leo woo, edward suh

Causes of WWI

By: Leo Woo, Edward Suh

Cases that caused the War

Case 1: Economy

Case 2: U-Boats(German) attack on Commercial ships

Post-Assessment

EconomyThe United States joined the great war for many reasons including the German attackon Lusitania and Zimmerman code to Mexico. Additionally, big businesses and bigeconomic force started to support the U.S. involvement in the war. There goal was tomake profit by exporting their goods, from weapons, clothings, and to food. As theywanted, The U.S. exports to Europe increased from $1.479 billion dollars in 1913 to$4.062 billion in 1917. At the same time, the U.S lent money to Britain and othercountries, and also bought their war bonds. The total production of munitions wereoverwhelming: 3,550,000 rifles, 226,557 machine guns, 632,504,000 pounds of smokelesspower and even 13,574 airplane engines.

PerspectivesU.S. TreasurerGerman TreasurerBritish TreasurerU.S. Business/Industry Owner

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US Treasurer

My name is William Bond. I work in the U.S. government as a treasurer. When I was at the presidential meeting which decides whether the U.S. should get involved in the war or not, I supported for the war, moderately. First thing that came in my mind was improvement in the U.S. economy when I was supporting the war. Currently, many European countries are exhausted by the war and they lack of resources and weapons that are essential for the war. When the U.S. joins the war, our exports will increase in noticeable amount. Tomorrow, I will be meeting Mr. Wilson, the treasurer of Great Britain, because the Britain wants to burrow our money. By lending money to other countries and buying war bonds, I believe that the U.S. economy will improve by this war. One thing I hope is that the war doesn’t end too short nor too long, so the U.S. would only have profits.

BackPerspectivesU.S. TreasurerGerman TreasurerBritish TreasurerU.S. Business/Industry Owner

German Treasurer My name is Abigail Gutenberg, a treasure

of Germany. When I heard that the United States will join the war as our opponent, I was little surprised. I expected that the U.S. would join the war later, when it is clear which side will win. If the U.S. waited, they would know that the winning side will be Germany, and they would’ve joined us. I feel sorry for the U.S. because they will be the loser. On the other hand, I believe the war will end even longer by the joining of the U.S. because they will provide resources to the Britain and France. However, the end that the Germany will be the winner will not change.


British Treasurer

My name is Alfred Wilson, a treasurer of the Great Britain. When I heard that the United States decided to join the allies, I was half supportive. For current situation, I believe U.S. support in economic and militaristic ways would definitely help end the war quicker. In fact, I believe the Allies is going to win without the United States. At the same time, I am concerned that it is only the United States that would profit from this bloody war. All the nations in war had been used up many resources already. Even they win, there won’t be much profit. I am worried this may affect the balance of power after the war ends. Today, I am going to meet Mr. Bond, a treasurer of the U.S. to burrow money. I believe he will try to lend money under the condition which will give the most profit for them.


US Business/Industry OwnerMy name is Christopher Heine. I have a big

weapon industry company. I was waiting for this moment! Now I can provide mass number of rifles and machineguns to European nations. One thing, I will have to get approved from the government. Since the government will permit limited number of weapon industries, I have to see the U.S. treasurer as fast as I can. Also I will provide up to 30% commission to the government if necessary. I believe other companies will also provide about 20% commission as well. I better go see the treasurer earlier then other competitors companies.

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PerspectivesU.S. TreasurerGerman TreasurerBritish TreasurerU.S. Business/Industry Owner

U-Boats attack US Ships The Lusitania set off from New York to Liverpool, UK on May 1, 1915

as one of the fastest means of travel across the Atlantic. The massive 25 knot ship was claimed by the UK government to be a hidden military vessel hosting weapons and ammunition for the war in case a sea battle arose. On May 7th, 1915, near Ireland while on its course to Liverpool, the German U-Boat, U-20, fired an unwarned torpedo at the Lusitania. 1,924 passengers died, 114 of them being Americans.

America’s reaction to the attack was outrageous. The majority of the Unites States population were furious at this act of injustice and urged the President, Woodrow Wilson, to enter into the First World War. Congress accepted the declaration of war against the Germans and the battles heightened. With the involvement of US military force, the Germans and their ally nations eventual retreated and loss the war.

