World War I 1914-1918

1
World War I1914-1918

• The Americans, Chapter 11

2
Staying out of it . . .

• When the war broke out in Europe in 1914, our
  president urged the American people to be
  neutral in fact as well as in name . . . .
  impartial in thought as well as in action.
• But even from the beginning, Americans tended to
  favor the Allies for many reasons.

3
Problems with Neutrality

• The actions of Germany as they invaded Belgium
  were reported in brutal detail by the American
  Press and in propaganda.
• The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 cost
  American lives.
• Wilson received assurances from Kaiser Wilhelm
  that this would not happen again, but . . .

4
Reasons for US Involvement in WWI

• Over the next two years, German U-boats sunk
  other ships with Americans on board.
• Early in 1917, Germany sent the intercepted
  Zimmerman telegram hoping to persuade our friend,
  Mexico to attack us.
• But it was the German announcement that they were
  launching unrestricted submarine warfare that
  forced Wilson to take us to war.

5
America Mobilizes for War in 1917

• Wilson told Americans that we would fight to
  make the world safe for democracy.
• Congress passed a draft law and over 4 million
  Americans would serve in WWI.
• The War Industries Board helped convert factories
  to wartime production.

6
On the Homefront . . .

• The Food and Fuel Administrations and the Creel
  Committee inspired the public to sacrifice to
  preserve scarce resources.
• Liberty Bond drives raised 23 billion dollars
  for the war effort.
• Many Americans migrated to cities during World
  War I to work in defense factories.
• In the Great Migration, 500,000 African
  Americans moved from the South to the North and
  Midwest

7
Over There . . .

• American dough boys helped to swing the war in
  favor of the Allies
• WWI is known for many advances in weaponry
• Machine guns
• Long-range artillery
• Flame throwers
• Poison gas
• Airplanes for surveillance

8
Armistice -
1918

• Germany was so worn
  down by the length of
  the war and the strength
  of the Allies that they surrendered on
  November 11th (now Veterans Day).
• Americans had contributed mightily to the
  victory, losing 60,000 lives and contributing 23
  billion dollars (total war dead 8 million).

9
Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points

• In a speech to Congress in January of 1918 Wilson
  had laid out his goals for the peace treaty to be
  written when the war ended.
• Wilson considered the last item to be the most
  important the creation of a general association
  of nations because such an organization would
  provide a forum for addressing future
  international problems and maintaining world
  peace.

10
The Treaty of Versailles

• But when the Allies met to write the peace treaty
  at the Palace of Versailles in France, the
  European Allies sought to gain territory for
  themselves and to punish Germany.
• The treaty was quite disappointing although
  Wilson was pleased that it called for a League of
  Nations to be set up, as he had recommended in
  his Fourteen Points.

11
The Senate Fight over the Treaty

• The Senate would have to ratify the Treaty of
  Versailles in order for the U.S. to sign it.
• They argued over many of its provisions, but the
  most controversial one was the creation of the
  League of Nations. Many thought that U.S.
  membership would drag us into future wars.
• Despite the presidents urgings, the Senate never
  ratified the treaty. We never joined the League
  of Nations. This is an example of the
  constitutional principle of ________ and
  ___________.
• (checks and balances)

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Other Issues Raised by WWI

• Internationally, the U.S. wanted to return to a
  policy of isolationism.
• Domestically, post-war housing and job shortages
  led to economic pressures.
• The Great Migration led to increased racial
  tension in mid-western cities.
• Minorities hoped for greater equality after the
  war, but were disappointed.
• The war is believed to have sped up the passage
  of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to
  vote.