World War I: “The Great War”

1914-1918

MAIN Causes of World War I

•Militarism- Policy of building up strong armed forces to prepare for war. Leads to competition to between different countries.

•Alliances- Agreement and promise to defend and help another country. A crisis involving one member could affect all of the nation’s allies.

•Imperialism- One nation takes control of the economic or political affairs of another country or region. Causes countries to compete for power, which leads to war(s).

•Nationalism: Pride in one’s country and unity. Leads to mistrust and hatred toward other countries.

Short Term -- Immediate Causes

1. June 1914: Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and wife by a Serbian nationalist.

2. Tensions in the Balkan peninsula.

3. July 1914: Austria-Hungary threatened to go to war with Serbia.

4. July 1914: Russia mobilizes forces to come to aid of Serbia.

Alliances Central Powers

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Allies

Britain

France

Russia (1917) out

U.S. (1917) in

What caused the U.S. to enter World War I?

1. Cultural Ties: Few Americans were neutral. Some favored the Central powers (German-Americans). Most favored the Allies. America had long standing cultural ties with Britain and France.

2. Economic Ties: American trade to Allies increased during the war. American business and agriculture benefited. The U.S. financed over $ 2 Billion in loans to allies. Most Americans did not believe trade or loans violated American neutrality. In 1916, President Wilson favored the allies. His advertised campaign slogan: “he kept us out of the war.”

What caused the U.S. to enter WWI?

3. Propaganda: Allies conducted effective propaganda campaigns. They pictured the war as one of civilized democratic nations verse the barbaric monarch of Germany.

4. Submarine Warfare: Germany used a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare and attempted to block any ship that was helping the allies.

– The Lusitania: a British ship that sailed from Great Britain to New York…sunk by Germany. Ship carried close to 200 American civilians. Upset the U.S. government because at the time the U.S. was neutral.

What caused the U.S. to enter World War I?

5. Zimmerman Note (telegram): a telegram sent from Germany to Mexico inviting Mexico to join Germany…if the Central Powers win, Germany promised to get Texas, New Mexico and Arizona back to Mexico.

6. Russian Revolution: Russians overthrew the czar, so it appeared to the United States that if they joined the war they would be joining an alliance of democratic nations.