Was America Destined to Become Involved in World War I...
Transcript of Was America Destined to Become Involved in World War I...
Was America Destined to Become Involved in
World War I?
The World in 1914
• Pax Britannica
• International agreements on postage, telegraph copyrights, international time zones, international trade, BUT...
• Nationalism, imperialism, militarism, secret alliances all led to Sarajevo
Who Fought?Triple Entente Central Powers
RussiaFrance
Great BritainBecame known as the Allies
GermanyAustria - Hungry
LaterUnited States
JapanItaly
LaterBulgariaTurkey
Von Schlieffen Plan• Alfred von Schlieffen -
1905 - Devised a plan for war in Europe
• Two Front War
• Attack through other countries
• Designed to easily defeat France while holding Russia off
Europe’s Introduction to War
U. S. Reaction
• Neutrality declared and maintained but...
• Romantics joined the French Foreign Legion or the Lafayette Escadrille
• Americans viewed the war a romantic struggle for honor and glory
• Visions of the “splendid little war” still danced in their heads
America Reacts to the War
Life as a Neutral
• German Americans trusted the Kaiser
• Irish Americans favored anyone who was against the British
• Most Americans eventually side with the Allies
Neutrality Difficulties
• Economy was the driving force behind neutrality initially
✴became more difficult as time went on
✴sympathies lay with the British
✴trade no longer possible with the Central Powers
• British Blockade of Central Powers especially Germany
• German answer - Unterseeboot - U Boat
Submarine Warfare• Germany countered with a blockade of England
• May 1915 - Lusitania Sunk - 128 Americans killed - outraged Americans - was found to be carrying munitions to Britain
• August 1915 - The Arabic sunk - 3 Americans killed - Arabic Pledge
• Stop attacking unarmed passenger ships without warning
• Provide for safety of crew and passengers for ships sunk
• more worried about US response than humanitarian
• March 1916 - Sussex sunk - French ferry ship - 50 killed - Led to Sussex Pledge
✴ End sinking of passenger ships
✴ Search merchant ships for contraband, provide for crew before sinking ship
• Generally honored until February 1917 with Germany resuming unrestricted warfare on the high seas
Lusitania Sinking
Sources to Read
• Read Newton T. Baker “The Treatment of German Americans” 1918 - Think about the treatment and times, then apply that thinking to today.
• Read William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State from 1912 - 1915, Defends Neutrality - Think about what were the main issues he is arguing here.
• Read U Boat Commander memoir - Adolf K.G.E. von Spiegel, U 202 (1919) - Think about the questions being asked at the end of the reading.
Election of 1916
• Wilson needs help
• Appointed Brandeis to Supreme Court
• Signed Keatings-Owen Child Labor Bill
• Signed Workers compensation Bill
• Attacked on his foreign policy and US ROle in Mexico - make sure you read this part in the book
• Wilson Won - mainly by promising to keep America out of the war
Tried to Keep US out of War
• Peace without Victory Speech - January 1917
✴No militarism or secret alliances
✴Freedom of the seas
✴No one nation dominant in world affairs
✴Peace without victory
✴Limitation on land and naval armaments
War
• Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare January 1917
• Zimmerman Telegram March 1917
• Wilson asked for war declaration on April 6, 1917
• U. S. officially involved in WW I
Read
• Wilson’s War Message
• The Zimmerman Telegram
• Wilson’s request for war to congress
Was America Destined to Become Involved in
World War I?