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Allies
By 1907 there were two major defense alliances in Europe. The triple entente, later known as the allies, consisted of France, Britain, and Russia. The triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria- Hungary, and Italy. -
Central Powers
Germany and Austria Hungary together with the Ottoman Empire- an empire mostly Middle Eastern lands controlled by the turks - were later known as the Central Powers. Provided international security because nationsn were reluctant to disturb the balance of power. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
June 1914 Ferdinand visited the Bpsnian capital Sarajevo. Gavrilo Princip stepped from the crown and shot Archduke and his wife. -
Schlieffen Plan
Germany invaded Belgium following a strategy known as the Scheliffen Plan. This plan called for a holding action against Russian, 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. In brussels, the belgium capital, an AMerican war correspondent described the first major refugee crisis of the 20th centrury. -
Sinking of British Liner Lusitania
A u boat sank the British Liner lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland. Of the 1,198 persons lost, 128 were americans. the german defended their action on the grounds that the liner carried ammunition. Despite germanys explanition, americans became outraged with germany becuase of the loss of life. American Public opinion turned against germany and the central powers -
sinking of British liner Arabic
three months later, in august of 1915 a u boat sank another british liner, the Arabic, drowning 2 americans. -
Sinking of French passenger liner Sussex
But in March 1916, Germany broke its promise and torpedoed an unarmed french passsanger steamer, the Sussex. The Sussex snak, and about 80 passangers including americans, were killed or injured. -
Battle of the Somme
Began on July 1, 1916 and lasted until mid- November- the British suffered 60,000 casualties the first day. Fiinal casualtiies totaled about 1.2 million yet only about seven miles of ground chnaged hands. -
Zimmerman Note
A telegram from German foreign minister to the german ambassidor in Mexico that was interecepted by British agents. The telegram propsed an alliance between mexico and germany and promised that if war with the US broke out, germany would support mexico in recovering "lost territory in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona." -
Convoy System
A heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and forth across the atlantic in groups. -
Selective Service Act of 1917
Congress passed this law to meet the need for more fighting power. The act required men to register with the governement in order to be randonlmy selected for miliraty service. by the end of 1918, 24 million men has registered under the act. -
Second Battle of the Marne
Us troops played a major role in throwing back German attacks at Chateau - Thierry and Belleau Wood. In july and August they helped win the second battle of the marne. -
War Industries Board
It was establshed in 1917 and reorganized in 1918 under the leadership of Bernand M. Baruch a prosperous buisnessman. the board encouragd companies to use mass production techniques to increse effiency. it also urged them to eliminate waste by standarizingproducuts. -
Espionage and Sedition Acts
In June congress passed the espionage act and in may 1918 it passedthe Sedition ACt. Under the Espionage and Seditions Acts a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interferiing with the war effort or for saying anything disloyal pro fane or abusive aboutthe governement or thewar effort. -
National War Labor Board
President Wilson established this board in 1918 to deal with disputes between management and labor. workers who refused to obey board decisions could lose their draft exemptions. The board improved poor factory working conditions -
Food Administration
To help produce and conservefood, Wilson set up thefood administration under Herbert Hoover. instead of rationing food, he called on people o follow the "gospel of the clean picture." he declared one day a week "meatless"another "sweetless" twodays "wheatless" andtwootherdays"porkless" Restraunts removed sugar bowlsform the table and served bread only after the first course. -
Committee on Public Administration
To popularize the war the government set up the nations first propagandqa agency, the commitee on Public Information. Propaganda is a kind of biased communication designed to influence peoples thoughts and actions. The head of the CPI was a former muckraking journalists named George Creel. -
Austria-Hungary surrenders to the Aliies
On November 3 1918 german saliors mutinied against government authority. The mutiny spread quickly. A german republic was established. -
Cease-ifre and armistice
In Novemeber germany agreed to a cease fire and signed the armistice, or truce, that eneded the war. -
establishment of the German Republic
On november 9 1918 socialist leaders in the capital of germnay, Berlin,established a erman republic.
