WORLD WAR I ERA

1914-1920

Causes of World War I

Immediate cause was the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand by a Bosnian nationalist on June 28, 1914.

Causes of World War I

Competition for colonies led to conflict among European powers.

Imperialism

Main Causes of World War I

Powerful nations had aggressively built up armed forces & given the military more authority.

Militarism

Inspired European powers to obtain new colonies, as well as ethnic minorities seeking self-government.

Nationalism

Different groups of nations had pledged to come to one another’s aid in the event of attack.

Alliances

The War in Europe, 1914–1918

When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, the complex alliance system in Europe drew much of the continent into the conflict.

The Conflict Expands

One week after the war started, all the great powers of Europe had been drawn into it.

Germany and Austria-Hungary formed the Central Powers.

Russia, France, Serbia, and Great Britain were called the Allies.

Trench Warfare Failure of the Schlieffen plan leads to stalemate in

Europe, a situation in which neither side is able to gain an advantage, resulted in trench warfare.

When a French and British force stopped a German advance near Paris, both sides holed up in trenches separated by an empty “no man’s land.”

Trenches extended for miles.

New technologies

Modern Warfare Machine guns Hand grenades Artillery shells Poison gas Submarines Tanks Airplanes & zeppelins

The American Response European immigrants or the children

of European immigrants, many Americans felt personally involved in the escalating war.

Support for the Allies was partially caused by Germany’s rule by an autocrat, a ruler with unlimited power.

In addition, anti-German propaganda, or information intended to sway public opinion, turned many Americans against the Central powers.

The Preparedness MovementThe Preparedness Movement Americans with business ties to Great Britain wanted

their country to be prepared to come to Britain’s aid if necessary.

In an effort to promote “preparedness,” the movement’s leaders persuaded the government to set up military training camps and increase funding for the armed forces.

German Submarine Warfare To break a stalemate at sea, Germany began to employ U-

boats (submarines).

The Sinking of the Lusitania On May 7,1915, a German U-boat sank the British

passenger liner Lusitania, carrying both passengers and weapons for the Allies.

128 American passengers were on board.

The Sussex Pledge More Americans were injured when Germany sank the

Sussex, a French passenger steamship, on March 24,1916.

In what came to be known as the Sussex pledge, the German government promised that U-boats would warn ships before attacking, a promise it had made and broken before.

Moving Toward War

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare On January 31, 1917, Germany announced its intent to

end the Sussex pledge and return to unrestricted submarine warfare.

The Zimmermann Note Britain intercepted a telegram to the government of

Mexico from Germany’s foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann.

In the Zimmermann note, Germany offered to return American lands to Mexico if Mexico declared war on the United States.

The War Resolution

As Germany continued to sink American ships in March, President Wilson’s patience for neutrality wore out.

On April 6, 1917, the President signed Congress’s war resolution, officially bringing the United States into the war.

The American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

Selective Service Act (May 1917) made draft possible

Draftees, volunteers, & National Guardsmen made up the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing

The American soldiers (particularly the infantrymen) were called doughboys

The Convoy System

The Convoy System To transport troops across

the Atlantic, the United States employed convoys, or groups of unarmed ships surrounded by armed naval vessels equipped to track and destroy submarines.

Due to the convoy system, German submarines did not sink a single ship carrying American troops.

Financing the War

The government raised $20 billion for the war by selling Liberty Bonds.

A newly created War Industries Board oversaw military production.

Daylight savings time created to save fuel & increase work hours.

Minorities & Women in the WarGerman immigrants• Restricted immigration & hostility• Sedition Act suppressed civil liberties

African Americans• Served in segregated units• Great Migration – leaving South to find work in northern

factories

Women• New work opportunities• Leads to victory in suffrage battle

Civil Liberties

Espionage and Sedition Acts Schenck v. United States (1919)

Turning the Tide of War

The Bolshevik revolution in Russia allowed Germany to turn its full attention to the Western front (France).

With the arrival of new troops in 1918, the Germans was pushed back in a series of attacks.

Finally, the German army was driven to full retreat in the Battle of the Argonne Forest (Meuse-Argonne Offensive) begun on September 26 and ending with the signing of an armistice, or cease-fire, on November 11, 1918.

The estimated death toll 8.5 million soldiers and civilians, including 126,000 Americans. Total casualties (including wounded & missing) was 37.5 million.

Human cost

Some Results of World War I

Many felt that the war had destroyed an entire generation of young men & grieved for the loss of their potential. The idea was taken up by a group of American writers, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.

Lost Generation

In an act of genocide, or organized killing of an entire people, the Ottoman Empire had murdered hundreds of thousands of Armenians.

Genocide

Results of the War

Fourteen Points

Proposal by President Wilson Named for number of provisions, which included:

An end to entangling alliances Reduction of military forces Right to self-determination for ethnic groups League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles

On June 28, 1919, the peace treaty was signed at Versailles, outside of Paris.

Redrew the map of Europe to the Allies’ advantage. Created nine new nations, including Poland, Yugoslavia, Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia.

Required Germany to pay billions of dollars in reparations, demilitarize, and give up territory.

Economic & Social Impact

Because of the ramp-up in military production, economies boomed during the war.

After the war, U.S. had a short downturn, leading to labor unrest.

Most of the economies of Europe were destroyed.

War debt totaled over $165 billion worldwide. World War I is followed by the Red Scare and

race riots in the U.S.