...Russia's response: Russia mobilizes after Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Germany's Response to Russia: Germany warns Russia to stop mobilizing, and Russia says mobilization is against Austria-Hungary. Germany then declares war on Russia on August 1st 1914. Germany declares war on France: Germany declares war on France, and Belgium denies the Germans permission to pass through to the French border. Germany then invades Belgium to attack France. Britain declares war on Germany: Britain protests the violation of Belgium's neutrality, and is guaranteed by a treaty. The German Chancellor says that the treaty is just a scrap of paper, and the United Kingdom declares war on Germany. Battle of Tannenberg: The Battle of Tannenberg was a right between Russia and Germany in the year 1914, and resulted in the suicide of Russian commanding General, Alexander Samsonov, and a German victory....
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...The Great War The Great War, which is more commonly called World War I began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. It was a global war centered in Europe and involved more than 70 million military personnel. There were over 9 million combatants, and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war (Keegan, 1998). It was one of the deadliest recorded military conflicts in history, and was the reason for numerous major political changes. The main event that led to the spark of World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Who was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne (Willmott, 2003). Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a friend to Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, the two met in mid-June 1914 to discuss the situation in the Balkans. Two weeks later, on June 28, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were in Sarajevo to inspect the imperial armed forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Taylor, 1998). Gavrilo Princip along with members of the nationalist Young Bosnia movement learned of the archduke’s planned visit. They decided to take action and were supplied with weapons by a Serbian terrorist organization called the Black Hand, Princip and his fellow members traveled to Sarajevo to reach there in time for the archduke’s visit. The car Ferdinand and his wife were in took a wrong turn near where Princip happened to be standing. Seeing his chance, Princip fired into the car, shooting Franz Ferdinand and Sophie at point-blank range. Ferdinand and his wife...
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...-The issue that brought the U.S into the war was Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. -On May 7, 1915, the British Cunard liner, the Lusitania, was attacked and sunk by a German submarine. 1198 civilians were killed including 124 Americans. Many more attacks on American vessels caused the Americans to declare war. -The German Foreign minister, Zimmermann, sent a secret note to the German minister in Mexico suggesting joint German-Mexican action against the United States. This became known as the ‘Zimmermann Telegram’. -On 6 April the U.S declared war on Germany. War was not declared on Austria-Hungary until 7 December 1917. -The U.S involvement had an immediate impact on morale. Allied morale jumped, and the German morale did the opposite. -At the beginning of 1917, the U.S had only a small army of about 160 000, 25 000 of whom were stationed overseas. By October 1918 it had an effective army of 4 million. More than 2 million had been transported to France and about 1.3 million were actually on the front. -Operation Michael, the first stage of Ludendorff's’ spring offensive, occurred as a result of the U.S entry and the Russian withdrawal. This operation made use of storm troopers, who used ‘secret’ tactics to infiltrate and destroy the enemy artillery. -Germany’s ultimate and inevitable defeat came as a result of the U.S entry. For Germany, it seemed that the end of the war was very near and it did not seem the end would be to their favour. -Two Revolutions...
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...Why did the United States abandon its neutrality and enter World War 1 in 1917? There were many events that slowly but surely ignited the spark for America to abandon its neutrality and enter the war such as the sinking of the Lusitania, unrestricted submarine warfare, and the Zimmerman telegram. Document 1 identifies the fact that President Wilson was firm in the belief that the United States Of America will stand as a neutral position in the war. Moreover, as for the people of America he believes that their neutrality will speak for itself. “Every many who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned”. He is trying to convince the people of America that this is the right decision and that there is no need for America to be involved in the troubles of the European nations. Document two represents the U.S Exports to Europe from 1910-1915 through a bar graph. This visual representation signifies the lack of exports being sent to the central powers such as Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1915, one year after the war begins. Exports were being sent from 1910 to 1914 to all four empires until 1915. After stating their neutrality in words, that did not seem like the case in terms of exports and maintaining their position as a neutral power. Most of the events that ignited the spark to the US’s entry started in 1915 with the sinking of the Lusitania. Document 3 emphasizes...
