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Zimmerman Note
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 promisedthat if war with the United States broke out, Germany would support Mexico in recovering “lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.” -
Sinking of British Passenger Liner Sussex
Germany broke its promise and torpedoed an unarmed French passenger steamer. The Sussex sank, and about 80 passengers,
including Americans, were killed or injured. -
National War Labor Board
Workers who refused to obey board decisions could lose their draft exemptions. “Work or fight,” the board told them. However, the board also worked to improve factory conditions. It pushed for an eight-hour workday, promoted safety inspections, and enforced the child labor ban -
Committee on Public Information
First US propaganda agency. -
Sinking of British Liner Lusitania
German U-boat sank the ship off the southern coast of Ireland. Of the 1,198 persons lost, 128 were Americans. The Germans defended their action on the grounds that the liner carried ammunition. Despite Germany’s explanation, Americans became outraged with Germany because of the loss of life. American public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers. -
Selective Service Act of 1917
Required men to register with the government in order to be randomly selected for military service. By the end of 1918, 24 million men had registered under the act. Of this number, almost 3 million were called up. About 2 million troops reached Europe before the truce was signed, and three-fourths of them saw actual combat. -
Convoy System
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. -
Espionage and Sedition Acts
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 government or the war effort. -
1914 Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Gavrilo Princip, member of the Black Hands, stepped from the crowd and shot the Archduke and his wife Sophie. This became a diplomatic crisis. -
Battle of the Somme
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 because of trench warfare. -
War Industries Board
Under the leadership of Bernard M. Baruch it urged them to eliminate waste by standardizing products. The WIB set production quotas and allocated raw materials. -
Second Battle of the Marne
US troops played a major role in this battle because this turned the tide on the Central Powers. U.S. soldiers began to mount offensives against the Germans at Saint-Mihiel and in the Meuse-Argonne area. -
Schlieffen Plan
Holding action against Russia, combined with a quick drive through Belgium to Paris; after France had fallen, the two German armies would defeat Russia. -
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,” another “sweetless,” two days “wheatless,” and two other days “porkless.”Homeowners planted “victory gardens” in their yards. Schoolchildren spent their after-school hours growing tomatoes and cucumbers in public parks. As a result of these and similar efforts, American food shipments to the Allies tripled. Hoover also set a high gov price -
Sinking of British Liner Arabic
German U-boat sunk another ship, drowning two Americans. Again the United States protested, and this time Germany agreed not to sink any more passenger ships. -
Austria-Hungary Surrenders to Allies
They surrendered thr same day German sailors muntinied against their government. -
Est. of the German Republic
Mutiny spread throughout Germany and socialist leaders in the capital, Berlin, established a German republic. Germany became exauhsted. -
Allies
Formerly called the Triple Entente, it consisted of Britain, France, and Russia. -
Central Powers
Germany and Austria-Hungary, together with the Ottoman Empire, an empire of mostly Middle Eastern lands controlled by the Turks. -
Cease-fire and Armistice
Germany signed the armistice and officially ended the war.
