why did world war 1 break out in 1914 essay

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US Entry Into World War I

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 30, 2022 | Original: April 6, 2017

When World War I broke out across Europe in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the United States would remain neutral, and many Americans supported this policy of nonintervention. However, public opinion about neutrality started to change after the sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania by a German U-boat in 1915; almost 2,000 people perished, including 128 Americans. Along with news of the Zimmermann telegram threatening an alliance between Germany and Mexico against America, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. The United States officially entered the conflict on April 6, 1917.

World War I Begins

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand , heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist in Sarajevo, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

One month later, on July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia . Within a week, Russia, France, Belgium, Great Britain and Serbia had sided against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and the Great War, as it was originally called, was underway.

Central Powers

Germany and Austria-Hungary later teamed with the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and were referred to collectively as the Central Powers. Russia, France and Great Britain, the major Allied Powers, eventually were joined by Italy, Japan and Portugal, among other nations.

On August 4, as World War I erupted across Europe, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed America’s neutrality, stating the nation “must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men’s souls.”

With no vital interests at stake, many Americans supported this position. Additionally, America was home to a number of immigrants from countries at war with each other and Wilson wanted to avoid this becoming a divisive issue.

American companies, however, continue to ship food, raw materials and munitions to both the Allies and Central Powers, although trade between the Central Powers and the United States was severely curtailed by Britain’s naval blockade of Germany. U.S. banks also provided the warring nations with loans, the bulk of which went to the Allies.

Lusitania Sinks

On May 7, 1915, a German submarine sank the British ocean liner Lusitania , resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, including 128 Americans. The incident strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Berlin and helped turn public opinion against Germany.

President Wilson demanded that the Germans stop unannounced submarine warfare; however, he didn’t believe the United States should take military action against Germany.

Some Americans disagreed with this nonintervention policy, including former president Theodore Roosevelt , who criticized Wilson and advocated going to war. Roosevelt promoted the Preparedness Movement, whose aim was to persuade the nation it must get ready for war.

'America First'

In 1916, as American troops were deployed to Mexico to hunt down Mexican rebel leader Pancho Villa following his raid on Columbus, New Mexico , concerns about the readiness of the U.S. military grew. In response, Wilson signed the National Defense Act in June of that year, expanding the Army and the National Guard, and in August, the president signed legislation designed to significantly strengthen the Navy.

After campaigning on the slogans “He Kept Us Out of War” and “America First,” Wilson was elected to a second term in the White House in November 1916.

Meanwhile, some Americans joined the fighting in Europe their own. Starting in the early months of the war, a group of U.S. citizens enlisted in the French Foreign Legion. (Among them was the poet Alan Seeger, whose poem “I Have a Rendezvous with Death” later was a favorite of President John F. Kennedy . Seeger was killed in the war in 1916.) Other Americans volunteered with the Lafayette Escadrille, a unit of the French Air Service, or drove ambulances for the American Field Service.

Submarine Warfare Resumes

In March 1916, a German U-boat torpedoed a French passenger ship, Sussex , killing dozens of people, including several Americans. Afterward, the United States threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Germany.

In response, the Germans issued the Sussex pledge, promising to stop attacking merchant and passenger ships without warning. However, on January 31, 1917, the Germans reversed course, announcing they would resume unrestricted submarine warfare, reasoning it would help them win the war before America, which was relatively unprepared for battle, could join the fighting on behalf of the Allies.

In response, America severed diplomatic ties with Germany on February 3. During February and March, German U-boats sank a series of U.S. merchant ships, resulting in multiple casualties.

Zimmermann Telegram

Meanwhile, in January 1917, the British intercepted and deciphered an encrypted message from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German minister in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhart.

The so-called Zimmermann telegram proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico—America’s southern neighbor—if America joined the war on the side of the Allies.

As part of the arrangement, the Germans would support the Mexicans in regaining the territory they’d lost in the Mexican-American War— Texas , New Mexico and Arizona . Additionally, Germany wanted Mexico to help convince Japan to come over to its side in the conflict.

The British gave President Wilson the Zimmermann telegram on February 24, and on March 1 the American press reported on its existence. The American public was outraged by the news of the Zimmermann telegram and it, along with Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks, helped lead to the United States joining the war.

America Declares War on Germany

On April 2, 1917, Wilson went before a special joint session of Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Germany, stating: “The world must be made safe for democracy.”

On April 4, the Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war. Two days later, on April 6, the House of Representatives voted 373 to 50 in favor of adopting a war resolution against Germany.

Among the dissenters was Rep. Jeannette Rankin of Montana , the first woman in Congress. It was only the fourth time Congress had declared war; the others were the War of 1812 , the Mexican-American War and the Spanish-American War of 1898.

In early 1917, the U.S. Army had just 133,000 members. That May, Congress passed the Selective Service Act , which reinstated the draft for the first time since the Civil War and led to some 2.8 million men being inducted into the U.S. military by the end of the Great War. Around 2 million more Americans voluntarily served in the armed forces during the conflict.

The first U.S. infantry troops arrived on the European continent in June 1917; in October, the first American soldiers entered combat in France. That December, America declared war against Austria-Hungary (America never was formally at war with the Ottoman Empire or Bulgaria).

