3. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Following this event Germany offered Austria-
Hungary a “blank check”
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
Because of alliance Russia declares war on Austria-
Hungary and Germany declares war on Russia.
Begins in August 1914
4. Players
Central Powers: Serbia, France, England, Russia.
Italy, and U.S (1917)
Triple Entente(Allied): Austria-Hungary, Germany,
Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire(Turkey)
Plans
Germany
Schlieffen Plan
5. Stalemate and Slaughter(1915)
Causalities on the Western Front:
France: 1.2 Million
Germany: 612,000
England: 279,000
In 1915 no sides gained more than three miles of
territory
Trench warfare
“over the top” Charges
6. Neutral Rights
We will engage with commerce with who ever we
want and we are NEUTRAL!
We eventually become one-sided, siding with England
7. Why we join the war
Sinking of the Lusitania
Sussex Pledge: Germany said they would not sink boats
America said that was an infraction of neutral rights
and that there should be freedom of the seas
Zimmerman Telegraph
Between Germany and Mexico telling them to attack
America
8. With America joining the war so late, what
impact could they possibly have?
Which of the two cause discussed in class do
you think had the biggest impact on America
decision to join the war?
