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United States Enters World War 1
By 1917 the conflict we call The First World War had been raging for over two years, drawing in troops from Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and Australia.
The main battles were in Europe.
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• At first, the United States tried to remain neutral and isolated from the war. But, as World War I dragged on this became increasingly difficult to do so. The Immediate cause of the U.S. involvement grew out of the naval war between Germany and Great Britain.
• Britain had used its superior naval power to blockade Germany. The blockade kept war and other military materials from reaching Germany. Germany had retaliated by setting up its own naval blockade. Germany enforced its blockade with the use of unrestricted submarine warfare which included the sinking of passenger liners.
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• On May 7, 1915 the British ship Lusitania was sunk by a German U‐Boat. There were about 1,100 civilian casualties, including 100 Americans.
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Department of State, Washington, May 13, 1915 To Ambassador Gerard:In view of recent acts of the German authorities in violation of American rights on the high seas which culminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania on May 7, 1915, by which over 100 American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the Government of the United States and the Imperial German Government should come to a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted.
The Government of the United States, therefore, desires to call the attention of the Imperial German Government … the objection to their present method of attack against the trade of their enemies … in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness, reason, justice, and humanity.... The Government and the people of the United States look to the Imperial German Government for just, prompt, and enlightened action in this vital matter…..Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan
The United States Government Responds
Do you think this letter was a sufficient response to the sinking of the Lusitania?
What event is this poster based on?
Is this an effective propaganda poster? Why?
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1916 Presidential Election• Wilson still refused to go to war but did give one last warning to the Germans called the Sussex Pledge
• Sussex Pledge – Germany agreed to certain conditions and US would keep out of war
• Wilson ran for reelection on a platform of being the peacetime president who kept the US out of war
• He won by a narrow margin
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In 1917, the focus of the war shifted to the high seas. That year, the Germans intensified the submarine warfare that had raged in the Atlantic Ocean. The only time that the British and German navy engaged in a direct battle neither side won a conclusive victory..
In January 1917, To break the stalemate the German naval officers convinced the emperor to resume unrestricted U‐Boat warfare. They thought they could starve the British into submission within 6 months. This policy would draw the United States into the conflict.
The 'Zimmerman Telegram' –often called the Zimmerman Note ‐ was a memo sent from the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Ambassador to
Mexico through a supposedly secure channel devoted to
peace negotiations. It informed the ambassador that Germany would be resuming its policy of Unrestricted
Submarine Warfare (USW) and proposed an alliance. If
Mexico would join in a war against the US, they would be
rewarded with financial support and re‐conquered land
in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
The Zimmerman Note
Why do you think this was such a threat to the U.S.
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Why would the Germans propose such an
alliance?
Why would the telegram be published in U.S.
newspapers?
How would the U.S. public react?
The German high command knew renewed
USW would probably cause the US to declare war on them, but they gambled on shutting
Britain down before an American army could arrive in force. The
alliance with Mexico and Japan, as proposed in the
Zimmerman Telegram, was intended to create a new Pacific and Central American Front, greatly distracting the US and aiding the German war
effort.
British intelligence intercepted the telegram
and, recognizing the effect it would have on
US public opinion, released it to America
on February 24th 1917. It was released to the world press on March
1st.
The U.S. generally felt kinship with Great Britain
(common language, culture, history)
the US public - still concerned at Mexico's
intentions following trouble between the two - was aghast. A vast majority
reacted to both the Note, and weeks of growing anger
at USW, by backing war against Germany. When the
American Congress approved Wilson's decision to declare war on April 6th,
there was just 1 vote against.
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The United States
United States – Maintained a policy of noninvolvement, yet economically were benefiting by selling goods.
Sinking of the Lusitania – German submarine warfare affected Americans.
Zimmerman Letter – Germany sent a letter to Mexico encouraging them to fight the U.S. The letter was intercepted.
The United States entered the war against Germany in 1917.
Create a title for this Political Cartoon
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• Large numbers of American troops arrived in Europe 1918 and this gave the Allied powers a great psychological boost as well as a major source of money and war goods. This America’s involvement became more important after the Russian Bolsheviks and Lenin, signed a separate peace with Germany on March 3, 1918. In this treaty he gave up eastern Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and the Baltic provinces.
Russia Leaves The War1918 – Russia gets out of the war. They sign the Treaty of Brest‐Litovsk with Germany. This gives the Germans territories in
western Russia in exchange for peace.
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Terms of the Treaty of Brest‐Litovsk
• Riga, Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia, a portion of white Russia and area around the Baltic sea was given to Germany
• All Turkish land seized by Russia was to be returned
• Poland and Finland were granted independence
• Russia had to pay 6 million marks in reparations
Russia lost...
