The War Expands
The War quickly turned into a global conflict because of spreading animosities from Europeans to colonies, recruiting men from other colonies as well as the desires and objectives of some principal actors that entered the conflict.
Japan Enters
Japanese soldiers
Entrance
Japan entered the war on the side of the Allies on August 23, 1914, claiming that it "desired to secure firm and enduring peace in Eastern Asia,". They sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding the handover of the German-leased territory of JiaoZhou to Japanese authorities without compensation, as well as demanding that the German navy unconditionally withdraw its warships from Japanese and Chinese waters. Upon the German's refusal to comply, the Japanese officially entered.
Why The Bother?
The Japanese sought out German held islands, and were successful in claiming some, including the fortress of Qingdao (a German held-port in China's Shandong province), the Marshall Islands, the Mariana Islands, Palau and the Carolines. Despite their current holdings, they took it a step further. The Japanese shrewdly exploited Allied support and European preoccupation to advance its own imperial interests in China. Basically, they seized the opportunity to expand its sphere of influence in China and gain recognition as a great power in postwar geopolitics. On January 18, 1915 the Japanese presented the Chinese government with twenty-one secret demands. If accepted it would reduce China to a protectorate to Japan, confirm the Japanese seizure of Shandong from Germany, grant Japanese industrial monoplies in central China, place Japanese over seers in key government positions, give Japan joint control of Chinese police forces, restrict their arms purchases to Japanese manufacturers and make those purchases only with the approval of the Tokyo government. China accepted some and rejected others, and with the aid of the British the Chinese were able to prevent total capitulation.
This reflected Japan's determination to dominate east Asia and served as the basis for future Japanese pressure on China.
Japan entered the war on the side of the Allies on August 23, 1914, claiming that it "desired to secure firm and enduring peace in Eastern Asia,". They sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding the handover of the German-leased territory of JiaoZhou to Japanese authorities without compensation, as well as demanding that the German navy unconditionally withdraw its warships from Japanese and Chinese waters. Upon the German's refusal to comply, the Japanese officially entered.
Why The Bother?
The Japanese sought out German held islands, and were successful in claiming some, including the fortress of Qingdao (a German held-port in China's Shandong province), the Marshall Islands, the Mariana Islands, Palau and the Carolines. Despite their current holdings, they took it a step further. The Japanese shrewdly exploited Allied support and European preoccupation to advance its own imperial interests in China. Basically, they seized the opportunity to expand its sphere of influence in China and gain recognition as a great power in postwar geopolitics. On January 18, 1915 the Japanese presented the Chinese government with twenty-one secret demands. If accepted it would reduce China to a protectorate to Japan, confirm the Japanese seizure of Shandong from Germany, grant Japanese industrial monoplies in central China, place Japanese over seers in key government positions, give Japan joint control of Chinese police forces, restrict their arms purchases to Japanese manufacturers and make those purchases only with the approval of the Tokyo government. China accepted some and rejected others, and with the aid of the British the Chinese were able to prevent total capitulation.
This reflected Japan's determination to dominate east Asia and served as the basis for future Japanese pressure on China.
Gallipoli
Battle at Gallipoli
The most extensive military operations outside Europe took place in the southwest Asian territories of the Ottoman empire, which was aligned with the Central Power at the end of 1914.
Winston Churchill, Britain's first lord of the Admiralty suggested than an Allied strike against the weak ally of the Central Powers, the Ottomans, would break the stalemate on the western front and hurt the Germans. The British navy in early 1915 conducted an expedition to seize the approach to te Dardanelles Strait in an attempt to open a warm-water supply line to Russia through the Ottoman-controlled strait. However, the Allied ships withdrew without accomplishing their mission despite bombing the forts defending the strait. After their withdrawal, the British High Command decided to land a combined force of Canadian, English, New Zealand and Australian soldiers on the beaches of the Gallipoli peninsula.
The Allies proved to have underestimated the Ottomans. Turkish defenders quickly pinned down the Allied troops on the beaches. Having being trapped between the sea and the hills, the Allied soldiers formed their own kind of trench warfare. The result of the stalemate: 250,000 dead.
Gallipoli was a debacle with long-term consequences. Although the British directed the failed campaign, it was the Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians who became victim of it. The recognition led to a weakening of imperial ties and paved the way for emerging national identities. The battle for the strait helped launched the political career of the commander of the Turkish division that defended Gallipoli.
Winston Churchill, Britain's first lord of the Admiralty suggested than an Allied strike against the weak ally of the Central Powers, the Ottomans, would break the stalemate on the western front and hurt the Germans. The British navy in early 1915 conducted an expedition to seize the approach to te Dardanelles Strait in an attempt to open a warm-water supply line to Russia through the Ottoman-controlled strait. However, the Allied ships withdrew without accomplishing their mission despite bombing the forts defending the strait. After their withdrawal, the British High Command decided to land a combined force of Canadian, English, New Zealand and Australian soldiers on the beaches of the Gallipoli peninsula.
