World War I The Great War 19141918 Involved 30 nations 6 continents Central Powers Germany AH v Allies GB France amp Russia 15 million killed 80 deaths caused from disease starvation amp wounds ID: 761101
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World War I “The Great War” 1914-1918Involved 30 nations / 6 continentsCentral Powers - Germany, A-H v. Allies - GB, France & Russia15 million killed80% deaths caused from disease, starvation & woundsBloodiest war ever up to that pointEurope was suspicious & competitive w/ one another
American Neutrality? Remain neutral 3 of 4 yearsWilson will win re-election on slogan: “he kept us out of the war”Immigrants followed war closely because ties to Europe (11 million w/ ties to Central P.)Wilson’s cabinet pro-G.B, Banks pro-G.B ($2 billion)=U.S. $ tied to allied victory (Big Business tied to G.B.)Trans Atlantic cable to G.B not Europe/yellow press make Germans look aggressive
British Blockade & German U-boat response Fighting on land at stalemate (trench warfare)G.B. w/ Naval strength set blockade along German coast & by 1917 (3 yrs) taking effect-famine = 750,000 Germans (civilians) starved to death (anaconda effect) Germans responded w/ U-Boats (new weapon) 1st month sank 90 ships /75,000 deaths (1/10 of starvation deaths) Anything headed to G.B. sunk w/ out warning (too risky to warn-international rules of warfare- 1.warn target to stop 2. send boarding party 3. allow time for crew to board lifeboats before sinking ship(ex .of new weapons old tactics) Unrestricted Submarine warfare3rd ended here
Lusitania German U-Boat sank British Luxury Liner off coast of Ireland (carrying 4,200 cases of ammunition)Unknown to her passengers but no secret to the Germans, almost all her hidden cargo consisted of munitions and contraband destined for the British war effort 1,198 killed (94 children & 35 infants) - 128 Americans Moral Wilson objected calling it barbaric act Germany defense: 1. carrying munitions 2. warnings in U.S. papers 3. U-Boat rendered useless if follow rules of warfare 4. Lusitania sister ship carried troops 5. 750,000 Germans are starving to death
German U-boat sinking zone
U.S. Reaction to Lusitania Shock & anger –act of mass murder & piracy (moral Wilson-rules of warfare shattered!)Eastern U.S. wanted war / Western U.S. still stay out. Why? Wilson didn’t want to lead disunited country to war TR called Wilson a coward (Americans followed w/ terms like: dud shells called “Wilsons”) jingoism-war hysteria G.B. regarded us as cowards too (audiences in GB booed when U.S. mentioned) (why do they want us in?)
German U-Boat Activity Cont. (UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE)May 7, 1915 Lusitania sunk Aug 1915 Arabic (G.B.) sunk ( 2 U.S. citizens)Wilson warns Germany & Germany agrees not to sink passenger liners anymore (doesn’t want U.S. joining) March 24,1916 -Germans sunk French vessel Sussex (2 American wounded) & Wilson warned Germany again (50 died) Sussex Pledge -Germany agree to stop if U.S. got G.B. to modify blockade & allow food into Germany (Wilson agreed but couldn’t convince G.B.) (remember 750,000 Germans starving to death because of blockade) (FAILED)
Zimmermann Note March 1, 1917German Foreign sec. sent a telegram to German ambassador in Mexico Tried to get alliance between Mexico & Germany (when Germany committed to cont. unrestricted submarine warfare after Sussex pledge failed)promise Mexico help in recovering lost lands in Mexican War (TX,NM, AZ) Germans Using strained relations w/ Mexico against us.Strategy: if Mexico declares war on U.S., we will be too busy to fight in Europe (can’t turn the tide of the stalemate if fighting in SW U.S.) (brilliant)The proposal was caught by the British before it could get to Mexico (British agents trying to sway U.S. opinion) Western part of country upset & want war (now unified in wanting war) 1915 German spy left briefcase on subway detailing plans for industrial sabotage –fueled fire for War
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Russian Revolution Feb. 1917Russia overthrew czar & assassinated entire family (Anastasia, Rasputin, & sick son)Bolshevik Revolution Karl Marx Communist Manifesto playing out 1 st time: Communist take over & exit war With Russia out stalemate will end because Germany doesn’t have to fight 2 front war. Yikes!U.S. fearful Germans will start to win so more pressure to join war $2B
Wilson asks Congress for Declaration of War April 2, 1917 Wilson delivered War resolution (knew little about foreign policy – all studies were on domestic issuesWilson’s desire to “make the world safe for democracy” Only 6 senators & 50 representatives voted against it “it is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war…but the right is more precious than peace...we shall fight…for democracy.” all the entente powers were democracies)(all central powers were monarchies or dictatorships) (moral diplomacy cont.)
