Causes of WWI and America's Entry

1. The U.S. Enters
World War I
Ch.14 Sec.1

2. The War to End All Wars…
• World War I
– 1914-1918
– 1st time the U.S. intervened in foreign affairs
– Destroyed 2 major empires and created many new
countries
– Changed how people viewed war
– Introduced many new weapons & technologies
– Results helped pave way for Hitler, Mussolini, and
Stalin to come to power
– Created the poo mess in the Middle East today

3. The Outbreak of WWI
• Causes of WWI
– Militarism –Building up one’s military to prepare
for war (Russia)
– Alliances - Countries began signing alliances w/
other countries to protect themselves (France)
– Imperialism –Trying to expand your empire by
force (Germany, Austria-Hungary)
– Nationalism- Pride in your own country and being
ready to defend it (Everyone)
– Self-Determination – People of a nation should be
able to rule themselves independently (Serbians)

4. The Alliance System (Pre-War)
• Triple Alliance • Triple Entente
Germany Russia
Italy Great Britain
Austria-Hungary France
Serbia

5. The Balkans

6. The Balkan Crisis
• The Balkans
– Region controlled by Austria-Hungary
– Cultures included the Croats, Serbs,
Bosnians, and Slovenes
– These groups wanted independence
– Serbia was the most motivated of these
groups
– Austria-Hungary refused to acknowledge
them as a country

7. A Continent Goes to War…
• Franz Ferdinand
– Heir to the throne of
Austria-Hungary
– Visited the Balkans to win
more support
– Killed by a Serbian terrorist
group (The Black Hand)
– Austria-Hungary declared
war on Serbia

8. War Begins…
• Allies • Central Powers
France Austria-Hungary
Russia Ottoman Empire
Great Britain Germany
Italy Bulgaria

9. American Neutrality
• Woodrow Wilson
– US should spread democracy and fight against
imperialism (moral obligation)
– Had sent US troops to help overthrow regimes in
Mexico, D.R., Haiti & Nicaragua
– Wanted to help the Allies immediately, but knew
he would need a reason to get America involved
– America remained neutral for the first year of the
war
– Convinced Congress to sell weapons to the Allies

10. America Joins the War
• America Joins WWI –
– U-boats were sinking American vessels
– Lusitania Sinking (Cruise ship carrying Americans
was sunk by Germany
– Zimmerman Telegram (Supposed telegram
proposing a German/Mexican alliance)

11. Section Quiz
• List the five main causes of WWI (M.A.I.N.S.)
• What was the event that sparked the
beginning of WWI?
• List two reasons why the United States
entered WWI