The Big Picture: The United States tried to stay neutral when war swept Europe. Once the United States joined the Allies in 1917, however, the nation quickly mobilized for war.

CHAPTER 18: THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Main Idea: Rivalries among European nations led to the outbreak of war in 1914.

CHAPTER 18 SECTION 1: A WORLD CRISIS

M.A.I.N. Causes of World War I•Militarism: the policy of

military preparedness and building up of weapons.• Led many countries to have a large

standing army and navy, this was not the policy before.

• Also stockpiled weapons in case of war.

•Alliances: were formed in case of war.• Triple Alliance: Italy, Germany, and

Austria-Hungry.

• Triple Entente: Britain, France, and Russia.

• Alliances would cause European nations to snowball into war. One nation could not go without their alliance.

• Imperialism: in which countries colonized another country to provide markets for goods and natural resources.

•Nationalism: extreme pride or devotion that people feel for their country.• Led to the formation of new

nations in Europe in the 1870s and competition for power.

• Competition for power in the Balkans was the greatest, large number of ethnic groups fighting for power.

War Breaks Out• Archduke of Austria-Hungry Franz Ferdinand is assassinated while on honeymoon in Serbia.• Serbia had supplied the assassins with bombs and weapons.• Austria-Hungry declares war on Serbia, allies on both sides

declare war on each other.

• Schlieffen Plan: Germany’s plan for a two-front war against France and Russia at the same time.• Called for a surprise invasion of France by passing through

Belgium while at the same time attacking Russia.• Germany makes the first move following this plan.

• Germany marches through Belgium to France in brutal fashion killing anyone who got in their way.

First Battle of the Marne• After only one month of fighting German forces were only 25 miles outside of Paris, French were desperate to push them back.• French launched counterattack along the Marne River.• 2 million men fought along a 125 mile long battle front.• Able to push back German forces 40 miles.• Gave Russia time to mobilize for war, Germany had to pull

troops out of France to fight in Russia.

New Kind of Warfare• Uniforms• Old - French wore the same

uniforms they wore in 1800s – bright red with heavy helmets.

• New - Germans wore gray uniforms that helped them to blend in with their environment, camouflage.

• Formations• Old – French marched in rows

with their bayonets at their sides, prepared for close combat.

• New – Germans had machine guns for long range fighting.

• As a way to protect themselves from oncoming machine gun fire the troops built trenches or deep and long holes where soldiers could move from place to place.• Any time a helmet or any object

would rise above the enemy trench line they would be fired upon.

• Created a stalemate in which no side could make any major advances against the other.

• New kind of warfare led to new kind of devastation.Trench Warfa

re

New Kind of Warfare• Poisonous Gas was introduced as a

new weapon by Germany.• Dangerous because they did not know

how much gas would be enough and gas could be blown back if the wind changed.• Great Britain and France developed their own poisonous gas to fight

back against German gas methods.• Gas masks were developed to protect soldiers against poisonous gas. • Did not have major impact on the outcome of the war.

• British developed tanks that would be able to maneuver through “no mans land.”• Limited success, most tanks got stuck in the mud.

• Airplanes were the most effective new weapon during WWI.• Allowed troops to map enemy positions and trenches. Also allowed

them to attack from above.• Planes also fought each other in the air in dogfights

Main Idea: The United States helped turn the tide for an Allied Victory

CHAPTER 18 SECTION 2: THE UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR I

United States Stays Neutral• After war was announced President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States would remain neutral.• Reflected a long standing policy of isolationism or a policy of

not being involved with the affairs of other nations.

• America had more economic ties to France and Great Britain than Germany.• Britain was purchasing $75 million worth of war goods from

American businesses every week.

• Germany used U-Boats to blockadeGreat Britain from receiving goods.• Germany used unrestricted submarine warfare in order to effectively block all trade and ships from entering British ports, no ship even neutral was safe.

Heading Toward War• In 1915 the ship Lusitania was sunk off the British shore by German U Boats.• 1,200 passengers, 128 of which were Americans, were killed.• American public was outraged by the sinking. Wilson called for

an end to unrestricted submarine warfare Germany agrees to only attack supply ships.

• Less than a year later French passenger ship Sussex is attacked.• Wilson threatened to end diplomatic ties with Germany unless

it stopped attacking ships.• Sussex Pledge was made by Germany stating that it would

not attack merchant vessels without warning and without saving lives.

