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Causes of US Entry into WWI

  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

    Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
    While on a visit to Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were the targets of an attack by a group that sought to to break off Austria-Hungary's south-Slav provinces. Both were killed, this event set off arguments that would eventually lead to the beginning of The Great War. *Franz Ferdinand
    *Ms.Ferdinand
    *The Assassins
  • WWI begins & Us Reaction

    WWI begins & Us Reaction
    When war erupted in Europe President Wilson believed that the United States should be neutral "in thought and deed". Therefore by being neutral the United States aided both sides, until eventually Germany forced the US into the war.
    Involved : The Great Powers
  • Sinking of The Lusitania

    Sinking of The Lusitania
    On the RMS Lusitanias's 202nd trip it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. On board the ship there were 159 American citizens, of those 128 died. Since the United States was neutral in WWI, this hastened the United States' entry into the World War, former President Roosevlet called for action while President Wilson remained neutral.
  • Arabic Pledge

    Arabic Pledge
    After the British liner Arabic was torpedoed by a German U-Boat, and 40 people died of those 2 were Americans, President Wilson proteested against Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare. At the possibility that the United States would enter the War, Germany issued the Arabic Pledge in which it stated that non-military ships would be warned 30 minutes before they were attacked, so that they could evacuate the people onboard to safety before being sunk.
  • Pancho Villa raids Mexico

    Pancho Villa raids Mexico
    José Doroteo Arango Arámbula or better known as Pancho Villa, led a raid in which 18 Americans were taken from a train and killed. Later on March 9 he assaulted Columbus, New Mexico and left 19 dead and the town in flames. All this happened because Villa was abandoned by the United States after being supported for a while.
  • Sussex Pledge

    Sussex Pledge
    After Germany again torpedoed a passenger ship that caused 50 people to die, the United States threatened to enter the war. Seeing that President Wilson was serious, Germany issued the Sussex Pledge to appease the US. In this Pledge Germany promised to not target passenger ships, merchant ships would not be sunk until weapons were onboard, and would not be sunk without allowing the passengers to be safe. Later on January, 1917 Germany disregarded the pledge which led to the US to enter the war.
  • "He Kept Us Out Of War"

    "He Kept Us Out Of War"
    "He Kept Us Out Of War" was the campaign slogan President Wilson used for his re-election, it targeted those who were against joining the War. Ironically, in April the US did enter WWI
  • Zimmerman Note

    Zimmerman Note
    The Zimmerman Note (Zimmerman Telegraph) was a coded message sent by Foreign Secretary of the German Empire, Arthur Zimmermann to German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. The telegraph told the ambassador to present Mexico with a possible alliance with Germany if the US seemed likely to join the War. Germany promised Mexico land that was lost to America, Mexico ignored the proposition and later formally rejected it. This was one of the last things Germany did before the US entered WWI.
  • Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

    Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
    On January 31, 1917 the German Kaiser signed an order to resume unrestricted submarine warfare that would be effective on February 1.
  • Russian Revolution

    Russian Revolution
    During this first revolution Emperor Nicholas II was forced out and a provisional government was put in place by the Imperial Parliament. This revolution took place during a time in which the Russian army was mostly in mutiny.