American Studies

World War I

Militarism: Rival countries race to have a stronger, better militaryArms Race

Alliances: Nations create secret alliances to strengthen their position and keep a “balance of power” in the world

Imperialism: Britain, France, Italy, Russia and Germany take colonies overseasTo gain resources, power, naval bases, soldiers, money,

etc.Nationalism: Extreme national pride causing nations to

think they’re better than the othersSmall kingdoms join Germany and Italy to form larger

nations with central governments

Causes of the War

Triple Alliance: Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy

Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, and Russia

In these alliances they agree that an attack on one member is an attack on all

They promise to defend each other

Two Major Alliances

The volatile combination of growing rivalry, militarism and secrecy is ignited into war by one event:

The Spark (1914): Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on Serbia

The Shot Heard Round the World

Alliances pull countries into war: Germany defends Austria

Russia defends Serbia, so Germany declares war on Russia and its ally France

Aug. 1914: Germany invades Belgium on their way to France

British declare war on Germany to defend Belgium

Before WWI: War was considered good for nationsGlorious adventure that shows what nations are

strongesthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsnH8WX1MHY

Declarations of War

Central Powers: Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire

Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, and Italy -Italy left the Triple Alliance

Stalemate: No one is winning or gaining ground, deadlock or a draw/tie

Trench Warfare: Soldiers fight from ditches in the battlefield, with terrible conditionsHigh causalities due to new technology,

outdated tactics, and diseaseTanks, planes, poison gas, barbed wire and

machines gunsDiseases like Typhus, dysentery, cholera,

influenza and gangrene take many lives 25% of German arm wounds ended in death

WWI: The Great War (1914-1919)

-Dangerous land between trenches was called “no-man’s land”

-1916: Battle of the Somme: one of bloodiest in history with over 1 million killed or injured

-British lose 60,000 in first day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdBvPvTQaZI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_KdMDD_7aY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZnZf4Ayb3M&list=PL3F8AAED2285F9171

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3XtxfN4uzU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0V1yRrjMmM

Majority of Americans was opposed to joining the warWashington warned us not to join major

alliancesPresident Wilson is isolationist, war in Europe

is not our problemNeutrality: Don’t take sides, stay out of warOvertime Americans begin to choose sides

Both Allies and Central use propaganda to influence public opinion in US to joinUS could have major impact on who wins

America during the War

US businesses made huge profits selling supplies to both sidesBusiness leaders want to remain neutral to

make money off of both sidesBritish naval blockade of Germany made it

difficult to deliver supplies to Central PowersRapidly increases US trade with Allies

US economy prospers

US Trade with Belligerent Powers

What was the United States foreign policy called at the beginning of WWI, where you stay out of war?

a. Neutralityb. Big Stick Diplomacyc. Containmentd. Imperialism

Practice Question

Feb. 1915: Germany wants to cut supply lines to AlliesU-boats will attack any ship entering or leaving

English portsUS: Wilson warns he will hold Germany

responsible for any American deathsMay 1917: Sinking of the Lusitania: German

u-boats sink a British ship with Americans on boardSecretly carrying war supplies

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

US: Submarines

Germany: U-boats

Public is outraged that civilian ships like Lusitania were also carrying hidden war suppliesWilson and US are furious, TR calls for war,

Wilson still remains neutral on warThen Germans attack French ship Sussex,

injuring several AmericansWilson threatens to break off diplomatic

relations with GermanyGermans fear bringing US into war on Allied

sideSussex Pledge: Germany promises to warn any

civilian ships before attacking to avoid war with the US

Submarine Warfare

Which of the following was not a part of WWI combat?

a. Nuclear Weaponsb. Machine gunsc. Submarinesd. Trench warfare

Practice Question

Preparedness: Disagreements in govt about whether or not we should prepare for warWar hawks say preparation is necessary for

protectionPacifists says preparation moves us closer to war

and get in the way of Progressive reformsCongress approves funds to double size of army

and build new warships Both President Wilson and Republican candidate

Charles Evans Hughes campaign for neutralityWilson wins with slogan “He Kept Us Out of the

War”

1916 Presidential Election

January 1917: Germany breaks the Sussex pledgeUS breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany

U-boats will attack any merchant vessel, armed or unarmed, entering or leaving Allied ports

Took chance of forcing US into war believing they could win before US could mobilize

Zimmerman Note: The German govt sent a telegram to German Ambassador in MexicoTells Mexico wage war against the US to regain lost

territoryWants to weaken US for war: America intercepts

messagesPushes US closer to war

1917: WWI

Russia is part of the Allied powers March 1917: Russian revolution overthrows

Czarist monarchyOctober 1917: Bolsheviks in power, led by Vladimir

LeninWanted Russia out of the war to focus on establishing

new Communist govtSigned Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Germany in

March 1918: Allow them to get their troops out of Russia

Russia leaving the war encourages US to enter to help Allies

Red Scare: The US fears Communist expansion into other countries and within the United States

Russia during WWI

Practice QuestionDuring World War I, two revolutions took place in Russia while

Russia was at war with Germany. Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, said:

“There can be no doubt that our army is absolutely in no condition... to beat back a German offensive successfully.” ---

-Source: V. I. Lenin, Collected Works, 4th English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1964, p. 447.

