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WAR TO END ALL WARS
Looking at World War I Through the Eyes of Literature

Introduction | Background Knowledge | Activities | Extensions | Standards

Introduction

While the shots fired at Lexington and Concord were known as the "shots heard around the world," the shot that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand launched the world into war. Between the Allies and the Central Powers, over 30 nations declared war during World War I. The war ravaged Europe on both the eastern and western fronts. There was also fighting in Africa and the Middle East. Over 16 million people were killed in the four-year war. The United States participated in World War I for just about 18 months, but the Lost Generation helped lead the Allied forces to victory.

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Background Knowledge

As the United States focused on social change during the Progressive Era, countries in Europe found ways to work together and formed coalitions across the continent. These alliance treaties assured the countries of support in the event of an attack from outside the alliance. The first to form was the Triple Alliance among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in 1882. This relationship is known as the Central Powers. The Triple Entente, known as the Allies, originally consisted of France, Britain, and Russia.

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was killed by a Serbian man. Backed by Russia, Serbia prepared for war. Austria-Hungary looked for an ally in Germany before declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. War raged for almost three years before the United States joined the Allied forces. President Woodrow Wilson adopted a neutral position and continued to trade with both Allied countries and the Central Powers. The majority of Americans supported this position, and America stayed out of the war.

Germany took the tactical lead and brought the war to the seas, declaring unrestricted submarine warfare. German U-Boats sank many commercial vessels around the British Isles, including American-flagged ships. American opinion turned against Germany when the British ocean liner, the Lusitania, was torpedoed on May 7, 1915, on its way from New York to England with more than 120 Americans on board. Germany continued to attack ocean liners with civilian passengers after pledging to end unrestricted submarine warfare. In early 1917, Germany resumed its unrestricted submarine attacks and sank more American ships. The United States Congress ended diplomatic relations with Germany in February and entered the war in April 1917.

American troops arrived in the European theater in June of 1917 and first saw combat in October in France. Then, in December of 1917, the United States formally declared war against Austria-Hungary.

World War I ended at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allied forces. The formal end of the war was the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919.

World War I is known for its war tactics and military innovation. Trench warfare was a hallmark of the war. Armies dug and fortified trenches on either side of the battlefield. They would bomb and shoot at each other across the battlefield. Trenches required fewer soldiers and were inexpensive to build. WWI was also the first time that airplanes were used in combat. For the first time, machine guns were used against Allied forces at the Battle of the Somme. At the same battle, British troops used tanks for the first time. Tanks were meant to safely cross No Man's Land (the area on the battlefield between trenches) and break through the enemy's trench system. Poison gas was also used to breach the relative safety of the trench system.

World War I changed the landscape of Europe. Four empires collapsed, including the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and five new nations emerged - including Finland and Poland. There were also two Russian revolutions, ending in 1917 with Lenin in power. Germany lost land, and its Army was demobilized and restructured with restrictions. The Treaty of Versailles spelled out precisely how many men could serve in the military and exactly how the military should be structured. The treaty also restricted the manufacturing of arms, munitions, and other war materiel. In addition, the importation of war materials was prohibited.

The United States left the war as a global power in both the military and industry. Unlike in Europe, war never came to US soil, so there was no damage or destruction to rebuild. American casualties were much lower than those of other Allied nations because America was engaged in the war for about 18 months. Women became more influential in society after taking on jobs outside of the home as men went off to war. Liberty Bonds introduced Americans to the idea of investment. The war was also a spark for the Great Migration as African American soldiers returned from the war and began to question their unequal treatment in their Southern towns and cities.

World War I also marked the end of the decade and the end of an era in American history.

