Campbell's Soup

Feeling a little mid-day slump?
Want to curl into a lump?
When you feel like you might droop,
Enjoy a bowl of Campbell’s Soup!

Treaty of Versailles

The treaty of Versailles was one of the major peace treaties that stopped the fighting between Germany and the Allied forces. After spending six months at the Paris Peace Conference, the treaty was signed on June 28, 1919. “The Big Four” were the leaders of Great Britain, The United States, Italy, and France. These men would untimetly decide the fate of Germany. France looked to destroy Germany’s military after losing over 1.5 million soldiers and have much of the battles fought on her own land. Also, France wanted to regain control of land that had been taken from them by Germany in the War of 1871. Great Britain supported reparations, but at a lesser amount than France, because they knew that with Germany out of the picture, France could easily become a major power in Europe. Other outcomes of the treaty were the War Guilt Clause, which made Germany take sole responsibility for the War. Also, Germany was forced to reduce the size of her army to only 100,000, and lost much land to other countries. Besides this, Germany was forced to pay 5 billion dollars to the Allied forces as reparations for all of the damage that it had caused. “The big four” were so harsh on Germany because they didn’t want them to cause any other world wars, and thought they should punish them to the harshest extent possible. It is expected that Germany will enter a great depression because of the rules of the treaty. Another important outcome of the Treaty was the League of Nations. It was a dream of Wilsons to have a place where nations could come together to talk about their problems without war. The idea fell apart though, because the United States did not join the initial League of Nations on behalf of the Senate.

Assassination Causes World Destruction

Recent discoveries have shed light on the underlying cause of WWI, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. Next in line for the throne, Mr. Ferdinand went to Bosnia after being invited to see their army march by General Oskar Potiorek, not knowing that six assassins were waiting for him.
After leaving the train, Mr. Ferdinand and his wife got onto a convertible in a motorcade of 6 vehicles to head through town. Passing a garden, the first assassin failed to take action, but the second assassin threw a bomb he had at the cars, but the timing meconizm caused the bomb to blow up the wrong car. Arriving at city hall, the Archduke couldn’t make his speech because it was covered in blood from the bombing. The mayor ended up talking to the crowd, while the small town police force planned how to protect the man from another attempt on his life. After the speech, Archduke Franz decided to go the hospital to visit the people who were injured in the earlier bombing. Princip, the master mind of the whole assassination operation was in a coffee shop when he saw the Archduke’s car turning around. The driver had taken a wrong turn and needed to turn around. Running out of the coffee ship, Princip shot multiple rounds into the car criticly wounding the Archduke and his wife, who died on their way to get medical support. Franz-Ferdinand's last words were "Sophie, Sophie! Don't die! Live for our children!" followed by six or seven utterances of "It is nothing."
Being outraged, Austria-Hungary saw this as their chance to settle a long dispute once and for all and sent a letter to Serbia demanding the stop of propaganda and to arrest the people involved with the assassination giving only 48 hours before further action was taken. After this threat, Austria’s alliance with Germany and Serbia’s alliance with Russia and all of the other secret alliances came to light. While Serbian men were on a boat, Austrian men fired at them to warn them off, but Serbia was not happy and declared war.

The US enters WWI

April 6, 1917: The US declared war on Germany and other countries aligned with the enemy today, after an internal dispute weather to enter the war. Many Americans thought that the country should stay neutral, but attacks against America have been on the increase. In 1915, after the British ship Luaitania was sunk resulting in 128 American casualties, the debate has been about when to enter into the war to end all wars. A telegram released by President Wilson a few weeks ago detailed a German plan to support Mexico in an attack on the US to keep them from interfering in the current situations across the Atlantic, and retaining New Mexico, Arizona and other land currently owned by the US. Although Wilson was reelected mostly on his promise to keep America out of war, he used this telegram to drum up support for the US’s involvement in WWI. In the past few day, 6 US merchant ships have been destroyed by German subs, and with the support from Congress, Wilson declared war on Germany and her allies. The government plans to draft over 4 million men to fight in the army in the coming months, and will also send our well trained Navy to fight alongside British naval forces.
This is the first time that the United States has become involved in major world affairs. Before, our country has been isolated across an ocean, and didn’t have any effect on Europe. If the United States helps the Allied forces win the war, it could put the US in a strange position, as the most powerful country in the World.

Attack at Verdun

Article By: Jacques Noir


Verdun, with its historical fortresses is the latest casualty of the war. On February 21, at 7:15AM the Germans attacked with approximately 1400 guns along the eight mile front along Verdun. Although our forces received intelligence warning that an attack was imminent and the fortress commander Colonel Emile Driant did what he could to improve the fortress trenches, it was of little help.

More than 100,000 shells were fired upon Verdun every hour. The Germans intention seemed to be to destroy as many French defenders as possible before our infantry could be mobilized. It is estimated that our forces of 20,000 were facing more than a million German soldiers, yet Wilhelm issued another attack later that day. Driant and his two battalions fell in the first day of battle.

The Germans only succeeded is taking over the first line of French trenches, which was much less than they were anticipating. Wilhelm made the crucial error of pulling out his forward infantry, giving the French the much needed time to resettle and prepare for the next attack from across the river. A telegram was received two days ago with the details of the battle, and the news of Driant’s defeat. Reinforcements were sent, but the German troops continued to surge through our defences. They have come within 8 kilometres of Verdun, and drastic measures have been taken to protect this popular location. Updates will be issued as more information is discovered.

