World War I

WWI Begins – Causes (MAINE) Militarism Nationalism Brinkmanship – Army and Naval Buildup Black Hand War Readiness Gavrilo Princip assassinated Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia War as Glorious Influence of military Leaders Ethnocentrism Alliances German military and industrial pride Uniting of Central Powers French loses in Franco-Prussian War Uniting of Allies Russia and Pan-Slavism Economics Defense Agreements Industrialization and search for New Markets Imperialism Rivalries among Britain, Germany, and France Jingoism Social Darwinism Empire Building Global Meliorism

Effects - Allied and Central Powers Allied Powers Central Powers Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy (Switched Side), Belgium, Portugal, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Greece and Romania Germany, Austria-Hungary Empire (Bosnia), Bulgaria, Italy, and Ottoman Empire

Wilson Declares U.S. Neutrality Causes Effects World War I broke out in Europe Held tradition of Washington to not ally with any European power or become in a war across the Atlantic Difficult to protect U.S. trading rights and maintain a policy that didn’t favor either the Allied Powers or Central Powers US ships began to be seized by Great Britain if they ran the blockade in the North Sea

Germany began Submarine Warfare Causes Effects Wanted to challenge the British naval power at sea with the submarine Germany answered the British blockade by announcing their own around the British Isles Warned that any ships attempting to enter the “war zone” risked being sunk by German Submarines

Lusitania Sinks – May 7, 1915 Causes Effects German U-Boat torpedoes Lusitania off the coast of Ireland A British passenger ship was carrying 128 Americans was believed to be carrying armaments Wilson responded by sending Germany a warning that they would be held to “strict accountability” if it continued is policy of sinking unarmed ships

Sussex Pledge is Issued - 1916 Causes Effects August 1915, two more American lives were lost on another passenger ship March 1916, Germany sunk a merchant ship, the Sussex, killing several Americans Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with Germany Instead of risk the U.S. entry into war with the British Promised to not sink merchant or passenger ships without giving due warning

Preparedness Legislation - 1916 Causes Effects Many recognized the U.S. army and navy were hopelessly unprepared for a major war National Defense Act, increased the regular army to a force of nearly 175,000 Naval Construction Act, Authorized the construction of more than 50 warships in a year!

Woodrow Wilson is Reelected (1916) Causes Effects “He kept us out of war” Peace, progressive reforms and weakness of the republican candidate Wilson felt he needed to maintain his peace efforts Made a commitment to the idea of “peace without victory” – January 1917

Germany Resumes Unrestricted Submarine Warfare - 1917 Causes Effects German commanders decided to resume unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917 Thought that cutting off supplies to Allies would allow Germany to win the war before the US could join Wilson broke ALL diplomatic relations with Germany

Zimmerman Telegram – March 1917 Causes Effects Mexico should ally itself with Germany in return for Germany’s pledge to help Mexico recover lost territories – Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona Aroused nationalist anger of the American people Convinced Wilson that Germany fully expected a war with the United States

Russian Revolution Causes Effects Russia was governed by an autocratic Czar – Nicholas Romanov II Russian revolutionaries overthrew the czar’s and proclaimed a democratic republic (March 1917) The barrier to US participation in the war was lifted – an Imperial Empire was no longer in the war Bolshevik Revolution ousted democratic government and instituted a communist government under Vladimir Lenin in November 1917 Central Powers signed an armistice with Russia in December 1917

The US Declares War – April 1917 Causes Effects Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Sinking of the Lusitania Popular Opinion The Zimmerman Telegram Economic Relationship with European Nations Ethnocentrism The U.S. was now a member of the Allied Powers in World War I

Analysis Evaluate the US government's decision to declare war on Germany? Explain if the response was reasonable and what was the ultimate cause of US involvement. To what extent is it America’s role to “keep the world safe for democracy”?