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Alliances
Alliances began long before WWI. Starting in 1862, the Prussian Chancellor was able to win many small wars which, in turn, created a German Empire. The Chancellor was worried about neighboring countries which could potentially take over. Thus, the Central Powers were formed with the start of Austria-Hungary’s and Germany’s alliance. Later on, the Allied Powers would form which included major national powers such as France, Britain, the United States, Russia and Italy. -
The Age of Imperialism
Imperialist nations are known for being powerful, and they control one or more colonies which they either conquered or made deals with.This system was one cause of WWI, for nations were competing to take over and colonize as many areas as possible. Later on, in the 1890s, America began to expand, and many worried that their nation would not succeed if they did not join in the imperialist movement. The U.S. soon began to take over Hawaii, Cuba, and Panama, just to name a few. -
Militarism
Essentially, militarism is the idea that military power is of utmost importance. It was especially important in Britain where it was known to improve trade and imperialism. By 1870, the six great powers known as Britain, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, Russia and Germany had all spent a combined total of 131 million dollars. Countries were stockpiling weapons and new technology. America was a little late to the party, but they soon began building up their military and navy. -
Nationalism During WWI
Nationalism was the idea that your nation was the most prominent nation, and you were devoted to the nation's cause. One example of such nationalism lead to the assassination of the Archduke. Young Serbians became more involved in radical nationalist groups. Many individuals from these groups wanted Austria-Hungary to be driven out of the Balkans for good. -
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist. The location of the death was in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital. The Archduke’s wife, Sophie, was also shot and killed. This event was one of the most significant occurrences which lead to WWI. Austria-Hungary instantly concluded that Serbia was to blame for the assassination. They declared war on Serbia, which was the start of the war. Soon, many powerful nations would join together to battle their foes. -
Germany's Blank Check to Austria-Hungary
About a week after the Archduke’s assassination, Germany would make a very prominent mistake. A member of the Austria-Hungary Foreign Ministry and a Count from Berlin met with the German emperor, Wilhelm II, and the German chancellor. The German chancellor assured the Count that they would do whatever means necessary to support their ally. However, when they issued the "blank check", they were wrong for assuming that Austria-Hungary was prepared to instantaneously go to war with Serbia. -
WWI Begins
World War I began when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Germany invaded Luxembourg and Belgium. Then, Germany continued to move on to France. Great Britain decided to declare war on Germany before they could reach France. While all of this was happening, America chose to remain neutral and not heavily associate themselves with either side. The government believed they were making the right decision when they heard about the gruesome battles and trench warfare. -
The Sinking of the Luistania
The British passenger boat, known as the Lusitania, was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Germany knew that the British vessel was carrying hidden weapons, but the passengers were unaware. About 1,119 people aboard were killed. The even bigger picture for America was that about 128 Americans were killed out of that total. This caused America to stray from neutrality, and America slowly began to resent Germany. -
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
After Germany’s stunt on the Lusitania, they had no choice but to agree to the Sussex Pledge made by the United States. Earlier in 1915, Germany had a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. They were allowed to target merchant ships but not passenger ships. However, Germany torpedoed a French ferry boat called the Sussex. This proved to America that Germany could not be trusted. Even after the Sussex Pledge was agreed to by Germany, they continued unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917. -
The Zimmermann Telegram Discovered by the US
The German Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmermann, created a message which was intended for Mexico. However, the British intercepted the delivery of the telegram. The telegram stated that if Mexico joined in the fight with Germany in the case of U.S. involvement, they would gain back the territory that they lost in the Mexican-American War. This was the last straw for America when they heard of the news. It was time to join in the war. -
U.S. Entry into WWI
A string of events lead to the U.S. entry in the war. President Woodrow Wilson finally decided to speak to congress on the declaration of war against Germany on April 2, 1917. He explained that Germany had broke the Sussex Pledge and that they were forming an alliance with Mexico to take down the US. On April 6th, the declaration was finalized. The U.S. unofficially joined the Allied Powers, and many troops were sent to the Western Front, speeding up the war. -
Effects of WWI
One effect of the war was disillusionment. Many citizens who witnessed the war began to feel as thought their leaders and government were corrupt. They were in such shock after the horrors they encountered. Close to 13 million people were killed in WWI altogether. The US number of casualties was estimated to be about 320,000 people. Futhermore, new countries were established after the war. Austris-Hungary was divided into Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Yugoslavia. -
The Treaty of Versailles
This treaty officially ended the war. The terms of the Treaty included Germany's acceptance of blame for the war, reparation payments by Germany, the loss of territory, controlled army matters, and the League of Nations which derived from US Preident Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points. The reaction by many Germans was very negative. Protests arose, for they felt the terms were too harsh. They lost land, money, and resources, and their pride was at an all-time low. -
The Rise of Hitler
Adof Hitler began his rise to power when he joined the German Workers' Party( A.K.A Nazi Party). He did not agree with America's terms laid out in the Treaty of Versailles, nor did he accept the Weimar Republic as a proper form of govenment. He was one of the most influential speakers in the party. He became more popular when he wrote his book titled Mein Kampf. Hitler participated in many public speeches and protests, and he would soon become the reason for a second world war. -
The Dawes Plan and The Young Plan
These two plans were issued by the US. The idea behind the Dawes Plan was that the reparation payments Germany had to make each year would be decresed. However, as Germany's economy grew, the payments would increase. The Young Plan called for a total reduction on the payments. Any troops who occupied Germany would be forced to leave. Both plans eased tension for the Weimar Republic by reducing hyperinflation and restoring a sense a safety amongst the German population. -
The Great Depression
The first, and most important cause of the Great Depression, was the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Stockholders unfortunately lost over $40 billion. Another reason was bank failure. Many banks were not insured; therefore, when the banks went bankrupt, people lost whatever savings they had. Futhermore, people cut back on spending. Since they were losing money, they did not want to go out to stores and make purchases. As a result, businesses were forced to lay off workers or shut down.
