Transcript America During World War I

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Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Triple Entente- Great Britain, France, and Russia
◦ Extreme nationalism from each led to arms race and Germany creates a ship
building program
Franz Ferdinand Archduke of Austria in line to be King, visiting
Serbia to raise support for the Austrian Empire
◦ June 28, 1914 Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Serbia by Gavrilo
Princip
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Serbia began to mobilize an attack
Austria-Hungary was assured backing by Germany if went to war
against Serbia (Blank Check)
Russia began to mobilize an army to support Serbia
July 25 French assured Russia of their support
July 28 Austria-Hungary declares War on Serbia
July 30 Russia orders full mobilization
August 1 Germany declared war on Russia
August 4 Germany declared war on France
August 5 Great Britain declares war on Germany
August 6 Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia
All of these invasions ended in stalemate and a long
miserable trench warfare
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What were American Attitudes of the war?
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Americans saw no reason to enter a
European War
U.S. divided
Many felt ties to former homelands,
◦ Majority of Americans favored victory by
allies
 Common language, trade and democratic
governments
 Saw Germany as bully of Europe
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Many wanted to make money
Neutral rights included
◦ freedom of the seas
◦ trading rights with belligerent nations
President Wilson wanted to continue
trade for the American economy
By 1917 American bankers lent over $2
billion to allied governments
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British Blockade
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German U-Boat Response
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May 7, 1915- British Passenger
liner Lusitania was sunk
◦ Did not allow Americans ships to arrive
in Germany
◦ All Cargo food or weapons headed
toward Britain would be sunk
◦ 1,198 die (128 Americans)
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July, Arabic sunk (2 Americans)
Sussex attacked, Americans killed
◦ Sussex Pledge Germany wont attack
passenger ships
Americans angry with blockade,
more upset about loss of life in
sinking ships
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The Zimmerman Note
Sent from Germany to Foreign
minister in Mexico
◦ Promised an Alliance Between Germany
and Mexico
◦ Germany would support Mexico in
reacquiring lands lost to the U.S.
(Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona)
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4 more U.S. merchant ships sunk,
36 die
April 1917, U.S. declares war on central
powers to make the world “safe for
democracy”
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How did the United States mobilize for war?
How did the government and business work
together during the war?
How did the government promote the war?
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The government intervention in
business was unpresented
Selective Services Act- require men 21
years to 30 to register to possibly be
drafted
◦ Some women choose to go to war as
secretaries and nurses
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War Industries Board- oversaw
production of war materials, coercion
and threats got business to volunteer
their services and cooperation.
◦ Rationed gasoline and heating oil (gasless
Sundays, lightless nights)
◦ First use of daylights savings time
◦ Government consolidated railway service
and telegraph lines,
◦ labor disputes were settle by the
government, no strikes,
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Food Administration- increased
production and decreased consumption
◦ (Meatless Mondays, Wheat less Wednesday,
sweet less, pork less)
◦ encouraged people to plant Victory Gardens
◦ “the gospel of the clean plate”
◦ Herbert Hoover in charge
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Paying for the war
◦ Sold war bonds
◦ created a series of propaganda programs for
the common citizen to support the war effort
 Progressive tax- Higher tax rate for wealthier
people
 Higher tax on tobacco, alcohol, and luxury
goods
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Committee on Public Information- create
paintings, posters and cartoons
promoting the war
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Pass Espionage Act1917- severe
penalties for people found guilty of
interfering with the draft or saying
anything disloyal against The U.S.
government
Sedition Act 1918- law punishing
anyone abusing the government in
writing
◦ Supreme Court ruled freedom of
speech was never absolute
Propaganda
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500,000 African Americans moved
north and to Midwest cities to
escape discrimination and for jobs
(Discrimination continued in The
North)
Anti-Immigrant Hysteria◦ American with German names lost
jobs,
◦ Orchestras refused to play Mozart
Bach, and Beethoven,
◦ towns with German names changed
them,
◦ Hamburgers became Salisbury Steak
◦ Sauerkraut called liberty cabbage
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Navy create convoy system
merchant ships travel with
destroyers
By June 1917
◦ American began to arrive on the front
lines
◦ Russia surrenders and Germans
transferred to the western front
New Technology made the war
most deadly war in history
By the end of 1918
◦ 22 million deaths more than half were
civilians
◦ US- 48,000 die in battle and 62,000
died of disease
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Summarize Wilson’s goals for the lasting
peace.
Summarize the treaty of Versailles.
Consequences of the Treaty of Versailles
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United States wants a lasting peace
Great Britain and France Angry at the
suffering and destruction
Russia angry they were not invited
Central powers not present at the peace
conference
Wilson at Versailles
Europeans cheer Pres. Wilson as a hero
Wilson’s 14 points
◦ first five points solve reason that started war
(No secret treaties, freedom of seas)
◦ next eight dealt with boundary changes
◦ allow for self determination of government
◦ 14th point called for the creation of League of
Nations
France wanted to prevent a German
invasion again, Make Germany pay
Wilson conceded most of the 14 points for
a creation of a League of Nations
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Established new nations of Poland, Czechoslovakia,
Yugoslavia
Carved out areas from the Ottoman empire gave to Britain
and France as mandates
Demilitarized Germany
France gained Alsace-Lorraine
◦ Won rich mines in Saar Basin for 15 years
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German territories were given to allies as mandates
Size of German Army was limited
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Declare themselves guilty of starting the war
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Creation of a League of Nations
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◦ Can’t manufacture war materials
◦ Submarines and planes banned
◦ Forbidden to place troops in the Rhineland
◦ Had to pay war reparations
War guilt clause embarrasses Germany
Ignoring Russia Angers Russia
Americans rejected League
US wanted to be isolated from European affairs
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Fear too harsh (British French blinded by nationalism)
Does not set boundaries based on popular
sovereignty
Hurts all of Europe economically
Fear US would be pulled into a European War
Wilson appeals to the people for a League of
Nations
◦ Best Way to maintain peace!
◦ Travels around the country tying to gain support
◦ suffers a stroke, half paralyzed finishes term by not doing
much
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Treaty of Versailles never signed by U.S. congress
◦ congress approves a separate treaty stating war is over in
1921,
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The United States enter era of isolationism
In Germany
Germany censored news reports, many
Germans believed end was mutual
◦ angry at the Treaty of Versailles
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A severe depression hit Europe in 1923
◦ Germans lost jobs; money was worthless, unable to
pay war debt
◦ Democracy holds debates about solutions with little
results