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Allies
The Triple Entente, later known as the Allies, consisted of France, Britian, and Russia. The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austia-Hungary, and Italy. -
Central Powers
Germany and Austira-Hungary, together with the Ottoman Empire- and empire of mostly Middle Eastern lands controlled by the Turks- were later known as the Centeral powers -
1914 Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferinand
In June 1914 Franz, heir to the Austrian throne, visited the Bosnian captial Sarajevo. As the royal entourage drove through the city , Serbian nationanalist Gavrilo Prinip stepped from the Archduke and his wife Sophie. Princip was a member of the Black Hand, an orginazation promoting Serbian nationlism. The assassinations touched off the diplomatic crisis. -
Schlieffen Plan
Germany invaded Belgium, following a strategy known as the Schlieffen plan. This plan called for a holding action agaainst Russia, combined with a quick drive through Belgium to Paris; after France had fallen, the two German armies would defeat Russia. As German troops swept across Belgium , thousands of civilians fled in terror -
Sinking of British liner Lusitania
One of the worst disaters occured May 7, 1915, when a U-boat sank the British liner Lusitinia off the southern coast of ireland. of 1,198 persons lost, 128 were american. Geremans tried to defend their action on the ground that the liner carried ammunition. Despite Germany's explination, Americans became outraged with germany because of the loss of life. -
Sinking of British Liner Arabic
Three months later after president wilson ruled out a military response in favor of a sharp protest to germeny, a U-boat sank another british liner, th Arabaic, drowning two American. The US protested and again germany agreed to not sink any more passenger ships -
Sinking of French passanger liner Sussex
Germany breaks its promise and torpedoed an unarmed French passenger steamer, the Sussex.The ship sank, and about 80 passengers, linculding Americans, were killed or injured. Once again the United states warned that it would break off diplomatic relations with Germany unless Germany chnaged their tatics. Germany agreed but with a condition: if the US persuaded Britian to lift its blockade against food and fertlizer, Germany would consider renewing unrestricted submarine warfare -
Battle of the Somme
The sclae of the slughter was horrific. During the First Battle of the Somme which begam on July 1,1916 and lasted until mid-November- the British suffered 60,000 casualties the first day alone. Final casualties totaled about 1.2 million, yet only about seven miles of ground changed hands. -
Selective Service Act of 1917
To meet the goverments need for more fighting power, Congress passed the Selectiv Service Act of 1917 in May. The act required men to register with the govermnet in order to be randomly selected for military service. By 1918, 24 million men had registered under this act. -
Convoy System
American Vice Admiral William S. Sims convinced the British to tey the convoy system, in which a heavy gard of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and fourth across the atlantic in groups. By fall 1917 shipping losses were cut in half -
Zimmerman Note
Germans decided that they would goto war with the US, however the president heldback until he recieved the actual "overt acts". before declaring war. The overacts came and first was the zimmerman note, a telegram from the german foregin minister to the german ambassador in Mexico that was intercepted by British agents. The telegram propsed an alliance between Mexico and Germany and promised mexico that germany would support mexico in recovering lost territory inTexas, New Mexico, and Arizona. -
Second Battle of the Marne
In July and August Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood helped win the Second Battle at Marne. The tide had turend against the central powers. -
War Industries Board
Main regulatory board was the War Industries Board, It was established in 1917 and reorganized in 1918 under the leadership of Bermard M. Baruch, a prosperous businessman. The board encouraged companies to us mass-production techniques to increase efficency. It also urged them to eliminate waste by standardizing products. The WOB set productions quota and allocated raw material. -
Espionage and Sedition Acts
June, congress passed the Espionage Act and in May 1919 the Sedition Acts. Under these acts, a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interfering with the war effort or for saying anything disloyal, profane , or abusive about the goverment of the war effort. -
Establishment of German Rebuplic
Everywhere in Germany, groups of soliders and workers organized revolutinary councils. On November 9, socialist leaders in the capital, Berlin, established a german republic. The kaiser gaver up the throne. -
Cease-fire and armistice
Although there were no Allied soliders on German territory and no truly decisive battle had been fought, the Germans were too exhausted to continue fighting. So at the 11th hour, on the 11th dayin the 11th month, 1918, Germany agreed to a cease-fire and signed the armistice, or truce, ending the war -
Food Administration
To help produce and conserve food, Wilson set up the Food Administration under Herbert Hoover. Instead of rationing food, he called on people to follow the "gospel of the clean plate." He declared one day a week " meatless" and another "sweetless', two days "wheatless" and other two days "porkless". Resturants removed sugar bowls from the table and served bread only after the first course -
Committee on Public Information
To popularize the war, the government set up the nation's first propoganda agency, the Committe on Public Information. The head of the CPI was former muckranring journalist named George Creel. Creel persuaded the nation's artist and advertising agencies to create thousands of paintings, posters, cartoons and sculptures promotiong the war. -
National War Labor Board
To deal with disputes between managment and labor, President Wilson established the National War Labor Board. Workers who refused to obey board devisions could lose their draft exemptions. "work of fight" the board told them. However the board also worked to improve factory conditions. Pushed for an eight hour work day, promoted saftey inspections, and enforced child labor ban. -
Austria-Hungary surreders to the Allies
November 3, Austria- Hungary surrended to the Sllies. The same day, German sailors mutinied agasint goverment authority. Munity spread quickly and everywhere in germany groups of soliders and workers orginized revoloutinary councils to over throw the kaiser
