Main Point: As World War I began and spread to much of Europe, the U.S. tried to remain neutral as long as possible.

World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918 and was originally called the Great War.

The largest war ever fought with terrible casualty rates.

There were five major causes for the outbreak of World War I.

Imperialism – Rush by European nations to claim new territories.

Great Britain and France had a head start on expansionism and Germany envied their gains.

Militarism – Aggressively building up a nation’s armed forces in preparation for war and giving the military more power over government.

Industrialization had an effect on militaries around the world – more weapons – bigger military – created the urge to see them in action.

Nationalism – A mentality that our country is better than yours.

The Austrian-Hungary empire controlled many different cultures – most of these competing cultures wanted self-government.

This led to animosity between cultures and countries.

Alliances – agreements between countries to defend each other in times of war.

A complicated network of alliances existed throughout Europe.

If one country was attacked many other countries would be expected to get involved via the alliance.

The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand.

The immediate cause of the war

Ferdinand was from Austria-Hungary and was shot by a Serbian nationalist who wanted independence from Austria-Hungary

The assassination set off a chain reaction and eventually wrapped up Europe in war.◦ Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia◦ Serbia supported by Russia◦ Germany (alliance with Austria-Hungary) declares

war on Russia◦ France (alliance with Russia) declares war on

Germany

World War I had begun – ◦ Central Powers: Germany and Austria-Hungary.◦ Allies: Great Britain, Russia, and France.

They used trenches for protection and this method of defense created a stalemate.

The use of trenches led to “trench warfare” which resulted in a high number of casualties on both sides.

Both sides tried attacking each other’s trenches – had to climb out of the trench and charge across “no man’s land”.

The lines of trenches became known as the Western Front.

Advancements in weapons added to the high casualty totals.

Machine guns could fire 450 rounds per minute.

Rapid fire artillery blasted enemy soldiers in “no man’s land” – and poison gas (mustard and chlorine).

Flamethrowers – used to kill men in the trenches.

Soldiers lived in the trenches and the conditions were far from nice.

Trenches were muddy, infested with rats, wounded and dead were near.

Constant explosions from artillery caused “shell shock” for many troops.

summary

• At the outbreak of World War I most Americans watched the events unfold in Europe with great interest

• America’s population consisted of 92 million people – most family heritage came from European nations involved

• Right away – President Wilson decaled U.S. neutrality – following the isolationist policy.

• However the majority of the public opinion favored Great Britain.

• Most Americans share British customs and culture – identified with British better.

• Germany’s leader Kaiser Wilhelm II was an autocrat – unlimited power – and this went against democracy.

• Great Britain was controlling the Atlantic Ocean and Germany tried fighting back with u-boats.

• U-boats or “Unterseeboot” was a German submarine.

• German u-boats were used to attack British ships to prevent delivery of supplies.

United States was involved in heavy trading in Europe and goods were sent across the ocean.

American citizens also traveled across the ocean to Europe as well.

Germany issued warnings to passengers traveling across the ocean – u-boats will attack – unrestricted submarine warfare.

• May 7, 1915 – Great Britain passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by German u-boat.

• 1,200 passengers dead – including 128 Americans.

• Americans were outraged and anti-German feelings grew – even though Lusitania was carrying weapons to England.

• President Wilson demanded Germany cease u-boat attacks and pay families of the deceased.

• Germany promised not to fire on passenger ships and would instead board and search them – called the Sussex Pledge.

• However, more passenger ships sunk – more Americans killed.

• Great Britain intercepts a letter from German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman.

• The letter was for Mexico – urging Mexico to help Germany by invading the U.S.

• The Zimmerman Note fueled more anger towards Germany – U.S. declares war on April 6, 1917.

Wilson claimed that it would be the “war to end all wars” and that America must fight to make democracy safe around the world.

Americans celebrated the call to arms and many were eager to sign up and go fight.

After declaring war on Germany, the United States’ military was hardly ready to fight.

A small force of 14,500 men were sent to Europe to help the morale of the Allies.

The U.S. concluded that more soldiers would be needed to help win the war.

• Congress passed a Selective Service Act in May 1917 authorizing a draft of young men for military service.

• 24 million men registered for the draft – and 3 million men were drafted.

• Volunteers made up the rest of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

U.S. Government sold Liberty Bonds to help fund the war – and took over war-related production.

Women and minorities began working outside the home – helped show society they were competent – helped them earn the right to vote.

Everyone at home helped – victory gardens, rationing, and daylight savings time.

Movement led by future president Herbert Hoover – increase production, reduce waste.

• 11,000 women volunteered to serve in uniform as nurses, drivers and clerks.

• Camps opened across the country to train soldiers for fighting in Europe.

• Learned how to use a rifle, bayonet, dig a trench, put on a gas mask, and throw grenades.

Fears of spies and sabotage led to changes in the U.S.

More restrictions on immigration – including using literacy tests.

Discrimination and violence toward German-Americans – racism.

Repression of free speech – fines and jail time for speaking out against the U.S. Government – Sedition Act 1918.

• U.S. developed a convoy system to get troops to Europe.

• Troop ships were surrounded by destroyers and torpedo boats to protect them from U-Boats.

• Convoy system was successful and most troops made the trip safely.

• Upon arrival in Europe, Americans brought energy and spirit to the Western Front.

• They were fresh and excited and provided morale support to exhausted French and British.

• 300,000 African-Americans also served in the war – however their units were segregated and rarely allowed to fight.

Americans were viewed as saviors of the war.

• It was the surge of reinforcements from U.S. that helped the Allies regroup and turn the tide.

• Slowly Germany began losing and Austria-Hungary collapsed.

Kaiser Wilhelm II fled Germany.

Armistice – or treaty was signed on November 11, 1918 – (Veteran’s Day).

Europe was in ruins – 8 million dead – even more sick and starving – 50,000 Americans died.

summary

When the fighting ended in Europe, President Wilson pressed for a treaty that would bring peace to the postwar world.

Wilson pushed for a program called the Fourteen Points.

The points included ending alliances, removal of trade barriers and reducing militaries.

Wilson had hoped that his Fourteen Points would form a lasting peace.

Wilson showed up in Paris for the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.

He preached his Fourteen Points and made it clear that the U.S. was not interested in spoils of war.

However, other Allied countries were more interested in making Germany pay.

They wanted to blame Germany for the war and receive money and Germany’s lands gained through imperialism.

Wilson switched gears and proposed his League of Nations plan instead.

The League of Nations was designed to be an organization in which the nations of the world would join together to ensure security and peace for all its members.

The sticking point for the U.S. was article 10 – which said that if one nation in the league was attacked, then all nations would come to their defense.

Wilson came back to the U.S. to try to get the U.S. membership into the League of Nations ratified.

However, Wilson faced Republican resistance in the Senate.

The Senate rejected it because it challenged U.S. sovereignty – isolationism.

Wilson returned to the Peace Conference and the rest of the Allies were no longer interested in the League of Nations.

The Allies focus returned on breaking the Central Powers up and receiving money for the war.

Germany was forced into taking blame for war.

Germany was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles that had very harsh terms for them.

Germany owed $33 billion dollars – an amount that they could not pay.

Germany also forced to lose land.

The effects of the war were very beneficial to the U.S.

The U.S. was now a dominant worldly power – and escaped the war damage and destruction that was suffocating Europe.

The U.S. was on a fast track to becoming the most powerful nation in the world.