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World War 1 begins, but US is neutral
The start of World War 1 began because the Archduke of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a group of Serbians. They also assassinated the wife of the Archduke. After this assassination, countries broke up into the Central Powers and Allied Powers. The Central Powers consisted of Germany an Austria-Hungary. The Allied Powers consisted of France, Russia, and Great Britain. The United States was not a part of either of the neutral. -
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Before the US entered and when they entered
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The sinking of Lusitania
The Lusitania was sunken by a German U-boat’s torpedo in the Atlantic.The sinking of Lusitania was important because enraged American and they wanted the United States to enter the war. The reason they wanted to enter the war was because there were about 120 American that had died on the boat. -
Germans declared unlimited use of their submarine fleets
After telling the US that they would not use their submarines for warfare, Germany declares unlimited use of their submarines. They had told the US that wouldn’t use their submarines because they didn’t want to upset the United States but they went ahead and decided to use their submarines temporality suspending the use of submarines for warfare. -
The sinking of Housatonic
The ship Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat the same day that the United States ended diplomatic relationship with Germany. No one died on this ship when it was sunk but the Germans had targeted the American ships that would be traveling through that territory. The Germans had figured out every American boat that would be traveling and going to German’s enemies. -
President Wilson severed diplomatic relations with Germany
President Wilson severed diplomatic relations with Germany after they went ahead with continuing the use of submarines for warfare against Britain. We had told Germany that if they went back to using their submarines they we would stop trading with them and everything else that we traded with them. When President Wilson found out that Germany was using submarines again that is when he cut off Germany diplomatically. -
A message about a Mexican and German alliance was forward to President Wilson
President Wilson had received intelligence about the alliance of Germany and Mexico. He was given the telegram that Germany was sending. In it mentioned that Germany wanted Mexico to attack the United States because it will distract them from going to war with Germany. In it also mentioned that if Mexico did what Germany asked then Germany would give Mexico back the states that they had lost. -
President Wilson asks Congress to arm merchant ships
President Wilson went to Congress after the sinking of several United States’ merchant boats and asked them to arm merchant ships with weapons and naval personal. He went to Congress a couple days after the sinking of the liner Housatonic. President Wilson didn’t want to go to war yet with Germany but he want to protect the American people on the ships as they were traveling through dangerous waters at the time. -
Zimmermann telegram is published
The Zimmerman telegram was final published for the American public to see. In the letter in mentions the alliance with Mexico and Germany and how Germany would give Mexico back them back the states that they had lost to the United States. Also in the letter it mentions how Germany was going to continue to use their submarines for warfare and they didn’t what the United States had to say any more. -
President Wison had a Cabinet meeting
March 20, 1917 President Wilson held a Cabinet meeting to discuss that possibility to go to war with Germany. In his meeting he told his Cabinet about the Zimmerman telegram and what it said inside about the alliance and the use of Germany’s submarine fleet. President Wilson want to make sure that his Cabinet was able to see his view on possible going to war with Germany. -
President Wilson went before Congress and gave his famous war speech
The reason President Wilson went before Congress and gave his famous war speech was to declare war on Germany. In his speech he tells Congress that it is our duty to go in to the war because we were are responsibility to “bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free”. -
United States ented the war
April of 1917, the US stopped being neutral and became a part of the war. The main reason they joined the war was because Germany returned to unrestricted submarine warfare after they had suspended it because they didn't want to upset the United States. President Wilson now also finally believed that he had most of America’s support to go to war with Germany. -
Selective Service Act was passed
May 18, 1917 the Selective Service Act was passed. This act allowed the President to temporally increase the military in the United States when they were going to war with Germany. The process was for selecting young men for the induction of the military service. This was from the actual registration to the delivery at the training camps. -
The first round of drafts
The first round of drafts was held on May 5th, 1917. This draft was open to all men who were between the ages of 21-31. It was required by the law for men who fit into that category to go and register. If they didn’t they would be fined and put into jail sometimes too. -
"Fourteen points" speech
January 8, 1918 President Wilson went to Congress and delivered his speech called the Fourteen Points. These fourteen points were what President Wilson believed were needed for world peace. Also in this speech he talked about what he thought were the causes of the world war. He also mentions what was needed to make sure that the peace that was reached at the end of the war was going to stay for the future. -
The second round of drafts
The second draft for this war help exactly a year later after the first draft and now it was open to men who turned 21 after June 5th, 1917. There was also another time to register for men who turned 21 after June 5th, 1917 but this was included in the second draft. That was called a supplemental registration. -
The third round of drafts
The last round of drafts for World War 1 was held on September 12th, 1918. This draft was open to men who were between the ages of 18 and 45 years old. This was the only draft that was open to 18 years old during World War 1 and also for people who were over 31 years old. -
World War 1 ends
On November 11th, 1918 World War 1 ended on the 11th day on the 11th hour. The United States was there for the ending of the war and the signing of the peace treaty between all the countries. This is the day that all the fighting finally came to an end with a signing of a peace treaty called Armistice and the Versailles.
