World War I

Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman EmpireAllied Powers: France, Great Britain, Russia (to 1917)

4 Major Causes of War

• Imperialism

• Entangling Alliances

• Militarism

• Nationalism– fervent patriotism– independence movements

The Spark

• Emperor Franz-Joseph• Archduke Franz-Ferdinand

(Austria-Hungary)

assassination by Serbian nationalists of the

BLACK HAND

• Trench Warfare

• Industrial War– first military use

• telephone• automobile• airplane

Stalemate

bBy 1915, 4,000,000 soldiers in the trenches

How did the United States get involved in Europe’s war?

President Wilson declares NEUTRALITY

Economic Boon for the US.

• Munitions, food, soldier’s supplies, money

• Increase in Trade 1914-1916– Britain 257%– France 393%– Italy 363%

– Germany .08%

• Unrestricted Submarine Warfare to combat British naval blockade

Lusitania

• Lusitania -- British passenger liner

Struck by a German torpedo

– 1200 of 2,000 die• 128 Americans

– secretly carrying war materials

U.S. Response

• Wilson continues policy of neutrality

• Germany apologizes– after further attacks,

agrees to refrain from no-warning attacks

• Wilson is re-elected on the slogan: “He kept us out of war.”

(600,000 votes-1916)

Zimmerman Telegraph

• German Foreign Secretary Arthur Von Zimmerman to German ambassador to Mexico– ask Mexico to join

Central powers– help them regain land– renew unrestricted

submarine warfare

and German U-boats Sink 3 American Ships

• Wilson asks Congress for Declaration of War – April 2, 1917– “neutrality is no longer feasible…”– “The world must be made safe for democracy”– “we shall fight for the [idea] which we have

always carried close to our hearts—democracy”

Opposition to the War

• Many women– Jeanette Rankin (1st

woman rep. in Congress)• “You can no more win a war

than you can win an earthquake.”

• Quakers• Socialists• Opponents of big

business– “command of gold”– profiteering

Mobilization• The Draft – 9 million

registered– 3 million– Volunteers – 2 million

• Increased production– fuel, ships, weapons, food– governing boards

• Propaganda Campaigns– CPI (Committee on Public

Information)• George Creed

– “4-Minute Men”

The Suppression of Dissent

• Espionage Act 1917

• Sedition Act 1918

– 2,000 prosecutions• including Eugene Debs (10 years)

• Public persecution of Germans

Western Front

• AEF American Expeditionary Force– General John “Black

Jack” Pershing

• Major American engagements– Chateau Thierry– Meuse-Argonne

End of the War

• Kaiser abdicates Nov. 9

• Armistice signed Nov. 11 @ 11 a.m.

• 10 million soldiers killed/20 million wounded• 10 million civilian deaths• 110,000 American deaths• Estimated cost: $185 billion