Transcript Causes of World War I and Reasons for United States Entry into the

Writing Prompt
 The start of World War One began YEARS
before 1914. In your readings, you have learned
many reasons for the cause of the war.
 What can we learn today from the mistakes of
the leaders in 1914? How can we ensure our
leaders look at all information available before
they make a decision?
Terms
 militarism: The idea that a nation should
build up its military forces and use them to
achieve the nation’s goals.
 nationalism: Strong feeling of pride in and
loyalty toward one’s country; the belief that
the independence and interests of one’s
country should come first; the reluctance to
work with other nations toward a common
goal.
Terms

Alliance: An agreement by two or more
nations to act together, especially in time
of war.
 Diplomacy: The way nations
communicate with each other-how they
make agreements (international
relations).
Causes of World War One
CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I
Long-Term Causes
Short-Term Causes
Nationalism
Militarism
Alliances
In the late 1800s and
early 1900s, certain
European ethnic groups
were devoted to the
interests of their own
nations (e.g., Germany,
Italy).
In order to protect
colonies, European
nations increased
their military
strength.
As nations
increased the size
of their military,
they formed
alliances such as
the following to
protect themselves:
Competition for
colonies increased
among European
countries.
Many ethnic minorities
desired independence
(e.g., Czechs, Slovaks,
Poles, Croats, Serbs).
Britain &
Germany built a
large navy, and
Germany and
Russia increased
the size of their
armies.
Assassination of Archduke
Ferdinand
--Archduke of Austria was
assassinated by a Serbian terrorist
group, the Black Hand, on June
28, 1914.
--Serbs thought that they might
come under control of AustriaHungary.
--Austria-Hungary sent demands
Triple Alliance
to the Serbian government. Serbia
(Austria-Hungary, rejected the demands. With the
Germany, & Italy) help of Germany, AustriaHungary declared war on Serbia, Triple Entente
-Germany declared war on Russia
(France, Great
(ally of Serbia), and Great Britain
Britain, and
declared war on Germany.
Russia)
Diplomacy in Europe
1870-1914
 Germany became a nation in 1871.
 Used to be over 50 small city-states and
small kingdoms
 Unified by Otto Von Bismarck
 Germany used diplomacy to isolate France.
 Caused United Kingdom to be suspicious because
Germany wanted to build a large navy to compete
with England
German Naval Expansion
Called the “Tirpitz Plan”
 strengthen the Imperial Navy
 Started as a small coastal fleet
 Creating the German High Seas Fleet
 fleet with global capabilities.
 This made the United Kingdom afraid Germany
would attack her trade fleet.
Naval Strength 1870
Naval Strength - 1914
Dreadnaught
Battle Cruiser
Cruiser
Destroyer
Submarine/U-Boat
Imperialism - Africa
 The European powers needed to
find ways to test their new
weapons.
 Major Powers did not want to fight
a war against each other.
 They fought in the colonies-small
battles with natives.
 They learned how effective their
weapons really were