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...World War I began July 28, 1914, after years of escalation towards a global war. It was known as the war to end all wars. What was intended to be a short war became a world wide conflict. On one side there was the triple entente, consisting of Russia, France, and Great Britain. On the other was Germany, Austria Hungary, and Italy. The other countries involved, including the United States and the Ottoman Empire were not on a side. There were many reasons the war occurred and historians still do not agree on each cause. Amounting World War I to one sole cause would be unjust and impossible. While Germany was forced to pay reparations after the war ended, and Germany did play a role in starting the war, there are a number of other causes which...
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...the entry of the USA to the outcome of the First World War? In 1918 over 1,600,000 American troops crossed the Atlantic over to Europe to help the Allies beat the Germans at the western front. The new fresh troops were well-fed and made a big difference at some of the last battles in the First World War. Many people would argue that the entry of the US was the most important factor to the end of the war. The Allies ‘outfought’ the Germans on the western front with help of the new soldiers to end the war of attrition. However, this traditional view might not have taken many other factors into account. Other factors such as Allied tactics and technology, Germany’s internal collapse or the success of the Allied blockade could be a more important factor to the end of the war. Some people argue that Germany lost it and the allies were just the last to be there. Germany’s internal collapse was very important for the allies. The lack of food, political and economical issues produced riots on the streets. The German public had had enough of the war and the control and discipline failed. On top of this the German Keizer, Wilhelm abdicated and fled to the Netherlands. Germany was drained from all its resources because of the two front war. Germany’s allies had failed her and were relying on Germany’s money, weapons etc. Austria-Hungry was useless and the Turkish empire collapsed. Italy, Germany’s other ally at the start of the war had changed sides. This meant Germany was on her own....
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...America and World War I World War I was a world conflict lasting from 1914 to 1919 (2006). Soon after the war began Britain, France, and their allies set up a naval blockade of Germany and Austria. The Wilson Administration complained bitterly that the blockade violated international law (2010). It was not the conventional surface vessels used by Britain and France to enforce its blockade that enraged Americans, but the German submarines used. When American ships were intercepted by the British, the crew treated well. German submarines attacked without warning, and passengers had little to no chance of surviving (2010). While Wilson weighed his options regarding the submarine issue, he had to also evaluate Germany’s attempt at a secret alliance with Mexico. On January 19, 1917, British naval intelligence intercepted a telegram sent by Arthur Zimmerman, a German Foreign Minister, to the German Ambassador in Mexico City (2010). The “Zimmerman Telegram” promised the Mexican Government that Germany would help Mexico recover the territory it had lost to the United States following the Mexican-American War. In return for this assistance, the Germans asked for Mexican support in the war (2010). Initially, the British had not shared the news of the “Zimmerman Telegram” with U.S. officials. However, on February 24th, the British shared the note in hopes of persuading American officials to join the war. The British finally forwarded the intercept to Wilson. Even with this news, Wilson...
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...What Caused the United States to Enter Into World War One Taylor, Christopher John Dr. Fielder, Martha History 102: Since 1877 20 June 2015 World War One began the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie by the Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip. Another factor that caused this Great War was Austria competing with Serbia and Russia for territory and influence in Balkan’s. But if this was a war happening on the land masses of Europe and Asia, how did this effect the United States? What caused the United States to enter into World War One? The United States entered into World War One when Germany broke a pledge that was established during the war in 1916 that restricted Germany’s use of U-boats in their war effort (primarily their target selection). The German U-boat was a powerful and effective tool that Germany had at its disposal during World War One. While other nations had vast superior fleets of war ships in their navies (especially the British Royal Navy) that the Germans knew they were no match for on the surface, they would instead use their U-boats to attack these war ships from a submersed position where these other countries fleets could not effectively counter engage...
