1865 1917 Foreign Affairs3 The Panama Canal First

1865 -1917 Foreign Affairs-3

The Panama Canal First great U. S. engineering project of the U. S. n Purpose: to increase the efficiency of the U. S. navy n During the Spanish-American War the Oregon was ordered to Cuba. It took 2 months for it to go from California to Cuba. Was tracked by newspapers n

The Panama Canal U. S. presence in the Pacific required a faster route n Clayton Bulwar Treaty (1850) with Britain was cancelled with the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1901) n Two possible sites: Nicaragua and Panama n Panama chosen for the lower grade n Earlier attempt here by the Lesseps Co. (Fr. ) but 40, 000 deaths and company n

The Panama Canal France offered to sell U. S. rights to canal and old equipment for $109 million n Then dropped the price to $40 million when they learned U. S. was considering the Nicaragua site n At the time, Panama was part of Columbia n

Panama Canal Hay-Herran Treaty: The U. S. agreed to pay Columbia $10 million up front and $250, 000 a year for 99 years to lease a 6 mile wide area in Panama n Herran returned to Columbia with the treaty n He was fired (Columbian authorities believed they could get more $ from the U. S. ) n TR furious that they went back on n

Panama Canal Lesseps Co. would not get their payment if deal went sour n SO November 1903 U. S. and Lesseps Co. inspired Panama to revolt against Columbia for independence n U. S ship The Nashville prevented Columbians from putting down the revolt n

Panama Canal U. S recognized Panama quickly n Many L. A. countries angry because Columbian rights had been trashed by U. S. n Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (with Panama) same deal we offered to Columbia n Engineer: Goethal n Gorgas wiped out mosquito problem n

Panama Canal Took 7 years to build n Used Locks due to different water levels of oceans n Saved 7, 000 miles of travel n Was vital to the defense of the Western Hemisphere n Built by whites who were paid in gold and Blacks who were paid in silver n

Panama Canal Death rate for blacks was 5 time that for whites n British angry because U. S. ships did not have to pay tolls (? ) n U. S. fixated on securing strategic points around the canal: n Bought Great Corn and Little Corn Islands from Nicaragua n Bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark ($25 million) n

Causes WWI Primary: Nationalism and Imperialism n Secondary: n France wanted revenge for Franco. Prussian War and return of territory n Balkan Peninsula was a powder Keg n Arms Race n Russia wanted a warm water port n System of alliances n

WWI n System of Alliances: n Triple Alliance (or Central Powers) Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (satellites: Ottoman Empire & Bulgaria) n Triple Entente (or Allied Powers) Britain, France and Russia (satellite Serbia)

Direct Cause n Austrian Arch Duke Ferdinand (and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne) was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist student Arch Duke Ferdinand was touring Sarajevo which had just been incorporated into the A-H Empire n The Serbs wanted that city in their country n

WWI Austria-Hungary held Serbia responsible and declared war n Russia mobilized in defense of Serbia n Germany declared war on Russia and her ally, France n When German Armies marched through neutral Belgium, England declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary n

WWI n U. S. issued Proclamation of Neutrality (but privately everyone took sides) n Herbert Hoover “The Great Humanitarian” organized the Committee for the relief of Belgium. Saved thousands of lives

WWI Free trade was impossible: n Britain’s “blockade” of Germany was awfully far from Europe n Brits interfered with Scandinavian trade too n But German U-boats cost American lives n n We could survive without German trade…allied sea control prevented it

WWI n U. S. economic prosperity tied to trade with Brits and French 1914 $824 million n 1916 $3. 2 Billion n n U. S. loans to belligerents and war bonds too

WWI May 1915 The Lusitania 128 Americans died n 1916 The Sussex more American lives n U. S. neutrality problem similar to that of 1807 -1812 n By the fall of 1915 Wilson pressed Congress for a large and rapid increase in U. S. armed forces n Wm. Jennings Bryan (Sec of State) resigned n

WWI Election of 1916 n Wilson made an “implied promise” to keep U. S. out of war. n Slogan: Peace and Preparedness n TR called them “Weasel Words” n Election 1916: (Dem) Wilson 277 (Reps) Hughes 254 One of the smallest margins in history to that point n

WWI n Wilson’s justification for the war U. S. had no material aims n Use the war as a lasting vehicle for world peace n n BUT if allies lost, U. S. economy would tank

