World War I and Beyond1914-1920
Chapter 10
Section 1: From Neutrality to War
What Caused World War I: Nationalism and Competition Heighten Tension Nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and entangling alliances
combined with other factors to lead the nations of Europe into war
Alsace-Lorraine – French territory lost to a collection of German states
Militarism Produces an Arms Race Militarism – glorification of the military, grew in the
competing countries and fueled the arms race
The contest between Germany and Britain at sea and Germany, France and Russia on land guaranteed a major war
Militarism Produces an arms race and European leaders are sure a war would erupt in time.
Alliances Make Nations Overconfident and Reckless Leaders prepared for war by forming alliances. Germany,
Austria – Hungary, and Italy joined together in the Triple Alliance, though Italy never fought with it
Alliances emboldened leaders, they knew if they went to war their allies were obligated to fight along with them
Assassination Hurtles Europe Toward World War Archduke Francis Ferdinand – heir to the throne of Austria-
Hungary, was assassinated by Serbs who saw Ferdinand as a tyrant (video)
The Fighting Begins: Alliances Cause a Chain Reaction Kaiser William II – German
emperor, assured Austria Hungary Germany would stand by its ally if war came.
A-H declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914, because of their unwillingness to help in the investigation
Because of the alliance system, what should have been a localized quarrel spread
Deadly Technology Leads to Stalemate Western Front – 450 miles of trenches that became the
critical battle front.
The Reality of Trench Warfare Stalemate in the trenches led to horrid conditions; lice from
rats, “trench foot,” snipers, gas, and enemy attacks
Between the lines was “no man’s land”
Soldiers went “over the top” to launch an offensive and there were thousands, hundreds of thousands and millions of casualties
Casualties – soldiers killed, wounded, and missing
Wilson Urges NeutralityPresident Wilson urged Americans “to be impartial
in thought as well as action,” as war spread across Europe
We tried to adhere to the “melting pot,” ideals
Many businesses benefited from the increased demand by warring nations for American goods
Americans Have Divided LoyaltiesOne third of Americans were foreign-born in 1914,
many of them felt loyalty to their homelands
Most Americans sided with Britain and France, Britain because of cultural heritage and France because of their aid in the Revolution
American Opinion CrystallizesGerman invasion of neutral Belgium swayed
American opinion, fueled by British journalists and propagandists that showed and often exaggerated the brutality of the Germans
Neutrality Gives Way to War1914 the start of World War I
1917 U.S. entry into World War I
Britain Blockades GermanyBritish leaders decided to use their navy to
blockade Germany, and prevent most supplies from reaching Germany
Contraband – supplies captured from an enemy during wartime
German Sub marines Violate Neutral RightsGermany began to blockade Britain, sinking Allied
ships using its U-boats
On May 7, 1915 the British passenger liner Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, Wilson was stunned but still wanted peace “ There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right” (Sussex Pledge)
Wilson Prepares for WarBy the end of 1915 Wilson began to prepare the
Nation for War
The National Defense Act expanded the size of the army
Naval Construction Act ordered the building of more warships
Wilson ran for his second term on the slogan, “ He kept us out of war”
America Enters the WarZimmerman Note – proposed an alliance with
German and Mexico
April 2, 1917 Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany
Section 2: The Home Front
America Mobilizes for WarDuring World War I the U.S. government assumed
new powers regulating industrial and agricultural production while also establishing a draft
The war was among nations but touched the lives of their citizens
Building and ArmyWhen the U.S. entered into WWI the army was
small compared to those of European Nations
Selective Service Act – Congress passed it May 1917 which authorized the draft
24 million registered and 2.8 million served
Constructing a War EconomyBernard Baruch – head of the War Industries
Board (WIB), an investment banker that reported directly to the president /who, what, where, when, cost/
Future President Herbert Hoover did the same for food production / wheatless Mondays and Wednesday, meatless Tuesdays, porkless Thursdays and Saturdays
Shaping Public OpinionCommittee on Public Information (CPI) - to
educate the public about the causes and nature of the war
George Creel – director of the CPI, combined education and widespread advertising to “sell America”
Opposition and Its ConsequencesGerman Americans and Irish Americans, tended to
oppose the Allies for different reasons. Some people treated German Americans with prejudice, or intolerance. Some Americans opposed the war for many reasons and the government acted in ways that sometimes trespassed on individual liberties
Resistance to the DraftThe draft created controversy
Conscientious objectors – people whose moral or religious beliefs forbid them to fight in wars ( what if no one would fight?) (individual rights) (is freedom free?)
Women Work for PeaceSome American women also opposed the war.
