1. Chapter 12: The World War I Era II. The United States Declares War

2. Bell Ringer  What makes a country one of the great nations of the world?  What domestic conditions and foreign alliances characterize a great nation?  What countries are great nations today?  Why?

3. Objectives  Discover how Germany's use of Submarines affected the war.  Find out the steps the US took toward war in early 1917.

4. Setting the Scene Don’t Write!!!  War still going strong in 1916  Would the US be able to stay out of the war?  Friction between US and Germany would lead the US to join WWI

5. A) German Submarine Warfare 7)U-boat: Unterseeboot: submarine  Britains big navy blockaded all shipping to Germany  Germany used submarines to blockade all shipping to UK  At first Germany warned ships before they sank them – too dangerous – started to just sink them without warning  This angered US public opinion

6.  Germany’s surface fleet did attack Britain once – Battle of Jutland – draw  British encouraged anti-German feelings  British cut the undersea cable from Germany to US – US had to rely on British reports only  Germany sunk the Lusitania – a passenger liner – no military value – (maybe there was?)  Germany attacked French liner – Sussex 8)Sussex pledge: Germany promised to warn ships before sinking them Wilson started preparing for war

7. B) Moving Toward War  Wilson runs for re-election, “He kept us out of war” was his slogan. Wins  Germany informs us they will not follow the Sussex pledge anymore – Unrestricted submarine warfare  US starts arming merchant ships 9)Zimmermann note: German secret offer to Mexico; declare war on the US and Germany will help reclaim US Southwest Not taken seriously by US or Mexico Result - US dislikes Germany more

8. C) Revolution in Russia  By 1917 – Russia has 1.5 million killed  2.5 million prisoner  Army ill-equipped, badly led, and are being forced back 10)Autocrat: ruler with unlimited power – monarch 11)Russia Revolution: Czar Nicholas II forced to give up his throne – The Russian Republic is created Now Russia a Republic – last stumbling block for the US to join WWI is gone Germany sinks 3 US ships – one is the Illinois – President Wilson asks for a declaration of war He gets it

9. Review  How did Germany’s use of submarines affect the war?  What moves did the US take toward war in early 1917?