Captain of Lusitania Family of the drowned citizen Rescued U.S. citizen from German attack German soldier on U-boat

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Captain of Lusitania

Captain William Turner - It is true that I told the crew not to lower the life boats during the catastrophe but I do have valid reasons for doing so… I didn’t think that the Lusitania could be sunk; In fact, most of New York did not think that the Lusitania could be sunk either. Naturally, I didn’t expect the turbulence to be a torpid so I only focused on calming the people down. On top of that, it is standard warfare law that passive enemy ships are at least warned before being attacked. We were aware that the Germans knew this ship was fitted with artillery in case of war but they should have also been informed that passengers, including Americans, were onboard as well. This act of the enemy wasn’t a war tactic, it was blatant murder.

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Captain of LusitaniaFamily of the drowned citizenRescued U.S. citizen from German attackGerman soldier on U-boat

Family of the drownedThis is the final blow for America! I urge the president and

the congress to allow America to participate in this war against “evil”. The Germans have destroyed our children, my children, and their dishonorable ways of war should end. It is unanimous that the people of America want to enter the war and take vengeance for the Lusitania.

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Captain of LusitaniaFamily of the drowned citizenRescued U.S. citizen from German attackGerman soldier on U-boat

Rescued U.S. citizen

Yes, we were distraught and angered by the sudden attack of the German U-Boat but we were even more disturbed by the lack of efficiency in rescuing the passengers on board after the attack. The life boats were poorly set up; one strapped on top of another, the ship’s crew members cared little about the safety of the woman and children and only about their own well being, and on top of that, the Captain continuously discouraged anybody from leaving the ship as if he had no clue the ship had even been attacked. BackCaptain of Lusitania

Family of the drowned citizenRescued U.S. citizen from German attackGerman soldier on U-boat

German soldier on U-boat We are at war with the British and we knew damn

well that the Lusitania was fitted with weapons. It was practically a war vessel and we as military soldiers of the German nation had every right to sink the Lusitania for our own safety. It isn’t our fault that the ship and its captain was foolish enough to board civilians into one of the Germany’s biggest threats on the sea.

Admittedly, our captain does possess abnormally hasty fingers when it comes to shooting down potential enemy targets. Once, he almost sank a hospital ship full of ill patients. “The great captain Schwieger, notorious for destroying anything suspicious without a single warning.”

BackCaptain of LusitaniaFamily of the drowned citizenRescued U.S. citizen from German attackGerman soldier on U-boat

Sinking Lusitania

U-20, U-Boat thatSunk the Lusitania

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Bibliography (Lusitania)

http://www.lostliners.com/Liners/Cunard/Lusitania/Images/after_lifeboats.jpg

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:h5Z-- VoQeyrZVM:http://www.the7thfire.com/images/gal_sea_lusitania.jpg

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Q6e0fz-QW1iSEM:http://www.titanic-whitestarships.com/u20.jpg

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:_007bZcvV_EF_M:http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/kmossman/ZE.FAMILY%2520OF%2520EDWARD%2520THOMA

S.JPG

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:_iLrD0TXKXx5hM:http://www.firstworldwar.com/photos/graphics/ww_turner_01.jpg

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Bibilography http://www.gijoecanada.com/images/inthepast_grey%20sepp%20deitrich.JPG http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200707/r159817_583493.jpg http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3325545.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=86F19F6C94

FCC84F7AA60B94A44F2EC4A55A1E4F32AD3138 http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/1830000.jpg

%3Fv%3D1%26c%3DViewImages%26k%3D2%26d%3D17A4AD9FDB9CF1939057D9939C83F1064E0F3DF3CCAE23A75A5397277B4DC33E&imgrefurl=http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx%3Fmid%3D1830000%26epmid%3D1%26partner%3DGoogle&h=417&w=594&sz=47&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=IGU-yrMky61nNM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU.S.%2BTreasurer%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Post-Assessment Do you think that either one of these cases

contributed to the start of the first World War? If so, explain why… If not, explain why not.

Critical Thinking: Regarding that the great depression occurred after the great war, do you think there is any relationship? Why or why not?

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leo woo, edward suh

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