Worldwide Competition Escalates: World War One and Russian Communist Revolution

The competition of the industrial and imperialistic ages accumulate with armed warfare among the European countries. WWI also serves as a catalyst for the communist revolution in Russia, one of the least likely places for it to occur. Central Question for the Unit: Can war be preventable?  

Course Lecture PowerPoint Slides and Other Materials

• Instructor Master PP Slides

• Student PP Slides

Course Lecture Video Recordings

• Music Video Overview of the Unit (3:28 minutes) Music: "War" performed by Edwin Starr. This was actually one of the most powerful protest songs during the Vietnam War. The other was "Fortunate Son" by Creedance Clearwater Revival.

• (Video) Part One

• (Video) Part Two

• (Video) Part Three

• (Video) Part Four

• (Video) Part Five

Required Readings and Media

• Study Guide Questions for Assigned Readings and Media (PDF)

• Packett, Meuse Argonne Battle, Part One (PDF Transcript)

• Packett, Meuse Argonne Battle Part One (Audio)

• Packett, Meuse Argonne Battle, Part Two (PDF Transcript)

• Packett, Meuse Argonne Battle, Part Two (Audio)

• Palermo, Poster Boys of World War One (PDF)

• Zweig, Excitement of War (PDF)

Supplemental Learning Materials (Not required for major exams)

• Life Story of Sgt. Alvin York (PDF Transcript)

• Life Story of Sgt. Alvin York (Audio)

• Arthur Raymond Brooks, First U.S. pilot who became the first combat "ace" in WWI (PDF)

• Packett, The Balkan War at beginning of WWI (Audio)

• Packett, The Battle of Tannenberg (Audio)

• Packett, The Italian Campaign during WWI (Audio)

• Packett, The Canadians at Vimy Ridge (Audio)

• Packett, The Battle of the Somme (Audio)

• Military History, The German war machine in photographs (PDF)

• Wilkinson, Innovative tank tactics (PDF)

• Motavali, Use of automobiles on the battlefront (PDF)

• Wilkinson, German submarines (PDF)

• Biological weapons used during WWI (Audio)

• MacKenzie, Ethics of escape: British officer POWs in WWI (PDF)

• Porch, The Dreyfus nightmare (PDF)

• Remarque, All quiet on the western front (PDF, Book)

• President Wilson, Speech defending the League of Nations (PDF Transcript)

• President Wilson, The Fourteen Points for the League of Nations (PDF Transcript)

• President Wilson, Final speech as president defending the League of Nations (PDF Transcript)

• Historpedia, Women's fashion during WWI and WWII (Web Page)

• Wilkinson, The wacko genesis of armored warfare

• Military History, The German war machine: Images of the Kaiser's military, 1914-1918 (PDF)