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ACTIVITIES

Selective List of Books

• Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix (ISBN 9781419711756)
• On Christmas Eve of 1914, there was a ceasefire between the French and German soldiers. The soldiers met in No Man's Land, the area between the trenches, exchanged trinkets, and sang together to celebrate the holiday.
• Learn more about holidays during WWI here.
• Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (ISBN 9780316324908)
• In 1914, a young veterinarian bought a small bear from a trapper in Ontario. This vet, Harry Colebourn, named the bear Winnie after Winnipeg, Canada. He brought Winnie across the Atlantic on the SS Manitou. She became the mascot for his unit. When Harry left for France, he sent Winnie to the London Zoo. When he returned from the front, Harry saw how settled and happy Winnie was at the zoo and left her there. A small boy visited Winnie at the zoo. His name was Christopher Robin.
• Analyze primary source photographs using this tool. Ryerson University created a great site with pictures, diaries, maps, and essays. This interactive activity is an excellent curation of all of the resources.
• Extend the story throughout the curriculum with this teacher's guide.
• Learn more about how animals are used in war.
• Where the Poppies Now Grow by Hilary Ann Robinson (ISBN 9780957124585)
• The History Channel explains how the poppy became a symbol of remembrance.
• Veterans Affairs Canada has an excellent activity where students can learn about remembrance symbols.
• Technology Approach: Use Google Slides (reviewed here) to create a presentation to showcase a chosen symbol.
• Non-technology Approach: Create a poster or a replica of the symbol chosen. Use basic arts-and-crafts supplies, or try making 3D objects with papier-mache.
• Watch The Poppy: The History of Remembrance Day on YouTube to learn more about this symbol of remembrance.
• Different colors of poppies symbolize remembrance for different causes. Read about what each color represents at Symbols of Remembrance.
• Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood by Nathan Hale (ISBN 9781419708084)
• Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are a great way to get students interested in history.
• Encourage students to create their own historical fiction graphic novels.
• Technology Approach: Use Canva Comic Strip Templates (reviewed here) to create comic strips that tell a historical story. Students can type and edit the templates.
• Non-technology Approach: Canva Comic Strip Templates (reviewed here) also offer printable templates, allowing students to use art supplies to create their comic strips.
• Take a virtual field trip to the American Numismatic Association to learn more about the war, "From Trenches to Treaties".
• War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (ISBN 9780439796644)
• Joey is a farm horse sold to the British Army. The story takes the reader through Joey's experiences in war and the people he meets along the way.
• This British education-based site has great cross-curricular activity suggestions and discussion questions.
• The stage production of War Horse also has great cross-curricular activity suggestions, as well as links to primary sources to learn more about how horses were used in WWI.
• Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton (ISBN 9781512410143)
• Dazzle ships are ships that were painted to try to confuse the enemy. After the many ship casualties during WWI, the American and British navies repainted ships with intricate geometric designs. These designs confounded the Germans because they could not quickly determine the ship's speed or direction. The camouflage also distorted the ship's size and profile.
• The Mystic Seaport Aquarium gives more information about Dazzle Ships.
• The National Museum of the Marine Corps encourages students to design a Dazzle Ship. Transform this into a technology-based activity by using the provided ship outline as the background in Google Slides (reviewed here), and have students add shapes and colors to create a digital Dazzle Ship.
• The Imperial War Museum has created a video to explain Dazzle Ships.
• Chris Barton, the book's author, provides two resources for educators to supplement his book.

