u.s. history WWI

• Main Causes of World War I

  • Militarism
  • Secret Alliances
  • Imperialism
  • Country Borders (ethnic diversity) - Nationalism
• Chain of Events


  1. Archduke Ferdinand and Sophie of Austria-Hungary were assassinated by Serbian mercenaries

  2. Austria Hungary demands an apology

  3. Serbia Refuses

  4. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

  5. Russia comes to the defense of Serbia

  6. Germany comes to the defense of Aust.-Hungary

  7. France comes to the aid of Russia

  8. Germany attacks France through Belgium and Luxembourg

  9. Great Britain comes to the defense of France
• Central Powers


  • Austria-Hungary
  • Germany
  • Ottoman Empire (Turkey and Bulgaria)
• Central Powers


  • Strong Militaries
  • Saw an opportunities to get more land
  • Caught in a two front war
• Allied Powers


  • Russia
  • France
  • Serbia
  • Great Britain
  • Italy
  • (U.S. later)
• Allied Powers


  • Combined forces outnumber the Central Powers
  • Economic Powers with deep treasuries
• New advances in technology and strategy that changed war

  • Technology: Machine Gun, Tanks, Planes, Chemical Weapons, Explosives
  • Strategy: Trench Warfare, Attack and Counter Attack
• United States In World War I

  1. Initial Stages: The U.S. sells goods to both sides (Allies and Central), The U.S. will not choose a side nor will they stop supporting both, The U.S. citizens are split between who is right and who is wrong

  2. Intermediate Stages: Germany sets-up a naval blockade and stops all ships from entering France or Great Britain, The U.S. stops trading with Central Powers, Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare, Germany tries to form a secret agreement with Mexico (Zimmerman Note)

  3. Final Stages: The U.S. enters WWI on the side of the Allies, Their entrance changes the war and ends the stalemate - Supplies, Troops, Money, War is ended within 1 year of full U.S. involvement
• Costs of WWI


  • Human Loss: 8 Million soldiers/sailors/pilots, 50,000 of which were U.S soldiers, 20 Million civilians died as a result of the war (disease/starvation/etc)
  • Economic Loss: European business was crippled, U.S. business had benefited early but lost later
• Homefront during WWI


  1. Building the Army: Volunteers, Wilson pushed for the Selective Service Act (DRAFT) - 2.8 million men were actually drafted into service

  2. Economy: Business shifted to war goods - Rationing of metal such as iron, tin, aluminum, & steel, Farmers grew war supplies - gov't raised prices on wheat and corn - Rationing of grains and meats, Government took control of the Railroads, Women took the place of men in the industry, Liberty Bonds sold to finance the war. (payment +interest)

  3. Propaganda: U.S. government propaganda (Patriotic Duties), Foreign countries propaganda - Central Powers painted the U.S. as bullies, Allied Powers painted the suffering of their people
• Government Sanctions


  • Draft: People never showed up, Conscientious Objectors, Some retuned home to fight for their countries
  • Dissent Among Americans: Limitations on Anti-Government & Anti-War press - Civil Liberties were violated, Espionage Act (Newspapers, Magazines, Mail), Sedition Act (Socialist, Radical, or Pacifist Groups) - Watched and Jailed
  • German-Americans: Mistreated by public, German no longer taught in schools, German books & music banned, Anti-German Movies were played
• War Opportunities


  • Women's Rights: Western states offered voting rights, Women gained leadership positions in the business world, Women joined the Red Cross and went overseas
  • African American Rights: Great Migration (South to North) - Job opportunities, More political rights, Better conditions, Afr. Am. in the military - Nearly 500,000 Afr. Am. served in the military, Segregated units, Frontline Soldiers & Sailors
  • Mexican American: America offered more opportunity, Farmers and Ranchers, Barrios (ethnic neighborhoods) formed in northern cities
• World War I Ends

  1. President Wilson's Plan: Fourteen Points - no alliances, reduced military, Self-determination, worldwide peacekeeping org., League of Nations, No Military Force to keep peace

  2. Paris Peace Treaty (Versailles): Big 4 (France, Britain, Italy, U.S.) NO GERMANY - Reparations $33 Billion, New Boundaries w/ ethnic diversity within, Germany's military reduced (20,000), League of Nations, Liberation of Colonial Empires
• World War I caused an industrial boom


  Once World War I was over industrial collapse - Unemployment (factories), Farmers (prices cut and competition), Labor Unions (strikes and competition)
• Russia and the "Red Scare"


  World War I concluded but Russian Revolution erupted - Russian Czar was overthrown, Temporary Gov't was set-up - food shortages, economic hardship, Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks Took control and set-up a Communist Government. (Union of Soviet Socialist Rep.), Civil War between the Reds and Whites - Lenin led the Red's who won, U.S., Japan, France helped the Whites
• Labor Strikes and Violence began a "Red Scare" (dock & steel workers)
• Congress began profiling and arresting so called radicals (strike leaders, etc.)
• Two Italian immigrants Sacco and Vanzetti were charged with Anti-American views (anarchists) and sentenced to death, which divided the Country