The USA entered WWI in 1917 for several reasons: German unrestricted submarine warfare sank American merchant ships and violated free trade; the Zimmerman Telegram proposed a German alliance with Mexico against the US; and President Wilson hoped to make the world safe for democracy. When the US joined the Allies, it provided troops and supplies that helped tip the balance in their favor. The war had significant impacts on the US such as women entering the workforce, the passage of women's suffrage and prohibition, and the Great Migration of African Americans to northern cities. The Treaty of Versailles after WWI was harsh on Germany and contributed to the start of WWII.

1. How/Why did the USA get in
WW1?
Standard 15

2. Militarism
•European nations began an
arms race as they competed for
colonies around the world……

3. Alliances
•European nations began forming military
alliances with one another to maintain a
balance of power ……..
Triple Alliance Triple Entente
Central Powers Allied Powers
Germany Great Britain
Austria-Hungary Empire France
Bulgaria Russia

4. alliances1
•Austrian-Hungarian
Empire controlled
several ethnic groups.
•Serbian nationalists
wanted to unite Serbs
who lived in the
Austrian-Hungarian
Empire with Serbia.
•This led to the
assassination of the
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand.
Saravejo

6. Imperialism
•France, Great Britain, Germany and Russia
were establishing colonies in Africa and
Asia
•economic and political control over other
countries……
•these countries were in competition for
colonies

7. Cartoon-European
grab bag
European nations competing for colonies around the
world…..Imperialism

8. Nationalism
•Countries proud of their heritage
and culture
•Similar to patriotism
•Ethnic groups of similar heritage
wanted to free their oppressed
brethren and unite their people
into one country
•Germany wanted to expand its
culture and political influence
throughout Europe.

9. Outbreak of World War I
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz
Ferdinand was assassinated by members of
a Serbian terrorist group; this led to the
outbreak of WWI

10. •The Germans could not match Great
Britain's superior navy.
•Germans introduced unrestricted
submarine warfare with U-Boats
•Germans warned the world they
would sink any ship they believed was
carrying contraband to Great Britain.

11. U-Boats
•By 1918, Germans had sunk 6,500 allied
ships.
Two types
•small subs
with a crew of
24
•larger subs
with a crew of
60
•44 by 1918

12. •May 7, 1915, the Germans sunk the
Lusitania which was British passenger liner.
•Germans believed it was carrying
contraband (weapons) to the British.
•Killed 1,198 civilians including 128 Americans.
•U.S. and other countries outraged towards
Germany because of “unrestricted submarine
warfare”.
•US believed the Germans had violated
international law of targeting civilians

13. zimmerman cartoon

14. zimmerman code

15. Overview of the USA entering WWI
• When war was declared in Europe in 1914,
President Wilson declared American
neutrality; But the USA joined the war in
1917 due to:
–German unrestricted submarine warfare
& violation of free trade
–Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico
–Wilson hoped to “make the world safe
for democracy”
• The USA provided badly needed troops &
supplies to the Allies

16. When German
submarines sank
three American
merchant ships in
March 1917, Wilson
asked Congress for a
declaration of war.

17. A Bureaucratic War
• To coordinate the war effort, 5,000 new gov’t
agencies were created
– War Industries Board (WIB) oversaw all factories,
decided priorities, & fixed prices
– Food Admin supplied food to soldiers by appealing
to civilians
– Fuel Admin rationed coal & oil
– RR Admin, War Shipping Board, & War Trade Board
helped move resources to troops
Imposed “gasless” days & shut down
factories for days to divert or conserve fuel
Asked for a spirit of self-sacrifice, imposed
“meatless” & “wheatless” days & encouraged
Americans to plant “victory gardens”

18. New bureaucracies were created to mobilize America
for participation in World War 1

19. Propaganda

20. “The Flag of Liberty represents us all”
Which groups are these posters targeting?“Emotional” Wartime Propaganda

21. New, industrial weapons made this an unexpectedly
deadly war which neither side seemed able to win
Both the Allies & Central Powers used total war by
converting industrial factories to make war supplies,
drafted men to fight, used propaganda, & rationed
necessary goods in order to win

22. NEW WEAPONS
• Machine guns, repeating rifles, tanks, bi-
planes (2 wings), heavy artillery, poison gas,
submarines (U-Boats), battleships all used in
WWI, many for the first time in war

23. How did the War Affect the US?
23
Women
•Women filled factory jobs
•May have led 19th Amendment after
the war (Gave women the right to vote)
•Black soldiers still served in
Segregated Units
African Americans
•“Great Migration” - thousands of African
Americans moved North to work in factories

24. Passage of Amendments
• Due to rationing of food, the call for
prohibition grew stronger.
– 18th Amendment- Prohibition
• Women also gained the right to vote during
this time.
– 19th Amendment- Women’s suffrage

25. Black soldiers

26. The Great Migration
• Because America needed more workers,
women were able to better-paying jobs &
many Southern blacks moved north for
industrial jobs.

27. How was the war looking for
the allies?
•Russia left the war after its communist
revolution in 1917
•Made it a one front war for Germany -
all its troops could concentrate on
France
Not Good...

28. Convincing the American People
• Posters - Gee!!
•How do you think
this poster helped to
convince the
American people
that the war was a
good idea?

29. What did the US do to help?
• The U.S.
provided
the food,
money,
and fresh
troops
needed to
win the
war
American Troops March Through London
Supplies:

30. Battles and Heroes
• Battle of Argonne Forest- Last major offensive
attack by Germany, USA and France able to
hold
• Alvin York- received Medal of Honor for his
fighting at Argonne Forest
• Eddie Rickenbacker- Air Force Pilot- shot down
26 German aircraft

31. How did the War Affect the US?
31
Enforcing Loyalty
•Hatred of all things German
•Ex. “Liberty Cabbage”
•Espionage Act 1917 & Sedition
Act of 1918 punished those against
the war (many labor leaders)

32. Armistice Day
• A cease fire was called
to stop fighting on
November 11, 1918 at
11am
• This is why we celebrate
Veterans’ Day on 11.11

33. Treaty of Versailles & League of Nations
• When WWI ended, U.S. president Wilson
presented Fourteen Points
– Wanted freedom of the seas & weaker militaries
– Wanted new nations formed out of Germany &
Austria-Hungary (self determination)
– Wanted a League of Nations to solve
future problems

34. • President Wilson compromised many of his
Fourteen Points to get a treaty as long as a League
of Nations was created
• The treaty was harsh on Germany & led to the
outbreak of World War 2 in 1939
The Treaty of Versailles

35. The USA never signed the treaty or joined the League
of Nations because “strong reservationists” &
“irreconcilables” in the Senate were afraid joining the
League would pull the USA into future European wars

36. 1st World War in history
•Great War or War to End all War
•Not called WWI until after
WWII
•Total war
•Involved 60 nations and 6
continents

37. Cost of War
•$400 billion
•$10 million dollars an hour
16 million deaths
•First war of the Industrial
Revolution……
New Weapons vs old tactics of
fighting