Ch. 12 – World War I
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Transcript Ch. 12 – World War I
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World War I
(1914-1918)
U.S. History
Assassination of
Archduke Ferdinand
June 28, 1914. Franz
Ferdinand of AustriaHungary killed w/ his
wife in the city of
Sarajevo by a Serbian
nationalist named
Gavrilo Princip.
Event that marked the
beginning of WWI.
Causes of WWI
Nationalism – extreme pride in one’s own ethnic
group/nation.
Militarism – industrial revolution allowed for
creation of powerful weapons & organization of
large armies.
Imperialism – competition to gain colonies and
control weaker nations (profit $$ & power).
Secret Alliances – European nations entangled in
secret treaties & alliances to defend each other.
Causes of WWI
Central Powers
– Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire
(and Italy – changed sides in 1916)
Allied Powers
– France, Great Britain, Russia, and later United
States (and Serbia – small, insignificant)
Europe in WWI
Causes of WWI
Mobilization of Alliances
Aust.-Hung, blamed Serbia for assassination of
Archduke. Demanded full access to Serbian
government files. Serbia refused to comply.
1) Aust.-Hung declares war on Serbia.
2) Russia mobilizes army to defend Serbs.
3) France joins Russia.
4) Germany mobilizes to aid Aust-Hung and
declares war on Russia & France.
Causes of WWI
Invasion of Belgium
August 4, 1914 Germany
invades Belgium on its
way to France.
Great Britain ally w/
France, they also
declared war on
Germany in Aug. 1914.
Secret Alliances soon
brought other European
countries into war.
Reasons for U.S. Involvement
Supplying the Allies
President Woodrow Wilson
called for U.S. to remain
neutral.
Strong economic ties made
neutrality almost impossible.
Allies counted on U.S. for
supplies.
Many Americans sympathetic
to Allies – shared a common
heritage w/ Great Britain.
Reasons for U.S. Involvement
British Naval Blockade
1914-1915 Great Britain set up a
naval blockade in the North Sea
to cut trade w/ the Central
Powers. Hoped to starve
Germans & Austrians into
surrendering.
German U-boats (submarines)
Fire
Germans began sinking any ship
found in blockade zone, even
passenger ships.
Lusitania – May, 1915. U-boats
sank British passenger ship. 128
Americans drowned. Outraged
U.S.
Reasons for U.S. Involvement
Zimmerman Telegram
Sent by Germany to Mexico in 1916, but
British intercepted it. Germany asked
Mexico for assistance in the war. (If Allies
were defeated, Mexico would regain the
southwestern United States.)
President Wilson outraged, ordered
American ships to shoot U-boats on sight.
Reasons for U.S. Involvement
Declaration of War
German U-boats declared
unrestricted submarine
warfare on all ships found in
the ocean.
March 1917 - Revolution in
Russia overthrows the czar.
Loss of Russia for the Allies
made participation by U.S.
crucial.
April 2, 1917 U.S. declares
war on Germany.
“We must make the world
safe for democracy.” –
President Wilson
Role of U.S. Government during
WWI
U.S. federal government increased
control over nation during World
War I.
Necessary to raise an army, finance
war effort, encourage public support
of war.
Role of U.S. Government during
WWI
Selective Service Act (1917)
– U.S. needed to raise an army.
Required men to register for
military draft at 21 yrs old (or
older).
War Industries Board (WIB)
– U.S. short on supplies early
in the war. WIB to increase
production and control
limited resources (food, oil,
etc.)
Role of U.S. Government during
WWI
Financing the War
– U.S. government
organized Liberty Bond
and Victory Loan drives
to raise $ for the war
effort. Held rallies,
parades, etc.
– Americans felt patriotic
for doing their part.
Role of U.S. Government during
WWI
Feeding the Allies
– Top needs were
wheat, pork, sugar.
Americans cut back
to save food. Also
grew vegetables in
“victory gardens” in
school playgrounds,
backyards, etc.
– Americans tripled
amount of food sent
to the Allies!
Role of U.S. Government during WWI
Attacks on Civil
Liberties
U.S. govnt passed war-time
laws to limit criticism of the
war effort.
– Espionage Act (1917) –
illegal to “interfere” w/
war effort.
– Sedition Act (1918) “disloyal” language
about U.S. illegal.
– Anti-immigrant hysteria
against GermanAmericans. Some lost
jobs, beaten, etc.
Role of U.S. Government during WWI
Role of Women
– Thousands joined
workforce to replace
drafted men. Others
worked as military
nurses, etc.
– Helped to gain public
support for women’s
suffrage. (19th
amendment passed in
1920)
Fighting in WWI
American Troops (“doughboys”)
– Wilson selected General John J. Pershing to lead
U.S. troops, known as the American Expeditionary
Force.
Conditions of War
– Soldiers fought in 25,000 miles of muddy trenches
that crisscrossed Europe. Trenches mostly on
Western and Eastern Fronts No glory or heroics.
Fighting in WWI
New Weapons
– Gave advantage
to the defense.
Little ground
gained.
– Rapid-fire
machine guns,
U-boats,
Mustard gas,
Tanks,
Airplanes,
Barbed wire
across “No
Man’s Land”
Fighting in WWI
Battle of Argonne Forest
– Sept. 1918 – American troops began major offensive
against German in Argonne forest. Tide of war turned as
Germans began retreating!
Armistice (cease-fire)
– November 11, 1918 – German delegates signed a ceasefire in a converted railroad car in Paris. WWI was over.
End of WWI
President Wilson’s Plan for World Peace
Named the “Fourteen Points Plan” – open
treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, arms
reduction, self-determination (national groups
had right to their own territory and selfgovernment)
Most important part of plan included a League of
Nations (to settle disputes and prevent future
wars).
End of WWI
Treaty of Versailles
Peace treaty of WWI.
“War Guilt” clause - Germany is
responsible for entire war, must pay
reparations (damages), disarm (no
military), lost territory.
New nations of Poland, Yugoslavia, and
Czechoslovakia were created and carved
out of Austria-Hungary, Germany, and
Russia.
End of WWI
Defeat of Treaty of
Versailles
Congress thought
League of Nations
would entangle U.S.
in another war.
U.S. rejected &
refused to sign Treaty
of Versailles in
November 1919.
End of WWI
Conclusion…
WWI called “The Great War”. Did
more destruction than any other war in
history.
Treaty of Versailles set stage for
international problems that led to
World War II!