Causes of WW1:

The immediate cause of WW1 was the assassination of Archduke France Ferdinand. Since he was assassinated in Serbia, the Austrian government wanted to exact revenge on the Serbians. Since Germany was allied with Austria, they came to their aid. Germany was also having very strong feelings of Nationalism. This played a role in how Germany reacted.


Why the U.S. Entered the War:

We entered the war mainly because of the sinking of the Lusitania and the Sussex. Another reason was the Zimmerman telegraph that was decoded by the British and given to the United States. This telegraph told of the German's intent to turn Mexico against the United States.


Consequences of the War:

*The United States became recognized as a world power.
*Communism rose to power in Russia.
*Austria-Hungry collapsed and was split into smaller countries.
*Rising nationalism in European countries.
*The "Lost Generation"/ Death


Trench Warfare:

Trenches were dirty. It was common for feces and urine to be mixed in with the mud. And mud was everywhere. Diseases went rampant. "Trench foot" and gangrene were a common sight. Accompanied with this were flies, lice, and rats. The constant shelling of the trenches were enough to drive people mad. Then there was gassing. The germans used mustard gas in the trenches to destroy their enemies. Mustard Gas also disfigured the faces of many.


Weapons:

Bayonets	Chiefly used as a psychological weapon
Flamethrowers	How 'sheets of flame' terrorised the British in 1915
Grenades	Mills Bombs and Jam Pots: both forms of grenades
Machine Guns	How the German Army saw its potential before 1914
Pistols	The officer's weapon
Poison Gas	First used by the French and popularised by the Germans
Rifles	Still the infantry's greatest asset
Tanks	The design and use of tanks during wartime
Trench Mortars	An ancient weapon given fresh life in the trenches

The Treaty of Versailles:

The Treaty of Versailles was the peace settlement signed after WWI. The treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 after months of argument and negotiation. The main points include:

1) No more secret treaties 
2) Countries must seek to reduce their weapons and their armed forces 
3) National self-determination should allow people of the same nationality to govern themselves and one nationality should not have the power to govern another 
4) All countries should belong to the League of Nations.