1. World War I and Its Aftermath 1914-1920
US History/Geography

2. Section 1: THE US ENTERS WORLD WAR 1
WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
MAIN IDEA:
Old alliances and nationalist sentiments among European nations set the stage for WWI

3. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS The roots of World War 1 date back to the 1860s.
1864 German kingdom of Prussia started series of wars to unite the various German nations
1871: Prussia united German nations became German Empire
Quickly became world’s most powerful nation

4. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS During war, Prussia defeated France
Forced France to give up territory
France became enemies with Germany
To protect themselves from French retaliation, German signed treaty with Italy and Austria-Hungary
Became known as triple alliance

5. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
New alliance alarmed Russian leaders, they were worried Germany wanted to expand into Russia.
Had common interest with France against Germany
1894 signed Franco-Russian Alliance to protect/aid in war with Triple alliance

6. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS Alliances encouraged militarism
Aggressive build-up of armed forces to intimidate and threaten other nations
Great Britain became involved in alliances
Role was to support weaker countries against stronger ones so that no one country could conquer all of Europe
1898 Germany began building Navy, started an arms race with Great Britain
Great Britain never signed any formal alliance but established closer relations with France and Russia
Became known as the Triple Entente

7. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
Late 1800s nationalism had become a powerful idea in Europe
Countries promoted their culture and interests above other countries
With nationalism came the idea of self- determination- people who share a national identity should have their own country and gov’t
Nationalism and Imperialism led to crisis in Balkans (pg322)

8. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
In June 1914 heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand visited Bosnian capital of Sarajevo
Bosnian revolutionary Gavrilo Princip shot Ferdinand and his wife to death
Assignation was known by Bosnian officials who wanted to start a war with Austro- Hungarian Empire to gain freedom.

9. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
Austro-Hungarian Empire blamed Serbia and decided to start war
Knew this would upset Russia and might start another war, decided to ask German allies for their support
German’s promised support if war erupted
Serbia expected Russia to back them up and Russia counted on France to back them up, all agreed

10. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
July Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia.
August Germany declared war on Russia, 2 days later on France
Germany long prepared for war, launched massive invasion of France
Hoped to knock France out of war then send troops and focus on Russia

11. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS Problem, to get to France had to go through Belgium
Belgium guaranteed neutral by Britain, so when German’s came through Britain declared war on Germany
War had 2 sides,
Allies (France, Russia and Great Britain later joined by Italy )and
Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, and Germany later joined by Ottoman empire and Bulgaria)

12. WORLD WAR 1 BEGINS
German Plan worked at first, then Russia invaded Germany
War on two fronts weakened Germany and allowed allies to stop them from taking France
Became stalemate on west, Germany never got Paris, dug in trenches
Central Powers more success on Eastern front

13. WORLD WAR I BEGINS
What incident triggered the beginning of World War I?
What is militarism?
What countries were part of the Triple Alliance?
What countries were part of the Triple Entente?

14. The United States Enters WWI
AMERICA DECLARES WAR
MAIN IDEA:
British propaganda and business interests led most Americans to a pro- British stance on the war.

15. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
President Wilson determined to keep the United States out of the war
“We must be impartial in thought as well as in action”
Many American’s supported one side or the other
German Americans supported Germany along with Irish Americans (b/c they didn’t like Britain)
In general American’s supported British Cause

16. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
For 2 years America remained neutral and debated over whether the United States should prepare for war
Supporters believed preparing for war was best way to stay out of war (and if went would be prepared)
Others Like Jane Addams and Carrie Chapman Catt didn’t want to prepare and said it wouldn’t keep US out of war

17. AMERICA DECLARES WAR President’s Wilson Cabinet was Pro- British
Only William Jennings Bryan favored neutrality
British officials worked diligently to win American support
One method was use of Propaganda: information designed to influence opinion
Also cut cable from Europe to US so we could only get news from Britain.

18. AMERICA DECLARES WAR American Business also supported Great Britain
Business had strong ties with the allied countries
Banks began to invest in Allied Victory (gave loans to Allies)
Some banks (specifically in the Midwest) also lent money to Germany (pro-German)

19. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
American supported Allies but didn’t really want to join in war. A series of events slowly changed America’s stance on the War.
British Blockaded German ships and began inspecting neutral ships going to Europe for contraband
Germany responded deploying submarines known as U-boats and saying they would sink any ship they found in waters around Great Britain

20. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
May British passenger ship Lusitania entered war zone
German U-Boats sunk ship
Killed nearly 1200 passengers, including 128 Americans
Attacked outraged American’s
Wilson sent official protest to Germany to stop endangering non-combatants (still no war)

21. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
Again in March 1916 German ships sunk a French passenger ship (Sussex) injuring several Americans
Wilson still tried diplomacy by demanding German stop the submarine warfare or risk war with US
Germany didn’t want war so promised (with conditions) to sink no more ships without warning
Sussex Pledge

22. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
Keep the US out of war was Wilson’s running platform for 1916 election
Was reelected but did not keep US out of war
1917: Zimmermann Telegram
German official Arthur Zimmermann sent telegram to Mexico asking them to side with Germany and fight against US
Promised to give back Mexico territory in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona

23. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
Telegram was intercepted by British intelligence and leaked to American Newspapers
Americans FURIOUS! War with Germany was now necessary
Feb Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare (violated Sussex pledge)
Feb 3 and March 21 sunk 6 American Ships
Didn’t believe US could raise and send Army to Europe in time

24. AMERICA DECLARES WAR
April Wilson asked congress to Declare war on Germany
After debate, resolution passed on April 4 American was at war.

25. AMERICA DELCARES WAR
5. What did German U-Boats do that brought American into World War I? 6. What was the Sussex Pledge? 7. What “strategy” did British officials to help sway American opinion of the war to their side? 8. What was Germany’s reasoning for breaking the Sussex Pledge?