The Turning PointThe Turning PointThe United States Enters, The United States Enters,

Russia ExitsRussia Exits

When World When World War I began, War I began, the the US remained US remained neutralneutral

Believed that World War I Believed that World War I was a was a “European affair”“European affair”

Early US Early US PolicyPolicy

Supplied Supplied food, food, raw materials, raw materials, weapons & money weapons & money to belligerent to belligerent nationsnations

Insisted on Insisted on free trade & free trade & traveltravel

Early US Early US PolicyPolicy

Germany sunk a Germany sunk a British shipBritish ship

Had been Had been carrying carrying supplies & 128 supplies & 128 AmericansAmericans

The The LusitaniaLusitania: : May1915May1915

The The US warned US warned Germany to back Germany to back off off

Germany Germany temporarily temporarily endedended unrestricted sub unrestricted sub warfarewarfare

The The LusitaniaLusitania: : May 1915May 1915

In the US In the US most news most news about the about the war war came came from GBfrom GB

British British PropagandaPropaganda

British British PropagandaPropaganda

Exaggerated Exaggerated German German atrocities atrocities against British against British citizenscitizens

Affected US Affected US public opinionpublic opinion

Zimmerman Zimmerman Telegram: Telegram: March 1917March 1917

Message Message from from German German foreign foreign ministerminister to to MexicoMexico

Zimmerman Zimmerman Telegram: Telegram: March 1917March 1917

Promised Mexico the return Promised Mexico the return of New Mexico, Texas & of New Mexico, Texas & Arizona in exchange for Arizona in exchange for attacking USattacking US

The The British intercepted the British intercepted the telegram & shared with UStelegram & shared with US

MAD!!MAD!!

German Submarine German Submarine WarfareWarfare

Germany Germany resumed resumed unrestricted unrestricted submarine warfaresubmarine warfare

Germany sank Germany sank 4 US 4 US merchant ships merchant ships during the winter of during the winter of 19171917

4/2/1917 –4/2/1917 –Wilson asked Wilson asked Congress for Congress for a declaration a declaration of warof war

4/6/1917 – 4/6/1917 – Congress Congress voted to enter war voted to enter war on the side of on the side of AlliesAllies

Meanwhile...Meanwhile...In Russia…In Russia…

Russia Before World Russia Before World War IWar I

Autocratic Autocratic empireempire

Great Great povertypoverty

Limited Limited industryindustry

Russia During World Russia During World War IWar I

Cut off from all supplies & Cut off from all supplies & allies…allies…

However, Russia greatly However, Russia greatly aided the war effort by aided the war effort by diverting German troopsdiverting German troops from attacking France & from attacking France & Great BritainGreat Britain

Russia’s ProblemsRussia’s Problems Morale was Morale was VERY LOWVERY LOW Over Over ¾ of soldiers had no ¾ of soldiers had no

gungun; had to retrieve guns ; had to retrieve guns from dead soldiersfrom dead soldiers

Inadequate transportationInadequate transportation Food shortages in the citiesFood shortages in the cities

The Problems of the The Problems of the CzarCzar Czar Nicholas II:Czar Nicholas II:

Unpopular & Unpopular & incompetentincompetent

Relied on Relied on mystic mystic healer Rasputinhealer Rasputin

Chose NOT to reform Chose NOT to reform the governmentthe government

11stst Russian Russian Revolution: Revolution: March 1917March 1917

Nicholas II was Nicholas II was overthrownoverthrown Leaders of the revolution Leaders of the revolution

promised to promised to establish a establish a constitutional governmentconstitutional government

Now Now all Allied Powers had all Allied Powers had democratic forms of democratic forms of governmentgovernment

The Provisional The Provisional GovernmentGovernment

Temporary Russian Temporary Russian Government:Government:

Constitutional assemblyConstitutional assembly

Kerensky:Kerensky: Prime Minister Prime Minister of the of the

provisional government provisional government Continued to support the Continued to support the

war effortwar effort Rival Group – Rival Group – Soviets Soviets

(socialist workers councils)(socialist workers councils)

The Provisional The Provisional GovernmentGovernment

The Provisional The Provisional GovernmentGovernment

Soviets called for Soviets called for immediate immediate peace, transfer of land to peace, transfer of land to the peasants & control of the peasants & control of factories by workersfactories by workers

Provisional government Provisional government lost lost its supportits support

Opens the Door for Opens the Door for Revolution: Socialism Revolution: Socialism

EntersEnters Revolutionary groups tried Revolutionary groups tried

to fill the role of the to fill the role of the governmentgovernment

Bolsheviks:Bolsheviks: Radical group that wanted to Radical group that wanted to

introduce a socialist society introduce a socialist society by forceby force

Lenin & The BolsheviksLenin & The Bolsheviks LeninLenin:: Leader of the Leader of the

Bolsheviks Bolsheviks (communists)(communists)

Germany Germany aided Lenin in aided Lenin in order to get order to get Russia out of Russia out of the warthe war

22ndnd Russian Revolution Russian Revolution

1917:1917: Bolsheviks staged a Bolsheviks staged a coup coup

d’etat d’etat Established a Established a communist statecommunist state Ended private propertyEnded private property Distributed land among Distributed land among

peasantspeasants

Russia Withdraws from Russia Withdraws from WarWar

March 1918:March 1918: Russia withdrew from WWI Russia withdrew from WWI Treaty of Brest-Litovsk:Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: Russia lost much of its Russia lost much of its

western territory; western territory; 33% of its 33% of its populationpopulation

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, UkrainePoland, Ukraine

Benefit for Germany?Benefit for Germany? After Russia After Russia

withdrew from withdrew from the war, the war, Germany only Germany only had to deal had to deal with a with a single-single-front warfront war

Benefit for Germany?Benefit for Germany? Germany hoped to launch a Germany hoped to launch a

final offensive on the Western final offensive on the Western Front in order to force peace Front in order to force peace before the US became too before the US became too involvedinvolved

Spring 1918:Spring 1918: Last German offensiveLast German offensive