The War to End all

Wars
Why do you need to understand the connection between
WWI and WWII?

Washington State Learning Standards state that, students will analyze multiple causal factors that shape major events in Washington State, the United States, and
World History.

Francis Ferdinand and

his wife

Gavrilo Princip

A Serbian National
assassinated Archduke
Francis Ferdinand and
his wife in Sarajevo,
Bosnia.

Countries take sides

A Continent Divided
Central Powers

Allied Powers

Austro-Hungary

Serbia

Germany

Russia

Bulgaria

Ottoman Empire

France

Great Britain

European Leaders of WWI

Bismarck of
Germany

Emperor
Francis Joseph
of Austro-

Georges
Clemenceau of
France

Sultan Mehmed V
of the Ottoman
Empire

David Lloyd
George of
Great Britain

Tsar Nicholas
II of Russia

Trench Warfare
Unlike Wars of the past WWI was fought with very little
movement of people and supplies. The War was fought
in trenches.
Men died daily in the trenches if not from bombs or
bullets from disease.
The Trenches were invaded by rats, frogs, and lice.
Rotting carcasses lay around in the thousands, filling
the air with death and destruction.

The Neutrality of America Does Not

Last!
President Wilson and Congress are able to keep America neutral for a
time. But the selling of arms and other supplies to Great Britain and
France made it difficult to remain uncommitted to the Allies war effort.
Germany accuses the United States of supporting the Allies. Then in an
attempt to prevent supplies from reaching Great Britain, Germany
torpedoed a ship called the Lusitania killing over a thousands British
citizens and 128 Americans. Calls for War began to get louder!!!

Zimmerman Note

The Zimmerman notes forces America

into War
President Wilson makes a request of Congress to declare war on
Germany on April 2nd, 1917.
The President didn't have illusions about how he was going to come out of it,
either. He'd rather have done anything else than head a military machine. All
his instincts were against it. He foresaw too clearly the probable influence of
a declaration of war on his own fortunes, the adulation certain to follow the
certain victory, the derision and attack which would come with the deflation
of excessive hopes and in the presence of world responsibility. But if he had it
to do over again he would take the same course. It was just a choice of evils.
John Heaton

Americas involvement turns the tides and brings and

end to WWI.
The United States eventually sends over 500,000 fighting
men to Europe. They suffer many casualties nevertheless
they force the German Kaiser to ask for an armistice.

The Treaty of Paris

Wilsons fails to provide for a just peace
Germany is blamed for the war and is forced to give
land to Poland and France
In addition Germany is required to pay for the expenses
accrued during the war by the Allies
Germany has no choice but to sign the treaty

A just peace should have been

reached
Germanys economy does not last long under the weight
of World War Is debt. The currency is worthless and there
is bitterness in the air. People begin looking for a leader
and get one, one that becomes one of the most awful
humans in World History, Adolf Hitler.
Peace lasts a short 20 years before the world including
America is forced to take up arms.