View
218
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
AMERICAJOINSTHE ALLIES
AMERICAJOINSTHE ALLIES
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE WAR?
Blockades Attacks Allies were desperate Zimmerman Note Unlimited Submarine Warfare
Let’s Review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_FAOk4uMp8&feature=related
US ENTERS WAR
US attempted to stay neutral and Wilson encouraged neutrality.
However in 1914 1/3rd of Americans were foreign born. Many of these individuals supported their home countries though most sided with Britain and France.
3 positions on war:1) Isolationists- believed it was none of America’s
business.2) Interventionists- felt US should intervene3) Internationalists- believed US should play a role
and work towards peace but not enter the war.
WHICH SIDE WILL THE U.S. PICK?
• 11 million German-Americans
• Irish-Americans hated Great Britain
• Close cultural ties • Big business loaned
much $ to allies
Central Powers: Allies:
Nations 1914 1915 1916 Britain $594,271,863 $911,794,954 $1,526,685,102 France $159,818,924 $364,397,170 $628,851,988 Germany $344,794,276 $28,863,354 $288,899
US Exports to both sides:
WHY DID IT TAKE THE U.S. SO LONG TO GET INVOLVED?
Wilson had promised the American people neutrality in his election campaign.
BUT, 128 American civilians had been killed on the Lusitania.
The Allied nations were quickly sinking themselves. Debt Loss of soldiers Lack of supplies
Blockades • Blockade- a war measure that isolates some area of importance to the enemy
• Germany attempted to block British ships carrying supplies in an attempt to starve out the British Isles
• Often called “starvation blockades”
• Germany announced a submarine war around Britain.
• In May, 1915 Germany told Americans to stay off of British ships
• They could/would sink them
Britain and France nearly bankrupt
Common language, and TRADE were huge influences.
Allied Pressure
Petrograd, 4 July 1917. Street demonstration on Nevsky Prospekt just after troops of the Provisional Government have opened fire with machine guns.
• Lusitania- a British passenger ship. It was torpedoed, sinking with 1200 passengers and crew (including 128 Americans)
• Was eventually found to be carrying 4200 cases of ammunition
Lusitania
SUSSEX PLEDGE On March 24th, 1916 a German sub attacked another
British passenger ship called the Sussex. It didn’t sink, but 50 people were killed and American people were injured.
Wilson gave Germany an ultimatum. Germany replied quickly with this pledge. Germany promised the US that they would end their
unrestricted submarine warfare.
Unlimited Submarine Warfare
• 1917 Germany announced “unlimited submarine warfare” in the war zone
Zimmerman Note
• British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from the German Foreign minister, Zimmerman to Mexico. • It promised Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back in return for an alliance
• Zimmerman Note + the sinking of 4 unarmed American ships led to a declaration of war by the United States
“…A WAR TO MAKE THE WORLD SAFE, FOR DEMOCRACY”
“We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.”
President Woodrow Wilson, 1917
Asking the Congress of the United States for a Declaration of War against the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
The YanksAre
Coming!
The YanksAre
Coming!
“THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE”America’s Army had to be built from scratch. Only the USMC had real combat experience -and then only in “ Small Wars” against poorly armed guerillas.
Minimal training turned civilians into officers, NCO’s and “Doughboys”
AEF 4 million
Overseas 2 million
126,000 Dead
234,000 Wounded
A modern military force by 1918 with advanced logistics, tanks, bombers and artillery.
AMERICA MOBILIZES FOR WAR
US Army was originally a fraction of the size of European armies.
Wilson encouraged Americans to volunteer and pushed congress to pass “Selective Services Act”
Passed in 1917 Authorized a draft of young men
for military service in Europe.
9.6 million registered for the draft and were assigned a number.
Gov’t held a “great national lottery” to decide the order in which the draftees would be called into service.
Over the course of war 24 million registered 2.8 actually drafted. 4 million total served including volunteers.
1. American economic goods 2. America's democratic political structure 3. America's blend of morality and Christianity
WILSON BELIEVED THE AMERICAN SYSTEM WOULD SAVE THE WORLD
“It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war... But the right is more precious then peace and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried in our hearts.“ - Wilson
Americans in the TrenchesAmericans in the Trenches
OPPOSITION TO THE WAR
German Americans and Irish Americans opposed the allies Sometimes treated with prejudice
Draft created controversy Some refused and often court-martialed and
imprisoned. 12% of men who received draft notices didn’t
respond.
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Moral or religious beliefs forbid them to fight in wars.
Exempted from combat “any well recognized
religious sect or organization… whose existing creed or principles forbid its members to participate in war.”
THE ARMISTICE The Central Powers began to
collapse. The German military had
weakened. In July 1918, with fresh troops
from the US, the Allies and the Germans battled again at the Second Battle of the Marne.
In October, revolution swept through Austria-Hungary.
In Germany, soldiers mutinied and the public turned on the Kaiser.
On November 11, a new representative of Germany signed an armistice with the French Commander.
Armistice- an agreement to stop fighting.
Recommended