2. World War I The Great War How did WE get into this mess?

4. The Central Powers

5. Woodrow Wilson, America’s president, said that we would neutral in “thought and deed”. We were NOT taking sides.

6. Europeans have been fighting each other for centuries and will continue to do so, but we do not have to be involved.

7. More than 1/3 of the people in America were first or second generation immigrants.

9. Most Americans favored the Allies The Kaiser of Germany was an Autocrat They saw Germans as cold-blooded and militaristic. The Kaiser of Germany was an Autocrat They saw Germans as cold-blooded and militaristic.

10. Some Americans advised preparedness

11. while others joined a growing peace movement.

12. How did we go from “I Didn’t Raise my Boy to be a Soldier!” to “Over There” and “America Here’s my Boy”? “I Didn’t Raise my Boy to be a Soldier!” to “Over There” and “America Here’s my Boy”?

13. 1. German use of submarine warfare

14. This was in retaliation for the mining of the North Sea

15. 2. Sinking of the Lusitania

16. with 128 Americans onboard.

17. Americans were warned

18. The Lusitania was carrying small-arms ammunition; the British thought they could get them through that way.

19. 3. The Sussex was also sunk We issued an ultimatum Germany responded with the Sussex Pledge Germany would no longer sink unsuspecting unarmed ships We issued an ultimatum Germany responded with the Sussex Pledge Germany would no longer sink unsuspecting unarmed ships

20. Wilson ran for re-election in 1916 with the slogan, “He kept us out of war”

21. After his election, Wilson called for mediation between the two sides, but neither really wanted it. They were both still hoping to win complete victory.

22. 4. Resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. (against even American ships in certain areas) Germany knew this would bring the US in, but thought they could knock out the Allies with it before we could make a difference.

23. 5. The Zimmerman Note Intercepted by British agents, it was an attempt to get Mexico to join Germany in a war with the US if we join the Great War. It promised them Texas, New Mexico and Arizona when we lost.

24. 6. The Russian Revolution When Tsar Nicholas was forced to abdicate, he was replaced by a democratic government, however short lived.

25. We declare war in 1917 Wilson told us that we must “make the world safe for democracy”. It is now the democracies against the autocracies.