1. World War I
The Americans, Chapter 11

2. CAUSES OF WWI
NATIONALISM- devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation
IMPERIALISM- extending economic and political control over weaker territories
MILITARISM- development of armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy
ALLIANCE SYSTEM- countries backed each other in case of attack

3. Alliance System 2 Major Alliances:
The  Allies- France, Britain, Russia, Serbia, Belgium
The Central Powers:  Germany, Austria Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire.

4. An Assassination Leads To War
    In 1914, while traveling through Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria-Hungary) and his wife were assassinated by Serbian Gavrilo Princip. 
Franz Ferdinand
Gavrilo Princip

5. I KNEW THESE ALLIANCES WERE A BAD IDEA!!!
The alliance system pulled one nations after another into the conflict

6. Problems with Neutrality
America was Isolationist at this time because they did not want to get involved with the war.
Isolationism- America's longstanding reluctance to become involved in European alliances and wars
Germany invaded Belgium.
Germany thought the Lusitania was carrying armaments from America to Britain.
The sinking of the Lusitania (British) by German U-Boats also killed some Americans.

7. The Sinking of the Lusitania
Lusitania (right click- "open hyperlink“)

8. Reasons for U.S. Involvement in WWI
German U-boats continued to sink ships with Americans on board.
Zimmerman Telegram- Germany was hoping to persuade Mexico to attack us.
Then German announced that they were launching “unrestricted submarine warfare” that forced Wilson to take us to war.

9. Convoy
To combat the problem the U.S. grouped its merchant ships traveling together with warships for safety. This method is called the Convoy System

10. WWI Weaponry Machine guns Long-range artillery Flame throwers
Poison gas

11. TRENCH WARFARE
Trenches were often used. Troops are significantly protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Outcome: Slow wearing down of opposing forces

13. Russia Leaves the War The Great War destroyed Russia:
morale was low, no food, 25% of soldiers had no weapons, 76% of army killed or wounded
March 8-12, 1917-riots began; army joined & refused to stop rebellion
Radical Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin felt time was good to seize power
In Nov 1917—Lenin led a coup d’etat called the Bolshevik Revolution

14. Russia Leaves the War
Bosheviks claimed absolute power created socialist government:
Government took over ownership of all property, factories, mines
All people can now be equals
Called themselves communists after Karl Marx’s ideas (Communism: equal society with no need for government); wanted to spread communism to world. The emergence of Communism leads to red scare.
March 1918—Communists signed a peace with
Germany, Treaty of Brest-Litovsk—Russia
gave up lots of land & of its 1/3 population.
After this treaty is signed, Russia officially
leaves the War.

15. America Mobilizes for War in 1917
U.S. mobilizes for WWI by:
Congress passed the Selective Service Act - allowed the Federal Gov. to raise a national army through the compulsory enlistment of people (draft).
The War Industries Board helped convert factories to wartime production.

16. On the Homefront . . . The “Great Migration”:
Many Americans migrated to cities during World War I to work in defense factories.
African Americans moved from the South to the North and Midwest for jobs.

17. On the Homefront . . . Victory Gardens:
Victory Gardens were gardens planted at private residences and public parks during World War I. They were used along with Rationing Stamps and Cards to reduce pressure on the public food supply. 
Besides indirectly aiding the war effort, these gardens were also considered a civil "morale booster" because they felt like they were directly helping with the war effort.

18. On the Homefront . . . Propaganda was employed on a global scale
This and subsequent modern wars required propaganda to:
mobilize hatred against the enemy to convince the population of the justness of the cause
to enlist the active support and cooperation of neutral countries
to strengthen the support of allies. 

19. Espionage and Sedition Acts
The Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918) intended to prohibit interference with military operations or recruitment, to prevent insubordination in the military, and to prevent the support of United States enemies during wartime. a person could be fined and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interfering with the war effort or for saying anything disloyal, profane, or abusive about the government (Doesn’t that violate the first amendment?)

20. Armistice
Germany was so worn down by the length of the war and the strength of the Allies that they surrendered on November 11th (now Veteran’s Day).

21. Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Wilson's Fourteen Points: goals for the peace treaty written when the war ended. Felt self-determination should be upheld for all nations. 
Wilson wanted The League of Nations
Goal: address future international problems  and maintain world peace.

22. Point 1 : Public diplomatic negations with more secret agreements or secret treaties
Point 2 : Freedom of navigation on all seas.
Point 3 : Free trade among nations and an end to all economic barriers between countries
Point 4 : Countries to reduce armaments and weapons to a level required for public safety.
Point 5 : Fair and impartial decisions for the resolution of colonial claims
Point 6 : Restoration of Russia territories and freedom to establish and develop its own political system
Point 7 : Preservation of the sovereignty of Belgium and that it should be independent as before the war.
Point 8 : France should be fully liberated, its territory restored and allowed to recover Alsace-Lorraine
Point 9 : All Italians are to be allowed to live in Italy and Italy's borders to be "along clearly recognizable lines of nationality."
Point 10 : Self-determination should be allowed for all those living in Austria-Hungary.
Point 11 : Self-determination and guarantees of independence for the Balkan states and its borders re-drawn.
Point 12 : Self-determination for the Turkish people and for Non-Turks under Turkish rule
Point 13 : An independent Polish nation should be created which should have access to the sea.
Point 14 : A League of Nations should be created to guarantee the political and territorial independence of all states.

23. The Treaty of Versailles
The European Allies:
sought to gain territory for themselves
War Guilt Clause: forced Germany to claim responsibility for the war and make them pay for the it.
Wilson was pleased that it called for a League of Nations to be set up.

24. Beginning of WWI
After WWI

25. The Senate Fight over the Treaty
The Senate would have to ratify the Treaty of Versailles in order for the U.S. to sign it.
Many thought that U.S. membership in the League of Nations would drag us into future wars.
The Senate never ratified the treaty.  U.S. never joined the League of Nations.  

26. Other Issues Raised by WWI
Internationally: the U.S. wanted to return to a policy of isolationism.
Domestically:  job shortages led to economic pressures. 
The Great Migration increased racial tension in mid-western cities.
19th Amendment: women gain the right to vote.
Russian Revolution:  Russia withdraws from the war and becomes Communist.