WWI

WWI Begins

• At the start of Wilson declared that the US would be neutral during the war

• Because of trade neutrality was a hard thing to keep, and the Allied Powers soon benefited from US resources

• Soon Germany began to attack ships traveling between Europe and North America, with their new invention the submarine

• Most Americans saw the sinking of civilian merchant ships as an outrage and a violation of the rules of war

• May 7, 1915 a German U-Boat sank the Lusitania killing 128 Americans, which prompted protests in the US, which caused Germany to change its tactics

• January 1917 Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare and Wilson broke off diplomacy with Germany

• February the British government reveled through the Zimmerman Telegram that Germany was trying to get Mexico to attack the US, in exchange for the former Mexican territory

• End of 1917 Wilson asked congress to declare war on Germany, thus beginning WWI for the United States

WWI Battles

• In 1917 the Selective Service Act was formed which instituted the draft

• 2 million men would serve in the American Expeditionary Force, under the command of Gen. John J. Pershing

• Most of the AEF would see combat on the Western Front

• Most of the AEF that were sent over were untrained and made little contributions to the war effort.

• In 1918 the stalemate that had taken place since 1914 was over when Germany was freed from fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front

• In September of 1918 the AEF took on two major offensives to drive the Germans back.

• AEF declared victory in October after breaking through the Germany line

• By the end of 1919 Germany was forced to sign the peace armistices

• American causalities were over 320,00o and more than 112,000 killed

WWI Ends

• Paris Peace Conference 1919 brought the UK, France, Italy, and US together to decided the fate of Europe

• Purpose of the conference: negotiate a peace treaty with Germany and to draw boundaries for new countries

• The Treaty of Versailles was signed June 28, 1919 ending WWI

• Versailles included President Wilson’s provisions to establish the League of Nations (early form of the United Nations)

• The end of World War I saw the rise of several newly formed nations within Europe; including Poland

The Treaty of Versailles

The Punishment for Germany

• Germany had to accept total blame for the war

• Germany had to pay war reparations ($300 Billion)

• Germany downsized army and gave up their navy

• Germany gave up their colonial holdings, which were divided up amongst the allies.

Other Territorial Changes

• Austria-Hungary divided up into four separate nations

• Five other independent nations were established out of parts of Germany

An International Organization Established

• The League of Nations & World Court are formed

• The League were suppose to work together to stop international aggression

• The World Court was set up to mediate disputes between countries.

Issues not Covered by the Treaty of Versailles

• US President Wilson wanted open negotiations and elimination of secret treaties

• No mention of the rights of neutrals at sea or freedom of the seas

• Free trade was largely ignored and tariffs left enacted

• No other country was ordered to reduce their army or armaments except for Germany