On June 28, 1914 an assassin's bullet struck down the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand in the Balkan capital of Sarajevo. One by one the nations of the European network declared war on one another, while America remained neutral. But neutrality was short lived. On May 7,1915 America's sentiment turned when German U-Boats torpedoed and sank the British steamer Lusitania claiming 124 American lives. Then, on April 6, 1917, President Wilson declared war and the Doughboys went into action.

See Rare Archival Footage On... The Kaiser's Build-up - German Submarine Warfare - America's Call to Arms - Air War in Europe - Prisoners of War - Victory in Europe and much more! Back home in New York, you'll experience the momentous victory celebration led by General John J. Pershing. But this ominous peace time would veil the coming events of an even greater war in less than a generation. 

Bonus Footage
"The Iron Commander": biography of Legendary WWI General John J. Pershing 
"The Old Soldier: Duty, Honor, Country": biography of General Douglas MacArthur 
Treaty of Versailles - A New Europe 
Home Front America 1917-1919 

Subjects Represented in this video: Woodrow Wilson, Kaiser Wilhelm, trench warfare, battle of verdun, submarine warfare, pancho villa, national debt, eddie richenbacher, tank warfare, argone offensive, citizens soldiers, isolationism, west point, marathon dance craze, victory in europe, pow, general pershing, prohibition, "over there", douglas macarthur, treaty of versailles, home front