When the war concluded in November 1918, with a victory for the Allies, more than 2 million U.S. troops had served at the Western Front in Europe, and more than 50,000 of them died.

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U.S. Entry into World War I, 1917. U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian . Why did the US enter World War I? The University of Rochester Newscenter . U.S. Participation in the Great War (World War I). Library of Congress .

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World War One Essay

Germany was responsible for World War One. To what extent do you agree with this statement? 

Essay by Laura Iafur, 3rd Form

Taking place on 28th July 1914 until 11th November 1918, World War One was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, ending the lives of millions of people. Although no one country deserves more blame than the other countries, many would argue that the country of Serbia, after all, it was a group of Serbian terrorists who killed the hero of the Austrian-Hungarian empire, Franz Ferdinand. This is considered by many, what triggered this war. Others suggest Austria-Hungarian is to blame the most, they wanted war with Serbia even before Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, it seems like the assassination was the opportunity they were waiting for. Some could even say that it was Russia, who was the first to mobilize its troops, creating even more tension in an already unstable Europe. These countries are all guilty for such a violent war, but Germany, being the one that has the blank cheque to Austria-Hungary, is the most responsible of all; without backing up Austria-Hungary, it is improbable that Austria-Hungary would have acted so recklessly.

On 5th July 1914, Germany gave the “blank cheque” of unconditional support to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, fully aware of the consequences it was probably going to bring. At that moment, Germany had the strongest army, with 2,200,000 soldiers and warships, this guaranteed Austria-Hungary that no matter how drastically they acted, they would receive massive support from Germany. If Germany had not given this back up to Austria-Hungary, they most likely would have done something other than declaring war. Germany knew that Russia would most likely help Serbia, which meant that a local war would escalate into a Global war, but they did it anyway.

Germany also dragged Britain into the war when using the Schlieffen plan. On 2nd August, Germany asked for permission for their army to pass through Belgium, to get to France, but they were refused. Sir Edward Grey proposed to Germany that Britain would stay if Germany did not attack France, but the German generals denied this. On 3rd August, Germany violated international treaties by invading Belgium, a neutral country; knowing that Britain was obligated to help Belgium if an invasion occurred. Therefore, Britain declared war on Germany on 4th August 1914.

The enormous increase in tension between these countries was one of the main reasons for this war to start, there are various factors that led to more tension, many in which Germany was involved. One of these factors was the German and British naval race which did not make Britain happy. (“Britannia rules the waves”), and at the end of 1914, Britain was this race.

The Moroccan crisis, 1906, was another factor. The French wanted to conquer Morocco and Britain agreed to help, but in 1905 Kaiser Wilhelm visited Morocco and promised to protect it against anyone who threatened it. The French and British were furious. Germany had to promise to stay out of Morocco, which didn’t make them happy at all. In 1911, there was a revolution in Morocco, the French sent in an army to control it. Kaiser Wilhelm sent a gunboat to the Moroccan part of Agadir; this angered the French and British. Germany was forced to back down, which made them very angry, it increased their resentment. Kaiser Wilhelm was determined to win the next crisis.  All this evidence shows that Germany, at that point was ashamed. They had lost various crisis issues and since they could not allow themselves another defeat. Germany had decided they needed to prove their power, this being the reason they acted in such a careless manner.

Austria-Hungary also deserves part of the blame; they were the ones who declared war first on Serbia on 28th July, 1914. Before 1914, assassinations of royal figures did not usually result in war. However, Austria-Hungary saw the Sarajevo assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife as an opportunity to conquer and destroy Serbia. The Austrian Chief of Staff General Hotzendoz wanted to attack Serbia long before the assassination.

Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia (23rd  July) with ten very exigent requests that needed to be accepted to avoid military conflict. Serbia accepted all requests apart from one, which was to allow Austria-Hungary to enter Serbia and oversee investigation and prosecution on the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Nonetheless, this was not enough for Austria-Hungary, so they declared war, and with Germany’s support, it would’ve provided an easy win.

On the other hand, if Austria-Hungary did not make a move against Serbia, the different nationalities living in the Austria-Hungarian territory could act against their leaders giving the impression to other countries that there won’t have been any consequences. Austria-Hungary could have acted in a different manner on the Serbia war, but it was due to Germany who empowered them to act this way.

The assassination of Franz Ferdinand was conducted by a Serbian terrorist named Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia, 28th June 1914. This was the spark that caused the war. Gavrilo was a nationalist who wanted Bosnia to be its own country, and when Ferdinand announced his trip to SaraJevo, it was the perfect opportunity to strike against Austria-Hungary. Gavrilo was a member of a terrorist group named, Black Hand. Austria-Hungary suspected the involvement of Serbia in the Bosnian attack, thus representing the final act in a long-standing rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. Russia did not want a war, the Russian Grand Council decided if Serbia was to be invaded, it would have to request a conference to asses the issue. However, Russia had previous issues with Serbia regarding the Bosnian crisis in 1908.