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...Download0Go BackCommentLinkEmbedReadcastTweet World War 1 On Sunday, June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, an 18-year-old Serbian named Gavrilo Princip, shot and killed Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife Duchess Sophie while they were driving in an open car. Princip belonged to a sercet terror society, called the Black Hand, that wanted to rid Bosnia of Austrian rule and unite it with Serbia. The assassination led to the first World War. This terrible conflict latsed over 4 years, involved over 30 nations, and claimed more than 20,000,000 lives, both miltary and civilian. It cost billions of dollars, destroyed Europe, crumbled empires, and sowed seeds of World War 2. There were also others causes that led up to World War 1. Over time, countries in Europe made mutual defense agreements that would pull them into battle. If one country was attacked, allied countries were bound to defend them. Before World War 1, the following alliances existed: Russia and Serbia, Germany and Austria-Hungary (The Dual Alliance 1879), France and Russia (Franco-Russian Alliance 1891), Britain and France and Belgium, and Japan and Britain. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia (July 28, 1914), Russia got involved to defend Serbia. Germany seeing Russia mobilizing, declared war on Russia (August 1, 1914). France was then drawn in against Germany and AustriaHungary (August 3, 1914). Germany attacked France through Belgium pulling Britain into war (August 4, 1914). This eventually split the continent...
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...years countries have been at war with one another over territories and making alliances. To conquer a nation meant building bigger armies, obtaining political power and access to more resources. Many factors contributed to the cause and whether or not for their involvement. In order to get a better understanding of the U.S. involvement we need to go back in time and take a look at the alliances that were made between countries during the 1800’s. During the time of growing prosperity Europe’s wealth consisted of industrial strength and world domination which created the Golden Age of European Imperialism. By the 1900s Africa, Asia and every part of every other continent was owned and controlled by the European powers. “Each country’s prosperity depended on its ability to maintain and expand its colonial empire. This created completion between the various imperial powers for control over foreign territory.” (Dannaher & Burnaby, 1999) Around 1880 European powers began seizing new colonies. During 1870 war erupted between France and Germany. Bismarck wanted to unite Germany further. During the Danish and Austro-Prussian war Bismarck successfully created the North German Confederation but still needed to convince the South German states to join. When victory was declared over France several German states united under Prussian leadership which formed the German nation. French foreign policy vowed revenge against Germany after the Franco-Prussian War. This resentment was one of...
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...The United States of America stayed out of World War One for three years, therefore why did we declare war in Germany in 1917? This war merely started out with Serbia and Austria-Hungary until the alliances of these countries and the alliances’ allies were pulled into it. Therefore why would we put ourselves in this messy war in Europe? To answer this we are going to look at three things of relative importance: German naval policy, allied propaganda, Woodrow Wilson’s idealism thoughts (who was our President at the time), American economic interests and America's claim to world power. The German naval policy enforced submarine attacks on any opponents in the war receiving import or exporting supplies, therefore preventing food and war supplies to reach Britain. Germany’s blockade against Britain caused exactly what they wanted; it caused severe shortages of food and materials, Kaiser Wilhelm, the leader of Russia and this country later became a part of the Soviet Union in 1922, instructed the submarines to go on unrestricted warfare which allowed them to attack all merchant shipping, no matter where it came from. This included America which infuriated exporters and made them report to the government repeatedly. It also included supplies which were going into the United States...
