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Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife by Serbian Rebels stirred an outrage. Upon losing the heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, the Vienna Government and the Serbian Government were locked in tense exchanges, with the backings of Germany and Russia, respectively, all culminating in the German invasion of neutral Belgium to stop Russia, starting the war -
The Great War and the U.S. Reaction
Germany's invasion of Belgium led to an explosive "fight to the death" in Europe. U.S. Reaction was relaxed due to President Woodrow Wilson's non-interventionist views that resonated with the nation. However, this did not prevent most Americans from taking sides with the Allied powers, and for both sides to attempt to get America on their side.There was sympathy among immigrants from Central Powers such as Germany and their decendants, but these views stayed in a tiny minority for the time being -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
The United States tried to maintain neutrality in World War I by getting Germany to promise to try and not sink neutral ships. However, controversy arose when the Germans sank the ship Lusitania. Despite being a British ship carrying ammunition, the death of 128 Americans led to stronger attempts by US President Woodrow Wilson to keep Germany in line. -
The Sinking of the Arabic and the Arabic Pledge
Following the sinking of the Lusitania, US President Woodrow Wilson made diplomatic progress with Germany, leading to the Arabic Pledge. Following the sinking of the British Liner the Arabic, killing 2 Americans, Wilsonian Diplomacy managed to get a pledge from Germany to not sink unresisting and unarmed passanger ships without prior notice -
Pancho Villa Raids Mexico
The overthrough of the violent regime of Mexican President Victoriano Huerta in 1914 led to a battle between newly-installed Mexican President Venustiano Carranza and Francisco "Pancho" Villa, culminating in Villa's involvement in the murder of 35 Americans between January and March. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, although against foreign intervention, chose to send General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing to go after Villa in order to save the already disasterous U.S.-Mexico Relationship. -
The sinking of the Sussex and the Sussex Pledge
Following the passage of the Arabic Pledge, Germany broke the agreement less than a year later with the torpedoing of the French Passenger ship the Sussex. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson demanded that Germany renounce their naval tactics or risk losing diplomatic relations with the U.S. Germany accepted the U.S. demands, but on the condition that the British blockade be modified, something that was out of Washington's control and placed the United States on the cliff of war. -
Wilson's Reelection and "He Kept Us Out of War"
The Reelection campaign of Woodrow Wilson was based around World War I. Wilson's opponent, Republican Charles Evans Hughes, criticized the President for his "wishy-washy" stance on Mexico and Germany, which Democrats took as a call for war along the lines of Teddy Roosevelt. Wilson won the election by 23 electoral votes on the platform of neutrality, a pledge that would end up broken. -
Germany's resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Days after U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's speech on attaining "Peace without Victory", the German Military Leaders broke the Sussex pledge and announced submarine warfare that could sink any ship in the war zone, including American ships. Despite Germany's hesitation at provoking war with America, they knew that they could no longer afford keeping the distinction between British warships and all other liners. Wilson broke off relations, yet refused to move closer to war. -
The Interception of the Zimmermann Note
German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman attempted to propose a alliance between Germany and Mexico, with aims at the United States. Germany had promised to get Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back to Mexico in exchange for an alliance. For many Americans, this only strengthened Anti-German and Pro-War sentiments. -
The Russian Revolution
As Germany became more volatile in their submarine warfare, news came that the regime of the Tsars in Russia had come to an end. The fall of Tsar Nicholas II removed the Despot Government Russia had been operating under at this point. This gave the United States a greater incentive to enter the war in the name of democracy, rather than fight alongside Russia, a "Black Sheep" in the allies fight for democracy.
