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The First World War
1914-1918
Virginia & United States History
Causes of the War
 Historians have traditionally cited four longterm causes of the First World War
 MILITARISM – The growth of nationalism and
imperialism led to increased military spending
 ALLIANCE SYSTEM – By 1907 Europe was
divided into two armed camps
 IMPERIALISM – Economic and political control
over weaker nations
 NATIONALISM – a devotion to the interests and
culture of one’s nation
Nationalism
 Often nationalism led
to rivalries and conflicts
between nations.
Additionally, various
ethnic groups resented
domination by others
and wanted
independence. Finally,
Russia and AustriaHungary disagreed over
the treatment of Serbs
in central Europe.
Germany was allied with AustriaHungary while Russia, France and
Britain were partners
Imperialism
 For many centuries,
European nations built
empires. Colonies
supplied raw materials
and provided markets
for manufactured
goods. As Germany
industrialized, she
competed with other
nations and colonies
made her more
competitive.
Militarism
 Empires had to be defended and
European nations increased
military spending enormously in
the late 19th and early 20th
century.
 By 1890 the strongest nation
militarily in Europe was Germany
 Germany had a strong army and
built up a navy to rival England’s
fleet.
 France, Italy, Japan and the
United States quickly joined in the
naval buildup.
Battleships were being stockpiled by European nations,
Japan, and America in the late 19th and early 20th century
Alliance System
TRIPLE ENTENTE
FRANCE
BRITAIN
RUSSIA
 By 1907 there were two
major defense alliances in
Europe
 The Triple Entente, later
known as the Allies,
consisted of France, Britain,
and Russia
 The Triple Alliance, later
known as the Central
Powers, consisted of
Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and Italy (Soon joined by
the Ottoman Empire
The Spark: An Assassination
 Finally, in June of 1914,
Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
heir to the Austrian throne
was gunned down by a
Serbia radical igniting a
diplomatic crisis.
 This act would lead to war
between Germany and
Austria-Hungary and Britain,
France, and Russia
Remaining Neutral
 For the first 3 years of the war, the United States
was able to stay neutral.
 During the war, Germany began to violate
submarine warfare rules of engagement – this
angered the US
 In 1915, the German U-boats fired on the British
Lusitania – killing 128 Americans
 US makes Germany agree to warn ships before
firing on them, known as the Sussex Pledge
The Zimmerman Telegram
 Following the Sussex
Pledge, British intelligence
intercepted a telegram
between Germany &
Mexico
 In the telegram, Germany
promised Mexico it would
reward them with
American land in the
Southwest if they would
declare war on the US
Preparing for War
 During the time of the Zimmerman
telegram, the Allied forces were suffering
great casualties
 The US wanted to “make the world safe
for democracy”, which would mean fighting
against the Germans
 In March of 1917, Germany sank 3 US
ships – and finally the US was ready for
war
The US at War
 At first, the US sent mostly
supplies to Allied Forces.
 It was soon realized, however,
that a large army would be
needed.
 The draft was reinstated, giving
America the number of men it
needed for the War
 With the US’s army and war
materials, the Allies were able
to win the war
Wilson Fights for Peace
 As the war was wrapping up,
Wilson was trying to create a plan
that would maintain peace in the
future. Wilson’s plan was called
the “Fourteen points” and included:
 No secret treaties
 Freedom of the Seas
 More free trade
 Reduction of arms
 Less colonialism
 A League of Nations to promote
peace through collective
security.
Wilson’s 14 points in his own short
hand
League of Nations
 The League of Nations would be an organization in
which the nations of the world would join together to
ensure security & peace for all its members.
 This league pledged to support one another in the case
that a member country was attacked
 US Congress was fearful that this agreement could be
used to drag the United States into war. They also
disagreed with the idea of decisions regarding the United
States being made by an international organization.
 Because of these concerns, Congress rejected our
entrance into this group
Treaty of Versailles
 The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I,
requiring the following actions:
 Germany would have to admit guilt in causing the
war
 Germany would have to supply reparations, or
payments to cover the cost of the war
 Germany’s army and navy would be significantly
reduced
 National boundaries would be redrawn, returning
land to some nations and creating several new
nations