The Great War: Causes, US Involvement, and Aftermath
This page provides a comprehensive overview of World War I, including its causes, the reasons for US involvement, new fighting methods, and the war's conclusion.
The causes of World War I, often remembered by the acronym MAIN, were:
- Militarism
- Alliances
- Nationalism
- Imperialism
- Assassination (of Archduke Franz Ferdinand)
Highlight: These factors collectively contributed to the impact of militarism and alliances in WWI, creating a volatile international situation.
The reasons for US involvement, as mentioned earlier, included:
- Inability to remain neutral
- German submarine warfare
- Economic and political ties to Great Britain
- The Zimmermann Telegram
The war introduced new methods of fighting, including:
- Airplanes
- Trench warfare
- Poison gas (considered the most feared)
- Tanks
Example: Trench warfare became a symbol of the war's brutality, with soldiers enduring harsh conditions in long, fortified ditches.
As the war concluded, US President Woodrow Wilson proposed the Fourteen Points, a peace plan that included the formation of the League of Nations.
Quote: "The United States Senate did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles because of a desire to resume pre-war isolationism."
This decision marked the beginning of a period of US isolationism, as the country chose not to join the League of Nations, significantly impacting international relations in the interwar period.
