The industrial epoch had many effects. non the least of which was immersing the universe into universe war. One must see the relationship between epochs and events as a pupil of history. The industrial epoch created a sensed demand in America for natural stuffs and markets for goods. The United States was non entirely in this desire for enlargement. All the industrial states were in unfastened competition to develop huge imperiums that would supply them with the fuel to run the mills of industrialism. This imperialist competition led to tenseness and the creative activity of huge ground forcess. The willingness to utilize these ground forcess was known as militarism. In order to experience safe ( there was a reasonably just grade of paranoia as you can conceive of ) states began to subscribe secret pacts formingalliances and Europe was divided into an armed cantonment. Tension was high. the subjection ( taking over ) of other states led to feelings of patriotism that would finally illume the flicker that would detonate Europe into the fires of struggle.
The causes of World War One as discussed above can be summarized by the undermentioned acronym as a mnemotechnic device: A- Alliance: European states signed secret pacts that created a system of confederations opposing state versus state. N – Patriotism: There were intense feelings of patriotism on the portion of subjugated nationalities. These feelings would finally take to rash Acts of the Apostless. I – Imperialism: Competition to develop huge imperiums caused tenseness and struggle. M – Militarism: States built immense ground forcess to support themselves and assist to derive these imperiums. It was a natural feeling for them to desire to utilize these armed forcess. A – Anarchy: There was no international organisation to assist them cover with their jobs. L – Leadership: It was hapless. Just expression at the system they set up…quite hapless so.
These were the conditions confronting Europe as a crisis emerged in the Balkans. The Archduke of Austria Hungary. a traditional power. was touring the state of Serbia. Meanwhile Bosnian patriots wanting freedom from Serbia plotted to assassinate the Archduke. Gabriel Principe. a member of the Black Hand. the aforesaid Bosnian patriot group. shooting and killed Franz Ferdinand on June 28th 1914.
Austria Hungary blamed the Serbian authorities for the blackwash of the Archduke and issued an ultimatum ( demands ) . The Serbians agreed to all but two of the demands. one of which was the arrangement of Austro Hungarian military personnels within Serbia. The Serbians appealed to Russia for support and Russia as the “protector of the Slavs” agreed to back up Serbia. Meanwhile the Austro Hungarians still desiring retaliation and fearing Russia secured the support of their traditional ally. Germany. In a celebrated determination Germany issued what has become know as “Carte Blanche. ” of clean cheque. to Austria Hungary.
This unqualified military support from Germany made Austria Hungary instead confident that Russia would non assail. At this point the Austro Hungarians declared war on Serbia. In response to the declaration of war Russia mobilized her military forces. Possibly it was a spot of sabre rattle. possibly non. Regardless Germany demanded Russia inactivate its ground forces. When Russia refused Germany attacked Russia. The consequence of the war on the Russian forepart were lay waste toing. The Russians were badly prepared for war and lost 1000000s of work forces. In the terminal the Czars refusal to go out the war cost him his throne as the Bolsheviks ( Communists ) revolted in 1917 subverting Czar Nicholas II.
When the Russians were attacked by Germany. France was obligated to declare war on Germany as a consequence of a pact she had signed with Russia. The Germans attacked France by processing through Belgium. The Belgians who did non give Germany permission to make this now were in a province of war with Germany every bit good. The most of import by-product of this was the fact that England had a pact with Belgium! Now England was obligated to declare war on Germany every bit good. Italy. which had a pact with Germany switched sides so that she might derive district from Austria Hungary ( A gamble that more or less worked ) and the Ottoman Empire entered the war on behalf to the Austro Hungarians ( they wanted to derive district from the Russians and derive control in the Balkan part ) . Now most of Europe was engulfed in war.
In the terminal the Triple Entente ( England. France and Russia subsequently to be joined by Italy. the United States and Japan ) defeated the Ternary Alliance ( Germany. Austria Hungary and the Ottoman Empire ) . The struggle which was long and bloody was marked by trench warfare and the usage of chemical arms. It was fought largely in Gallic district. At the decision of belligerencies Germany was still in Gallic district but it was comparatively clear that the combined industrial might of the Triple Entente would predominate. In actuality the influence of the United States is questionable. Germany hoped to negociate a favourable pact but as we shall see this was non to be the instance. The Treaty of Versailles was signed stoping the war and faulting Germany for the full struggle. This incrimination and the attendant penalty set the phase for old ages of bitterness and another universe war. something American President Woodrow Wilson had hoped to avoid.