A World War Never Again

Dear Editor,

I am a Private in the 80th infantry division, and this is a plea for all those who are oblivious to the ravages of war. The German forces are taking us apart piece by piece, trench by trench, until there are only the mangled bodies of the dead left behind for burial. The bravery I feel for fighting for what I believe is right is being slowly diminished with every sight I see. I fear I may be next to die and be forgotten, but I must inform you of the travesty we men face everyday.

I am forced to eat much less than I desire to, and it is tough to carry on at times. Rations have been cut down to the point where we are barley surviving, it is hard to bare. Consuming little food is just one of the hardships I’ve witnessed. If the Germans don’t annihilate us with heavy artillery, the lice and swamp foot with be the end of us all. Death by guns would be a blessing in this cold, desolate wasteland. The rain is our enemy; it coats the bottom of our trenches and makes it hard to maneuver. I feel filthy like I never have before, it is a feeling I would never wish upon any person. I am kept awake at night hearing men moan and weep over their infections, ailments, and miseries. I write to you knowing I will not live for mush longer, and I am proud to die for my country. I warn the world outside the battle field, unless you are here next to me, fighting along side with we brave men, you will never know the cost of freedom. It’s a very high price indeed.

-Anonymous

German troops holding first-line trench on the River Aisne

Menin Road

German Men in Trenches

End of the War

The collapse of the Central Powers proceeded. Bulgaria was the first in September 1918, in October the Ottoman Empire capitulated at Mudros. In October the Italians recovered territory that was lost after the Battle of Caporetto. Then came the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, which created the end of the Austro-Hungarian Army as a fighting force, their Empire then collapsed. During the last week of October declarations of independence were made in Budapest, Prague and Zagreb. On October 29th, the authorities asked Italy for a treaty, But the Italians continued advancing. On November 3rd Austria-Hungary sent a flag of truce to ask for a treaty. The terms, arranged by telegraph with the Allied Authorities in Paris, were communicated to the Austrian Commander and accepted. The Habsburg monarchy was then overthrown.


Following the outbreak of the German Revolution, a republic was created on November 9th. The Kaiser (Emperor) fled to the Netherlands. On November At 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month) a ceasefire occurred. Opposing armies on the Western Front began to withdraw from their positions. “Canadian, Private George Lawrence Price, is traditionally regarded as the last soldier killed in the Great War: he was shot by a German sniper at 10:57 and died at 10:58.”


The West Front and East Front continued to fight for more than seven months. Then the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on June 28, 1919 was signed. Later treaties with Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire were signed. In the Ottoman Empire the Turkish Independence War created the Republic of Turkey in July 1923.

Eastern Fronts

The Western Front reached the end of the war and the Eastern Front continued. While Russia went into Galicia in September of 1914, Hindenburg and Ludendorff pushed Russia further back creating the Russian industrial base and military leadership to fall. In the spring of 1915, the Russians had retreated into Galicia, in May the Central Powers accomplished a remarkable breakthrough on Poland. In August they captured Warsaw and forced the Russians to withdraw from Poland.


In 1917 the Russian Revolution unfolded from Russia’s growing population and social opportunities and political consciousness. The weak government kept falling under the Central Powers of Nations. German forces came to the aid while Austrian units in Transylvania and Bucharest fell to the Central Powers in December.


Vladimir Lenin, who led the Bolsheviks, promised to pull Russia out of the war and was able to gain power, he created negotiations with Germany. At first the Bolsheviks refused the German terms, but when Germany continued in the war and marched across Ukraine with liberty, the new government accepted the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918. It took Russia out of the war and gave them large territories including Finland, the Baltic provinces, parts of Poland and Ukraine to the Central Powers.

Broken Alliances

Austria In The War

After Austria's declaration of war on Serbia, Russia announced full mobilization of their armed forces, being Serbia's allies. Germany then declared war on Russia, France and Belgium. War was also declared on Russia by Austria followed by Britain and France declaring war on Austria.
So the start of this all was when the heir of the Austro-Hungarian heir and his wife were assassinated, there were accusations and war broke out. Allies joined allies and most of Europe was involved.
Austria was not prepared for such a long and costly war and their economic situation grows more precarious as it goes on. Last year when their Emperor Franz Joseph died, and his grand-nephew took place as emperor. But Austria's fate is now hinged on the outcome of the war, not its monarchy. But America has joined the war and who knows how it all will end, or if it ever will.

Flander's Fields

John McCrae, a Canadian poet and medical officer wrote a poem for all of the young soldiers who died in all of the battles in Flanders. It is called Flanders Fields, first published in the Punch magazine. This is what he wrote:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

McCrae wrote this poem sitting in the back of an ambulance, after a funeral he held. The funeral was for a Lieut. Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, his friend and former student. His death especially affected McCrae and so he mourned by writing. He tossed the poem, dissatisfied with it, but a fellow officer retrieved it and sent it to newspapers in England, and that's how we got a hold of it.

McCrae's description of that sad morning was said to be perfect and exact to the field they were at, with poppies blowing in the wind.