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Alliances
The military buildup made countries nervous. In response, they created an alliance sstem in which different nations promised to help one another if any one of them came under attack. By 1914 two major alliances divided Europe. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. Great Britian, France, and Russia formed the Triple Entente. An Entente is an understanding among nations. -
Assassination and War
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. With Germany's support, it gave Serbia a list of demands, which Serbia refused. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. -
The Western Front
When the Germans at last overcame the Belfians, they marched into France to within 15 miles of the capital, Paris. The British and French met the Germans at the Marne River. The Battl of the Marne,fought in September1914, stopped the German advance. -
New Weapons on the Battlefield
The Germans first used poison gas against allied troops in April 1915. The gas could kill or seriously injure anyone who breathed it in. -
Submariens Take Their Toll
To stopp the American aid to Britian, Bermany sid in Febuary 1915 that it would sink any vessels that entered or left Britich ports. President Wilson warned that the United States would hold Germany responsible for any American libes lost in submarine attacks. -
The End of Neutrality
In spite or the Sussex Pledge, Congress was alarmed. In the summer of 1916, it doubled the size of the army and provid3d funding for the construction of new warships. -
Supplying the Allies
By 1917, the years of trench warfare had exhausted the Allied armies. The signs of strain among the military were clear. After one failed offensive, some French troops refused to continue fighting. The British were running low on war supplies as well as on food. German submarines were taking a deadly toll on Allied shipping. They sank one of every four ships that left British ports. -
The United States at the Brink of War
Dramatic events continued to push the United States into the was. First, in March 1917, a revoulution took place in Russia. The Russia people overthrew their monarchy, the Russians sset up a temporary government promisting free elections. The new Russian government also vowed to continue the fight to defeat the Germans. -
The United States Enters the War
President Wilson decided the United States could o longer remain neutral. On the cold, rainy evening of April 2, 1917, he asked Cngress for a declaation of war against Germany. After some debate, Congress decided theat the nation had to defend its rigts if it wished to remain a world power. Congress passe a declarationof war, and Wilson signed it on April 6. -
The Russians quit the War
In November 1917, riots broke out ove the new Russian Govenment's handling of the war and the scarcity of food and fuel. A group called the Bolsheviks overthrew this government. Led by Vladimir Lenin, the Bolsheviks wanted to pull out of the war so they could focus on setting up a new Communist state. -
Mobilizing the Nation
The military needed a steady supply of vital war materials. To ensure this, the government created the National War Labor Board in April 1918. Preventing work stoppages was one goal. The board pressured business to grant workers some key demands. As a result, employees won an eight-hour work day. They also received obertime pay, equal pay for women, and the right to form unions. In return, workers agreed not to go on strike. -
Germany Seeks an Armistice
On October 4, 1918, the German government asked President Wilson for an armistice, an agreement to end the fighting. Wilson concented, but only under certain conditions. Germany had to accept his plan for peace and promise not to renew fighting. Wilson said he would deal only with nonmilitary government leaders.