The Allies proved to have underestimated the Ottomans. Turkish defenders quickly pinned down the Allied troops on the beaches. Having being trapped between the sea and the hills, the Allied soldiers formed their own kind of trench warfare. The result of the stalemate: 250,000 dead.
Gallipoli was a debacle with long-term consequences. Although the British directed the failed campaign, it was the Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians who became victim of it. The recognition led to a weakening of imperial ties and paved the way for emerging national identities. The battle for the strait helped launched the political career of the commander of the Turkish division that defended Gallipoli.
The U.S Gets Involved
Sinking of Lusitania
Why They Entered
As the war started in Europe in 1914, the U.S remained neutral, and also traded with most of the countries in the war, especially with Britain and France. However, the year 1917 became a significant time in the war, as the United States of America intervened in the war, on the Allies side.
Economics
During the first two years of the war, the US economy was hitting road blocks, scraping through severe business recessions that saw thousand of businesses fail and unemployment reaching 15 percent. Economic recovery became dependent on sales of war materials, especially on British orders for munitions. With the war grinding on, the Allies took out large loans with the Americans that an Allied victory made good financial sense. If they were to lose, then they would not be able to pay the U.S. debt back (amounting to about two billion dollars while Germany only borrowed a mere 27 million). If the Allies could not pay back all the loans made to them by the American bankers, the US economy could collapse.
Submarine Warfare
The official factor in the United States' decision to enter the war was Germany's submarine warfare. Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in the spring of 1917 provided the final straw for US politicians, and America declared war.
At the outset of the war, U.S government official asserted the traditional doctrine of neutral rights for American ships because they wanted to continue trading with belligerents. The Germans at this time were desperate to and dependent on heir submrines to strangle the British economy (they traded heavily with the Americans) economically and break the British blockade of the Central Powers. Germans subs often sank neutral merchant ships without warning, and ignored the international law. On May 17, 1915 the Lusitania was sunk without a warning, killing over 120 Americans. The Americans became outraged, the urge to joing the war started growing.
Zimmerman's Telegram
Zimmerman's Telegram, also known as Zimmerman's note, was the crucial event that convinced Congress that America had to go to war.
Germany was feeling threatened by a possible American intervention in the war, and German strategist predicted certain defeat if the United States did step in. In an attempt to eliminate the threat of American involvement in Europe, Foreign Minister Alfred Zimmerman attempted to provoke Mexico and Japan into attacking the United States with the promise of German assistance after the European front was conquered. A message containing Zimmerman's intent was decoded by the British and sent to the US, further swaying Americans to action. Due primarily to the submarine warfare and the Zimmerman note, President Wilson asked Congress for permission to go to war, and on April 6, 1917, congress officially declared it. President Wilson, along with many Americans, justified their involvement as "an act of high principle and idealism...[and]...as a crusade to make the world safe for democracy."
As the war started in Europe in 1914, the U.S remained neutral, and also traded with most of the countries in the war, especially with Britain and France. However, the year 1917 became a significant time in the war, as the United States of America intervened in the war, on the Allies side.
Economics
During the first two years of the war, the US economy was hitting road blocks, scraping through severe business recessions that saw thousand of businesses fail and unemployment reaching 15 percent. Economic recovery became dependent on sales of war materials, especially on British orders for munitions. With the war grinding on, the Allies took out large loans with the Americans that an Allied victory made good financial sense. If they were to lose, then they would not be able to pay the U.S. debt back (amounting to about two billion dollars while Germany only borrowed a mere 27 million). If the Allies could not pay back all the loans made to them by the American bankers, the US economy could collapse.
Submarine Warfare
The official factor in the United States' decision to enter the war was Germany's submarine warfare. Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in the spring of 1917 provided the final straw for US politicians, and America declared war.
At the outset of the war, U.S government official asserted the traditional doctrine of neutral rights for American ships because they wanted to continue trading with belligerents. The Germans at this time were desperate to and dependent on heir submrines to strangle the British economy (they traded heavily with the Americans) economically and break the British blockade of the Central Powers. Germans subs often sank neutral merchant ships without warning, and ignored the international law. On May 17, 1915 the Lusitania was sunk without a warning, killing over 120 Americans. The Americans became outraged, the urge to joing the war started growing.
Zimmerman's Telegram
Zimmerman's Telegram, also known as Zimmerman's note, was the crucial event that convinced Congress that America had to go to war.
Germany was feeling threatened by a possible American intervention in the war, and German strategist predicted certain defeat if the United States did step in. In an attempt to eliminate the threat of American involvement in Europe, Foreign Minister Alfred Zimmerman attempted to provoke Mexico and Japan into attacking the United States with the promise of German assistance after the European front was conquered. A message containing Zimmerman's intent was decoded by the British and sent to the US, further swaying Americans to action. Due primarily to the submarine warfare and the Zimmerman note, President Wilson asked Congress for permission to go to war, and on April 6, 1917, congress officially declared it. President Wilson, along with many Americans, justified their involvement as "an act of high principle and idealism...[and]...as a crusade to make the world safe for democracy."