You know 2/6

-WWI started on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo Bosnia when Bosnian Nationalist Assasinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir of the Austia-Hungarian throne. Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia.

-Treaties divided Europe into 2 camps

- Germany, Austeria-Hungary, and Italy- triple alliance- promised to come to each others aid if attacked

-Italy opted out, but was replaced by the Ottoman Empire.

-Triple Entente of Britian, France, and Russia

-Russia was bound to defend Serbia against Austria-Hungary

-Russia mobilized to go to Serbia's Aid. Germany protected Austria-Hungary from Russia. Germany struck at Russias ally France. Britian declared war of Germany.

-Victory was not quick.

-President wanted to avoid the "European War"

-Proclaimed neutrality, traded with both sides.

-Being neutral wasn't easy. America leaned toward Britian over Germany. U.S. had strong trading ties with Britian and France.

-Britian and France turned to U.S. for food, clothing, and weapons. U.S. bankers lended loans to Britian and France.

- The U.S. compromised it's neutrality by failing to protect its right to trade with Germany.

-Germany responded to naval blockade with a new weapon- the U-boat, or the Submarine. Early in the 1915 Germany announced its intent to use its submarine to sink enemy ships on sight if they were enroute to Britian.

-May 7, 1915 Britian passenger Liner, Lusitanie was sunk, killing 1,198 men, women, and childrean. 128 of them were U.S. citizens.

-It was without warning

-Germany allenged that the Lusitania was carrying ammunition to Britian. TRUE.

-Germany warned the U.S. not to travel on British ships carrying weapons, but they still did.

-Rather that denoucing both Germanys use of U-boats and Britians blockades, Wilson denouces the sinking and demanded that Germany never to launch another attack on the citizens of neutral nations.

-Brief lull in u-boat activity. In early 1916, the allys began arming merchant ships with guns and depth charges.

-Germany responded with renewed u-boat attacks.

-Germany sunk the Sussex, a French Ship, with heavy loss of life, including Americans.

-Germany relented when Wilson threatened to break diplomatic relations.

-In the Sussex Pledge, Germany promised to stop sinking merchant vessels without warning.

-But Insisted that the U.S. prevail upon Britian to let neutral ships through the blockade to enter German Ports.

-Wilson made a peace initiative in Jan. 1916 in the House- Grey memorandium Britian agreed to ask the U.S. to negotiate a settlement of war.

-Britian dropped out of the agreement when Wilson made it clear that he wanted an open, impartial peace- not one that favored the British.

-Peace initiatice and an American negotiator role would keep the U.S. out of the War.

-In 1916 President Wilson won the re-election on the slogan "He Kept us out of War."

- Germany decided in 1917 to throw its full might at France and Britian. Germany could do this because of the collapse of Russia on the Eastern Front.

-Germany announced the resumption of unrestricted submarines warfare on Jan 31, 1917.

-Feb. 1, the U.S. broke diplomatic relations with Germany but continued to search for a negotiated settlement until the sensational Zimmerman Telegram, or note was made public.

-The Zimmerman Telegram intercepted by Britian and passed to the U.S. instructed the German minister in Mexico asked ther Mexican Government to attack the U.S. in the event that the U.S. went to war with Germany.

-Germany also said they would reward Mexico financially.

-April 2, asked Congress for a Declaration of War in order to make the world safe for democracy. Congress declared war on April 6, 1917.

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Russia

-Tzar Nicholas was overthrown and and interim liberal democratic government established.

-In Nov, the Bolshevic Revolution brough Lenin to Power.

-Lenin pulled Russia out of the war.

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-Jan 1918, Wilson revealed his 14 points- A plan for post-war peace

-Germany launched its offensive in March and April, just as fresh American troops arrived in France. The German offensive soon ground to a halt.

-Armistice was declared Nov. 11, 1918.