the 20th century dawned much of the population of Europe lived under the rule of kings and monarchies. The World conflicts that characterized the first half of the century shattered these regimes and brought new powerful individuals to power. These dictators allowed little or no opposition and created powerful parties or systems to keep themselves in place.
 * Critical Points-**
 * // Old monarchies and territories will fall apart in the face of rising nationalism and the forces of war Democratic ideals will be pushed aside as militarism becomes more widespread // //(Compare the governments and nations at the beginning of each war)//
 * // New forceful leaders will take power and implement their totalitarian ideas of government.(look at the rise of Hitler, Mussolini, or Tojo) //

World War I [] [] [] [] World War II [] [] []
 * Helpful Links-**

General Good Place to Start [|High School Media Center] Login-Gettysburg Password-Warriors Go the History Special Section and Type in “World War I or World War II” This is a resource with many primary sources and links, use it!

 Readings- The First World War