3.5 – The US & WWI Preparing for War & the US Home front

The Students Will Be Able To (TSWBAT):

• Identify the major causes of US entry into WWI

• Analyze and create propaganda

Learning Targets & Key Words

Key Words: Isolationism Interventionism Internationalism War Agencies Propaganda

EQ: Why did the US abandon neutrality and enter into WWI? How did the US use propaganda to influence public opinion?

Foreign Policy Ideas

Why did Wilson want the US to remain neutral? Why did this prove to be so difficult?

Isolationists • US should remain isolated & not join

the war • **Woodrow Wilson

Interventionists • US should intervene & join the Allies

Internationalists • US should play an active role for

peace but should NOT send troops (middle ground)

Causes of American Involvement

(1) Invasion of Belgium (1914)

• What were the German actions against Belgium and how did the US respond?

• Germany invaded NEUTRAL Belgium, took supplies, killed unarmed citizens, destroyed towns; US opinion turns against Germany

Causes of American Involvement, cont.

(2) U-Boat Attacks

• What were the major actions of Germany’s submarines against Allied ships?

• Destroying all ships, battleships & passenger ships

• Lusitania (British) and Sussex (French) passenger ships destroyed in 1915

• Germany breaks the Sussex Pledge (which ended unrestricted sub warfare)

(3) The Zimmermann Note

• Who wrote it and to whom was it written? What did it say? How did the US respond?

• Arthur Zimmermann (Germany Foreign Minister), to Mexico

• Proposed alliance between Mexico and Germany against the US

• US is very angry, declares war on Germany (1917)

Causes of American Involvement, cont.

US Enters the War

• US declares war on Germany April 6, 1917

• Wilson thought the US would save the world: ▫ 1. Economic goods

▫ 2. Democracy

▫ 3. Morality & Christianity

The US Homefront Back at home, the US government created many new government programs to assist the US war effort…

Wartime Agencies: • War Industries Board

▫ Allocated the raw materials and types of weapons produced for WWI

• Food Administration ▫ Urged food conservation and

“victory gardens • Fuel Administration

▫ Urged people to conserve fuel which would be used in war

The Changing Workforce: • National War Labor Board

▫ Persuaded industry to improve wages, etc. to avoid strikes

• New Workers ▫ Over 1 million women begin

working in factories ▫ “Great Migration” led thousands

of African-Americans to the Northern factories

▫ Mexicans migrate to the Southwest and work on farms, etc. Helped grow the food the troops

needed

The US Homefront, cont.

Propaganda:

• Committee of Public Information (CPI) ▫ Created signs and pamphlets

which used propaganda

▫ Convinced citizens to support the war

▫ Much propaganda tried to convince people to give money to fight the war

The US Homefront, cont.

Silencing the Critics: • Espionage Act of 1917

▫ Made it illegal to aid the enemy ▫ No spying of any kind

• Sedition Act of 1918

▫ Cannot SPEAK against the war publicly ▫ Illegal to criticize gov’t

• Schenck v. US (1919)

▫ Schenck sued over violation of freedom of speech

▫ SC said they can limit free speech during war time if you present a “clear and present danger” to the US

These laws were upheld in court even though the 1st Amendment forbid it!

The US Homefront, cont.

Building the US Military: • Selective Service Act (1917)

▫ All men aged 21-30 had to register ▫ A lottery system then was used to

select them for military service ▫ 2.8 million men were drafted

including 400,00 African-Americans

• Volunteers

▫ Over 2 million people volunteered for service

▫ 11,000 women served in the Navy A worldwide flu epidemic surfaced, killed 25-50 million people worldwide (more than the war did)

War and influenza killed millions of people in 1918

The US Homefront, cont.

WWI Propaganda Activity

Propaganda was widely used in WWI to garner support among American citizens. This included attempting to get volunteers for the army, attempts to limit food and fuel consumption, and even getting Americans to donate money to the cause. EQ: How did propaganda shape public opinion during WWI? 3 Activities – Follow all directions on the handout! • (1) Analysis of WWI Propaganda

▫ http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/ww1posters • (2) Modern-Day Connections • (3) Creation of WWI Propaganda

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