Wilson’s 14 points Points 1 -5 Elimination of the general causes of war n Points 6 -13 Self-determination for nations n Point 14: League of Nations n n Wilson wanted the above to be incorporated into the treaty ending the war

WWI n February 1917 German minister warned that U-Boats would sink all ships (neutrals too) in a broad zone around England without warning n Late February 1917 Zimmerman Cable Germany to Mexico “If the U. S. entered the European war and IF Mexico would go to war with U. S. THEN Mexico would gain lost lands to the North (SW U. S…Treaty of G. H. )

WWI Cable was leaked n Peaceniks in U. S. believed it to be something the U. S. war hawks made up BUT n Zimmerman admitted it! n Germany believed that they could win the war before the U. S. could mobilize. n n Cable inflamed U. S. public opinion

WWI March 1917 Russian Revolution n By 1918 Lenin took out Romanovs and dropped out of the war n Saved the U. S. the embarrassment of allying with a despotic monarchy n Italy dropped out early n Japan alliance with England n

WWI April 2, 1917 Wilson addressed Congress n Mentioned Lusitania, Sussex, Zimmerman cable n April 6…Declaration of War Senate 82 -6 House 273 -50 n England down to 2 months food supply ¼ British ships did not return (U-Boats)

WWI n Chief service of the U. S. navy: to guard ships transporting troops U. S. and Brits: anti-sub mines in North Sea n Invention of depth charge n n German U-Boats DID NOT prevent U. S. from taking an active part in the war

WWI n BUT far transport, no standing army, sometimes ships used for food transport and munitions May 1917 Selective Service Act: All men 21 -30 subject to the draft…later 18 -45 n 6 months training n 3 million drafted n 2 million volunteers n

WWI n n n Lever Act: Presidential power to requisition and control food and supplies during war Battle of the Marne July 15 -August 2 ½ Million lives Sgt York: Most decorated in the War n n Killed 25 and captured 132…by himself! U. S. mobilization was awesome! Beginning of the war 55 planes By war’s end 17, 000

WWI By October 1918 Germany pushed back to own borders n By end of Oct, Germany asked for peace terms (based on 14 Points) n War ended 11 th hour of the 11 th day of the 11 th month 1918 n

The War at Home War funded by: Bonds & taxes Luxury taxes for the first time n War cost $10 Billion (1915 federal budget $1 billion) n Salaried classes benefitted least n Women stepped in to fill men’s jobs and were rewarded later with the vote n

Federal Agencies to run the War Industries Board n Fuel Administration n RR Administration n War Labor Board n Food Administration n

Controls of Amendment I n 1917 Espionage Act severe punishments to prevent spying and disloyalty Up to $10, 000 fine and 20 years in jail for aiding the enemy or obstructing recruiting or the post master

Controls of Amendment I n 1918 Sedition Act could not utter, print, write or publish anything disloyal, profane, scurrilous or abusive about the government, constitution or army and navy uniforms Also included criticism of YMCA and Red Cross n Debs got 10 years for anti-war speech n Goldman The Spirit of ‘ 76 n

Other Stuff n Popular Songs: Over There, Pack up Your Troubles n Civil Liberty violations: Hyphenated Americans Specifically, German Americans Suffered Liberty Cabbage, etc

Peace Conference at Versailles Wilson: No Republicans, Not a seasoned diplomat n Did not get points 1 -13 due to earlier secret treaties. Did get League of Nations n England: Lloyd George n France: Clemenceau n Italy: Orlando Left early, furious n

The Treaty and Problems Britain and France wanted harsh terms n U. S. refused reparations n Germany lost territory, colonies, paid reparations n Austria-Hungary lost 2/3 of land n Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland…German) n Poland Independent and divided Germany n

End of the War n At Home: Republicans Isolationist: would not ratify Treaty of Versailles. Did not want to belong to the League of Nations (Lodge) n Liberals were disillusioned with the Treaty and with Wilson n Wilson was arrogant, stubborn and had a stroke

The Cost of the War n 10 Million lives lost: Russia 1, 700, 000 n France 1, 357, 000 n Brits 908, 000 n Germany 1, 800, 000 n Austria 1, 200, 000 n Turkey 325, 000 n U. S. 112, 000 n

The Spanish Flu 20, 000 additional lives 1918 -1919 n Pandemic n