World War One and its aftermath

1. World War One and its aftermath Sect 1 the US Enters the War

2. Woodrow Wilsons Diplomacy • Opposed imperialism • Promote democracy for a peaceful world

3. What caused WWI • There are a number of factors that caused World War One. • Militarism- arms race- machine guns, artillery, tanks submarines, airplanes • Alliances • Imperialism • Nationalism- France wanted to regain Alsace Lorraine (lost in an earlier battle) • Self determination THERE IS NO ONE CAUSE

4. The Alliance System • 1864 – Prussia launched war to unite the German states – done by 1871 • Germany industrialized and became powerful. • In the wars, Germany (Prussians) had attacked France along the German border • Germany and France were enemies

5. To protect itself, Germany set up the Triple Alliance with Italy and Austria-Hungary • Russia was worried about its border and the Slavs in Eastern Europe who were the same ethnic group as themselves. • Russia and France signed the Franco-Russian Alliance

6. The naval Race • Great Britain remained neutral • Germany began building a navy which challenged Great Britain • G.B. would not sign an alliance but they had an understanding with France and Russia Triple Entente

7. The Balkan Crisis • Late 1800’s – nationalism - became powerful • Self determination – the idea that people who belong to a nation should have their own country and government. • In the Balkans the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empires had ruled • Many pushed for independence including Serbs, Croats, Bosnians and Slovenes (they spoke the same languages)

9. They called themselves South Slavs or Yugoslavs • Serbs obtained independence – Serbia and wanted to unite the rest of the southern Slavs • Russia supported the Slavs • Austria-Hungary limited Serbia’s growth by annexing Bosnia • Serbs wanted Bosnia as part of Serbia

10. Assassination hurtles Europe toward war • June 1914 – Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife visit Sarajevo (in Bosnia) • Bosnian revolutionary Gavrillo Princip (who was really Serbian) rushed the open car and assassinated both. He belonged to a group called the “Black Hand”. • Believed that Bosnia belonged to Serbia and not Austria-Hungary • Serbian officials knew of the plot and let it happen

13. Alliances cause a chain reaction • Austria-Hungary (backed by Germany) blamed Serbia (backed by Russians who were backed by France) and issued an ultimatum- wanted complete cooperation • July 28- A.H. declares war on Serbia • August 1- Germany (Kaiser Wilhelm II) declares war on Russia • August 3- Germany declares war on France

15. Germany’s Plan fails Germany launches invasion of France Plan to knock out France then Russia Germany had to advance through neutral Belgium King said no “Belgium is not a road.” Germany invaded anyway Great Britain declares war on Germany

16. Triple Entente AKA Allies France, Great Britain, Russia and Italy who switched sides in 1915 when the Allies promised them Austro-Hungarian territory Triple Alliance AKA Central Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria Picking sides

18. Deadly technology leads to stalemate • After Battle of the Somme Germans marched to within 30 miles of Paris • Battle of the Marne –Trench warfare – 450 miles of trenches • Western Front • Deadly war- new technology • Stalemate for next three years- Attrition

19. Once German troops invaded France through Belgium – Russia invaded Germany • Weakened and split Germans. They halted their advance 30 miles outside Paris. Battle of Marne • Russia did not have the same luck. Germany and Austro-Hungarian troops stopped the Russians and then backed them up. Took hundreds of miles of territory • Russia had 2 million killed, wounded or captured in 1915.

20. Reality of Trench Warfare • Trench foot • Rats • Body Lice • No Man’s Land • Casualties – soldiers killed, wounded or missing

21. Wilson urges neutrality • When the war began, the US (officially) was neutral. • Many showed support for a side

22. Americans Have divided loyalties • 1914 – 1/3 of Americans foreign born • Recent immigrants- many supported Central Powers – justified in actions • 8 million Germans- Midwest • 4.5 million Irish- East Coast- wanted independence from GB • Most supported the allies – common ideas with Great Britain and support from France during the Revolutionary War

23. American Opinion Crystallizes • Opinion changes when Belgium attacked • British used propaganda to win US support • Britain cut trans-Atlantic telegraph cable so that we had to rely on them for news • German war atrocities • Isolationists – war none of our business • Interventionalists – war did affect us so we should fight for the Allies • Internationalists – somewhere in middle

28. Neutrality Gives Way to War • Great Britain blockaded Germany so they could not get supplies • Great Britain planted mines in the North Sea • Forced neutral ships to be inspected for contraband (prohibited materials) • Germans used U-boats (unterseeboot) to evade the blockade • Feb 1915 – Germans would sink any boats found in waters around Great Britain without warning. • Violation of international treaty – must warn civilian ships

30. The Lusitania • May 7 1915- Germans sank the passenger ship Lusitania without warning • 1200 killed – 128 Americans • US regarded it as an act of terrorism • Wilson issued a warning to Germany

33. March 1916 – U-boat torpedoed French passenger ship Sussex – injured several Americans • Wilson issued another warning • Germany knew that US would strengthen Allies and so they signed the Sussex Pledge promising not to sink civilian ships without warning

34. Wilson prepares for war • US begins to get ready for war – preparedness • National Defense Act – expand size of army • Naval Construction Act – build more warships

35. Re election • 1916 – Wilson runs for re-election and wins as the President that kept the US out of war.

36. America enters the war • January 1917 – German official named Arthur Zimmerman cables the German Ambassador in Mexico • US intercepts the telegram • Germany proposed to Mexico that they ally and Germany will give Mexico firepower to take care of the US. Then Mexico will get massive amounts of US territory including Texas, Arizona and New Mexico

38. If the US were fighting Mexico then they could not fight in Europe • Germany hoping to starve Britain by sinking all ships on sight. Unrestricted submarine warfare • Did not think that The us could raise and ship an army in enough time to help. • April 2, 1917 Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war • April 6 – US declares war on Germany