Transcript World War I - Licking Heights School District

American Studies
 Militarism: Rival countries race to have a stronger, better
military
 Arms 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 overseas
 To gain resources, power, naval bases, soldiers, money, etc.
 Nationalism: Extreme national pride causing nations to
think they’re better than the others
 Small kingdoms join Germany and Italy to form larger nations
with central governments
 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
 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
 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 nations
 Glorious adventure that shows what nations are
strongest
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsnH8WX1MHY
Central Powers: Germany, AustroHungarian 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 conditions
 High causalities due to new technology, outdated
tactics, and disease
 Tanks, planes, poison gas, barbed wire and machines
guns
 Diseases like Typhus, dysentery, cholera, influenza and
gangrene take many lives
 25% of German arm wounds ended in death
-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=5
ZnZf4Ayb3M&list=PL3F8AAED2285
F9171
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=E3XtxfN4uzU
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=g0V1yRrjMmM
 Majority of Americans was opposed to joining the war
 Washington warned us not to join major alliances
 President Wilson is isolationist, war in Europe is not
our problem
 Neutrality: Don’t take sides, stay out of war
 Overtime Americans begin to choose sides
 Both Allies and Central use propaganda to influence
public opinion in US to join
 US could have major impact on who wins
 US businesses made huge profits selling supplies to
both sides
 Business leaders want to remain neutral to make money
off of both sides
 British naval blockade of Germany made it difficult to
deliver supplies to Central Powers
 Rapidly increases US trade with Allies
 US economy prospers
 What was the United States foreign policy called at the
beginning of WWI, where you stay out of war?
Neutrality
b. Big Stick Diplomacy
c. Containment
d. Imperialism
a.
 Feb. 1915: Germany wants to cut supply lines to Allies
 U-boats will attack any ship entering or leaving English
ports
 US: Wilson warns he will hold Germany responsible for
any American deaths
 May 1917: Sinking of the Lusitania: German u-boats
sink a British ship with Americans on board
 Secretly carrying war supplies
US: Submarines
Germany: U-boats
 Public is outraged that civilian ships like Lusitania
were also carrying hidden war supplies
 Wilson and US are furious, TR calls for war, Wilson still
remains neutral on war
 Then Germans attack French ship Sussex, injuring
several Americans
 Wilson threatens to break off diplomatic relations with
Germany
 Germans fear bringing US into war on Allied side
 Sussex Pledge: Germany promises to warn any civilian
ships before attacking to avoid war with the US
 Which of the following was not a part of WWI
combat?
Nuclear Weapons
b. Machine guns
c. Submarines
d. Trench warfare
a.
 Preparedness: Disagreements in govt about whether or
not we should prepare for war
 War hawks say preparation is necessary for protection
 Pacifists says preparation moves us closer to war and get
in the way of Progressive reforms
 Congress approves funds to double size of army and
build new warships
 Both President Wilson and Republican candidate
Charles Evans Hughes campaign for neutrality
 Wilson wins with slogan “He Kept Us Out of the War”
 January 1917: Germany breaks the Sussex pledge
 US 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 Mexico
 Tells Mexico wage war against the US to regain lost
territory
 Wants to weaken US for war: America intercepts
messages
 Pushes US closer to war
 Russia is part of the Allied powers
 March 1917: Russian revolution overthrows Czarist
monarchy
 October 1917: Bolsheviks in power, led by Vladimir
Lenin
 Wanted Russia out of the war to focus on establishing
new Communist govt
 Signed 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
 During 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 leader
B. Russia shared in the responsibility for World War I
C. Lenin believed that Russia should withdraw from World War I
D. The Bolshevik Revolution had the support of the Russian army
 Which was a common factor in the United States that
caused the Red Scare following World War I?
 A. racial tension in major cities
 B. signs of economic downturn
 C. fear of communist expansion
 D. 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”
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 civilians
 We 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
 Which of the following was not a cause for U.S.
involvement in WWI?
 a.
 b.
 c.
 d.
