WWI in 1917

Zimmerman Telegram This was a coded telegram Sent from German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman to German Ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt It discussed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico

Arthur Zimmerman

Zimmerman Telegram If Germany and the U.S. were at war, Mexico should attack southwestern U.S. Also invited Japan to join in the fighting The Mexican gov’t says no The British intercept it and pass it to the U.S. and it is published in U.S. papers

The Telegram

U.S. Involvement Germany continues its unrestricted submarine warfare policy Sinks three American merchant ships The U.S. declares war on Germany, April 6th 1917 However, it will take nearly a year to get sufficient troops to France

Thomas Edward Lawrence Also known as Lawrence of Arabia Worked for British military intelligence He convinced Arab leaders to revolt against the Ottoman Empire Helped capture key Middle Eastern cities: Damascus, Jerusalem Tied down tens of thousands of Ottoman Empire troops in the Middle East

T.E. Lawrence

The Middle East in 1920

Russian Revolution Tsar Nicholas II abdicates March 2nd, 1917 after his troops refuse to shoot on protestors A provisional gov’t take over under Alexander Kerensky A man named Lenin arrives in Russia in April 1917 (Germany sends him in on a train) Russia wants out of World War One

Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia

Vladimir Lenin