Transcript Chapter 20.1

World War I: The Road to War
Causes of the War: Imperialism

European nations
compete for trade in
Africa, Asia, and Pacific.
 Germany expands,
Militarizes
 Countries get fearful.
Causes of the War: Nationalism

National groups want to
be free of their European
rulers. They are separate
and want to rule
themselves.
 Example: Serbians
living/ruled by AustrianHungarian Empire want to
be free.
Causes of the War: Alliance System

When countries fear
attack they gain
friendships/alliances.
 Germany-Austria-Hungary
 France, Britain, Russia
Causes of the War: Assassination

June 28, 1914
 Sarajevo, Bosnia
 Gregario Princip
(Serbian Nationalist)
kills Archduke Franz
Ferdinand (AustroHungarian prince).
 July 29 – AustriaHungry declares war
on Serbia
 Any guesses as to
what happens next?
The Order.







June 28th – assassination
July 28th – Austria-Hungary
declares war on Serbia
July 31st – Russia Mobilizes
its armed forces
August 1 – Germany
declares war on Russia
August 3 – Germany
declares war on France
August 4 – Germany invades
neutral Belgium
August 4 – Great Britain
declares war on Germany
Western Front



Germany marches west
to France, Allies march
east, meet at Marne.
Stalemate for 3 terrible
years.
Trench Warfare
 “no man’s land”
 “Over the top”
Western Front

Technology improves
 Airplanes
○ Scouting and support of
ground forces

Armored Tanks
 Rapid-fire machine guns
○ Heavy artillery

Poison gas
 Choking, blinding, skin
issues, lung problems
American Neutrality

Issue #1: Ethnic
Loyalties
 German Americans support
Germany/Central powers
 Irish Americans support
Germany/ Central Powers
 Britain/U.S. share common
language/history
 American slavs/Italian
support allies
American Neutrality

Issue #2: Propaganda
 Used by both sides
 Sway opinions of others for
support
 Exaggerated/made- up
 Images are powerful
American Neutrality

Issue #3: Trade
 Americans traded goods
with allies
 American banks loan
money to Allies
 British blockade American
ships heading to Germany
○ Wilson insists Britain buy all
American Goods it is
boycotting.
American Neutrality

Issue #4: The Lusitania
 Germany had many U-boats




(subs)
February 1915 – Germany
blockades Britain
May 7, 1915 – U-boat sinks
British Passenger ship off
coast of Ireland
1,200 people die, 128
Americans
U.S. protests, Germany
promises to not sink
passenger ships.
Entering the War

Zimmerman Telegram
 Feb 24, British intercept
telegram from Germany to
Mexico
 IF Mexico joins the war with
Germany, THEN Germany
will help Mexico gain new
Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
 Released to press on March
1, Americans are mad
 3 more American merchant
ships sunk by German Uboats.
IT IS ON!!!!!!
Meanwhile…in Russia…
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia
and his family is thrown in
jail and eventually
murdered.
 Revolution in Russia
caused by food shortages,
military defeats
 No absolute monarchs
ONLY democratic powers,
last step to joining allies.

Declaring War


April 2, 1917 – Wilson
asks Congress to
declare war on Central
Powers.
Bring it Europe!