1. AMERICA IN WORLD WAR i

2. Great Britain
Ireland
Russia
Italy
Serbia
Allied powers:

3. Germany Austria-Hungary Turkey Bulgaria
Central powers:
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Turkey
Bulgaria

4. WORLD WAR i:
Serbian nationalist killed Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife
Treaty signed in 1919 to end war (Treaty of Versailles)
Began in Europe due to self-interests and balance of power politics
US and Wilson did not see a need to join (not American issues); Wilson felt it went against his foreign policy ideas (Moral Diplomacy).

5. US Neutrality:
Many Americans favored neutrality due to amount of immigrants in US at the time; choosing sides would tear the country about
*British & Russian immigrants favored Allies
*German & Austrian immigrants favored Central Powers
*Irish immigrants were against supporting any British movement
Americans wanted to remain out of European affairs the way they hoped Europeans would stay out of American affairs
Wilson believed that by practicing neutrality would show the United States could illustrate peace and help it emerge as a world leader
If the US remained neutral, they had the opportunity to trade war materials with both sides, helping pull America out of a depression

6. American Neutrality?
Difficulty enforcing neutrality due to other countries not respecting it (both Allied & Central Powers stated they were unwilling to do this)
Britain and France called on American money and supplies to help with war effort
JP Morgan & Company gave billions of dollars to the Allies during “neutrality period”
British ships prevented Americans from trading with Germany
Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to sink any ship in international waters
The industrialists and political leaders wanted war because it led to prosperity.

7. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY?
Wilson, seeking reelection in created several bills that showed US was still neutral, yet the US would still require a larger & more modern military
1. National Defense Act
2. Naval Expansion Act
3. Merchant Marine Act

8. SUSSEX PLEDGE:
Germany promised not to sink anymore passenger ships or merchant vessels without giving warning
Wilson informed Germany that should the pledge be broken, he would break diplomatic relations that would ultimately lead to war
Germany believed that it would take at least a year for the US to get soldiers and materials ready for war; resumed unrestricted submarine warfare.

9. Reasons for us involvement:
Unrestricted submarine warfare
Sinking of the Lusitania
Zimmerman Note

10. Sinking of the Lusitania:
May 07, 1915: German U-boats sank the British passenger liner the Lusitania, killing 1,198 people, including Americans.
Lusitania was carrying small-arms ammunition (Germany used this as a way to justify sinking it).
Americans were surprised and outraged at the “mass murder” of Americans
Led to the Sussex Pledge

11. Unrestricted submarine warfare:
January 31, 1917: Germany announced they would use unrestricted submarine warfare to sink ALL ships, including any American ship, in the war zone.
Broke the Sussex Pledge, hoping to hurt Britain before America could join the war.
In response, Wilson, still not wanting war, asked Congress to arm American merchant ships

12. Zimmermann note:
February 25, 1917: British turn over an intercepted telegram in which the German foreign minister (Arthur Zimmermann) promised to return lost territory to Mexico if they formed an alliance with Germany
March 01, 1917: Zimmermann Note gets published in US papers; Americans viewed Germany as meddling in US affairs
This coupled with continued unrestricted submarine warfare sent America to war on April 06, 1917

13. The Peace Process:
Wilson advocated for “peace without victory” prior to US entrance into the war
To have an impact on the peace process, had to enter the war
Germany was denied any role in crafting the peace settlement which resulted in a “victor’s peace”
Wilson negotiated the peace treaty personally
Wilson did not feel bound to the secret treaties Allies had made prior to US entrance into the war
As he had to give up many of his ideals, put his hope in the League of Nations

14. WILSON’S PLAN: “THE 14 POINTS:” A plan for ending World War I and prevent a war like this in the future.
The first 5 points were designed to remove the causes of the war.
*Open treaties
*Open seas
*Free trade
*Universal disarmament
*Impartial adjustment of colonial claims in consideration with the wishes of the inhabitants

15. WILSON’S PLAN: “THE 14 POINTS:” A plan for ending World War I and prevent a war like this in the future.
The Next 8 points changed the boundaries of Europe
*Evacuation of all Russian territory
*Evacuation of Belgium
*Restoration of all French Territory including Alsace-Lorraine
*Italian border readjusted
*Autonomous development of Austro- Hungarian Empire
*Evacuation of Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania; Serbia given sea access
*Establishment of a free and independent Poland

16. The last established a League of Nations to regulate behavior of nations in the future.

17. TREATY OF VERSAILLES: TERMS: *Created 9 new nations
*Germany was disarmed
*The War Guilt Clause: Germany had to accept blame for the war
*Germany had to pay war reparations to the allies
*The League of Nations was established.

18. WEAKNESSES:
Germany was humiliated and very upset over it. They wanted revenge.
Germany had to pay huge amounts of money and this hurt their economy.

19. Back in the united states:
Senate did not want the United States to participate in the League of Nations. They felt that it was a way to become further entangled in the affairs of Europe.
Country divided over the treatment of various groups Ex. German Americans at the treatment of Germany
Isolationists
Many felt the League was unrealistic
Wilson personally campaigns for the treaty’s passage by going on a cross country speaking tour and suffers a stroke.
The Senate refuses to ratify the treaty.

20. LEGACIES OF WORLD WAR I
The conditions at the end of the war allowed Adolf Hitler come to power.
The United States is now a world power but not a participant in the League of Nations.
The US refusal to ratify the Treaty took the strength away and in part led to its failure.
The strength of the US economy made the US the engine of the world economy – so went the US economy—so went the world