World War I Causes and U.S. Entry

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist is considered the immediate trigger that set off the chain reaction of alliances and declarations of war, leading to the outbreak of World War I.

Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, which targeted any ship near Britain's coast, was a crucial factor in the United States' decision to join World War I. The sinking of American ships and civilian casualties angered the American public.

The Zimmerman Telegram, intercepted by British intelligence and shared with the US, proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico. This angered the US, fearing Germany's expansionist ambitions and potential threats to its interests in the Western Hemisphere.

The Selective Service Act of 1917 established a system for drafting soldiers into the US military, creating a large and organized force for wartime efforts.

The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, imposed harsh penalties on Germany after World War I. This included territorial losses, heavy war reparations, and restrictions on its military, which contributed to resentment and instability.

The British blockade of Germany, intended to prevent the delivery of war supplies, forced Germany to adopt unrestricted submarine warfare. This action aimed to break the blockade and resupply their forces, but ultimately escalated tensions and brought the United States into the war.

Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States during World War I. Under his leadership, the US shifted from neutrality to engaging in the war effort.

Tanks, introduced during World War I, revolutionized warfare. These armored vehicles provided increased mobility and protection for soldiers, changing battlefield tactics and strategies.

A strategy employed by Germany in World War I to disrupt British shipping routes and cripple their supply lines, often targeting passenger vessels without warning.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand, ignited the powder keg of Europe and led to the outbreak of World War I.

The sinking of the British passenger liner Lusitania, which was carrying American passengers, by a German U-boat in 1915, outraged American public opinion and brought the United States closer to entering World War I.

The telegram sent by the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the Mexican government, proposing an alliance and promising to help Mexico reclaim lost territories if they attacked the United States. This telegram was intercepted by British intelligence and its publication in American newspapers fueled public anger and increased pressure on the United States to enter the war.

President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points were a plan for a lasting peace after World War I. They called for open diplomacy, freedom of the seas, the removal of trade barriers, adjustments of colonial claims according to national sentiments, and a League of Nations to enforce these principles.

The alliances formed before World War I were designed to ensure mutual defense and support among member nations. These alliances created a complex web of obligations that escalated tensions quickly when one country declared war. The Triple Entente (France, Russia, Great Britain) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) were the two main alliances leading to the war.

A form of warfare characterized by opposing armies fighting from trenches dug into the ground, resulting in long periods of stalemate, heavy casualties, and horrific conditions.

The Eastern Front during World War I involved intense fighting between Russia and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire). It was a brutal and costly front characterized by vast distances and harsh weather conditions.