Over There!U.S. Involvement in the Great War

War!World War 1 (the Great War) -- July

28, 1914 Snowballed into tragedy Europe torn between the Allies and

the Central Powers

Would the U.S. get involved?

Stalemate! The Great War bogged into stalemate

Russian numbers too great in the East Trench warfare in the West

Casualties mounted

Neutrality Initial intent was to remain neutral

U.S. interests were not at risk U.S. public opinion torn Isolationist tendencies U.S. militarily unprepared Wilson as a peacemaker

However . . . U.S. drawn toward the Allies

German violation ofneutral rights (Belgium)

Trade imbalance American bank loans

to the Allies German U-Boat campaign

U-Boat Campaign World War I saw the first mass use of

submarines (Unterseeboot) Germany targeted military and supply

ships

U.S. Opinion inflamed Civilians killed when passenger liners

attached Lusitania Sussex

Wilson threatened to cut ties with Germany

Sussex Pledge (May 1916) Germany agreed to stop targeting

certain ships

Preparations Influential Americans proposed entering

the war in 1915 National Defense Act passed in June,

1916 Saw a rapid growth of the military

Increased Army to 175,000 troops50 new warships for the Navy

1916 Presidential Campaign Seen as a referendum on U.S. policy Wilson promoted Progressive causes Anti-War Sentiments strong “He Kept Us

Out of the War”

U.S. Declares War – April 1917 Zimmermann Telegram

Germany to start “unrestricted submarine warfare” in February 1917

Germany attempts alliance with Mexico Plan was for Mexico to declare war on the U.S.

U.S. Merchant ships sunk by U-boats Spectre of U.S. economic difficulties

Not a Bang, but a Whimper The War ended on November 11, 1918

German troops simply gave up Could not match numbers of the Allies

Allied troops did not set foot in Germany during the War