1. World War I: Causes of WWI
US History Honors

7. Underlying Causes Rival Alliances Created a “False Sense of Security”
Triple Entente
Great Britain: King George V
France: Premier Clemenceau
Russia: Czar Nicholas II
Triple Alliance
Germany: Kaiser Wilhelm I
Austria-Hungary: Emanuel II

8. What Caused World War I Unrest in the Balkans
Bosnians felt abused under the rule of Austria-Hungary
Goal: to create a “Greater Serbia” (unite Slavic people)
This movement was strongly supported by “Mother Russia”

9. What Caused World War I June 28, 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria’s heir to the throne) was assassinated by a Bosnian Serb Nationalist while on a good will trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia. THIS SPARK WOULD IGNITE THE WAR.

10. What Caused World War I Alliances Unfolded
Austria declared war on Serbia
Russia supported Serbia (mother country with ethnic ties)
Germany sided with Austria and declared war on Russia
France was obligated to help Russia & Great Britain to help France
By August 5, 1914, Europe was engulfed in WAR!!!

11. What Caused World War I
Germany’s “Schlieffen Plan” to avoid a 2 front war failed
Front: zone of conflict between armies
Western Front would mostly be in France
Area between armies was known as “No Man’s Land”
Fighting two fronts puts a giant strain on resources and man power

15. The Fighting Sides
Triple Alliance becomes “The Central Powers” (the Bad Guys)
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria
Italy gave up its defensive agreement with Germany and joined the other side
Triple Entente becomes “The Allied Powers” (the Good Guys)
Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy
United States would join in April of 1917
Eventually over 50 nations were involved in “The Great War”

16. World War I: Events Prior to US Entry
US History Honors

17. Events Prior to United States Entry
United States Position: Neutrality
President Wilson encouraged neutrality in “thought and action”
Neutrality Problems for the United States
US traded with both sides, but ties with Great Britain were strongest
Common language, customs, and government
By 1917, US loans to the Allies reached $2.3 billion

18. Events Prior to United States Entry
Great Britain spread anti-German propaganda to the US
Great Britain blockaded Europe, stopping our trade with Germany (famine)

19. Anti German Propaganda

20. Events Prior to United States Entry
Germany began submarine warfare (violated “freedom of seas”)
Attacked ships in Allied ports
Declared a “war zone” around the British Isles

21. German U-Boat (Submarine)

22. Events Prior to United States Entry
Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915)
US and German relations worsen
Germany questioned US neutrality and ship’s cargo
Ship was loaded with contraband purchased from the US
President Wilson demanded in a letter of protest that Germany end submarine warfare, and apologize and pay reparations to the families

23. The Lusitania

24. Events Prior to United States Entry
March 1916: The French ship Sussex was sunk with Americans on board. Germany agreed to the “Sussex Pledge” a promise to warn ships before sinking them.

25. Events Prior to United States Entry
Election of 1916
(D) Woodrow Wilson: Dove and (R) Charles Hughes: Hawk
Both campaigned for peace and neutrality
TR may have hurt (R) chances for victory with pro-war speeches
Cliff hanger: Wilson won by 20 electoral votes (CA decided the outcome)
Message: Did the citizens of the US want to go to war despite Wilson???

27. Events to United States Entry
By 1916, the War in Europe became stalemated on both fronts
Western Front = 500 miles of trenches extending from the English Channel to the Adriatic Sea (defended by France and Great Britain)
Eastern Front = line defended by Russia
Little progress & high casualties led to frustration on both sides

30. Events Prior to United States Entry
Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare to break the deadlock
stopped issuing warnings; 3 US ships were sunk in one day
Kaiser felt confident the US would not enter the war
US responded by ending diplomatic relations with Germany

31. Events Prior to United States Entry
Zimmermann Note (last straw) published on March 1, 1917
Letter from Germany to Mexico asking for an alliance against the US
Intercepted and decoded by Great Britain
Pro-war fever intensified in the US; TR demanded we enter in the name of self-defense. Soon after, 4 more unarmed US ships were sunk
March 1917, Russia surrendered to Germany

32. Events Prior to United States Entry
Wilson asked Congress for a Declaration of War on April 2, 1917
Enemy: German Government, not the German people
Wilson: “America must go to war to make the world safe for Democracy”
Congress declared war on April 6, 1917

34. Events Prior to United States Entry
The Allies were weakened in 1917
March 1917: a Russian peoples’ revolt overthrew Czar Nicholas II and a provisional government was set up
November 1917: weak Russian provisional government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks led by Nikolai Lenin, eventually resulting in a communist government
December 1917: Russia agreed to an armistice on the Eastern Front and withdrew, leaving Germany to fight a ONE front war (all Germany’s forces could now be sent to the Western Front)

35. Nikolai Lenin

36. United States Enters World War I
June 1917: first US troops arrive in Europe
AEF = American Expeditionary Forces were led by General John Pershing
By 1918, 2 million US “Doughboys” were in France
Wilson began plans for permanent peace based on his 14 Points

37. African Americans in the War
Went on idea of diplomacy
Continued to
experience segregation
Only American troops
to serve under French

38. General John Pershing

39. World War I: The Fighting Ends
US History Honors

40. The German War Machine Germany faced troubles in 1918
A home front revolution forced the Kaiser into exile
Shortage of soldiers (Iron Youth was gone); munity in Navy
US entry proved to be too much for them (fresh troops & morale)

41. Germany Surrenders

42. Armistice November 1918, Germany asked for an armistice
November 11, 1918 – fighting stopped (Armistice Day)
The Allied Powers had won the Great War
Allied blockade of German ports continued until the treaty was signed

43. Peace Conference at Versailles

44. Peace Conference - Versailles
Peace Conference – Versailles, France (January 1919)
Major Participants (The Big Four)
Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain: sought $$$
Premier Georges Clemenceau of France: sought revenge
Vittorio Orlando of Italy: sought land promised to them earlier
President Wilson of the US: sought Peace without Victory
What resulted was dictated peace – Germany was not allowed inside, but hoped the peace would be based on Wilson’s plan

45. Peace Conference

46. Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919) product of compromise
New independent nations were formed in Europe
Empires were destroyed and ethnic groups were united
A League of Nations was formed to maintain peace and prevent future world wars (Wilson’s 14th Point)
Germany was blamed & punished for WWI (war guilt clause)
Asked to pay huge reparations ($33 billion)
Forced to give up large amounts of land
Massive disarmament left them with only a defensive army

47. Treaty of Versailles Rejected in the United States
The Treaty was REJECTED at home, despite Wilson’s efforts
Many feared the “League” was just another alliance
The US never joined; rejected by the US Senate in 1920
Most Americans desired isolationism
The US made a separate peace treaty with Germany in 1921

50. Result of the Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles planted the seeds of German bitterness after WWI that allowed for Adolf Hitler to rise to power and begin World War II