The excerpt above could be used to support the thesis that:

A. Lenin had few skills as a military leaderB. Russia shared in the responsibility for World War IC. Lenin believed that Russia should withdraw from World War ID. The Bolshevik Revolution had the support of the Russian army

Practice Question Which was a common factor in the United

States that caused the Red Scare following World War I?

A. racial tension in major citiesB. signs of economic downturnC. fear of communist expansionD. the counterculture movement

Germany sinks 4 more merchant ships, kills many, so Wilson decides we can no longer remain neutral

April 2nd, 1917: Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war

“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. 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 freedom of nations can make them”

US Enters the Great War

Uncle Sam: Invented during War of 1812 and named after an Army Meat Inspector

1917: US joins Allies and goes to war with the Central Powers

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: Takes American lives, kills civiliansWe had better trade relations with Allies

The Zimmerman Note: Germans try to convince Mexico to attack us

Allies lose support of Russia: we decide to help them instead after breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany

Why the US Joined the War

Which of the following was not a cause for U.S. involvement in WWI?

a. Zimmerman Telegramb. Unrestricted Submarine Warfarec. Desperate European Conditionsd. Pearl Harbor

Practice Question

Training and shipping out troops is the top priorityThe Selective Service Act: Allows the govt to draft

men into the armed forces2 million drafted, 2 million volunteered

First time women joined armed forces in non-combat roles

300-400,000 African American troops join armyServe in segregated units, given menial jobs, about

100,000 saw combatAfrican American Henry Johnson was first American

to receive the Croix de GuerreWomen, blacks, and Mexicans take war industry

jobs

Mobilizing the US

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YYaK0wdni8

Practice QuestionWhat was the purpose of the Selective

Service Act?

a. To protect merchant ships as the cross the Atlantic

b. To allow the government to draft men into the Armed Forces

c. To allow the US to trade with both sides during the war

d. To allow women to join the army in non-combat roles

The power of the federal govt increased during WWI: setting quotas and rationing, institutes the draft, etc.

War Labor Board: Improves wages and conditions

Committee on Public Opinion: Govt uses power to persuade public opinion and gain support for the warPropaganda: To persuade the publicPosters, plays, speeches tell people to hate

Central Powers and be more AmericanGrowing Anti-German sentiment: Change

street names, hamburgers become liberty sandwiches, etc.

Federal Government during WWI

Song “Over There” by George M. Cohan shows eagerness and optimism to joinhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYV044H5muI

US troops turn tide of war: Allies needed reinforcements1st of American Expeditionary Force (AEF) reached

Europe summer of 1917Majority did not arrive until 1918

Rationing: Americans eat less food back home to send more to the Allied troopsHebert Hoover: Head of Food Administration says food

can win the warMeatless and wheatless days once a week

Mobilizing the US

US troops had an immediate impact on the war: great advantage for the Allied Powers

Navy moved quickly to counteract German subsUsed convoy system to increase amount of food

and supplies that got through to the AlliesUse battleships to protect supply ships from

German u-boatsNo US troops die on the way to Europe due to

subsUS troops nicknamed Dough Boys

Originated in Mexican-American War in 1840s due to being covered in dust from the dry desert

US Turns the Tide of the War

Convoy: Battleships guard supply ships from German u-boats

Espionage Act (1917): To prohibit attempts to interfere with military operations or support U.S. enemies during wartime and to prevent insubordination in the military or interference with military recruitment

Sedition Act (1918): Forbids the use of "disloyal, profane, or abusive language" about the US government, its flag, or its armedAnything that would make someone feel negatively about

the USPost Office can refuse to deliver mail that fits this

descriptionCan’t criticize wartime governmentServe 5-20 years in prison, until repealed in Dec. 1920

Violating Civil Liberties

Charles Schenck distributed anti-draft leaflets to men

Court found that this was illegal under the Espionage Act because he was attempting to interfere with drafting soldiers

Court said it did not violate 1st Amendment:Free speech can be taken away if the crime

poses a “clear and present danger”First time use of the argument against yelling

“fire!” in a crowded place

Landmark Supreme Court Case:Schenck vs. US (1919)

Charles Schenck was found guilty of violating the 1917 Espionage Act by distributing leaflets through the mail urging men to resist induction under the military draft for World War I. On appeal, Schenck’s attorneys argued that distribution of the leaflets was protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction. This case illustrates how individuals rights can be balanced against:

a. The rights of other individuals. b. The security of the nation in a time of war. c. The opportunities for people to enlist in the military.d. The interest of the government in keeping courts open to

provide justice.

