War Breaks Out in Europe Chapter 23 Section

War Breaks Out in Europe Chapter 23 Section 1

The Great War Begins • June 28, 1914 – Serbian man assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the throne in Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo) • World War I began as other European Nations joined. • Central Powers – Austria-Hungary, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. • Allies – Serbia, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, and 7 other countries.

Causes of World War I • Imperialism –competition for colonies. • Nationalism – extreme patriotism; prove they were the best • Militarism –powerful military primary goal; built up armies and navies. • Alliances – bound European nations together. An attack on one nation forced its allies to come to its aid.

Stalemate in the Trenches • Thought war would be over quickly. • New kind of war on both sides – trench warfare. From the English Channel to Switzerland. • Battle of Somme -1. 2 million casualties. • New technology; quick-firing artillery; tanks; poison gas; aircraft; U-boats (submarines) • Red Baron Germany’s top ace; down 5 or more enemy airplane.

America’s Path to War • Key? – What events brought America into the war? • Woodrow Wilson policy of neutrality. • Sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat turned Americans against Germany. • Wilson stayed neutral and was re-elected with the campaign slogan, “He kept us out of war. • Germany resumed submarine warfare.

Continued • Zimmerman telegram intercepted - German foreign minister promising Mexico to help regain the Mexican Cession if they joined them. • In March 1917 Germans sank American ships and Wilson asked Congress to declare war. • Congress worried allies debts couldn’t be repaid, but voted for war.

Revolution in Russia • In March 1917 Czar Nicholas was forced to step down. • Vladimir Lenin took power with a Communist government. • Communism political system in which a single party holds power and the state controls the economy with the goal of common ownership of all property. Russia pulled out of the war by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.