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EXTENSIONS

1. Letters from Home
   • The only means of communication between soldiers and their families during WWI was by letter. The National WWI Museum has a fantastic Letters Home: Letters Inspired by Investigating WWI Photos in which students analyze primary sources and use them to write letters home. Modernize this plan by adapting the lesson to include emails and social media posts. What would letters be like if the writer only had 280 characters?
2. Silent Movies
   • Charlie Chaplin released his first silent movie in 1914. Although he never enlisted in the military or served in combat, he contributed to the war effort by making films. Learn more about his films here. Watch an excerpt of 1918's Shoulder Arms. Students can create their own silent films to entertain modern troops. Try VMaker (reviewed here) or Adobe Express Video Maker (reviewed here).
   • Museum of the Moving Image shares a lengthy look into the silent film era that includes images of early film projectors and the story of another famous silent movie star, Clara Bow, and director Frank Tuttle.
3. Cracking the Code
   • Read about the Zimmermann Telegram, a coded message Germany sent to Mexico to attempt an alliance.
   • Use one of the National Archives teacher resources to work with ciphers.
   • Learn about the Navajo Code Talkers (reviewed here), a specialized group of U.S. Marines who created an unbreakable battlefield code using their unwritten indigenous language during WWII by listening to their stories and viewing videos of their contribution to the war effort.
4. Technology in World War One
   • Research the technology that emerged during World War I.
   • Analyze primary sources to explore the new technology and its impact on the War.
   • Explore observation balloons to learn how they played a role.
   • Have students suggest a new invention that could have helped the United States in the War. Allow younger students limited restrictions to allow for creativity. For older students, have them consider the available developments of the time. Ask students to add a video post to Padlet (reviewed here) describing their invention and how it would have helped the United States during the war.

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CORRELATION TO STANDARDS

• AASL National School Library Standards
  • Inquire Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners display curiosity and initiative by:
  • 1. Formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.
  • 2. Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning.
  • Inquire Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes:
  • 1. Interacting with content presented by others.
  • 2. Providing constructive feedback.
  • 3. Acting on feedback to improve.
  • 4. Sharing products with an authentic audience.
  • Include Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners exhibit empathy with and tolerance for diverse ideas by:
  • 1. Engaging in informed conversation and active debate.
  • 2. Contributing to discussions in which multiple viewpoints on a topic are expressed.
  • Include Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners demonstrate empathy and equity in knowledge building within the global learning community by:
  • 1. Seeking interactions with a range of learners.
  • Engage Shared Foundation, Think Domain: Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by:
  • 1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning.
  • 2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.
  • Engage Shared Foundation, Create Domain: Learners use valid information and reasoned conclusions to make ethical decisions in the creation of knowledge by:
  • 1. Ethically using and reproducing others' work.
  • 2. Acknowledging authorship and demonstrating respect for the intellectual property of others.
  • 3. Including elements in personal-knowledge products that allow others to credit content appropriately.
  • Engage Shared Foundation, Grow Domain: Learners engage with information to extend personal learning by:
  • 1. Personalizing their use of information and information technologies.
  • 2. Reflecting on the process of ethical generation of knowledge.
  • 3. Inspiring others to engage in safe, responsible, ethical, and legal information behaviors.
  • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners identify collaborative opportunities by:
  • 1. Demonstrating their desire to broaden and deepen understandings.
  • 2. Developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group.
  • 3. Deciding to solve problems informed by group interaction.
  • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Create Domain - Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks by:
  • 1. Using a variety of communication tools and resources.
  • 2. Establishing connections with other learners to build on their own prior knowledge and create new knowledge.
  • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners actively participate with others in learning situations by:
  • 2. Recognizing learning as a social responsibility.
  • Explore Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by:
  • 1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and writing and creating for a variety of purposes.
  • Explore Shared Foundation, Create Domain - Learners construct new knowledge by:
  • 1. Problem solving through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection.
  • Explore Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners engage with the learning community by:
  • 3. Collaboratively identifying innovative solutions to a challenge or problem.
  • Explore Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners develop through experience and reflection by:
  • 1. Iteratively responding to challenges.
  • 2. Recognizing capabilities and skills that can be developed, improved, and expanded.
  • 3. Open-mindedly accepting feedback for positive and constructive growth.

• ISTE Standards for Students
  • Empowered Learner 1.1
  • 1.1.b. Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.
  • 1.1.c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
  • Digital Citizen 1.2
  • 1.2.c. Demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
  • Knowledge Constructor 1.3
  • 1.3.d. Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and solutions.
  • Innovative Designer 1.4
  • 1.4.d. Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance, and the capacity to work with open-ended problems.
  • Global Collaborator 1.7
  • 1.7.c. Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

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