World War I: the Beginning, causes, US involvement, and the course of the war In the late 1800's the chancellor of Germany, Otto von Bismarck created a secret defensive alliance called the three empires alliance. Germany, Austria, and Italy banded together in case of a war with France. In the Beginning Russia was part of this pact but later pulled out. Bismarck kept the alliance together but he was powerless to what would happen next. …showed first 75 words of 706 total…

…showed last 75 words of 706 total…reparations from the Central Powers. President Wilson signed the treaty and brought it to the senate. The Senate believed that certain changes needed to be made before they would ratify it. President Wilson did not want to change it and went on a public speaking tour in order to sway public opinion in his favor. This failed and ultimately the U.S. was the only country involved that did not ratify the treaty of Versailles.