So. what did all this have to make with America and why did we enter World War One? Most Americans favored remaining out of the struggle and President Wilson publically and officially stated that the United States would follow a policy of neutrality. In three short old ages. nevertheless. the United States would happen itself in the center of what ulterior became known as the first World War. As the war in Europe raged on America understandings were clearly on the side of the Alliess. American propaganda postings urged citizens to purchase war bonds and support the Alliess. The Kaiser and Germans were painted as the attackers in the war. True or non Americans came to see Germany as barbarous and blood thirsty. The posting below was used by the US Army in 1917 to enroll soldiers. Notice how the Germans are pictured? This is a clear illustration of anti German propaganda. When the war began England enforced a naval encirclement of Germany in the hopes of cutting off supplies. Germany responded by unleashing the U Boats. U Boats were pigboats capable of remaining submerged for long periods of clip.
They would mouse up upon their victims. frequently at dark. an torpedo them. The Germans did non restrict their onslaughts to military vass. Any ship seafaring in the war zone was considered an enemy. This became known as unrestricted pigboat warfare. On May 7th 1915 the British sail ship Lusitania was sunk off the seashore of England. Over 1. 198 riders including 128 Americans were killed. America was ferocious at the ferociousness and demanded a halt to this type of onslaught. In 1916. after the sinking of the rider line drive Sussex. Germany agreed to stop unrestricted pigboat warfare in the “Sussex pledge. ”
The Sussex pledge merely put off the inevitable American entry into the war. America shared acultural bond with England and France. Woodrow Wilson began to actively run for Americans to back up the Alliess. Besides being culturally similar England and France were our trade spouses. From 1914 to 1916 trade with the Allies grew from 825 million dollars to 3. 2 billion dollars. If the Allies were to lose the war our trade would be threatened. American progressively saw Germany as the enemy. Germany was a absolutism contending against the great democracies of the universe and America as a democratic state felt an duty to back up them.
As America became progressively less impersonal. the British authorities intercepted a message from the German embassador Zimmerman to the Mexican authorities. This message termed the “Zimmerman Note” asked Mexico to assail the United States if war broke out between the U. S. and Germany. The note was turned over to American authorities a short clip later and finally published in the newspapers. Americans were outraged. Then the Kaiser announced that Germany was traveling to re originate the pattern of unrestricted pigboat warfare go againsting the Sussex Pledge. Wilson had campaigned for office promising to protect freedom of the seas and now it seemed he had small pick.
He had to inquire Congress to declare war. Many Americans still wanted to remain out of “Europe’s war” and there was much argument in Congress. Wilson closed his address to Congress by stating “it is a fearful thing to take this great peaceable people into war… But the right is more cherished so peace and we shall contend for the things which we have ever carried in our Black Marias. ” On April 6. 1917. by a ballot of 82 to 6 in the Senate and 373 to 50 in the House of Representatives. the United States of America declared war on Germany. Wilson strongly believed that the American system would salvage the universe. significance:
1. American economic goods
2. America’s democratic political construction
3. America’s blend of morality and Christianity
Wilson stated:
“When decently directed. there are no people in the universe non fitted for self-determination. ” Note the caution. “when decently directed. ” Wilson saw the U. S. as the rightful and natural manager. He was determined to supply that way in a model where morality. democracy and economic sciences were closely related. Wilson believed that other states of the universe had to look to the U. S. as an illustration. at the same clip America was dependent on the
remainder of the universe. largely for economic markets.
The universe market must move as the new frontier for the American system. Wilson was determined to direct the personal businesss of other states so that they could finally accomplish self-determination. every bit long as this authorities was based on the American theoretical account. and he was even more willing to step in in other states than Roosevelt. For case. he sent U. S. troops to Mexico to step in in their civil war ( 1913-1917 ) . When World War I broke out in Europe in 1914. Wilson tried to maintain the U. S. impersonal. but Germany repeatedly violated America’s impersonal position. When America eventually entered the war in 1917 it was because. as Wilson stated. “The universe must be made safe for democracy. ”
