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-- Who?
--- Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungry, Ottoman Empire,
Bulgaria
--- Allied Powers: Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan,
United States (1917)
-- Kaiser Wilhelm II, Mehmed V, Franz Joseph: The three
emperors of the Central Powers in World War I -
-- Where?
-- Map of Europe during WWI: Originally, Italy, joined the Triple
Alliance but after the war broke out, it switched sides and
went to fight with the Triple Entente. Turkey later joined the
Triple Alliance -
-- America was isolationist.
-- "Why should I get involved in someone else's problems?"
-- The Monroe Doctrine (1823) sought to isolate "the American
continents" from Europeans influences and problems. -
Central Powers: 11 million German-Americans, Irish-Americans hated Great Britain Allies: Close cultural ties to other allies --- American, England, and France's economies were increasingly interdependent.
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- Blockades ---- Britain blockaded (stopped) all German ships going to America. --- May, 1915: Germany told Americans to stay off British ships, and they could and would sink them. --- Germany torpedoed the Lusitania sinking it with 1200 passengers and crew (including 128 Americans). --- It was eventually found to be carrying 4200 cases of ammunition.
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--- The US sharply criticized Germany for its action.
--- Germany agreed not to sink passenger ships without warning in
the future. -
-- The Zimmerman Note and the sinking of four unarmed American ships led to a declaration of war
-
- Zimmerman Note
-- It promised to give Mexico, back to for an attacking States -
-- What?
-- War involving nearly all of the nations of the world
-- When?
-- 1914-1918
-- Why?
-- Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and his Wife Sophie,
Duchess of Hohenberg one hour before their deaths, June 28,
1914. The assassination of Franz was the spark that ignited
the war. -
- Unlimited Submarine Warfare
war zone.
-- Otherwise, Germany's blockade would not be successful -
Not Good...
-- Russia left the war after its communist revolution in 1917
-- Russia's withdrawal allowed Germany to fight a one-front war with all
of its troops concentrated on France -
- Woodrow Wilson had to convince Americans that this would be the "War to End All Wars."
- He had to convince Americans that beating the Germans and its allies would make the world safe for democracy \
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Idealism: Fourteen Points -- President Wilson's Fourteen Points was his vision for the future after
the war, including freedom of the seas and the League of Nations to
work for world peace -
Women -- Women filled factory jobs
-- Women's war effort helped bring about passage of the 19th
Amendment after the war giving women the right to vote. African Americans -- Black soldiers still served in segregated units.
-- In the "Great Migration" thousands of African Americans moved to
the North to work in factories -
Enforcing Loyalty -- Hatred of all things German spread across the U.S. For example
"sauerkraut" was renamed "Liberty Cabbage"
-- The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 punished
those against war, many of whom were labor leaders. -
The Treaty of Versailles --After the Central Powers were exhausted by the war, especially after
the US began fighting, it sought an armistice (the end of fighting)
-- The Treaty of Versailles (ver-sigh) was signed between the Allied
Powers and Germany
-- It took land away from Germany.
-- It dismantled Germany's military.
-- It forced Germany to make reparations (payments) to the countries
it harmed the war. -- Germany would end up sparking another war 20 years later