WWI: The War to End All WWI: The War to End All Wars and EmpiresWars and Empires

Q: How did WWI usher in a Q: How did WWI usher in a new era of American new era of American

imperialism?imperialism?

I. Waking the GiantI. Waking the Giant

A. Neutrality and “Neutrality”A. Neutrality and “Neutrality”Reasons for Staying out of the War: 1914-1917.Reasons for Staying out of the War: 1914-1917.1) no national interests1) no national interests2) isolationism2) isolationism3) ethnic loyalties to both sides3) ethnic loyalties to both sides4) financial benefits: supply both sides4) financial benefits: supply both sides5) military unready5) military unready6) victory either side6) victory either side garrison state garrison state surrounded reactionary imperialismsurrounded reactionary imperialism

Full neutrality Full neutrality notnot possible possible1) Ethnic groups in USA took sides1) Ethnic groups in USA took sides lobby lobby

2) Wilson & advisers held pro-Allied views: 2) Wilson & advisers held pro-Allied views: Germany threat to civilizationGermany threat to civilization

3) USA-England trade (arms, loans) grew; 3) USA-England trade (arms, loans) grew; USA-German trade dropped; Germany USA-German trade dropped; Germany saw US trade w/ England as un-neutralsaw US trade w/ England as un-neutral

4) Wilsonianism4) Wilsonianism

USA USA peaceful world peaceful world World of free trade, capitalism, World of free trade, capitalism, democracy, open diplomacy, fewer arms, democracy, open diplomacy, fewer arms, & & nono empires empiresUS destiny = save worldUS destiny = save worldIdealism + interest: Ideals benefited USAIdealism + interest: Ideals benefited USAWilson willing to force ideas on othersWilson willing to force ideas on others– Only joining war would give US seat at peace Only joining war would give US seat at peace

table (war for reform not destruction G)table (war for reform not destruction G)

B. Violating “Neutral Rights”B. Violating “Neutral Rights”

England: seize US cargo for Germany England: seize US cargo for Germany (property)(property)

Germany blockades England via Germany blockades England via submarines (lives)submarines (lives)

Wilson: G comply w/ strict interpretation Wilson: G comply w/ strict interpretation int’l law; look other way for Eint’l law; look other way for E

LusitaniaLusitania (1915): 1198 (1915): 1198 lives (128 Americans); lives (128 Americans); contraband (ammo) on contraband (ammo) on shipship

Sec’y State W.J. Bryan: Sec’y State W.J. Bryan: ban Am belligerent ban Am belligerent shipsships WW rejects WW rejects WJB resignsWJB resigns “traitor” “traitor”

1916: Sussex Pledge 1916: Sussex Pledge (end unrestricted)(end unrestricted)

C. Final StrawsC. Final Straws

Feb. 1917: G calculated riskFeb. 1917: G calculated risk full sub war full sub war

March 1, 1917: Newspapers report March 1, 1917: Newspapers report Zimmerman Telegraph (acquired by B)Zimmerman Telegraph (acquired by B)

… … we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: following basis: Make war together, make peace together, generous Make war together, make peace together, generous financial support, and an understanding on our part financial support, and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. …New Mexico, and Arizona. …You will inform the President [of Mexico] of the You will inform the President [of Mexico] of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States is certain and add the with the United States is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite JapanJapan to immediate adherence and at the same time to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves.mediate between Japan and ourselves.Please call the President's attention to the fact that the Please call the President's attention to the fact that the unrestricted employment of our submarines now offers unrestricted employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England to make peace the prospect of compelling England to make peace within a few months.within a few months.

II. Explanations of WarII. Explanations of WarA. Clash of EmpiresA. Clash of Empires

V.I. Lenin: imperialism highest form of V.I. Lenin: imperialism highest form of capitalismcapitalism conflict for markets + conflict for markets + resources to surviveresources to survive

US “Open Door” policy applies whole US “Open Door” policy applies whole world: US economy requires accessworld: US economy requires access G G presents larger threat (esp. post-Russian presents larger threat (esp. post-Russian Rev.)Rev.) back Allies back Allies– Allies sent troops to Russia to back Whites vs. Allies sent troops to Russia to back Whites vs.

