The Story of World War One

    
                                Soldiers of WW1
           World War 1 had four main causes. The causes are militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and alliances. People had a lot of pride for their countries which is nationalism. They were building up their armies and wanting to become the most powerful in the world. European countries also started alliances they vowed to protect each other in times of war. When Francis Ferdinand of the Austria-Hungary empire got assassinated they blamed Serbia, later declaring war on them. Alliances joined the war starting World War 1.
      When the war started Americans wanted nothing to do with the war. Woodrow Wilson wanted the country to follow George Washington's plan of isolationism, but that plan didn't work well. The Germans stopped America from doing that because they knew America was loaning money to England for the war effort.  One of the reasons America entered the war was the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a cruise ship heading to England but the Germans blew it up killing 128 American citizens. Another is propaganda. Posters and newspapers were slowly turning American citizens against the Germans, making them look like enemies. The last reason is the Zimmerman Telegram. Germany sent Mexico a telegram telling them that if they joined on the side of the Central Powers then Germany would give Mexico the land they lost during the Mexican-American War. England intercepted the telegram and sent it to Woodrow Wilson. Those events angered Americans which made Wilson ask congress for a declaration of war.
       On November 11, 1918 Germany surrender. The Allied Powers created the Treaty of Versailles. Germany's military was drastically decreased, they lost their foreign colonies, and gave part of their land to France and Poland. The Austria-Hungary Empire broke up into smaller into smaller countries. After the war America returned to isolationism.