• one third of it's population
• one third of it's fertile land
• 54% of it's industry
• 75% of its coal mines
• 73% of it's iron supplies
• 85% of it's sugar production
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FRANCE
St. Mihiel
Argonne Forest
PARIS
The American Presence
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Battle of the Argonne Forest
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Last Night of the War, 10‐11 Nov 1918
An Armistice is DeclaredGermany put their all into an attack on March 21st 1918. For several months the offensive pushed the Allies back, but in July the Germans were stopped at the Second Battle of the Marne. The Allied counter‐offensive began in August and in what became known as the Last Hundred Days, they pushed the Germans back. Germany sought an armistice which
came into effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.
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Problem, problems!Here are some of the problems facing world leaders at the end of WWI. What advice would you offer them?
1. Who should pay for the destruction?
2. What could be done to help the economies of countries affected by the War?
3. How could future wars be prevented?
4. What could be done to help the families of the dead or injured?
How did countries try to avoid any more wars?
To work out and what was decided by the Treaty of Versailles
To be able to explain how many Germans felt about the Treaty
Aims
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The Palace of Versailles
Did the Paris Peace Conference make a sensible settlement?
On 28 June 1919, exactly 5 years after the murders at Sarajevo, which had sparked off the First World War, the most powerful men in the world met in a magnificent palace just outside Paris. The agreement they signed became known as the Treaty of Versailles. Palace of Versailles
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The Paris Peace Conference – at the end the leaders signed the Treaty of Versailles
British Prime Minister, Lloyd-George
French Prime
Minister, Georges
Clemenceau
US President, Woodrow Wilson
What were the aims of the leaders?
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British Prime Minister, Lloyd-George French Prime
Minister, Georges
Clemenceau
US President, Woodrow Wilson
What were the aims of the leaders?
Protect the British Empire
Avoid future wars
Make Germany
pay!
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Decision time!
• 1.Alsace‐Lorraine should be returned to France
• 2.Germany could never put soldiers in the Rhineland
• 3.Saarland taken from Germany
• 4.Germany split in 2 – Polish Corridor
• 5.Forbid Germany & Austria to join
• 6.Reduce size of army, navy & airforce
Decision time!
• 7.Take away Germany’s colonies
• 8.Pay for the damage – reparations
• 9.Sign a War Guilt clause
• 10.Split Austria‐Hungary in two
• 11.Unite smaller countries
• 12.Ban Germany from League of Nations
• 13.No army for the League of Nations
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June 1919
Homework
Imagine you run a German newspaper that is angry with the Treaty of Versailles. In teams design a front page that includes:• A powerful headline that captures the mood of ordinary Germans
• A strong opening paragraph that sums up the treaty
• A summary of the main points of the Treaty
• An explanation of why so many Germans are shocked and angry
• A comment on the Big Three – if you like as a cartoon.
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Extension
Can you work out the message behind this cartoon? How useful are cartoons in understanding the reaction of ordinary Germans to the Treaty of Versailles?
The Treaty of Versailles
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Homework
• Create your own version of the newspaper front page drawing on the best examples from your peers, but this time imagine you are producing it for a British, French or US audience. What will you need to change in terms of the content and tone?
• Extension task: Take a copy of the Treaty of Versailles cartoons and follow the task instructions on how to ‘unpack’ the meaning behind them.
Plenary
• Can you list 3 problems that needed solving at the end of WWI?
• Can you name 3 of the main leaders who attended the Paris Peace Conference and their aims?
• List 3 things in the Treaty of Versailles that would have angered the German people
• How far do you think the Treaty of Versailles achieved its aims?
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Feb. 14, 1919 ‐Wilson submits Draft
Covenant for a League of Nations
What did Wilson believe to be the answer to the world’s problems?
Would it work?
Wilson’s Idealism
The Goals of France
1. According to this cartoon, what was Clemenceau’s main concern? Why?
2. Why do you think Clemenceau was nicknamed “The Tiger?”
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New Map of Europe!
1. Which major empires lost the most land? Why?
2. What problems could occur due to the structure of the European landscape?
What is the major concern in dealing with
Foreign Affairs?
How does this cartoon represent the political atmosphere of post a World War I United
States?
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What will Wilson do in order to gain support for the League of Nations?
Wilson’s Mission
Wilson’s Journey
Sep. 25, 1919 ‐ Wilson collapses in Pueblo, Col.; returns to D.C.; suffers stroke Oct. 2; ill for 7 months
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Results
What does this Political Cartoon accuse the United
States of doing?
July 2, 1921 ‐ Congress ends war by joint resolution
The Congress does not approve to membership in the League of Nations.
The Title of the cartoon is “We told you it wouldn’t
work!”
Why didn’t the League of Nations work and could anything have made it
successful?