World War I

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World War I

• Unit EQ
• What was the United States involvement in World
  War I?

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Europe goes to war

• During the early years of the twentieth century,
  many European nations formed alliances.
• In an alliance, countries agree to help each
  other if one of them is attacked.
• In 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand was heir to
  the throne of Austria-Hungary. While he visited
  the territory of Bosnia, Serbian nationalists
  assassinated him. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia
  and threatened war.

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Archduke Francis Ferdinand
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• Russia, Serbias ally, promised to defend Serbia
  if Austria-Hungary attacked.
• Germany quickly vowed to fight on the side of
  Austria-Hungary.
• Soon all of Europe was at war. Germany and
  Austria-Hungary formed an alliance called the
  Allied Powers, or Central Powers.
• Russia, Great Britain, and France became the
  leaders of an alliance called the Triple Entente,
  or the Allies.
• The conflict eventually involved nations around
  the world and became known as World War I.

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Allies Central Powers

• Great Britain
• France
• Russia
• Serbia
• Belgium

• Germany
• Austria-Hungary
• Bulgaria
• Ottoman Empire

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European Alliances
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• At this time in history, a new type of warfare
  came about.
• This was a type of combat in which the enemies
  fight from a system of trenches commonly known
  as trench warfare
• The front line directly faced the enemy, who
  would usually be between 200-800 meters away. The
  space in between the front lines of the defenders
  and the attackers was known as "No Mans Land".
• The front line was protected by barbed wire,
  which was secretly erected or amended during the
  night.

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Trench warfare
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Fighting in the Trenches
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USA joins the fighting

• At first, most US citizens wanted to stay out of
  the war. They believed it was Europes fight,
  not ours. President Woodrow Wilson won
  re-election in 1916 vowing not to get the US
  involved in the fighting he wanted to remain
  neutral.
• People were influenced by countries the USA had
  good relations with as well as propaganda, which
  is information given in such a way that people
  see things from a certain point of view.

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Propaganda posters
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U-Boats and the Lusitania

• During WWI, Germany used a new warship, the
  U-Boat. U-Boats were submarines (ships that sail
  underwater). They could stay hidden beneath the
  surface of the water as they fired torpedoes that
  sank ships.
• German U-Boats fired not only on enemy ships, but
  also on ships from other countries. Germany
  believed these ships were actually carrying goods
  meant to help the nations it was fighting.

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U-Boat
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Violation of law

• Some of these ships carried US citizens.
• Americans believed that submarine warfare
  violated international laws.
• In May of 1915, German U-Boats sank the
  Lusitania, a British passenger ship.
• Over a hundred US passengers died. People in the
  USA were furious!

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Sinking of the Lusitania
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The Real Story

• In reality, the US government was secretly using
  the Lusitania and other passenger ships to sneak
  military supplies to Great Britain and its
  allies.
• To most people, however, Germanys actions looked
  like an evil attack against innocent civilians.
• Public opinion started to change and more people
  in the USA began to favor war

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The Zimmerman Telegram

• Another event that caused outrage in the USA was
  the Zimmerman Note.
• This was a secret message from Germany to Mexico
  asking to form an alliance together.
• Germany wanted Mexico to attack the US if the USA
  ever went to war with Germany. In return,
  Germany promised to help Mexico win back parts of
  North America it had lost to the USA in the 1800s.

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Arthur Zimmerman
Arthur Zimmerman, Germanys foreign minister who
asked Mexico to form an alliance against the
United States.
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Germanys next move

• Germany decided in 1917 to sink ANY ship, neutral
  or enemy, that tried to reach Great Britain.
• President Wilson cut off relations with Germany,
  but still hoped to avoid war.
• President Wilson believed that America must fight
  for Freedom of the Seas fight for its right
  to trade with any nation it chose.

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President Woodrow Wilson
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War!!!

• Congress declared war on April 6, 1917 although
  the US had only 200,000 troops.
• They were also short of military supplies.
• The USA was not prepared for war, so President
  Wilson and Congress acted quickly to mobilize the
  nation prepare it for war!

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Congress declaring War
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Preparing for War

• Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May
  1917. It was a law that stated all men 21 to 30
  years old must register for the draft.
• In 1917, President Wilson created the War
  Industries Board. It had the power to control
  factories that produced important war materials
  such as steel, rubber, oil, weapons, ammunition,
  and uniforms.

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• To raise money, the government increased income
  taxes (an annual government tax based on personal
  incomes).
• The government also sold war bonds to American
  people. (It is an emotional appeal to patriotic
  citizens to lend the government their money
  because these bonds offer a rate of return below
  the market rate.)
• The Committee on Public Information was to
  increase patriotism and loyalty.

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War Bonds
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Cause Effect

• Zimmerman note
• sinking of the Lusitania
• Not enough men for war
• Not enough for war
• Not enough materials for
• war

• Americans were upset with Germany.
• Draft begins
• Raised income tax, war bonds
• War Industries Board

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US involvement and victory in Europe

• The first US soldiers reached Europe in 1918.
  They arrived just in time to help turn back
  Germanys attack against Paris.
• By the time US forces arrived, millions of
  Europeans were dead. Many homes and cities had
  already been destroyed.
• The presence of the Americans made it clear to
  Germany that it could not hope to win.

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• Germany signed an armistice an agreement to
  stop fighting in November 1918.
• President Wilson had an idea called the League of
  Nations. It was set up to settle international
  disputes.
• That was all designed in his Peace Plan, known as
  the Fourteen Points.

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League of Nations
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• President Wilson and the other Allied leaders
  drafted a treaty ending the war.
• Although Wilson did not want to punish Germany,
  the other countries did. Their nations had
  fought much longer and suffered more death and
  destruction than the USA.
• The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to take
  total blame for the war. It also made Germany
  pay for the war and greatly decrease the size of
  its military.

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Allied Leaders
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• Many of the German people became very bitter with
  the treaty.
• Meanwhile, many in the US feared that the treaty
  would lead the US into alliances with foreign
  countries.
• President Wilson signed it because it included
  his idea for the League of Nations.

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• The senate refused to ratify it , claiming it
  feared the Treaty of Versailles could lead to
  future wars.
• President Wilson hoped to get support from
  Americans, but became seriously ill and could not
  carry on his fight for the League.
• The senate made its final rejection in 1920. The
  US did not become members of the League of
  Nations.

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What did they use in WWI?
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You try to draw a submarine!