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The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
The next person for the Austro-Hungarian throne (Archduke Ferdinand) was shot and killed by assassins in order to gain more land. This soon led to Germany attacking Belgium and France on August 1914. -
The Beginning
The Allied Powers included France, United Kingdom, Russia, and soon the United States. The Central Powers included Austria Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, Germany, and Bulgaria. The entire war started because of nationalism of the European countries, fighting for territory, and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. -
Picking Sides
Americans debated for 2 and a half years about joining the war. In 1914, President Wilson said that the United States would stay neutral, because many Americans were immigrants from countries of both the Central Powers and the Allies. They did not agree over what countries started the war and which countries should be supported by America, so Wilson urged Americans not to take sides. -
Trying to Stay Neutral
America was trading with both France from the Allies, and Germany from the Central. Staying neutral was quite difficult. Wilson got worried that the United States' businesses would be affected by the war. Wilson soon stopped loaning money to the countries that were fighting the war. That would make it impossible for the countries to buy anything to continue the war. The countries soon ran out of money to buy goods. The plan was not working so the banks were then allowed again to loan money. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
The German U-Boat sank the Lusitania, which was a British passenger ship sailing off the coast of Ireland. Over 100 Americans died/were killed during the sinking. The Germans said that they had put warnings in American newspapers. They were telling Americans to stay off ships heading toward the war zone. Germans also said that Lusitania had supplies for England. -
The Zimmerman Program
Arthur Zimmermann, a German leader, sent a telegram to Mexico, asking the country to start a border war with the U.S. In return, Germany would get back the Mexican land that had become Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The English got a copy of the copy sent, broke the code and sent the information to (Woodrew) Wilson, the U.S president during the war. The telegram was put in the U.S’ newspapers, showing that Germany was America's enemy. 2 months later, German U-boats sank 3 American ships. -
The United States Enters The War
After the Zimmermann Telegram, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war on April 2, 1917. Wilson said the United States must have to go to war because the world “must be made safe for equality.” War was officially declared against Germany on April 6, 1917. World War I involved all Americans. The government set goals for manufacturing, farming, transportation and selecting men for the military. Patriotic posters, pamphlets, films and public speakers encouraged Americans to support the war. -
The End
Germany had properly surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were agreed. On June 28, 1919, Germany and the Allied Nations (including Britain, France, Italy and Russia) signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war. Which made this war last 4 years, from 1914-1918.
