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two major defense alliances in Europe: first known as
The Triple Entente and consisted of France, Britain, and
Russia -
Germany and Austria-Hungary with the Ottoman Empire—mostly Middle Eastern lands controlled by the Turks—were later known as Central Powers (part of triple alliance)
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In June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne is shot by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. Princip was a member of the Black Hand, an organization promoting Serbian nationalism
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Germany invaded Belgium, following the Schlieffen Plan. Plan against Russia: attack through Belgium to Paris. After France falls, the two German armies would defeat Russia
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U-boat sank British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. Of 1,198 persons lost, 128 were Americans. Germans defended bc the liner carried ammunition. Still, Americans raged because of the loss of life. American public opinion turned against Germany. Wilson was still reluctant towards war.
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3 months after Lusitania, U-boat sank Arabic, drowning two Americans. Again US protested. Germany agreed not to sink any more passenger ships. But Germany broke its promise with the Sussex
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Germany broke its promise, torpedoed unarmed
French passenger steamer, the Sussex. 80 passengers,
including Americans, were killed/injured. US warned to break off diplomatic relations unless Germany changed its tactics.
Again Germany agreed, with condition: if US could not
persuade Britain to lift its blockade against food/fertilizers, Germany would renew unrestricted submarine warfare. -
began July 1, 1916, to mid-November—final casualties totaled about 1.2 million, with only about seven miles of ground. Trench
warfare, in which armies fought for mere yards of ground, continued for over 3 years -
telegram from German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico intercepted by British agents. The
telegram proposed alliance between Mexico and Germany and promised if war with US broke out, Germany would help Mexico recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. -
First propaganda agency for war, run by journalist George Creel. Creel had advertising agencies to create thousands
of paintings, posters, cartoons, and sculptures promoting the war, “Four-Minute Men,” and 75 million pamphlets, booklets, and leaflets. -
To meet need for more soldiers, Congress passed Selective Service Act. The act required men to register in order to be randomly selected for military service. By the end
of 1918, 24 million men had registered and almost 3 million were called up. -
Under the Espionage and Sedition Acts a person could be fined up to $10,000 and 20 years in jail for interfering with the war effort or for saying anything disloyal, profane, or abusive about the govt./war. It clearly violated the First Amendment, and led to many prosecutions for loosely defined antiwar activities.
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Russia pulled out of war, Germans shifted their armies from
the eastern front to the western front in France. Americans arrived just in time to help stop German advance in France. In July/August, they helped win the Second Battle of the Marne. The tide had turned against the Central Powers. -
American William S. Sims convinced British to try convoy system: a heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and forth across the Atlantic in groups. By fall of 1917, shipping losses had been cut in half.
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Part of war recovery for economy: established in 1917 and reorganized in 1918 under the leadership of Bernard M. Baruch. The board encouraged mass-production and standardized products to increase efficiency. industrial production increased by 20%. However, WIB applied only to wholesale, so retail prices soared,
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Wilson set up Food Administration under Herbert Hoover.
Promoted the “gospel of the clean plate.” He
declared “meatless,”“sweetless,” “wheatless,” and “porkless” days. Homeowners planted gardens children grew tomatoes and cucumbers in public parks. US food shipments to the Allies tripled. Hoover also set a high govt price on wheat and other staples. Farmers added acres into production and increased their income by 30%. -
Workers who refused to obey board decisions could lose their draft exemptions. “Work or fight,” the board told them. However, the board also worked to improve factory conditions: eight-hour workday, safety inspections, child labor ban.
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On November 3, 1918, Austria-Hungary surrendered. That same day, German sailors mutinied against government authority. The mutiny spread quickly. Everywhere in Germany, groups of soldiers and workers organized revolutionary councils.
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On November 9, socialist leaders in the capital,
Berlin, established a German republic. The kaiser gave up the throne. -
Although there were no Allied soldiers on German territory and no truly decisive battle, Germany agreed to a cease-fire and signed the armistice, or truce, that ended the war.
