Download The U.S. Enters World War I

In 1900 Europe was dominated by Germany,
France, Great Britain, Russia, and Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary’s
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, and his
wife, Sophie, are
assassinated
The Archduke and his wife
were killed by Serbian
nationalist Gavrilo Princip
while visiting Sarajevo.
Austria-Hungary declares
war on Serbia
Three of the four biggest belligerents in that horrible episode were
lead by three men who had the same grandmother. They were
Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire, Czar Nicholas II of the
Russian Empire and King George V of the United Kingdom.
Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, Russia (Later Italy)
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey (Ottoman
Empire) Italy (Switched Sides)
U.S. NEUTRALITY
• In 1914 – President Woodrow Wilson
announced a policy of neutrality – refusing to
take sides in the war.
• Trade was booming because the U.S. sold
food, arms, and other supplies to the Allies.
• President Woodrow Wilson ran reelection in
1916 on the platform “He Kept Us Out of War”
Zimmerman Telegram
German foreign minister told
the German Ambassador to
Mexico to get Mexico to join
Germany’s side in the War. In
exchange Germany would help
Mexico gain Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona.
o Passenger ship
Lusitania is
sunk by a
German
submarine.
o 120+ Americans
were killed.
Sussex Pledge
A promise made in 1916 during World War I by Germany
to the United States
Passenger ships would not be targeted;
Merchant ships would not be sunk until the presence of
weapons had been established, if necessary by a
search of the ship;
Merchant ships would not be sunk without provision for
the safety of passengers and crew.
In 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine.
The Sussex pledge was rescinded in January 1917,
United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917.