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Woodrow Wilson serves as President
Wilson originally advocated for the US staying out of war. In fact his slogan for his second term was, "he kept us out of war." Although after the sinking of US ships by German U-boats and the Zimmerman Telegram, it seemed as if the US could not stay out of war. Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany, stating, "the world must be made safe for democracy." Wilson was involved in the creation of the Treaty of Versailles and advocated for the creation of the League of Nations. -
Causes
Militarism: countries built up their military (global arms race). An increase in military force increased military influence in public policy.
Alliances: caused countries that would otherwise not be involved in conflicts to be obligated to come of the defense of their allies.
Imperialism: the increase in competition and desire for greater power increased tensions between countries and set the stage for confrontation.
Nationalism: countries tried to prove their dominance and power. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, of Austria-Hungary are assassinated by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip. Princip was part of a Serbian terrorist group, the black hand. The government of Austria-Hungary believes Serbia to be responsible. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
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Germany declares war on Russia
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Germany declares war on France
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Britain declares war on Germany
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Period: to
First battle of the Marne
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Turkey enters war on side of Germany
Ismail Enver Pasha - dictator of Turkey -
Lusitania sunk by German U-boat
1,100 crew members and passengers died, including 120 Americans, when the british ocean-liner was torpedoed. Helped turn the American public's opinion against Germany. Although the British denied any war munitions were onboard, it was later found to be carrying 173 tons of war munitions. -
Italy declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary
Paolo Boselli - Prime Minister of Italy -
Execution of Nurse Edith Cavell
The cartoon shows a dead nurse being thrown to the swine - German soldiers as shown by their monocles and pointed helmets. Nurse Edith was tried, executed, and convicted for spying although there was little evidence and the American government protested. Many felt that the execution of the nurse was the epitome of German barbary, and cartoonists seized the chance to exploit her story for propaganda uses. -
Zimmerman Telegram Published
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=60&page=transcript
"We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona." -
Kaiser Wilhelm's New Role
Shows Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany in his first appearance in his new role (a clown) in the great Mexican extrava-Carranza. Satirizes German's proposition to Mexico, the Zimmerman Note. -
USA declares war on Germany
United States declares war on Germany after the United States finds out about the Zimmerman note. -
Armistice between Germany and Russia signed
Agreement between Germany and Russia to stop fighting to discuss efforts to end the war. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed
signed between Germany and Russia after the armistice -
Second Battle of the Marne and fall of German Army
The German Army is starting to collapse -
Germany asks Allies for armistice
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Germany and USA sign armistice
Official end date of the First World War. This is known to us as Armistice Day or Veterans Day. -
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Primary Source for the Great War
http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/comment/Clarke/Clarke00TC.htm talks about women in World War I -
Propaganda from World War I
This poster from the United States shows a military hat with the words, "If this hat fits you, join the army." This hat would fit everybody, so the poster is trying to convince any American into joining the army and contributing to America's side of the war. -
Effects
Political: Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, rise of Fascism in Italy. Women gained the right to vote in many countries.
Economic: US emerged as a global economic power and was in the midst of a manufacturing boom caused by practices used in wartime production. Germany was reduced to severe debt because it had to take blame for the war and pay reparations to other countries.
Technological: development of modern warfare - tanks, submarines, airplanes (bombs), machine guns, and poison gas.