Example: Machine Guns – killed
15,000 Zulu warriors over 7 days!
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/africa.cfm
Imperialism - Africa
Imperialism - Asia
 Asia was also colonized by a number of European
countries: Britain, the Netherlands, France, Germany,
and Russia.
 In 1757, Britain began colonizing India;
 By the mid-1880s, the British also had control of
Singapore, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, and North
Borneo.
 The British brought educational reform and
technological advances to these colonies, which
eventually led to the colonies’ independence.
Imperialism - Asia
 What does this
cartoon say
about China?
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/africa.cfm
Imperialism - Asia
Imperialism and Militarism
Set the Stage….
 The United Kingdom
 Each nation thought it
was the world
superpower then, just as
the United States is the
superpower today.
 No one really wanted a
war, but the treaties the
European powers had
signed was supposed to
avoid war.
knew what the others
would do.
 This caused the
European Powers to
believe war would not
come, because the
“other guys” would
back down from the
conflict.
 NONE DID!
Who Was On What Side
 Major Allied Powers:
 Central Powers:
 British Empire
 German Empire
 France
 Austro-Hungarian Empire
 Russia
 Quit in 1917
 Had a revolution
 The United States
 Joined in 1917
 Bulgaria
 Ottoman Empire
Pictures of War….
1914 to 1917 – Trench Warfare!
 Not too much movement in Trenches
 Massive deaths to gain several hundred FEET!
The War Began….
 Germany Attacked using the Schlieffen Plan.
At the Start….
 The fighting went swiftly
 Germans attacking through Belgium
 Open-country fighting
 French and British troops falling back quickly
It All Changed…..At the MARNE!
 French, and British troops were in full
retreat.
 Reinforcements sent from Paris in TAXIS!
 The Allied Armies stop to dig in at the
Marne River.
 1st use of trenches, would use from now on.
 bringing to an end the war of movement
 The war became a stalemate after the
Allies won the Battle of the Marne.
Trench Warfare Brought New
Technology - Aircraft
Average speed of
these planes:
75 to 125 miles
per hour
Trench Warfare Brought New
Technology - Gas
 Chemical weapons in World War I were primarily
used to demoralize, injure and kill entrenched
defenders, against whom the indiscriminate and
generally slow-moving or static nature of gas clouds
would be most effective.
Trench Warfare Brought New
Technology – Tanks!
 Aircraft could scout enemy positions, but not do much
damage.
 Gas attacks – the wind could shift the gas back onto
your troops.
 The allied created a new weapon to help break the
stalemate – the TANK!
 The tank went in first, the infantry followed the tank
over the trenches.
Trench Warfare Brought New
Technology – Tanks!
Average speed:
5 to 10 miles per hour
Trench Warfare Brought New
Technology – Machine Guns
1st massive use in war
REASONS FOR ENTRY OF THE
UNITED STATES INTO WORLD WAR I
1-The inability to remain neutral in the face of increasing threats to the
national interests of the USA.
2-The United States’ close economic and political ties to Great Britain,
which compelled the United States to support Great Britain.
The USA delayed entering the war because of the
USA’s long history of isolationism.
REASONS FOR ENTRY OF THE
UNITED STATES INTO WORLD WAR I
3-The German practice of unrestricted submarine warfare
February 1915: Germans used this strategy to prevent supplies from reaching Britain. German submarines
would attack any ships without warning—a violation of international law.
May 1915: The Lusitania left New York City for England. The German embassy warned that travelers
were taking a risk. Once the ship was close to Britain, a German U-boat (an Unterseeboot or
submarine) launched a torpedo attack, sinking the Lusitania. 128 Americans on board were killed.
President Wilson was angry but still kept the United States out of war. He was re-elected in 1916 with
the slogan, “He kept us out of war.”
4-The interception of the Zimmermann Telegram*
January 1917: The German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to Mexico asking
Mexico to become an ally of Germany. In return, it said that Germany would help Mexico win back
lands lost to the United States during the Mexican War.
April 1917: Once Americans were aware of this telegram, they were outraged. President Wilson declared
war on Germany.
The USA delayed entering the war because of the USA’s long history of isolationism.
Lusitania Sinking
The German embassy warned that
travelers were taking a risk.
Once the ship was close to Britain, a
German U-boat (an Unterseeboot or
submarine) launched a torpedo
attack, sinking the Lusitania.
The Lusitania was spotted by U20.
-The first torpedo was fired at 14.09.
1,153 passengers and crew drowned.
128 of them were Americans
Zimmerman Telegram
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/#documents
Zimmerman Telegram
 Mexico to become an ally of Germany.
 In return, it said that Germany would help Mexico
win back lands lost to the United States during the
Mexican War.
1917 -The Allies lose Russia
 Due to losses to Germany on the Eastern Front,
Russian Army collapses.
 The Royal Family takes the blame.
 Germany sends Vladimir Lenin to Russia
 Leads a communist revolution!
Lenin speaking to
crowds
1917 -The Allies lose Russia
 Russia quickly dives deep into revolution
 Several small revolutions begin in major cities, soon entire
empire is in revolt.
 After a bloody conflict, Communists make peace with
Germany.
 Germany took over
One million troops
Back to the Western
Front!
1918 – One Last Push
 The Germans made one last powerful attack.
 2nd Battle of the Marne
 At first, Germans doing VERY well! Looked like war
would be won by Germany.
 Allies threw in United States Marines and Army soldiers,
stopped the Germans, and then beat the Germans Back.
 This loss led to the collapse of the German Army
American Hero –
Alvin York
 He received the Medal of Honor for
leading an attack on a German
Machine Gun nest, his fellow
solders saying he captured 32
machine guns, killing 28 German
soldiers and capturing 132 others.
 From rural Tennessee.
 Had 9 months of schooling
11 November 1918 – 11pm…
 Germany signed Armistice, and at 11pm on 11/11/1918
the fighting stopped.
Next….Versailles!