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.