4 Main Causes of WWI Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism

There were 2 major alliances in WWI

■ Sparking Event—Assassination of Archduke FRANZ FERDINAND of Austria- Hungary by a Serbian

■ Austria-Hungary then declares war on SERBIA. ■ RUSSIA joins to help Serbia. ■ GERMANY declares war on Russia and FRANCE to help Austria-Hungary. ■ GREAT BRITAIN declares war on Germany.

War began in Europe in 1914 when: Germany & Austria-Hungary= “Central Powers” went to war with Britain, France & Russia= “Allied Powers”

Why did the United States become Involved in World War I, the “Great War”?

After war broke out in Europe in 1914 President Wilson wanted to keep the U.S. out of it.

For 3 years the U.S. remained neutral, continuing it’s practice of isolationism. There was strong sentiment not to get involved in a European war.

The decision to enter the war was based on: 1. Continuing German submarine warfare: Lusitania & Sussex

Lusitania, 1915: British steam liner sunk by German submarine, carrying American citizens.

Sussex, 1916: French passenger steamship, 80 killed or injured including 2 Americans

This unrestricted submarine warfare violated America’s freedom of the seas

2. America’s close ties to Great Britain 3. Wilson believed a major US role in ending the war would give him the chance to negotiate a fair peace treaty.

Wilson wanted to “Make the world safe for democracy.”

Western Front Eastern Front

The US entered WWI at a critical time. ■ Revolutions in Russia overthrew the czar, then Bolsheviks (Communists) came to power ■ Russia withdrew from war ■ Germans could move to fight on Western front (France & Britain) ■ France & Britain were exhausted and outmanned

Western Front Eastern Front

The American Expeditionary Force stopped the German advance.

Because of America’s military resources of soldiers and war materials the balance of war was tipped and Germany was defeated. Bankers are authorized to lend $ to the Allies

At the end of the war, Wilson had become the most prestigious world leader. ■ His plan for peace, called the 14 Points, was aimed at eliminating the causes of war.

Why did the French and British insist on the harsh terms on Germany in the Treaty of Versailles?

Verdun: Cloister of the Hotel de la Princerie

Village of Esnes

Palace of Justice, Senlis

Key ideas of the14 Points ■ Self-determination of peoples ■ Freedom of the seas ■ A world organization called the League of Nations ■ A mandate system in which League members would govern the colonies of defeated nations.

Treaty of Versailles: Wilson choose to go to Paris to participate in the negotiations for peace. ■ French and English insisted on punishing Germany($ reparations) ■ Germans were angered and their economy was hurt. ■ A League of Nations was created ■ National boundaries were redrawn creating new nations

Speech on the Treaty of Versailles (April 17, 1923)Adolf Hitler With the armistice begins the humiliation of Germany. If the Republic on the day of its foundation had appealed to the country: Germans, stand together! Up and resist the foe! The Fatherland, the Republic expects of you that you fight to your last breath, then millions who are now enemies of the Republic would be fanatical Republicans. Today they are the foes of the Republic not because it is a Republic but because this Republic was founded at the moment when Germany was humiliated, because it so discredited the new flag that men's eyes must turn regretfully toward the old flag. So long as this Treaty stands there can be no resurrection of the German people; no social reform of any kind is possible! The Treaty was made in order to bring 20 million Germans to their deaths and to ruin the German nation. But those who made the Treaty cannot set it aside. As its foundation our Movement formulated three demands: 1. Setting aside of the Peace Treaty. 2. Unification of all Germans. 3. Land and soil [Grund und Boden] to feed our nation. Our movement could formulate these demands, since it was not our Movement which caused the War, it has not made the Republic, it did not sign the Peace Treaty. There is thus one thing which is the first task of this Movement: it desires to make the German once more National, that his Fatherland shall stand for him above everything else. It desires to teach our people to understand afresh the truth of the old saying: He who will not be a hammer must be an anvil. An anvil we are today, and that anvil will be beaten until out of the anvil we fashion once more a hammer, a German sword!

League of Nations debate in United States ■ Objections to U.S. foreign policy decisions made by an international organization, not by U.S. leaders (the US did not want to relinquish that control). ■ Senate’s failure to approve Treaty of Versailles – Great disappointment to Wilson