Reds (start of “Cold” War)Reds (start of “Cold” War)

B. Wilsonian Idealism: Anti-Imperial B. Wilsonian Idealism: Anti-Imperial EmpireEmpire

"The nation should adopt the doctrine of "The nation should adopt the doctrine of President Monroe as the doctrine of the President Monroe as the doctrine of the world: that no nation should seek to extend world: that no nation should seek to extend its polity over any other nation or people, but its polity over any other nation or people, but that every people should be left free to that every people should be left free to determine its own polity, its own ways of determine its own polity, its own ways of development, unhindered, unthreatened, development, unhindered, unthreatened, unafraid, the little along with the great and unafraid, the little along with the great and the powerful."the powerful."         President Wilson, 1917         President Wilson, 1917

War is PeaceWar is Peace

Request for Declaration of WarRequest for Declaration of War““The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty.”liberty.”– Peace and liberty through war and regime changePeace and liberty through war and regime change

“…“…we shall fight for the things which we have always we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts for democracy, for the right of carried nearest our hearts for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments for the rights and liberties of small nations, governments for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”make the world itself at last free.”– Forcible spread of freedomForcible spread of freedom security security

LegacyLegacy““Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” JFK, Inauguralsuccess of liberty.” JFK, Inaugural““There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment and expose the pretensions of tyrants and reward and resentment and expose the pretensions of tyrants and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant. And that is the force of human the hopes of the decent and tolerant. And that is the force of human freedom. We are led, by events and common sense, to one freedom. We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”““The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: ‘Those who deny freedom to others deserve it Abraham Lincoln did: ‘Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it.’”retain it.’”– GWB, 2GWB, 2ndnd Inaugural Inaugural

C. TerrorismC. Terrorism

Act of terrorAct of terror military reaction military reaction “blowback”“blowback”

Serbian Black Hand, 28 June 1914Serbian Black Hand, 28 June 1914

Al Qaeda, 11 September 2001Al Qaeda, 11 September 2001– Bin Laden: despises US-backed Saudi Bin Laden: despises US-backed Saudi

monarchy; why else 17/19 Saudis?monarchy; why else 17/19 Saudis?

III. Consequences of WWIIII. Consequences of WWI

A. Twenty-year ArmisticeA. Twenty-year ArmisticeVersailles fundamentally flawed: revenge over Versailles fundamentally flawed: revenge over reconciliation (G down, R out)reconciliation (G down, R out) Hitler + WWII Hitler + WWIIJ + I receive too littleJ + I receive too little no racial equality no racial equality provision, not enough landprovision, not enough land– WW fails use leverage: no promise pre-US troops; WW fails use leverage: no promise pre-US troops;

econ coercion gone w/need rebuildecon coercion gone w/need rebuild

B. Self-DeterminationB. Self-DeterminationNew countries unstable: i.e. Iraq, Yugoslavia, New countries unstable: i.e. Iraq, Yugoslavia, PolandPoland– League “Mandates”League “Mandates”– Buffer against USSRBuffer against USSR

C. Imperial AmericaC. Imperial America

W. Wilson centralizes power in D.C. and W. Wilson centralizes power in D.C. and Pres.: WPB, CPI, taxation, diplomacyPres.: WPB, CPI, taxation, diplomacy

Selective Service Act (1917)Selective Service Act (1917) permanent permanent standing army / militarizationstanding army / militarization– 4.8 million served; most 4.8 million served; most drafteesdraftees in early 20s, in early 20s,

white, single, US-born, poorly educatedwhite, single, US-born, poorly educated– US losses = 53,000 combat dead (+ 62,000 US losses = 53,000 combat dead (+ 62,000

dead from disease); 200,000 woundeddead from disease); 200,000 wounded

Peace Advocates: pacifists, socialists (anti-Peace Advocates: pacifists, socialists (anti-imperialism), labor unions (rich man’s war), imperialism), labor unions (rich man’s war), some blacks + women (democracy at home?)some blacks + women (democracy at home?)TR, “The Hun within Our Gates” (1917):TR, “The Hun within Our Gates” (1917):““Every disloyal native-born American should be Every disloyal native-born American should be disfranchised and interned. It is time to strike disfranchised and interned. It is time to strike our enemies at home heavily and quickly. Every our enemies at home heavily and quickly. Every copperhead in this country is an enemy to the copperhead in this country is an enemy to the Government, to the people, to the army and to Government, to the people, to the army and to the flag, and should be treated as such.”the flag, and should be treated as such.”

“…“…to those who scare peace-loving people to those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists for is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists for they erode our national unity and diminish they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to our resolve. They give ammunition to America's enemies and pause to America's enemies and pause to America's friends.”America's friends.”– Attorney General John Ashcroft, 7 December Attorney General John Ashcroft, 7 December

2001, speaking to Senate Judiciary 2001, speaking to Senate Judiciary CommitteeCommittee

IV. Post-War Isolationism?IV. Post-War Isolationism?A. Forces for IsolationA. Forces for Isolation

Lost GenerationLost GenerationSenate opposition, Republican decadeSenate opposition, Republican decadeFlu (600,000 then :: 1.4 million today; 30 million Flu (600,000 then :: 1.4 million today; 30 million worldwide; flu > battle deaths)worldwide; flu > battle deaths)Post-war DepressionPost-war Depression

B. Forces for InterventionB. Forces for InterventionRed Scare / BolshevismRed Scare / BolshevismJapan: Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity SphereJapan: Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity SphereAmerican foreign investmentsAmerican foreign investmentsRise militarism Germany, Italy, USSRRise militarism Germany, Italy, USSR