•Wilson after his re-election began working toward a peace agreement between the European nations.• Wanted them to accept “Peace without victory” but Allied

Powers felt the Central Powers had started the war and they needed to pay for the damages.

• German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman sent a telegram called the Zimmerman Note to Mexico proposing an alliance between Germany and Mexico in exchange for returning the territory lost in the Mexican American war to Mexico.• British intercepted the note and decoded it. Americans began

printing excerpts in the newspapers.• Americans began calling for war against Germany, Wilson

refused hoping for peace.

America Declares War• During the war there was a Russian uprising and the Russian people set up a government based upon republican ideals.• Many believed American role in world politics should be to

promote democracy.• To be supportive of democracy America should be supportive

of the Allied Powers.

• In 1917, two years after Europe had gone to war, America declares war so that the world could be made safe for democracy.• America joins the war on the side of the Allied Powers.

American Soldiers• America needed to prepare for war.• Selective Service Act: Required men between the ages of 21 and 30 to be registered to be drafted into the armed forces.• Most willingly participated, some registered as conscientious

objectors which meant that their religious beliefs prevented them from fighting in a war, often their applications were not accepted.

• African Americans and Hispanics were discriminated against in the US military• They were segregated into separate divisions and training in

separate camps.• Feared that if African Americans were trained with weapons that

they would become violent after the war.• Latino’s were assigned menial tasks or sent to camps to improve

their English.

Arriving in Europe• American’s who went overseas formed the AEF American Expeditionary Forces led by John Pershing.• Included the Army, National Guard, and new volunteers and

draftees.

• European forces expected American troops to immediately join European forces already fighting. Pershing wanted his men to fight in American units and receive more training.• Bolsheviks took over Russian government, they were communists or a government that seeks equal distribution of wealth and the end of all private property.• Signed a peace agreement with Germany and pulled out of the

war.

American Military Women•While women did not serve in combat positions they did play a role in the war effort:• French speaking women were recruited to work switchboards

and help keep communication open between the front line and the AEF• 20,000 women were recruited as nurses and served in the US

Army in that form.• Women also served in the navy and marines as bookkeepers

and typists.

The War Ends• July 15, 1918 Germans launched their last effort at the Second Battle of the Marne.• US troops blew up every bridge that the Germans had built over the

Marne. • Allies are able to launch a counterattack in September 1918 and push

until they were able to push back the Germans all the way into Germany.

• By 1918 the war was having a devastating impact on the Germany economy and civilians.• Food riots and strikes were erupting in Germany.• German soldiers were losing morale.• Central powers began to surrender and sign peace treaties.• November 11, 1918 the armistice went into effect and the war was

over.

• The consequences of the war were devastating in numbers killed and the destruction done to the European landscape.

Main Idea: The United States mobilized a variety of resources to wage World War I.

CHAPTER 18 SECTION 3:THE HOME FRONT

Mobilizing the Economy • Going to war was extremely expensive.• In order to help pay for the war Congress passed the War Revenue Act of 1917 that raised taxes and taxes the wealthiest Americans as much as 77% of their annual income.• The government also borrowed money to help pay for the war and the national debt grew from $1.2 billion to $25.5 billion.• Many American’s bought Liberty

bonds or loans to the government to help pay for the war.

• In order to make sure the soldiers had the supplies they needed for War the government prepared the nation’s industries for war.• War Industrial Board

(WIB): Had the authority to regulate all materials needed in the war effort.• No steel, copper, cement,

rubber, or other basic materials could be used without their permission.

• Once the military’s needs were met the remaining goods could be used by civilians.

• The government also regulated food to ensure the soldiers would have enough to eat.

• Lever Food and Fuel Control Act: Gave the government control to set prices and establish production controls for food and for the fuels needed to run military machines.

• Food Administration established to manage and increase food production• Led by Herbert Hoover

• Americans began participating in “meatless Monday” and creating victory gardens.

• Also limited the amount of alcohol, eventually led to prohibition.

Regulating Industry Regulating Food

• Government established the Fuel Administration that set production goals and prices for fuels. • Introduced Daylight Savings

time in order to extend daylight hours for those who worked long shifts in the factories.

• “Gasless Sundays” and “Heatless Mondays”

• The US, in addition to supplying needed supplies for American troops, also supplied for the Allied Powers.

