America Goes to War

1. America Goes to War

2. Causes of the Great War • Nationalism • Imperialism • Militarism • Alliance System

3. Alliances • Triple Entente (Allies) • France • Britain • Russia • Triple Alliance • Germany • Austria-Hungary • Italy

5. Spark of The Great War • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to Austrian throne • Germany due to its alliance agreement with Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia

6. Neutrality Policy Saw no need to enter the conflict Germans had been stopped by the Allis in their first advance – did not need our help Am. Foreign policy was not to get involved in other nation’s business Against Progressive Movement Fear that entry in the war would end movement Tugged at the emotions of the millions of immigrants English supported Allis Irish supported Germany – hopes of independence German sympathized with Central Powers

7. Majority Sympathized with the Allis Bound by common language and customs with England Germany seemed the aggressor when it invaded Belgium In the end ties of heritage and course of war decided the American position

8. Submarine Warfare • German U-boats (Unterseeboot) • Designed for sneak attacks • Four stages of U-boat fighting • 1. send warning • 2. war zone is declared • 3. German backs off • 4. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare UC 44 Class U-boat: 1) Aft torpedo tubes 2) Electric motor 3) Main engine 4) Control room 5) Mine tubes 6) Forward torpedo tubes 7) Crew quarters

9. 1st stage • Sent warning to all merchant ships • Send a boarding party to check out cargo • Let the non- combatants leave ship • Sink ship

10. 2nd stage • War zone around England is declared • All ships in area at risk • Even neutral ships • Lusitania torpedoed on May 7th • Germans said it was carrying arms and explosives • Wilson demanded reparations and the promise • German agrees

11. Breaks promise and torpedoed the French Sussex • US sends new warning – if continue US will break off diplomatic relationships (sure sign of war) • Germany again agrees IF US got British to lift is hunger blockade • US reply – we cannot tell Britain what to do

12. 3rd Stage • German backs off • Did not want US involved in war

13. 4th Stage • War goes badly for Germany • The blockade hurt them • Jan 1917 announce all out U-boat attack to begin in Feb. • Sink all ships – including American merchant ships • By March four Am. Ships went down

14. Zimmermann Telegram British government gave Wilson an intercepted telegram From Arthur Zimmermann, German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico It proposed an alliance with Mexico in case of war Mexico declare war Germany help Mexico regain lost land

16. Russia Pulls out Without the nasty czar United States could fight for democracy Against the Kaiser And make the “world safe for democracy”

17. Wilson’s address to Congress “With a profound sense of the solemn and even tragic character of the step I am taking, and of the grave responsibilities involved, but in unhesitating obedience to my constitutional duty, I advise Congress to declare that the recent course of the German Government is nothing less than war against the United States, and that the United States accept the status of a belligerent which has been thrust upon it, and will take immediate steps to put the country into a thorough state of defense, and to exert all her power and resource in bringing Germany to terms, and in ending the war.” Woodrow Wilson President of the United States of America April 3rd 1917

18. Why US went to war Freedom of the Seas Make world safe for Democracy Help shape Europe after war

19. Rallying the Troops • Draft – 10 million men • The German “Hun” • Uncle Sam ** At time U.S. joins war only 200,000 men enlisted in army**