WWI: Turning Point

U.S. Enters,Russia Exits

U.S. Position at Beginning of War

U.S. neutral – war is a “European affair” U.S. strongest, neutral industrialized

nation Major supplier of food, raw materials &

munitions to belligerent (warring) nations Insists on free trade and free travel

What changes to draw the U.S. into war???

Financial Interests at Stake!

U.S. private banks/corporations lent money to both sides until…

U.S. begins to trade more & more with Great Britain because of blockade of Germany

Many goods bought on credit – wanted to insure repayment

Sinking of the Lusitania – May 1915

Germans sink British passenger ship off coast of Ireland

128 Americans killed U.S. warns Germany to

back off Germany temporarily

ends unrestricted submarine warfare

British Propaganda

Most news about the war came from Great Britain

Exaggerated German atrocities against defenseless citizens

“It should be America’s duty to help us subdue the mad dog of Europe”

Zimmerman Telegram March 1917 Message from

German foreign minister to German ambassador to Mexico

Promised Mexico the return of New Mexico, Texas & Arizona in exchange for support in war

German Submarines

Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare – hopes U.S. won’t enter or that they’ll defeat G.B. first

German subs attacked any naval vessel, enemy or neutral, found in what Germany determined was a “war zone”

Germans sink 4 American merchant ships

The “Sinking” of the U.S. Patience

“The world must be made safe for democracy”

April 2, 1917 – Pres Woodrow Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war

April 6, 1917 – Congress votes to enter war on side of Allies

Meanwhile…

Over in Russia

1st Russian Revolution March 1917

Russian czar overthrown Leaders of revolution promised to

establish a constitutional gov’t All allies now had democratic govt’s WWI became a war between

democratic and non-democratic nations

Russia Before World War I

1905 Russo-Japanese War ends; Russia defeated and economy strained

Czar Nicholas II calls for election of a national Duma – legislature Had little power

Russia During WWI

Russia was cut off from supplies/allies because Turkey (Central Power) controlled the Dardanelles Strait which gave access to the Med. Sea

However, Russia helped the war effort by diverting German troops from attack against the French and British

Russia’s Problems During the War

By 1917 morale reached bottom ¼ of soldiers had no guns of their

own – had to pick up dead soldiers’ guns

Inadequate transport (lack of roads/railroads)

Food shortages

The Fall of the Czar

Czar Nicholas II – unpopular

Incompetent Relied on mystic

healer Rasputin Duma demands

reforms in gov’t – Nicholas dissolves it

The First Russian Revolution: March 1917

Riots break out in Petrograd (St. Petersburg)

Protested shortages of food/fuel Czar’s troops side with rioters March 15, 1917 – Czar Nicholas II

abdicates Ends the 300 year old Romanov dynasty

Provisional Government

Temporary gov’t – constitutional assembly Kerensky – prov gov’t prime minister Rival for power – Soviets (council of

workers) Soviets – socialists - called for immediate

peace, transfer of land to peasants & control of factories by workers

Gov’t lost its support

Opens the Door for Revolution: Socialism Enters

Revolutionary groups tried to fill the role of gov’t

Mensheviks (Kerensky) believed a socialist revolution would be the work of masses

Bolsheviks – more radical – wanted to introduce a socialist society by force

Lenin & The Bolsheviks

Lenin – Leader of Bolsheviks

Returned from exile – aided by Germany to get Russia out of war

Organized Bolsheviks Used slogan: “Peace,

Land & Bread”

2nd Russian Revolution

Nov 1917 – Bolsheviks staged a coup d’etat in Petrograd

Established socialist state Ended private ownership of property Distributed land among peasants Made Peace! March 1918 – withdraws

from WWI Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with

Germany Lost much of western territory – 1/3 of pop

Either death to capitalism, or death under the heel of capitalism, 1919

Russian Civil War

Communists (Bolsheviks) = Reds

Royalists, liberal democrats, moderate socialists = Whites

Whites promise to defeat Reds and re-enter WWI

Communists defeat White forces

Photograph of Red Army

soldier about to be

executed by members of the White

Army.