WWI PPT - Springfield Public Schools PPT.pdfTreaty$of$Versailles$with$Germany$ • “BigFour” –...
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The United States Goes to War World War I
Transcript of WWI PPT - Springfield Public Schools PPT.pdfTreaty$of$Versailles$with$Germany$ • “BigFour” –...
The United States Goes to War
World War I
American entrance into WWI-‐reasons
1. Unrestricted submarine warfare • Before the US enters the
war, over 200 Americans are killed as a result of German Uboats
• Lusitania (1915) • Sussex Pledge (1916) • Unrestricted submarine
warfare again (1917)-‐ Wilson orders guns to be placed on American ships
• 2. Allied Propaganda – Kinship towards GB (common language/culture)
– Friendship w/France went back to French support during the American RevoluRon
3. HosRlity towards Germany – Germany invaded Belgium (violated treaty guaranteeing Belgium neutrality
– UnrestricRve submarine warfare
– Germany aVempted to sabotage American industries
– Zimmerman Note
Arthur Zimmerman
4. American Economic Interests – Americans sold food and supplies to the Allies (period of prosperity for manufacturers, workers, farmers)
– American investors gave loans to Allied countries-‐ IF Germany wins the war, American loans might never be repaid.
• 5. American Idealism – A beVer world would emerge if Allies win
– “war to end war” – “the world must be made safe for democracy”
• 6. American Security – IF Germany would win, would replace democraRc England and could threaten the security of the US
America at War: The Homefront
• Increased PresidenRal Powers – Wilson received from Congress broad emergency powers to direct the economy
– Wilson commanded several govt agencies
• Mobilizing the Economy – War Industries Board • Headed by Bernard Baruch • Allocated raw materials, eliminated waste, expanded war producRon
Mobilizing the Economy War Industries Board
Headed by Bernard Baruch Allocated raw materials, eliminated waste, expanded war producRon
War Labor Board Mediated labor disputes to prevent work stoppages
Railroad AdministraRon Took control of the railroads to unify and improve operaRons
Shipping Board Built “bridge of ships” to transport men/goods to Europe
Fuel AdministraRon Increased producRon of coal, gas, and oil; cut back on wastefulness
Food AdministraRon Headed by Herbert Hoover Increased farm output, encouraged “meatless” & “wheatless” days
Influencing Public Opinion
• CommiVee on Public InformaRon – Reached the public through lectures, pamphlets, posters, press releases
– Heightened support for the war effort – Led to excesses-‐ banned German as a school subject, saurkraut-‐ “liberty cabbage”
Punishing Espionage and SediRon
• Espionage Act (1917) – Provided severe penalRes for spying, sabotage, and obstrucRng the war effort
– Banned the mail of anRwar materials
• SediRon Act (1918) – Punished people who spoke or wrote against the American form of government or the war effort
– Led to the arrest of 1500 pacifists and pro-‐Germans
Financing the War
• To pay for the war, the US govt.. – Raised income taxes and levied new and higher excise taxes ($11 billion, 1/3 of the cost of WWI)
– Borrowed from the American people by selling Liberty and Victory Bonds ($21 billion, 2/3 of the cost of WWI)
– US lent the Allies $10 billion to purchase war supplies
Europe: Major Theatre of Warfare
• Eastern Front – Russian forces suffered crushing defeats – 1917-‐ Russia experiences 2 revoluRons, withdraws from war in 1918 (Treaty of Brest-‐Litovsk)
• Southern Front – By 1917 the Central Powers had overrun Balkans, but no major victory in Italy
– 1918-‐ Allies win back Balkans, force Austria-‐Hungary to surrender
• Western Front – 1915-‐1917 Trench warfare (Marne, Verdun, Somme)
American Military ContribuRon
• SelecRve Service Acts – Almost 3 million drakees
– 2 million volunteers
• American ExpediRonary Force – 2 million men – Led by John J. Pershing – Halted German offensives (Chateau-‐Thierry & Belleau Wood)
– Led Allied counteroffensives (St. Mihiel & Argonne Forest)
German Surrender
• Late 1918, German high command (von Hindenburg) realized war was over
• ArmisRce signed on 11/11/1918 at 11:00
Wilson’s 14 Points
• 1918-‐ Before war’s end, Wilson addressed Congress
• Wilson’s program called for lasRng peace based upon 14 points – 1. Open treaRes of peace – 2. Freedom of the seas
– 3. Removal of internaRonal trade barriers – 4. ReducRon of armaments
– 5. Adjustment of colonial claims with due regard for the interests of the naRve peoples
– 6-‐13. Adjustment of European boundaries in accordance of naRonality (self-‐determinaRon)
– 14. Establishment of the League of NaRons
Treaty of Versailles with Germany
• “Big Four” – David Lloyd George (BriRsh PM) • Wanted to expand Britain’s colonial empire, preserve its naval and industrial supremacy, make Germany pay
– Georges Clemenceau (Premier of France) • Make France safe against future German invasion, weaken Germany by imposing military limitaRons, financial payments, and territorial losses
– ViVorio Orlando (Premier of Italy) • Wanted to enlarge Italy’s territory in Europe and overseas
– Woodrow Wilson (US president) • Wanted a lasRng peace by implemenRng his 14 Points
Treaty Provisions
• Territorial Changes – Germany surrenders the following: • Alsace-‐Lorraine to France • Saar Valley to League of NaRons, coal mines to France
• Minor border regions to Denmark and Belgium • Parts of Posen and W. Prussia creates Poland
• Danzig (BalRc seaport that borders Poland) to League of NaRons
– Colonial losses • Germany lost all colonies to the Allies, held by the League of NaRons
• Disarmament – Germany limited to 100,000 volunteers
– ConscripRon is now forbidden – Rhineland (W. Germany) was demilitarized – Navy reduced to a few small ships
– Submarines, military aircrak, and war industries are prohibited.
War Guilt and ReparaRons
• Germany accepted SOLE responsibility for causing the war and agreed to pay for war damages ($33 billion dollars)
• Most humiliaRng terms of Treaty of Versailles for Germany
TreaRes with other countries
• Austria-‐Hungary to become independent naRonal states
• Czechoslovakia was created from territories of Austria and Hungary
• Italy, Romania, Poland, and Yugoslavia secure their own areas inhabited by their own naRonals
• Both Austria & Hungary required to limit their armies-‐ Austria forbidden Anschluss (union w/Germany)
Results of World War I
• Social – 10 million soldiers killed over 20 million wounded
– Millions of civilians died from hosRliRes, famine, diseases
– The world is lek with a legacy of hatred, intolerance, and extreme naRonalism
• Economic – Total cost of WWI was over $350 billion
– Paying for the war brought heavy taxes and lowered living standards to people of Europe
– InternaRonal trade suffers because naRons raise tariffs and wanted economic self-‐sufficiency
– Communists seize power and introduce new economic system
– Economic difficulRes caused by the war helped bring on the Great Depression
• PoliRcal – 3 major European dynasRes were dethroned • Hohenzollerns of Germany • Hapsburgs of Austria-‐Hungary • Romanovs of Russia
– New naRons arose in Europe – Several European countries will turn to dictatorships
– League of NaRons established to solve internaRonal problems
– US emerged as a leading world power, but reluctant to assume internaRonal responsibiliRes
