The World Explodes in War

1
The World Explodes in War
2
Reasons for World War I

• Territorial ambitions around the world.
• Nationalism. Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Germany,
  France, Russia, Ottoman Empire, England, and
  Italy.
• The Monarchs of Europe.
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated by Gavrilo
  Princip in Sarajevo.
• Germany encourages Austria to act.

3

• Each nation mobilizes their troops to face a
  perceived threat.
• Germany fears the Russian bear and feels a
  preemptive strike is necessary.
• France must be taken out to avoid a two-front
  war.
• Germany attacks through Belgium to avoid French
  fortifications, thereby bringing England into the
  fray.
• Other nations join in for self-serving reasons.

4
American Neutrality

• War profiteers. (2.3 billion financed by Wall
  Street)
• German trade is interrupted by the strength of
  the British Navy.
• Germany retaliates by using submarine warfare.

5
May 7,1915 the Lusitania is sunk with 128
American casualties.
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The Election of 1916

• Wilson against Charles Evans Hughes.
• Republican platform condemnation of the tariff,
  attacks on the trusts and Wilsons indecisiveness
  in dealing with Mexico and Germany.
• Democrats platform successes of the past and
  He kept us out of the war.

7

• Hughes takes the East, but Wilson takes the west
  and California by 3,800 votes.
• Final tally
• Wilson 277/9,127,695.
• Hughes 254/8,533,507.
• War is temporarily averted.