Practice Question

Summer 1918: Germans began last major offensiveAllies would have lost without US supplies/troopsUS troops, led by General John J. Pershing, helped

contain the Germans pushing toward Paris, France Battle raged for almost seven weeksUS leads a giant push and Allies win, leaders

realize that victory was no longer possible1918: Armistice: “11th day of the 11th month in

the 11th hour”German govt accepts cease-fire demands and war

was over

Road to Victory

Number killed: civilians and military was around 15 million, with 20 million woundedUS: Battle Deaths: 52,947; Wounded 202,628England, France, Russia, Germany and Austria each lost

1-2 million soldiersOttoman Empire: +2 million of 3 million killed were

civiliansEuropean economy is ruined, millions homeless and

suffering from hunger, malnutrition, and diseaseIdea of war being noble and heroic is lost and many feel

disillusionedAmerican author Ernest Hemingway writes about this

feelingVeterans suffer from Shell Shock

Aftermath of WWI

Wilson becomes first president to travel to EuropeThe Big Four: US, Great Britain, France and ItalyLeaders meet to negotiate peace treaty

Russia and Germany were not invitedWilson faces challenge of convincing British Prime Minister

David Lloyd George, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, and Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando to be forgiving

US Peace Plan: Wilson wanted peace without victory or punishment

European Peace Plan: Allies want revenge on Germany and Central Powers, Wilson is forced to compromise his views

Struggle for Peace

The Big Four: Orlando, Lloyd-George, Clemenceau and Wilson

Negotiating at the Palace of Versailles, France

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_8cOIFbUM

1. No more secret treaties/alliances; “open covenants, openly arrived at”

2. Freedom of the sea3. Free trade; removal of barriers to free trade among

nations4. Arms reduction; cutbacks and limitations on military

arms5. Peaceful settlements of disputes over colonies;

interests of colonized people to be considered6-13. National self-determination; Promoted independent

self-governing nationsNew nations proposed; adjusted national boundaries

14. Proposal for the League of Nations; world organization to settle international disputes

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

Which was not one of Wilson’s Fourteen Points?

a. Military reductionsb. Freedom of the Seac. National Self-determination d. Restrictions on Free Trade

Practice Question

Germany is punishedDisarm: No military over 100,000 troops, no

war manufacturing, demilitarized Rhineland between France and Germany

Reparations: Must pay huge sums to compensate for damages of the war

Guilt Clause: Must take responsibility for causing war

Alsace-Lorrainne: Territory given back to France

Poland: Regains territory and independence from Germany

The Treaty of Versailles: July 1919

Practice QuestionWhat was the goal of Treaty of Versailles?

a. Create peaceb. Punish Germanyc. Eliminate alliancesd. Reduce military power for all nations.

The treaty changes the map of Europe as Russia and Germany are forced to give up landAustro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires

broken upTurkey, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and

Lithuania gain independenceNew Nations created: Czechoslovakia,

Yugoslavia, Iraq

Redefining Boundaries in Europe

Wilson goes back to US to convince the Senate to ratify the treaty with a 2/3rds majority voteSenate majority: Republican, Wilson: Democrat

American Opponents of the Treaty: Henry Cabot Lodge

Opponents believed the League of Nations would take away US govt authority and drag us into wars

Senate demands that League charter be changed before they will approve it, Wilson refuses

Speaking Tour: Wilson hopes to change their opinion by swaying the public opinion

Ratifying the Treaty

Wilson travels the country by train to convince the public to support the treaty and the League of Nations

He travels 8000 miles in 3 weeks giving 10 speeches a day

In Colorado he collapses and suffers a strokeHe is permanently debilitated, never fully

recovers, his wife handles his affairs for the rest of his presidency

Wilson’s Speaking Tour: Sept. 1919

Wilson encourages supporters to refuse compromise

1920: Senate votes and rejects the Treaty of Versailles

The US never joins the League of Nations, which makes it a weak organization in Europe

The Europeans agree to the brutal treaty, which causes a bitter legacy that leads to WWII

1921: After Wilson left office, US negotiates separate peace treaties with each of Central Powers and finally officially ends WWI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOrzp5KcCw

The Treaty of Versailles

The League of Nations was created after World War I as a forum for resolving international conflicts. However, the

League was unable to resolve tensions that led to World War

II. One factor that contributed to the ineffectiveness of the League was theA. breakup of colonial empires in Africa and AsiaB. decision of the United States not to join the LeagueC. opposition of League members to the Treaty of

VersaillesD. rise of the Cold War between the United States and the

Soviet Union

Practice Question