1. Causes of WWI

2. Before the War Roots of WWI go back to the 1870s
Long term causes of the war: MAIN – Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
German Empire created 1871
Rapidly industrialized
Large army and navy
Alliance with Italy and Austria-Hungary (controlled southeastern Europe)
Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria- Hungary and Italy (changes sides)
Later becomes the Central Powers)

3. Militarism and Alliance System
German army doubled from
New Large navy threatened Great Britain
Created an arms race
Russia feared Germany would invade to expand
Russia, France, and Great Britain unite against German threat and form the Triple Entente

4. Imperialism Large European nations carved up the world
Africa, Asia, and other parts of Europe
Austria-Hungary controlled majority of the Balkans
Annexed Bosnia in 1908
Area of ethnic Serbians, Croats, Romanians
Resisted control by a powerful Empire
Pushed for independence and creation of their own nation
Russia supported the Serbs

5. Nationalism Feelings of intense pride in homeland
Germany wanted their “day in the sun”
12 nationalities in AH alone
Inspired Balkan territories to want independence from imperialist AH and create their own nation
Yugoslavia
Leads to the immediate cause of the war
The Assassination of heir to the AH throne – Archduke Franz Ferdinand

6. The Assassination June 28 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand visits Bosnian capital of Sarajevo
Promoting Austro-Hungarian rule in the Balkan region
Bosnian Nationalist Gavarilo Princip assassinates the Archduke
Member of Serbian terrorist group
Against rule by the AH Empire
AH immediately declares ware on Serbia
Blamed them for the attack

7. The War Begins AH declares war on Serbia Serbia backed by Russia
Russia backed by France and Great Britain
Russia mobilizes army on German border
August – Germany declares war on Russia
France declares war on Germany 2 days later
“The Great War”
US stays neutral and doesn’t join until 1917

8. America Enters WWI

9. The War Escalates Triple Entente = Allies (Britain, France, Russia)
Central Powers = Germany, Austria Hungary
New weaponry creates a stalemate along the western front
Both sides forced to dig trenches
Neither side gains much ground
2 million Russians die in 1914 alone
US practicing isolationism
Wilson declares US neutral
Public mostly supported Allies
Trade reasons
Gave $$ and supplies to Britain
Some banks lent $ to Germany

10. The Lusitania
British began intercepting ships to blockade trade to Germany
Germany retaliated by stating it would sink any boat in British waters
Deployed submarines called U-boats
Stop shipment of food and supplies
May 1915 – British passenger ship Lusitania shot by German U-Boat
Killed 1200 passengers – 128 Americans
Angered Americans and many began to favor war

11. Wilson Keeps US Out
Wilson demands German’s to stop unrestricted sub warfare
Sussex Pledge
Deal between the US and Germany
Germany would not attack ships
US avoids war
Helps Wilson win re-election in 1916
“He kept us out of the war”

12. Zimmerman Telegram
Arthur Zimmerman sent telegram to German ambassador in Mexico
If Mexico became a German ally, Germany would give all territories lost to the US ( Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas)
Leaked to the public in 1917
Americans realized war was necessary
Germany goes back to unrestricted sub warfare
Sank 6 American ships
US declares war in April 1917
Wilson – “must make the world safe for democracy”

13. The Home Front
US gov’t increased taxes and sold bonds to pay for the war
“Liberty bonds”- investments that are paid back later
Americans that didn’t serve could still play a part
1 million women joined the workforce
Factories, shipyards, railroads
Great Migration
Thousands of African American’s left the South to work in the north
“Selling the War”
Committee on Public Information
Use propaganda to gain support for the war

14. Building the Military Only 300,000 soldiers Selective Service Act
Required all men to sign up for a draft
Randomly selected through a lottery
2 million volunteered
Racism
African American’s forced to be cooks, laborers, and laundrymen