Zimmerman Telegram
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Desperate European Conditions
Pearl Harbor
 Training and shipping out troops is the top priority
 The Selective Service Act: Allows the govt to draft men
into the armed forces
 2 million drafted, 2 million volunteered
 First time women joined armed forces in non-combat
roles
 300-400,000 African American troops join army
 Serve in segregated units, given menial jobs, about
100,000 saw combat
 African American Henry Johnson was first American to
receive the Croix de Guerre
 Women, blacks, and Mexicans take war industry jobs
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=9YYaK0wdni8
 What 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 war
 Propaganda: To persuade the public
 Posters, plays, speeches tell people to hate Central
Powers and be more American
 Growing Anti-German sentiment: Change street names,
hamburgers become liberty sandwiches, etc.
 Song “Over There” by George M. Cohan shows eagerness
and optimism to join
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYV044H5muI
 US troops turn tide of war: Allies needed reinforcements
 1st of American Expeditionary Force (AEF) reached Europe
summer of 1917
 Majority did not arrive until 1918
 Rationing: Americans eat less food back home to send
more to the Allied troops
 Hebert Hoover: Head of Food Administration says food can
win the war
 Meatless and wheatless days once a week
 US troops had an immediate impact on the war: great
advantage for the Allied Powers
 Navy moved quickly to counteract German subs
 Used convoy system to increase amount of food and
supplies that got through to the Allies
 Use battleships to protect supply ships from German u-
boats
 No US troops die on the way to Europe due to subs
 US troops nicknamed Dough Boys
 Originated in Mexican-American War in 1840s due to being
covered in dust from the dry desert
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
armed
 Anything that would make someone feel negatively about the
US
 Post Office can refuse to deliver mail that fits this description
 Can’t criticize wartime government
 Serve 5-20 years in prison, until repealed in Dec. 1920
 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
 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.
b.
c.
d.
The rights of other individuals.
The security of the nation in a time of war.
The opportunities for people to enlist in the military.
The interest of the government in keeping courts open to
provide justice.
 Summer 1918: Germans began last major offensive
 Allies would have lost without US supplies/troops
 US troops, led by General John J. Pershing, helped
contain the Germans pushing toward Paris, France
 Battle raged for almost seven weeks
 US leads a giant push and Allies win, leaders realize that
victory was no longer possible
 1918: Armistice: “11th day of the 11th month in the 11th
hour”
 German govt accepts cease-fire demands and war was
over
 Number killed: civilians and military was around 15
million, with 20 million wounded
 US: Battle Deaths: 52,947; Wounded 202,628
 England, France, Russia, Germany and Austria each lost 1-2
million soldiers
 Ottoman Empire: +2 million of 3 million killed were civilians
 European economy is ruined, millions homeless and
suffering from hunger, malnutrition, and disease
 Idea of war being noble and heroic is lost and many feel
disillusioned
 American author Ernest Hemingway writes about this feeling
 Veterans suffer from Shell Shock
 Wilson becomes first president to travel to Europe
 The Big Four: US, Great Britain, France and Italy
 Leaders meet to negotiate peace treaty
 Russia and Germany were not invited
 Wilson 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
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 sea
3. Free trade; removal of barriers to free trade among
nations
4. Arms reduction; cutbacks and limitations on military
arms
5. Peaceful settlements of disputes over colonies; interests
of colonized people to be considered
6-13. National self-determination; Promoted independent
self-governing nations
 New nations proposed; adjusted national boundaries
 14. Proposal for the League of Nations; world organization
to settle international disputes
 Which was not one of Wilson’s Fourteen Points?
 a.
 b.
 c.
 d.
Military reductions
Freedom of the Sea
National Self-determination
Restrictions on Free Trade
 Germany is punished
 Disarm: 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
 What was the goal of Treaty of Versailles?
 a.
 b.
 c.
 d.
Create peace
Punish Germany
Eliminate alliances
Reduce military power for all nations.
 The treaty changes the map of Europe as Russia and
Germany are forced to give up land
 Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires broken up
 Turkey, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania
gain independence
 New Nations created: Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Iraq
 Wilson goes back to US to convince the Senate to ratify
the treaty with a 2/3rds majority vote
 Senate 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
 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 stroke
 He is permanently debilitated, never fully recovers, his
wife handles his affairs for the rest of his presidency
 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 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 the
 A. breakup of colonial empires in Africa and Asia
 B. decision of the United States not to join the League
 C. opposition of League members to the Treaty of Versailles
 D. rise of the Cold War between the United States and the
Soviet Union