1. World War I
Turning Points
in 1917

2. Russian Revolution
• Why did it happen?
• Remember Tannenberg
• social conditions
• 9,000,000 casualties!

3. Why Does the Russian Rev Matter?
• No Russia, no two front war
• Russia loses a lot of land
• first socialist revolution--ever!

4. U.S. Involvement in
World War I

5. Initial Response in the
United States
• Confusion?
• Citizens had divided loyalties
• Goal: Isolation and Neutrality

6. Was the U.S. Really Neutral?
• Yes • No
• was not part of any • many citizens
alliance thought Germany
was barbaric
• lent money and sold
goods to both sides • lent more money to
the Allies: $2.2
billion versus $30
million

7. U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson
• thought war would end quickly
• 1916 re-election:
“He kept us out of war”
• So why does the U.S. get
involved???

8. Reason #1
Brutality of German military

9. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
• Sinking of the Lusitania • Sussex Pledge
May 7, 1915 May 10, 1915

10. Reason #2: Zimmerman Telegram

11. Zimmerman Telegram Decoded
*Look*--->

12. Reason #3: Financial
• U.S. lent over $2 billion to the Allies
• What if the Allies lose?

13. Reason #4: Identity
• U.S. power and influence is growing
• If Germany is barbaric, then what is the U.S.?
• “war to end all wars”
• “make the world safe for democracy”

14. U.S. Declares War--April 1917
• Draft
• Propaganda--Committee on Public Information
• Initial impact on the war
• Sedition Act (1918)

15. U.S. Propaganda