Getting to California neutrality – President Wilson official took no side at the beginning of World War I, although American businesses sold supplies to

• neutrality – President Wilson official took no side at the beginning of World War I, although American businesses sold supplies to the Allies (England, France and Russia)

• propaganda – information designed to influence opinion. Was used by the Allies and some Americans to sway opinions against the Germans.

• U-Boats – German submarines that patrolled the Atlantic.

• Lusitania – British passenger liner that was sunk by the Germans in May 1915 that killed 1200 people (128 Americans)

• Sussex Pledge – German promise after the Lusitania to sink no more U.S. merchant ships without proper warning

• Zimmerman Telegram – Intercepted note from Germany to Mexico in January 1917 that encouraged Mexico to invade the United States.

Ch 14 Sec 1: Roots of World War I

Intro 2

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.

Chapter Objectives

• Discuss the causes and results of American intervention in Mexico and the Caribbean.

• Explain the causes of World War I and why the United States entered the war.

Section 1: The United States Enters World War I

Section 1-1

Guide to Reading

Although the United States tried to remain neutral, events soon pushed the nation into world War I.

• Pancho Villa

Main Idea


Key Terms and Names

• guerilla

• nationalism

• self-determination

• Franz Ferdinand

• Allies

• Central Powers

• propaganda

• contraband

• U-boat

• Sussex Pledge

• Zimmermann telegram


American Neutrality• Wilson declared the United States to be neutral.

• He did not want his country pulled into a foreign war.

• Americans, however, began showing support for one side or the other with many immigrants supporting their homelands.

• Most Americans favored the Allied cause. (pages 452–453)(pages 452–453)


• President Wilson’s cabinet was pro-British, believing that an Allied victory would preserve an international balance of power.

• The British skillfully used propaganda, or information used to influence opinion, to gain American support.

American Neutrality (cont.)

(pages 452–453)(pages 452–453)


• Companies in the United States had strong ties to the Allied countries.

• Many American banks gave loans to the Allies.

• As a result, American prosperity was tied to the war.

• The money would only be paid back if the Allies won.

American Neutrality (cont.)

(pages 452–453)(pages 452–453)


Moving Toward War• While most Americans supported the Allies, they

did not want to enter the war.

• The British navy blockaded Germany to keep it from getting supplies.

• The British redefined contraband, or prohibited materials, to stop neutral parties from shipping food to Germany.

• To get around the blockade, Germany deployed submarines known as U-boats.

(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• Germany threatened to sink any ship that entered the waters around Britain.

• Attacking civilians ships without warning violated an international treaty and outraged the United States.

• The Lusitania, a British passenger liner, was hit by the Germans, killing almost 1,200 passengers–including 128 Americans.

Moving Toward War (cont.)

(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• Americans instructed Germany to stop U-boat strikes.


(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• Germany did not want the U.S. to join the war and strengthen the Allies.

• The Sussex Pledge, a promise made by Germany to stop sinking merchant ships, kept the United States out of the war for a bit longer.


(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• A German official, Arthur Zimmermann, cabled the German ambassador in Mexico, proposing that Mexico ally itself with Germany.


(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• In return, Mexico would regain territory it had earlier lost to the United States.

• The Zimmermann telegram was intercepted by British intelligence and leaked to American newspapers.


(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)


• In February 1917, Germany went back to unrestricted submarine warfare and, soon after, sank six American merchant ships.

• After several pleas from the British and French, on April 6, 1917, the United States declared war against Germany.



• On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war against Germany.


(pages 453–455)(pages 453–455)

Time Notebook 5

“My message was one of death for young men. How odd to applaud that.”

WOODROW WILSON,on returning to the White House

after asking Congress for a declaration of war, 1917

This feature is found on pages 462–463 of your textbook. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.


Time Notebook 9

“America has at one bound become a world power in a sense she never was before.”

BRITISH PRIME MINISTERDAVID LLOYD GEORGE,

on the U.S. entry into World War I, 1917



Documents

Getting to California neutrality – President Wilson official took no side at the beginning of World War I, although American businesses sold supplies to