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Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The heir to Austria-Hungary's throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by a Serbian patriot. The government of Austria-Hungary offered an ultimatum to Serbia. Backed by Russia, Serbia refused to negotiate. Russia's military then threatened Austria-Hungary's supporter, Germany. In which France and Great Britan came to support Russia. This domino effect marked the beggining of WW1. -
WW1 begins & US reaction
Most Americans were Anti-German from the outset from Germany's invasion through neutral Belgium. Tensions increased when a German note revealed plans for industrial sabotage. Majority of Americans however did not want to join the war. Moreover President Wilson encouraged Americans to remain neutral "in thought an deed." -
Sinking of the Luistania
A passenger liner, The Luistania, was sunk by German U-Boats in which 1,198 people lost thier lives (128 of those were American). The east coast of the United States was outraged and urged for war, but the rest of the country did not have the same buring passion. Not willing to lead disunited country into war, President Wilson refrained from diving into WW1 initially. -
"He kept us out of war"
This was President Wilson's campaign motto for the election of 1916. Democratic advertisements of the time heavily pushed the idea that if a Republican was elected for President, it was almost a shoe-in that a "rough rider" would charge the U.S. strait into war. This case appealed to the workingpeople of America, and Wilson was relected. But this motto was soon to be contradicted in 1917. -
Arabic Pledge
The Germans practice of unrestricted subrmarine warfare continued after the sinking of the Lusitania, but after another sinking of a British liner with Americans on board, the Arabic, the Germans pledged that they would limit the practice in order to prevent the U.S. from joining the war. This pledge to limit unrestricted submarine warfare was called the Arabic Pledge. Yet this pledge was broken with the sinking of the Sussex, a french liner. -
Pancho Villa raids New Mexico
Pancho Villa and his men attacked Columbus, New Mexico and killed 19 Americans. President Wilson then sent general Pershing to capture Villa in Mexico which infuriated the Mexican government since the U.S. technically "invaded" the country." The intensions of Villa for the U.S. to start a war with Mexico were not met, but tensions between the 2 countries would give cause for the Zimmerman Note. -
Sussex Pledge
With the sinking of the Sussex, a french liner, President Wilson was extemly infuriated. He informed the Germans that unless they stopped their inhumane practice of sinking civilian liners the United States would drop all doplomatic ties, an assurance of the U.S. joining the war. The Germans took Wilson's ultimatum by agreeing to warn passenger ships before sinking them. This agreement was called the Sussex Pledge. Yet the germans attached a tricky string that would help pull the U.S. into war, -
Resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare
German U-Boats broke the Sussex Pledge by sinking 4 unarmed American merchant ships within 2 weeks. This was the final straw for Woodrow Wilson, who then asked congress to declare war. With this the U.S. officially joined the "Great War." -
Zimmerman Note
Arthur ZImmermann secretly proposed Mexico a deal in which Mexico could recover land lost from the Mexican-American war if it waged war with America in order to keep the U.S. distracted from the Great War. This infuriated Americans whom became even more eager to join the war. -
Russian Revolution
With Lenin's communist revolution in Russia, the new Russian government dropped out of the war. This encouraged America to fight on the side of the Allies because the U.S. woulun't have to deal with a "black sheep" despot ally.
