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Allies
There were 2 major defence alliances (formal agreement/union between nations) in Europe:
-Triple Entente (a.k.a the Allies): France, Britain, Russia
-Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy -
Central powers
Garmany & Austria-Hungary w/ Ottoman Empire-empire of mostly Middle Eastern islands controlled by Turks-were known as Central Powers -
1914 Assasination of Archduke Franze Ferdinand
Great War began:
-Gavrilo Princip, member of Black hand shot Archduke & his wife
-July 28, A-H declared chort was against Serbia
-Aug.1: Germany, obligated to by treaty to support A-H, declared war on Russia
-Aug. 3: Germany declared was on Russia's ally France
-Germany invaded Belgium & Britain declared war on Germany & A-H -
Schlieffen Plan
Germany invaded Belgium w/ Schlieffen Plan strategy, which called for holding action against Russia, and it combined w/ a quick drive through Belgium to Paris. After France had fallen, 2 German armies would defeat Russia. -
Sinking of British liner Lusitania
A U-boat sank off southern coast of Ireland. 1,198 people were lost, and 128 of them were Americans. Germans defended their actions on the grounds that the liner carried ammuniton. Americans were outraged because of the loss, and their opinions were turned against Germany and the Central Powers. -
Sinking of British Liner Arabic
A U-boat sank, drowning 2 Americans. The US protested, and Germany agreed to not sink any more passenger ships. -
Sinking of French Passenger Liner Sussex
Germany broke its promise and sank Sussex by torpedoeing a French passenger streamer. 80 passengers, including Americans, were injured. U.S. warned Germany that they'd break their relations unless Germany changed its tactics. Germany agreed on 1 condition-U.S. wouldn't persuade Britain to lift is blockade against food & fertilizers, Germany would consider resisting submarine warfare. -
Battle of the Somme
The 1st battle of the Somme lasted until November-final casualties=1.2 mil. This trench warfare-armies fought on yards of ground, continued for 3 years. -
Zimmerman Note
It was a telegram from the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico that was intercepted by Brit. agents. It proposed an alliance between Mexico & Germany & promised that if war/ U.S. broke, Germany would support Mexico in recovering "lost territory in Texas, New Mex, & Arizona." -
Selective Service Act
To meet gov't's need for fightinh power, Congress passed S.S.A. , which required men to register w/ gov't in order to be randomly selected for military service. By end of 1918, 24 mil. men registered, and 3 mil were called up. -
Committee on Public Information
This was the nation's first propaganda story, in which it became a biased communicatiion that would influence people's thoughts & actions. The head of the CPI was Geroge Creel, who encouraged patriotism. -
Convoy System
Admiral Sims convinced British to try the convoy system, in which a heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and forth across the Atlantic in groups. Shipping losses would be cut in half soon after. -
Espionage and Sedition Acts
Congress passed Espionage and Sedition Acts targeted people who interfered w/ the war effort or saying anything against the gov't/war effort. These laws violated the Frist Amendment, and over 2,000 prosections became an effect ot this. -
Second Battle of the Marne
U.S. threw back German attacks at Château-Thierry & Belleau Wood. In July & August, they helped win the Second Battle of the Marne. This turned against the Central Powers. -
Austria-Hungary surrenders to Allies
A-H surrendered to allies, and German soldiers revolted against the gov't authority, which spread quckly. -
Establishment of German Republic
Socialist leaders in Berline established a German republic, and the kaiser gave up his throne. -
Cease-fire & armistice
Since there were no Allied soldiers in Germany, Germans were tired of the war. On the eleventh hour of the elleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, Germany agreed to a cease-fire and signed an armistice that woud end the war. -
War Industries Board
The WIB was reorganized under the leadership under Baruch in which his encourage businesses to use mass production techniques in order to increase efficiency. -
National War Labor Board
In an attempt to stop disputes between management & kabor, POTUS Wilson estabished NLB, which improved factory conditions, promoted safety inspections, and enforced child labor ban. -
Food Administration
The Food Administration was set up under Hoover, who declared peole to follow the "gospel of the clean plate", which one meal a week would be "Meatless/sweetless/porkless". As a result of this, U.S. shipments to Allies tripled, and there was a high gov't proce on wheat.