Jane Addams formed the Women’s Peace Party
Jeannette Rankin was the first women to serve in he U.S. House of Representatives
The Government Cracks Down on DissentAs in previous and future wars, the government
navigated a difficult path between respecting and restring individual rights
Espionage Act – allowed postal authorities to ban treasonable or seditious newspapers, magazines, or printed materials from the mail
Cont.1918 Congress passed the Sedition Act, which
made it unlawful to use “disloyal, profane, scurrilous, and abusive language”
Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Sedition Act, stating there are times when the need for public order is so pressing that the First Amendment protections of speech do not apply
Prejudice Against German AmericansThe CPI intensified the anti-German feelings by
portraying Germany as a cruel enemy
Americans stopped teaching German in public schools and stopped playing Beethoven and Brahms, renamed German measles “liberty measles”
Some German Americans were harassed, beaten, and even a few were killed
The War Changes American SocietyThe war changed the lives for women, African
Americans, and Mexican Americans
Women Embrace New OpportunitiesAs men entered the armed forces, many women
moved into the workforce for the first time Munitions factories Railroads Telegraph operators Trolley conductors Farms Red Cross as drivers and clerks
African Americans Follow Opportunity NorthW.E.B. Du Boies viewed the war as an excellent
opportunity to show all Americans the loyalty and patriotism of African Americans
Great Migration – blacks left the south for economic advancement in the North’s wartime industries (Primary Source pg. 299)
Mexican Americans Move NorthMany Mexican migrants crossed the border to
harvest fruits or grains or pick cotton, they filled a demand for labor as blacks migrated north
Section 3: Wilson, War, and Peace
Why It MattersBy the spring of 1917 when the U.S. entered into
WWI the Western Front in France had become a deadly, bloody stalemate. The U.S. would play a key role in the Allied victory.
America Gives the Allies the EdgeMany European leaders cast doubt the U.S. could
raise, train, equip, and transport an army fast enough to influence the outcome of the war
Allied Convoys Protect ShippingGermany U-boats were sinking merchant ships
faster than they could be replaced
The problems solution came in the form of an old naval tactic called “convoy”
Convoy – groups of merchant ships sailed together protected by warships (pg. 303)
The Allies StruggleCentral Powers were gaining ground after years of
fighting
In March 1917 a revolution overthrew Czar Nicholas II though they remained committed to the war
Radical communists led by Vladimir Lenin staged a revolution and gained control of Russia
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended the war between the Soviet Union and Germany
American Troops Join the FightJohn J. Pershing – the commander of American
forces in Europe
As weeks followed American troops began to assume more of the wars burden, at the same time German offensive began to stall
American Troops Distinguish ThemselvesAmerican troops called “doughboys”, began to
break German lines
U.S. war hero Alvin York distinguish himself by silencing German machinegun nest, and dodged other attacks using only a pistol. He would later earn the Congressional Medal of Honor
The War EndsBy the end of 1918 the German front was
collapsing, the armies of Germany and Austria-Hungary had had enough
On November 11th 1918 Germany surrendered to the Allies
5 million Allied, 8 million Central Power, and 6.5 million civilians were dead
Wilson Promotes Peace Without VictoryVladimir Lenin, leader of the communist revolution
said the entire war was an imperialistic land-grab
President Wilson pushed the idea “peace without victory” (Primary Source pg. 305)
Fourteen Points – Wilson’s outline for what America wants, peace by noble ideals, not greed and vengeance
Cont…Wilson’s Fourteen Points sought to fundamentally
change the world, openness, independence, and freedom
No secrets, diplomacy, free trade, open seasSelf –Determination – the right of people to
choose their own form of government
Cont…League of Nations – to secure “mutual guarantees
of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike
1919 Allied peace conference in Versailles, Wilson went, something no other U.S. President had done
Cont…Henry Cabot Lodge – a Republican foreign policy
expert was left behind because Wilson disliked him
Many in American politics were angered but Wilson was greeted in Europe with much fanfare
Wilson at the Paris Peace ConferenceWilson’s idealism did not inspire other Allied
leaders
They blamed Germany for starting the war and wanted to weaken them so to never have the ability to start another war
Reparations – payment for war damages
Allied Leaders Reject Wilson’s IdeasThe leaders of both France and Britain wanted
Germany to pay for the war not only through reparations but also with the return of Alsace Lorraine and other key German colonies
Allies Create a League of NationsLeaders of Italy, France and Britain began to scrap
many aspects of Wilson’s Fourteen Points plan, freedom of the seas, free trade, and liberation of colonial empires, and general disarmament
Wilson lost many ideas but continued to fight for the League of Nations were countries could gather and peacefully resolve their quarrels
Problems With the PeaceThe various peace treaties crated almost as many
problems as they solved (read pg. 307)
America Rejects the TreatyWilson left Versailles knowing the treaty was not
perfect but believed over time the League of Nations could fix the problems and peace would emerge
Wilson Faces Troubles at HomeGerman Americans thought the “war guilt clause”
saying Germany started the war was to harsh
Irish Americans criticized the failure to create an independent Ireland
Some senators though the U.S. should not get entangled in world politics / organizations they were called “irreconcilables”
Cont…Reservationists – opposed the treaty some
Senators wanted minor changes while others wanted many
Article 10 – war without Congress / unconstitutional
Unable to sway Congress Wilson went to the people working himself to the brink of death
The Senate Rejects the Versailles TreatyThe treaty was voted on three times and three
times it was defeated
The tragedy was that without full American support the League of Nations would be ineffective