Regulating Fuel Supplying US and Allied Forces

Mobilizing Workers

• War increased the profits of US corporations because the US government was buying their products.• Wages for factory workers increased, but so did the price of living.

• Workers began working long hours and increased pace of production.• Union membership rose 60% during World War I.

• National War Labor Board: Judged disputes between labor and management to help prevent strikes and protests, set policies to that sought to improve working conditions.• Established the 8 hour workday and promoted equal pay for women.

• As men left for war women moved into the jobs that men left behind. Approximately 1 million women moved into the workforce.• Some women volunteered to help raise money for War bonds, some

worked in traditional jobs such as teachers and nurses.• Women were pushed out of the jobs that they took from men when men

returned from war.

Influenza epidemic on the home front• There was a serious epidemic of the flu that spread from the war front in Europe to the home front in the United States.• Approximately ½ of the American soldiers who died in World

War I died from the flu.• Unusually deadly case of the flu. 675,000 people died from

the flu.

Influencing Public Opinion• Committee on Public Information helped increase support for the war through propaganda or materials designed to influence people’s opinions.• People became more patriotic, blamed the Germans for the

war and tried to get rid of their influence.

Limiting Antiwar Speech• Americans spoke out against the War and President Wilson tried to limit the public opposition to the war.• Espionage Act was passed in 1917 that punished people for aiding the enemy or refusing military duty.• The Sedition Act was also passed that made it illegal for Americans to “utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal or abusive language” criticizing the government, the flag, or the military.• Many believed these acts violated the first amendment rights,

others thought they were necessary for national security.

• Schenck v. United States stated that some limits can be places on freedom of speech during wartime when it endangers the safety of the nation or when it endangers others safety.

Main Idea: The Allies determined the terms for peace in the post war world.

CHAPTER 18 SECTION 4: PEACE WITHOUT VICTORY

Fourteen Points• President Wilson wanted to ensure lasting peace so that a war like the Great War would not happen again.•Wilson created a plan called Fourteen Points.• First four points called for open diplomacy, freedom of the

seas, removal of trade barricades, and reduction of military arms.• 5th point proposed a system to resolve disputes over colonies.• Points 6-13 dealt with self determination or the right of

people to decide their own political status.• 14th point called for the establishment of a League of Nation

that would work together to solve disputes, protect democracy, and prevent future wars.

• The nations involved with WWI met in Paris to negotiate a peace treaty.

Paris Peace Conference• Conference was led by the Big Four: United States, Great

Britain, France, and Italy.• Germany and the Central powers were not invited to participate.• Every nation came to the conference with different needs and

expectations.

• The nations drew up the Treaty of Versailles• Military changes:• Forced Germany to disarm their military, limited size of the army, and

banned them from having an air force.

• Territory changes:• Required Germany to give land to France and other nations, must give up

control of colonies to League of Nations.

• War-Guilt Provisions:• Germany is solely responsible for all damage to Allie nations during the war,

and Germany must pay reparations to Allie nations.

• Established the League of Nations

Fight over the Treaty•Wilson brought the treaty back to Congress for ratification.• Severe divisions amongst Congress about passing the treaty.• Mainly republican congress was not supportive of the

League of Nations.

•Wilson campaigned directly to the American people to pressure their senators to sign the Treaty of Versailles with the addition of the League of Nations.• Collapsed while on tour and spent the rest of his term

recovering with only his wife and closest aides in the White House.

•Wilson left office in 1921, United States DID NOT sign the Treaty of Versailles, instead drew up their own treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary.• United States did not join the League of Nations.

Impact of World War I• Political:• Overthrow of monarchies in

various European countries.

• Rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia.

• Economic:• WWI devastated European

economies United States emerges as the World’s leading economic power.

• In the United States the demand for consumer goods increased which led to inflation and Americans struggled to buy day-to-day goods.

• Demand for food decreased since we were no longer supplying to European markets, this hurt farmers.

• Social:• Women’s contributions to the

war effort attributed to the passing of the 19th Amendment.

• Many African Americans moved North to search for factory work.

• Impact in Europe:• European nations lost almost

an entire generation of men.

• France was in ruins.

• Great Britain was deeply in debt to the United States.

• The proposed reparations by the Treaty of Versailles would cripple Germany.