America and The Great War 1914 1919 World

America and “The Great War” 1914 – 1919

World War I p p What were the causes? How/why did it start? Who are the two major sides? What was the fighting like? n New ways of fighting?

Timeline of World War I p p p 1870’s – Germany unified and quickly becomes an industrial and military power 1888 – Wilhelm II (29 year old) becomes Kaiser of Germany after his father’s death 1905 – Russia loses Russo-Japanese War – causes unrest in Russia

1914 p p p Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, assassinated in Sarajevo Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary Germany declares war on Russia, France, invades neutral Belgium (to get to France quicker) Great Britain declares war on Germany Aren’t alliances fun?

1915 p p p German Zeppelins begin air raids on Great Britain Germany begins submarine blockade of Great Britain Germans use the first chemical weapons in the Second Battle of Ypres HMS Lusitania sunk – more on that later Italy declares war on Austria. Hungry

1916 p Battle of Verdun n p Battle of Jutland n n p Only major naval engagement of the war No real winner, Germany’s navy weakened some Battle of the Somme n p Draw with @ 1 million casualties! Allied breakthrough with @ 1 million casualties! Woodrow Wilson re-elected n Remember, he kept us out of the war

1917 Germans declare unrestricted submarine warfare p Great Britain releases the Zimmerman Note p n Do tacos and sauerkraut go together? Czar of Russia falls to the Bolshevik Revolution p April 6, U. S. declares war on Germany p Russia drops out of the war in December p

U. S. Neutrality Prior to April, 1917, Wilson proclaimed U. S. Neutrality p Both sides try to gain U. S. support p n n n p British propaganda German-Americans Antiwar sentiments U. S. trade with Europe n n U. S. recession, then economic boost British blockade of Germany

German Submarine Warfare U-boats p Lusitania p House-Grey Memorandum p Sussex Ultimatum (pledge) p “unrestricted submarine warfare” p Zimmerman Note p n German-Mexican Alliance?

5 Reasons Wilson wants a Declaration of War Unrestricted submarine warfare p Zimmerman Note p Russian Revolution p End war quickly and get a hand in peace p n p Wilson’s 14 points already created Moral: Germany masskilling civilians

Wilson’s Idealism p U. S. isolationism n p Twin goals n n p Use war to make America safer, more isolated? “Make the world safe for democracy” “A war to end war” Fourteen Points n n Peace plan for after the war Wilson becomes moral leader of the Allies

The War at Home (Economy) p Liberty Bonds n n p War Industries Board n n n p p Bond drives (cover 2/3 cost of war) 1/3 through taxes (16 th Amendment) “Labor will win the war” 19 th Amendment “Work or fight” War Trade Board National War Labor Board n Progressive

The War at Home (Economy) p p p Lever Food and Fuel Control Act (1917) 18 th Amendment Herbert Hoover and the Food Administration n n p “Gospel of the clean plate” “Victory gardens” Fuel Administration n n “Heatless Mondays, ” “Lightless Tuesdays, ” & “Gasless Sundays” Daylight savings time

The War at Home (Social) p Committee of Public Information or CPI (Creel Committee) n n n p Created to gain support of war at home and support of America abroad Voluntary censorship of the press Liberty Leagues – spy on your neighbors! Restriction on Immigration n Fear of spies Literacy tests for immigrants Progressive victory

Restrictions of Civil Liberties p p Anti-German hysteria – “Hate the Hun” Espionage Act (1917) n Eugene V. Debs p p Sedition Act (1918) n n p Sentenced to a decade in prison Prohibited criticism of the government, flag, or military IWW Schenck v. U. S. (1919) n n Schenck tried to interfere with a draft office Upheld Sedition Act – “clear and present danger”

American Propaganda Posters

Mobilizing the Army p p p Before war, U. S. army had less than 200, 000 men Selective Service Act (1917) n 18 to 45 n Few “draft dodgers” 400, 000 blacks drafted or enlisted (segregated units) Women admitted for the first time 4 million American soldiers after only a few months (“Doughboys”)

American Involvement in the War p War at Sea n n p Brits and U. S. navies work together Convoy system to get around U-boats Communist Russia n Russian Revolution continues p n n Red (communist) vs. White (democratic) U. S. “unknown war” against communists Russia withdraws from the war (December 1917)

Western Front p American Expeditionary Force (AEF) n n p Chateau-Thierry n p p General Pershing & the doughboys Eventually over 1 million Americans in Europe Americans help “save” Paris Second Battle of Marne Meuse-Argonne offensive (9/26/18 -11/11/18) n Alvin York

German Surrender p p Germany encouraged by Wilson’s 14 points Armistice n n p 11: 00 a. m. , 11/11/1918 – Germans sign Shortly followed by Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, & the Ottoman Empire Casualties n 8 -10 Million soldiers killed p p n n n @ 5 million allies @ 3 million central powers @20 Millions of civilians die as result of war 120, 000+ Americans killed, 200, 000 missing Ottoman genocide on the Armenians

Country Men Mobilized Dead Injured Missing/Prisoners % Allied Powers German Cemetery in Belgium Russian Empire 12, 000 1, 700, 000 4, 950, 000 2, 500, 000 76 France 8, 410, 000 1, 357, 800 4, 266, 000 537, 000 73 British Empire 8, 904, 500 908, 400 2, 090, 200 191, 700 36 Italy 5, 615, 000 650, 000 947, 000 600, 000 39 United States 4, 355, 000 126, 000 234, 300 4, 500 8 Romania 750, 000 335, 700 120, 000 80, 000 71 Serbia 707, 300 45, 000 133, 100 153, 000 47 Belgium 267, 000 13, 700 44, 700 35 Greece 230, 000 5, 000 21, 000 12 Portugal 100, 000 7, 000 13, 800 12, 300 33 Montenegro 50, 000 3, 000 10, 000 7, 000 40 Germany 11, 000 1, 773, 700 4, 216, 100 1, 152, 800 65 Austria-Hungary 7, 800, 000 1, 200, 000 3, 620, 000 2, 200, 000 90 Ottoman Empire 2, 850, 000 325, 000 400, 000 250, 000 34 Bulgaria 1, 200, 000 87, 500 152, 400 27, 000 22 Central Powers