“Serb Student Assassinates Archduke and His Dutchess” read the headline of the Washington Times on June 28, 1914 (“Serb Student”). The assassination of the archduke was one of countless events of World War I that resulted in enormous effects. During the time of World War I, militarism, gas warfare, and the Zimmermann Telegram also showed to affect the world. Competition between the Central Powers and the Allies proved to be the main cause of these events and the effects of these are now evident. Militarism, the assassination of the archduke, gas warfare, and the Zimmermann Telegram are four events in World War I that had extreme effects.
As a consequence of militarism, “there was an increase in military influence on policy …show more content…
Gas proportionally killed few soldiers in World War I, but the psychological damage from gas fright affected a copious amount of soldiers. The periodic gas attacks caused soldiers to frequently have mental breakdowns and never let them escape from the fear that they might be gassed. Gas fright became so severe in 1917, doctors and medics had difficulties diagnosing real gas attacks from imaginary ones. The doctors and medics would prescribe the soldiers to bed rest and if they didn’t show any physical symptoms of gas exposure they would be shipped back to the front quickly. …show more content…
In 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann requesting Mexico to join the German’s cause and invade the Southwestern United States (James; Alexander and Childress). As a reward for defeating the US and its allies, Germany promised to return two of Mexico’s former territories, Texas and New Mexico (Alexander and Childress). Britain presented the telegram to the US president, Woodrow Wilson, on February 24 and as an effect, the US then declared war on Germany and its allies (Alexander and Childress). The United States’s entry contributed to the Allies victory. The new US soldiers were able to replace the worn out soldiers and help defeat the Central Powers. Their entry also resulted in Wilson’s Fourteen Points where he attempted to set rules he thought were necessary for peace (“Wilson 's 14 Points for Peace”). The Fourteen Points were then used as an outline for the Treaty of Versailles.
Four events in World War I, militarism, the assassination of the archduke, gas warfare, and the Zimmermann Telegram, had significant effects. Militarism caused an armaments race, which prepared the powers for World War I. The assassination of the archduke resulted in World War I and forced countries to ally up. Gas warfare left devastating psychological effects on soldiers as well as physically harmed them. Last, the Zimmermann Telegram led