Watch Wilson’s Presidency
Selective Service Draft Only 200,000 men in military at time of WWI (only 1,500 machine guns, 55 airplanes, no artillery)Required all men 21 to 30 register for the draft (24 m. registered) Draft not necessary since Civil War so many in Congress opposed the draft A lottery determined the order the men would go (IQ test given)2.8 million men drafted Not all drafted (2 million volunteered)(viewed it as great adventure)12 weeks after declaration of war U.S. men landed in France 400,000 Blacks drafted & served in segregated unitsWoman -1 st time woman officially served in noncombat positions = 11,000 & 20,000 nurses General John J. Pershing was commander of the American Expeditionary Force (chased after Pancha Villa)(1 rule by Wilson =keep separate U.S. force)
New Work Force w/ large # men in military, employers hire women (1 million women joined work force & 8 million moved up to better jobs)(most returned when men returned from war)Desperate for workers, Henry Ford & other owners sent recruiters into the South to get African Americans to take jobs left by men (Blacks in South still sharecropping) 300,000 to 500,000 leave South & move to Northern cities =The Great MigrationGreatly altered racial makeup of cities like Chicago, NY, Cleveland, & Detroit (Lead to race riots in North after war)
War Industries Board Wilson est. 5,000 agencies to win the war (to convert factories to wartime goods)During war time the federal govt & private companies must work together for the war effort (capitalism @ war)Est. to coordinate the production of war materials Decided what factories would produce what war time goods dress factory transformed into uniforms, sneaker factory transformed into boots for soldiers, model T car factory transformed into Jeeps and tank factory allocate raw materials for war effortordered the construction of new factories“to operate the whole U.S. as a single factory dominated by one manager” 4th ended here
Food Administration Board Run by Herbert Hoover (future president) Responsible for increasing food production while reducing civilian consumption (volunteer rationing)“Food will win the war –Don’t waste it” encouraged families to conserve food & grow their own vegetables victory gardens Campaigns such as: Wheatless Mondays, Meatless Tuesdays, & Porkless Thursdays Families leave more food for the troops (feeding all allied troops)U.S. govt bought entire U.S. wheat crop $2.26 bushel (high)
Espionage – Sedition Act Illegal to aid the enemy, give false reports, or interfere w/ the war effortMade it illegal to speak against the war publicly (what??)Allowed govt to prosecute anyone who criticized the govt 1,000 convictions1 st Amendment violations but Supreme Court ruled in times of clear & present danger it is ok to block free speech - Schenck v. U.S. 1919 – mailed letters urging dodging of draft & found guiltyEugene Debs (who is he??)went to jail under this act for speaking against war
The War Ends 19 months after U.S. entry into WWI (U.S. deciding factor)Germans mutinied & group of soldiers & workers seized power German Emperor stepped down2 days later armistice = 11 th hour, 11th day, 11 th month, of 1918 WWI ended (what day is this holiday today?)Cost U.S. $ 44 million a day ($33 billion total) (about $10 billion went to allies in loans) 1/3 raised through taxation (income, corporate & excise taxes on theater, gum & records) Borrowed rest $20 billion from U.S. people through bonds (1/5 pop. Bought bonds)
9,000,000 Dead
Treaty of Versailles Treaty ending WWIDefeated Central powers not invited9 new nations formed (Poland, Yugoslavia, Austria, Hungary, Czech.)Germany forced to pay for war damages $56 billion Wilson’s 14 points (League of Nations) – self-determination, Freedom of Seas, & League of Nation Allies punished & weakened Germany determined to end German aggression once & for all (take all her colonies)
Wilson came home and campaigned for League of Nations on nationwide tour but lost. (Massive stroke) U.S. Senate rejected Treaty of Versailles mainly because of League of Nations (U.S. wanted isolationism)(disillusioned why we entered war)