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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 of mostly Middle Eastern lands controlled by the Turks-were later know as the Central Powers. -
1914 Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
In 1914, Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, visited the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. As the royal entourage drove through the city, Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip stepped from the crowd and shot the archduke and his wife, Sophie. Princip was a member of the Black Hand, an organization prompting Serbian nationalism. -
Schlieffen Plan
Germany invaded Belgium, following a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan. This plan called for a holding action against 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 the British liner Lusitania
A U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland. Of the 1198 people lost, 128 were Americans. The Germans defended their action on the grounds that the liner carried ammunition. Despite Germany's explantion, Americans became outraged with Germany because of the loss of life. American public opinion turned againt Germany and the Central Powers. President Wilson ruled out a military response in favor of a sharp protest of Germany. -
Sinking of the British liner Arabic
A U-boat sank another British liner. Drowning two Americans. Again the US protested, and this time Germany agreed not to sink anymore passenger ships. -
sinking of the French passenger lines Sussex
Germany broke its promise and torpedoed an unarmed French passenger steamer. The suxxes sank and about 80 passengers including Americans were killed or injured. Once again, the US warned that it would break off diplomatic relations unless Germany changed its tactics. Again germany agreed, but there was a condition:if the US couldn't persuade Britain to lift its blockade aginast food and fertiolizersm, germany would consider renewing unrestricted submarine warfare. -
Battle of the Somme
First battle; 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. -
Zimmermann note
The telegram from the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico that was intercepted by British agents. The telegram proposed 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 TX, NM and AZ. -
Food Administration
To help produce and conserve food, Wilson set this up under Herbert Hoover. Instead of rationing food, he called on people to follow the gospel of the clean plate. Restaurants removed sugar bowls from the table and served bread only after the first course. Homeowners planted victorty gardens. American food shipments to the Allies tripled. Hoover also set a high gov price oh wheat and other staples. -> 40 mil acres more. Increased income by almost 30% -
Committee on Public Information
To populize the war, the gov set up this nation's first propaganda agency. Propaganda is a kind of biased communuication designed to influence people's thoughts and actions. The head of the CPI was George Creel. He persuaded the nation's artists and advertising agencies to create thousands of paintings, posters, cartoons, and sculptures promoting the war. He also recruited 75000 men to serve as "Four minute men" who spoke about the war. This promoted patriotism, and also hatred. -
Selective Service Act of 1917
To meet the government's need for more fighting power, Congress passed this act. The act required men to register with the government in order to be randomly selected for military service. By the end of 1918, 24 mil men had registered under the act. Of this number, 3 mil were called up. 2 mil troops reached Europe before the truce was signed, and 3/4th of them saw actual combat. -
Convoy System
American Vice Admiral William S. Sims convinced the British to try the convoy system, in which a heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and forth across the Atlantic in groups. By fall of 1917, shipping losses had been cut in half. -
War Industries Board
Under leadership of Bernard M baruch, a prosperous businessman. The board encouraged companies to use mass-production techniques to increase effiency. It also urged them to eliminate waste by stardardizing products. Under the WIB, industrial production in the US increased by about 20%. However, the WIB applied price controls only at the wholesale level. As a result, retail prices soared, and in 1918 they were almost double what they had been before the war. Corporate profits soared as well. -
Espinoage and Sedition Acts
In June 1917, Congress passed the Espinoage Acts and in May 1918, passed the Sedition Acts. Under the Espionage and Sedition acts, a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 yrs in jail for interfering with the war effort or for saying anything disloyal, profane, or abusive about the gov or war effort. -
National War Labor Board
To deal with disputes between managment and labor, Pres Wilson establishd the National War Labor Board. Workers who refused to obey board decisions could lost their draft exemptions. However, the board also worked to improve factory conditions. It pushed for an 8 hour workday, promoted safety inspections, and enforced child labor ban. -
Second Battle of the Marne
In July and August, Americans helped win the Second battle of the Marne. The tide had turned against the Central Powers. -
Austria-Hungary surrended to the allies
The same day, German sailors mutinied against gov authority. The mutiny spread quickly. Everywhere in Germany, groups of soldiers and workers organized revolutionary councils. -
Establishment of the German republic
Socialist leaders in the capital, Berlin, established a German republic. The kaiser gave up his throne. -
Cease fire and armistice
Although there were no allied soliders on German territory and no truly decisive battle had been faught, the Germans were too exhausted to continue fighting. Germany agreed to a cease-fire and signed the armistice, or truce that ended the war.