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...The Last Days of Innocence: America at War, 1917-1918. Harries, Meirion and Susie Harries. (New York: Random House, 1997. Pp.xi? 573. Illustrated. ) Merion and Susie Harries in The Last Days of Innocence are husband and wife historians from England who used their overseas perspective to fashion a detailed account of America’s efforts in World War I. The Harries provide a refreshing look at the country’s role in the war. America’s effort in World War I illustrates how ill-prepared the United States was in the early twentieth-century as the country entered and directed itself in a large-scale war. The Harries link account, anecdote, and examination providing a well-written account of the U. S. experience in the Great War. Although, the United States contributed to the victory, the country suffered humiliation at home and abroad resulting in the loss of the peace in spite of all America’s industrial capacity despite President Wilson’s grand design to export democracy. In America a few groups longed to enter the war, most of the country dragged their heals to the fight. The Harries effectively used French reports to illuminate the operational strengths and weaknesses of an American military fighting...
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...Despite the fact that United States’ president Woodrow Wilson had won the re-election in 1916 by keeping America out of the war, in April 1917, he declared war on Germany with resolution and detailed war aims. The decision was especially fasten by Germany’s unrestricted submarine policy and the occurrence of the Zimmerman telegram. There is a great discussion over the importance of American entry of the war to the outcome of the war, some historians agree with the statement and the others don’t. One of the reasons that historians agree with the statement is its creation of psychological pressure for the Germans. When Russia left the war due to series of rebellion and revolution happened, Germany believe that they had the advantage of manpower, which sustained their morale. However, with vigorous troops coming from America, the advantage had canceled out. Statistics shows that in the month of 1918, a total of 84,889 American soldiers reached the western front, and in July the number rose to 306,350. Germany only had 300,000 replacements for the whole of 1919. Until then, a fresh new army was made available to the Allied force each month. Not only these American soldiers were send with large numbers, they also brought the energy and enthusiasm the Germans had exhausted. While Germans had fought the war for a few years, these American soldiers had the enthusiasm the Germans exhausted, the number does seem massive respectively. With the massive number of each troop...
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...According to the American Republic“ World War 1 began on July 28, 1914. Its immediate cause was the assassination of the archduke, Franz Ferdinand. Other causes were imperialism, which is when one country is dominating another; nationalism, which is an intense pride for one’s homeland; and militarism, which is the building up of military weapons.” “ Alliances also contributed to the war because when they signed an alliance with another county they gave each other their help if they needed it. Then Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia. Germany declared war on France two days later; they went through Belgium, which was neutral. Great Britain declared war on Germany after France was attacked. Then Austria-Hungary declared war on England and WW1 began”(www.historyonthenet.com). “The countries that were involved in WW1 that were Central Powers were Turkey, Bulgaria, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Other countries involved that were allies were Italy, Japan, Russia, Romania, Portugal, Greece, and Great Britain. Some countries that were in WW1 were Belgium, Brazil, China, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Guatemala, Honduras, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, San Marino, and the U.S”(www.members.aol.com). According to the American Republic “one alliance that existed was the Triple Alliance which united Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy as allies. Another alliance was the Triple Entente which made Great Britain, France, and Russia allies.” According...
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...World War I took place between 1914 and 1918. Although the conflict began in Europe, it ultimately involved countries as far away as the United States and Japan. At the time, the English-speaking world knew it as the “Great War”—the term “World War I” was applied decades later. Historians still actively disagree over the fundamental causes of the war. The period leading up to the war was a complex tangle of diplomacy and political maneuvering—many countries debated over strategies and alliances until nearly the last minute—and the first few weeks of the conflict were similarly chaotic and confusing. We will be taking a look at the U.S.A. and how they were involved with, effected and helped pave the war front heir standpoint. Some early accounts of World War I treat its start as a chain of almost coincidental events: a mix of unfortunate lapses in judgment on the part of political and military leaders, combined with a tangled web of alliances and defense treaties that triggered declarations of war between countries that really had little reason to be at war with each other. Although these factors were crucial, a number of other important factors were involved. The United States entered World War I due to economic, political, and social contributes. Economically, the United States “entered” the war by the increase of exports to Great Britain and France. Trade quadrupled from 1914 to 1917. According to statistics, from 1914 to 1917, exports to Great Britain rose by about $1.5...
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