 MAIN Causes of WWI
1. Militarism – the aggressive buildup of a nations armed forces.
2. Alliances – nations formed
partnerships to help protect and
defend themselves.
3. Imperialism – stronger nations
began to take over weaker
nations.
4. Nationalism – everybody thought
their nation was the best.
The First World War:
What?
•War involving nearly all the nations of the
world
When?
•1914-1918
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The First World War:
Why?
Long term -
1. Alliance system
2. Imperialist
Competition
3. Stockpiling of
Weapons
Austria - Franz Ferdinand & daughter of Leopold Salvator. Upper right:
Cardinal Nagle
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Short term Assassination of
Franz Ferdinand of
the AustroHungarian Empire
Alliances Form
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and Italy formed it in 1882, but Italy left the
Alliance in WWI.
Triple Entente: France, Russia, and Britain
formed it to counter the Triple Alliance.
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Triple Alliance
Central Powers
Triple Entente
Allies
The First World War:
Who?
Central Powers:
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
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Allies:
Russia
France
Great Britain
Italy
Japan
United States
(1917)
Why did it take so long for
America to get involved in the
war?
•America was isolationist
“Why should I get involved in someone else’s
problems”
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Ask yourself:
•Is isolationism really an option for a
country as powerful as the United States?
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Which side should the US pick?
Central Powers:
Allies:
•11 million GermanAmericans
•Irish-Americans
hated Great Britain
•Close cultural ties
•Shared
transatlantic cables
(so censored
stories)
•Big business
loaned much $ to
allies
US Exports to both sides:
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Nations
Britain
France
Germany
1914
1915
1916
$594,271,863 $911,794,954 $1,526,685,102
$159,818,924 $364,397,170 $628,851,988
$344,794,276 $28,863,354
$288,899
What did it take to get the US
involved?
1. Blockades
•Britain blockaded (stopped) all German ships
going to America
•Germany announced a submarine war around
Britain
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
1. Blockades
•In May, 1915 Germany told Americans to stay
off of British ships
•They could/would sink them
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
1. Blockades
•Lusitania torpedoed,
sinking with 1200
passengers and crew
(including 128
Americans)
•Was eventually found
to be carrying 4200
cases of ammunition
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
1. Blockades
•The US sharply criticized Germany for their
action
•Germany agreed not to sink passenger ships
without warning in the future
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
2. Unlimited Submarine Warfare
•1917 Germany announced “unlimited submarine
warfare” in the war zone
Why? Otherwise their blockade would not be
successful
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
3. Zimmerman Note
•US intercepted a note from Germany to
Mexico
•It promised Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona
back in return for an alliance
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What did it take to get the US
involved?
•Zimmerman Note and the sinking of 4
unarmed American ships led to a declaration
of war
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SUMMARY OF CAUSES:
http://www.history.com/topics/world-wari/world-war-i-history/videos/causes-of-worldwar-i
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Examine the issue:
•Should we tell the story of WWI with
Germany as the “bad guy”? Explain.
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How was the war looking for the allies?
Not Good...
•Trench Warfare caused
the war to drag on with
massive casualties.
•Russia left the war
after its communist
Bolshevik revolution in
1917
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•Made it a one front
war for Germany - all
its troops could
concentrate on
France
Convincing the American People
Posters - Gee!!
•How do you think this
poster helped to
convince the American
people that the war
was a good idea?
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Convincing the American People
Committee on Public
Information
• Created posters,
movies, and other
propaganda to
portray the war effort
as a cause worth
supporting
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• Sold Liberty Bonds
to citizens; raised
$70 billion for war.
Convincing the American People
Idealism: 2 Goals For War:
1. War to End All Wars
2. Making the World Safe for Democracy
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What did the US do to help?
Supplies:
•US provided the food, money, and fresh
troops needed to win the war
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Life in America during the war:
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•
Food and fuel was rationed
•
“Victory Gardens” = grow
your own food
•
Factories produced
supplies for the war instead
of consumer goods
•
National War Labor Board
worked to prevent strikes
that could hurt war effort =
gave workers 8 hour work
day and higher wages
How did the War Affect the US?
Women
•Women filled factory jobs
•May have led 19th Amendment after the
war (Gave women the right to vote)
African Americans
•Black soldiers still served in Segregated
Units
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•“Great Migration” - thousands of African
Americans moved North to work in
factories
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“Harlem Hellfighters”
On the front lines for 6 months, longer than any
other American unit during the war
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The Draft
Selective Service Act drafted 2.8 million men
into WWI. Half of our army was conscripted.
Some people refused to go against their will.
They were prosecuted under the Espionage
Act.
Others spoke out against the draft and the
war. They were prosecuted under the Sedition
Act.
Over 1,000 people jailed under these acts.
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How did the War Affect the US?
Enforcing Loyalty
•Hatred of all things German
•Ex. “Liberty Cabbage”
•Espionage Act 1917 & Sedition Act of
1918 punished those against the war
(many labor leaders)
•Schenck v. US (1919) = free speech not
protected during wartime if it poses a
“clear and present danger”
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Convincing the American People
Idealism: Fourteen Points
What? President
Wilson’s Plan for
after the war
•Fourteen
promises, including
freedom of the
seas & a League of
Nations to work for
peace
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President Woodrow Wilson