Chapter 12: The World War I Era

1
Chapter 12 The World War I Era

• II. The United States Declares War

2
Bell Ringer

• What makes a country one of the great nations of
  the world?
• What domestic conditions and foreign alliances
  characterize a great nation?
• What countries are great nations today?
• Why?

3
Objectives

• Discover how Germany's use of Submarines affected
  the war.
• Find out the steps the US took toward war in
  early 1917.

4
Setting the SceneDont Write!!!

• War still going strong in 1916
• Would the US be able to stay out of the war?
• Friction between US and Germany would lead the US
  to join WWI

5
A) German Submarine Warfare

• U-boat Unterseeboot submarine
• Britains big navy blockaded all shipping to
  Germany
• Germany used submarines to blockade all shipping
  to UK
• At first Germany warned ships before they sank
  them too dangerous started to just sink them
  without warning
• This angered US public opinion

6

• Germanys surface fleet did attack Britain once
  Battle of Jutland draw
• British encouraged anti-German feelings
• British cut the undersea cable from Germany to US
  US had to rely on British reports only
• Germany sunk the Lusitania a passenger liner
  no military value (maybe there was?)
• Germany attacked French liner Sussex
• Sussex pledge Germany promised to warn ships
  before sinking them
• Wilson started preparing for war

7
B) Moving Toward War

• Wilson runs for re-election, He kept us out of
  war was his slogan. Wins
• Germany informs us they will not follow the
  Sussex pledge anymore Unrestricted submarine
  warfare
• US starts arming merchant ships
• Zimmermann note German secret offer to Mexico
  declare war on the US and Germany will help
  reclaim US Southwest
• Not taken seriously by US or Mexico
• Result - US dislikes Germany more

8
C) Revolution in Russia

• By 1917 Russia has 1.5 million killed
• 2.5 million prisoner
• Army ill-equipped, badly led, and are being
  forced back
• Autocrat ruler with unlimited power monarch
• Russia Revolution Czar Nicholas II forced to
  give up his throne The Russian Republic is
  created
• Now Russia a Republic last stumbling block for
  the US to join WWI is gone
• Germany sinks 3 US ships one is the Illinois
  President Wilson asks for a declaration of war
• He gets it

9
Review

• How did Germanys use of submarines affect the
  war?
• What moves did the US take toward war in early
  1917?