Causes of WWI
Global Causes
• Began as a local European war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia on July 28, 1914
• Became a general European struggle after Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia and Germany invaded Belgium
• Over five years, it became a global war involving 32 nations
Causes of U.S. Involvement
• The United States maintained a shaky neutrality for more than two years after the war erupted. However, the U.S. was eventually led into the war by April, 1917
• Election of 1916 pitted Wilson (D) “keep us out of war” versus Hughes (R) who was backed by Roosevelt and considered more of a warmonger. Narrow victory for Wilson.
American economic interests
• U.S. produced war supplied for France and Britain and U.S. banks loaned $3 billion to Europe, helping to produce one of the greatest economic booms in the nation’s history
• The National Security League organized by bankers and businessmen promoted prepardedness; got Wilson to agree
Cultural ties
• The U.S. greatly admired Britain’s traditions, culture, and political system that made them morally superior to the Central Powers• Americans had greater cultural ties
to the English
Allied propaganda
• Britain exaggerated German atrocities in Belgium and France as well as the Zimmerman note
Early Hostile Acts
• Sinking of the Lusitania, a British passenger ship in May, 1915—128 Americans killed• Sinking of the French merchant ship
the Sussex, in March, 1916—2 Americans killed (Germany issued the Sussex Pledge)
Wilson’s idealism: a moral victory
• warned Germany that unrestricted submarine warfare would violate the U.S. trade rights as a neutral nation • claimed WWI fighting would “make
the world safe for democracy”• create “peace without victory”
German naval policy
• In Jan., 1917, Germany announced that it would resort to unrestricted submarine warfare against the shipping of Britain and all shipping to Britain
• Wilson’s address to Congress: Feb., 1917: warning to Germany that any additional acts of aggression would result in war
More German Aggression in March, 1917
• Zimmerman Note intercepted• Russian Revolution: meant that they would no
longer be led by a totalitarian czar—ideal for Wilson
• Five more U.S. merchant ships sunk
Declaration of war: April 6, 1917
• See Wilson’s war message to Congress