Timeline of Immediate Causes
1914
o
Sarajevo, June 28: Gavrilo Princip
assassinates Austrian Archduke
Ferdinand
o
Vienna, July 23: Austria issue
ultimatum to Serbia and invades (26th)
o
St. Petersburg, July 31: Russia
mobilizes against Austria
o
Berlin, August 1: Germany declares
war on Russia
o
Berlin, August 3: Germany declares
war on France and invades Belgium
o
London, August 4: Great Britain
declares war on Germany
Underlying Causes of WWI
- Militarism
- Alliances
- Imperialism
- Nationalism
POLICY OF NEUTRALITY
• Pres. Wilson
• Encourages “impartial in thought as well as deed”
• Struggles with being neutral
• Ethnic divisions
•
•
German and Irish immigrants support Germany
Other ethnicities sympathize with Britain
• Economic ties
•
•
Trade with Britain extremely important
War orders from Britain and France lead to economic boom
The War Debate
• Preparedness vs. Pacifist
• Preparedness
•
•
National Defense Act (June, 1916)
Construction of 50 New Warships
• Pacifists
•
Populists, Progressives, and Socialists
•
W.J. Bryan, Jane Addams, Jeannette
Rankin
• Election of 1916
•
Wilson “Kept us out of war.”
• Peace Efforts
•
•
Attempts at mediation rebuffed
January, 1917: “peace without victory”
A NEW WORLD ORDER
• Wilson’s
justification for war
• Congressional
Address 1917
•
Presents a plan
for postwar order,
The League of
Nations.
•
•
Maintain
peace
Allows self
determination
for all nations
U.S. Enters the War
• Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
•
•
German announcement (January 31, 1917)
U.S. breaks diplomatic ties
• Immediate Causes
•
Zimmerman Telegram (March 1, 1917)
•
•
•
•
Germany wants Mexico to fight the U.S.
Promises to give Mexico back land lost previously
Russian Revolution (March 15)
Renewed Submarine Attacks
•
Unarmed American merchant vessels sunk
• Declaration of War
•
April 2, 1917