Download Trouble in the Seas - Field Local Schools

Bellringer April 6, 2015
• What was your group’s question(s) from
Chapter 12, Section 4?
Write these on your Bellringer sheets
We will take time to discuss one or two of
them today
Trouble in the Seas
What led to U.S. involvement in
WWI?
International Law
• No neutral/passenger
ship can be attacked
without warning or
just cause.
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
• Used by the
Germans
• Attack any and
every ship traveling
in the waters near
Great Britain
• How?
German U-Boats
• Submarines which
were first used to
attack British naval
ships
• Later used to attack
anything delivering
goods to Great
Britain
Lusitania
• British luxury ocean
liner which set sail in
May of 1915.
• Sunk by the Germans
using unrestricted
submarine warfare
(u.s.w.)
• 1,200 die
• 128 victims are
American
• Would you go??
• The Lusitania was
secretly loaded with
war supplies.
• Passengers had no
idea of supplies on
board.
Result of Attack
• President Woodrow
Wilson warns Germany
to stop unlawful attacks.
• Germans back off!!
• Germans realize they
cannot defeat the British
without u.s.w. and
continue attacks.
The Final Straw
• Zimmerman Note
• Telegram sent to Mexico urging
them to attack the U.S.
• Germans vow to support Mexico
and help them reclaim the land of
Texas, Arizona and New Mexico
• British intercept telegram by
breaking the code, tell U.S. of
Germany’s intentions.
RFQ’s
• 1. Why did the United States enter the
war?
• Germany attacked the Lusitania and other
ships, this killed many Americans.
• German leaders tried to push Mexico into
attacking the United States.
• Many Americans felt strong ties to Great
Britain.
RFQ’s
• How did President Wilson feel about
American involvement in the war in 1916?
• He felt that the United States should stay
out of the affairs of other nations.
RFQ’s
• How did Germany’s policy on submarine
warfare change?
• They began with unrestricted attacks, but
fearing U.S. entry into war agreed to stop
attacking passenger ships.
• Finally, Germans return to unrestricted
submarine warfare.