American History II Honors - Imperialism and the Great War |
Causes of World War I
Overview
Causes of World War I
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Key People, Events, and Objectives
- Kaiser William II was the ruler of Germany -- a strong nation -- and formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary.
- Archduke Francis Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown; on June 28, 1914, while they were visiting Bosnia, he and his wife were assassinated by Bosnian conspirators who thought he was a tyrant.
- President Woodrow Wilson was an internationalist -- advocating world peace. However, even he realized that the war was inevitable, and the United States must join it in order to establish world peace.
- On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat sank the Lusitania -- a British passenger ship -- killing 1,200 passengers, some of whom were Americans. The Germans contended that the ship was carrying contraband; however, Americans did not, viewing it as a violation of international law. This was one of the events that led to the United States' entry into the war.
- In January 1917, Britain intercepted the Zimmerman Note -- a telegram sent from Germany to Mexico proposing that if the United States should declare war on Germany, then Mexico should declare war on the United States, and in return, if Germany should win the war, it would return to Mexico the territory that it had lost the United States. America was shocked by the telegram.
- On April 6, 1917, Congress declared war on Germany, thus entering the war.
Legislation
- The Sussex Pledge was the promise that Germany would not sink any more unarmed ships; the pledge was ephemeral, for soon Germany resumes its unrestricted submarine warfare.
- The National Defense Act was an act passed to prepare for the United States in case of its entry into the war. The act augmented the size of the navy.
- The Naval Construction Act was also passed to prepare for war; it ordered the building of more warships.
- In response to the Zimmerman Note, Congress declares war on Germany on April 6, 1917, thus ending Wilson's neutrality.
Impact/Significance
Then - Many believed that the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand would only be a mild conflict that could be resolved between the two nations involved -- Austria-Hungary and Serbia. However, the events sparked a world war so great that it was referred to as the Great War. The war tested the United States' neutrality; each event added fuel to the flame. Finally, the Zimmerman Note was the last straw; the United States entered the war. It's entry into the war would tip the stalemate between the Allies and the Central Powers. With the United States' entry into the war, the Allies were ensured a victory against the Central Powers.
Now - Today, the causes of World War I -- the Great War -- remind one that there is always a possibility for a devastating world war. The ingredients for such a war -- militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism -- can be found all over the world, and it takes only one event to spark a war. A modern example of a pugnacious nation is North Korea; the nation's culture greatly differs from that of the United States, and as a result, there exists much tension between the two nations. Therefore, it is important to study history in order to understand the events that lead to global conflicts and preclude them.
Now - Today, the causes of World War I -- the Great War -- remind one that there is always a possibility for a devastating world war. The ingredients for such a war -- militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism -- can be found all over the world, and it takes only one event to spark a war. A modern example of a pugnacious nation is North Korea; the nation's culture greatly differs from that of the United States, and as a result, there exists much tension between the two nations. Therefore, it is important to study history in order to understand the events that lead to global conflicts and preclude them.