World War I was a big war that happened from 1914 to 1918. Many countries were involved, including the United States. This lesson will help you understand how the United States got involved in the war, what they did during the war, and what happened after the war.
World War I started in 1914. It was a war between two groups of countries. One group was called the Allies. The Allies included countries like France, the United Kingdom, and Russia. The other group was called the Central Powers. The Central Powers included countries like Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.
At first, the United States did not want to join the war. They wanted to stay neutral, which means they did not want to take sides. But several things happened that made the United States change its mind.
One important event was the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a big ship that was carrying people from the United States to Europe. In 1915, a German submarine sank the Lusitania, and many people died, including Americans. This made many people in the United States very angry.
Another important event was the Zimmermann Telegram. In 1917, Germany sent a secret message to Mexico. The message asked Mexico to join the war on the side of the Central Powers. In return, Germany promised to help Mexico get back land that it had lost to the United States. The United States found out about the message, and this made them very worried.
Because of these events, and because they wanted to help their friends in the Allies, the United States decided to join the war. On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany.
When the United States joined the war, they sent soldiers to Europe to help the Allies. These soldiers were called the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). The leader of the AEF was General John J. Pershing.
The United States also helped by sending supplies like food, weapons, and medicine to the Allies. Factories in the United States worked very hard to make these supplies.
One of the most important battles that the United States fought in was the Battle of Argonne Forest. This battle happened in 1918, and it was one of the last big battles of the war. The United States and the Allies won the battle, and this helped to bring an end to the war.
The war ended on November 11, 1918. This day is now called Armistice Day or Veterans Day. After the war, the countries that had been fighting signed a peace treaty called the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was signed in 1919.
President Woodrow Wilson, who was the President of the United States during the war, had a plan for peace. His plan was called the Fourteen Points. One of the most important points was the idea of the League of Nations. The League of Nations was a group of countries that would work together to keep peace in the world. The United States helped to create the League of Nations, but they did not join it.
After the war, many soldiers came home to the United States. They were happy to be home, but some of them had a hard time finding jobs. The United States also had to pay a lot of money to help the soldiers and to rebuild after the war.
World War I was a very important event in history. It changed the world in many ways, and it showed how important it is for countries to work together to keep peace.