To conclude, World War One was a chain reaction triggered by the assassination Franz Ferdinand; however, Serbia wasn’t mostly responsible but Germany, who pushed Austria-Hungary in making those decisions leading to the global conflict. The alliance system was created to prevent war, but it did the total opposite, where all the countries were forced to join the war.

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History essay why did world war one happen

Why did WWI happen?

In 1914 the whole world was plunged into a violent war which ruined landscapes, shattered bodies leaving them broken and mentally scarred, and cost 20 Million lives.  Economies were turned upside down and once proud empires were toppled and replaced with new independent nations. How did this ‘Great War’ come about?

One of the reasons why the war started was to do with tension caused by the rapid build up of weapons and navy known as the arms and naval race. This was called Militarism. During the late 1890’s, Germany began to develop a naval force big enough to challenge the British navy. Germany’s decision to become a major sea power made it a bitter enemy of Great Britain. Britain saw Germany who wanted an empire and a strong navy as a threat to its own empire and decided to spend more on increasing and strengthening her own navy. This led to tension causing a naval race which saw Germany and Great Britain go to war in 1914. Also accompanied by the naval race was an arms race. Germany’s army was not the biggest but most historians agreed it was the best trained and most powerful. This increasingly worried Britain and France who decided to increase the pace of their own armament production and Germany responded by also increasing her own army and weapons that were needed to equip them.

A second reason why the war broke out was to do with tension caused by the alliance system which was supposed to preserve the peace in Europe. An example of the alliance system causing tension was between Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary against Russia and France. During the late 19 th  Century, Germany took from France the important industrial area of Alsace-Lorraine and to guard from a revenge attack formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. German leaders were very worried by what they called ‘encirclement’. Friendship between Russia and France was seen as an attempt to ‘surround’ and threaten Germany.

This is a preview of the whole essay

 As a result of this tension both sides adapted plans to deal with the system. For example, Germany came up with the Schleiffen Plan. Under this plan they would quickly attack and defeat France, then turn their forces on Russia (which they thought) would be slow to get its troops ready for war. Russia’s plan was to overwhelm Germany’s and Austria’s armies by sheer weight of numbers. The French came up with a plan known as Plan 17. French troops would charge across the frontier and attack deep into Germany forcing surrender.

The third reason why the war broke out was to do with tension caused by the rivalries over Empires.

This was called Imperialism. An example of this tension was when the German Kaiser decided Germany should be a world power and should have overseas colonies like France and Britain had. The Germans had established two colonies in Africa, but they wanted more. Before Bosnia was taken over by Austria, it used to be part of Serbia which was then known as Greater Serbia. After taking over Bosnia, Austria was looking for an excuse to declare war against Serbia and to take over the Balkans because it would provide access to the Mediterranean Sea and provide other advantages. The opportunity came when on Sunday 28 th  of June, Franz Ferdinand was shot on his way to visit the victims of a bomb explosion which was expected to kill Franz Ferdinand. This set of a spark which brought almost all of Europe into the bloodiest war in history.

The fourth reason why tension increased was because of nationalism. Many nations in Europe were worried about not looking strong and so looked to boost their power and prestige. An example of this was when Austria-Hungary was a sprawling empire in central Europe. It was made up of people of different ethnic groups and each group had its own customs and language. Most of the groups wanted independence from Austria-Hungary. In the north the Czech people wanted to rule themselves, the Slav people in the south-west (especially the Croats) wanted their own state and the Serbs wanted to be joined to the neighbouring state of Serbia. The problem for Austria was that if it gave independence to one of the ethnic groups then the rest of the groups would want independence from Austria. And in the end Austria would become a very small country and would be of no use and help to Germany which could end its alliance with Germany and Italy. By 1914, the main concern of the emperor of Austria-Hungary was how to keep its very unstable empire together and after WWI it had lost all of its empire

However all these tensions needed a spark to make them all lead to a great war and not just rumbling tensions with small localised incidents. The spark that ignited these four causes was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand who was the heir to the throne of Austria. On the 23 rd  of July Austria blamed Serbia for the death of Franz Ferdinand and sent it an ultimatum and five days later Austria declared war on Serbia and shelled its capital, Belgrade. During the following week the allies of both Serbia and Austria responded to the call for help and within six weeks of the Archduke’s assassination, almost all of Europe had been dragged into the bloodiest war in history.

People still argue over the causes of the war. For instance, Germany used the crime of a schoolboy as an excuse to start the war, Austria had regarded the growing power of Serbia with concern for many years. and was looking for a good excuse to crush Serbia. England, it was thought would be in ‘splendid isolation’ and could do nothing with the threats in Ireland. Russia was too busy with the reorganisation of her army and as for France, Germany believed she was capable to deal with her and was looking for an opportunity to do so.

Overall I think the most important cause of the war was due to jealousy of the empires of other countries in Europe and the misunderstanding of the decisions and moves made by each other. Because if the leaders of all the countries in Europe were more open-minded, sharing with other countries in Europe and not “power hungry”, then the WWI could have been avoided and about 20 million lives could be saved.

By: ABDULLAH BIN MADAWI

       YR 10 HISTORY

       MR FLETCHER

Document Details

• Word Count 1087
• Page Count 2
• Subject History

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