Choosing Sides

The U.S. Enters the War

After 1 year, over 1 000 000 men were killed,

wounded, or taken prisoner 500 miles of trenches had been dug from

English Channel to Switzerland – no closer to an end

Germany fighting Russia Japan had captured German Islands in the

Pacific Ocean Britain attacked Turkey and Germany’s land in

Africa

WWI

As soon as the fighting erupted in Europe,

President Woodrow Wilson declared that the US would remain neutral (wouldn’t enter the fighting and would remain “friends” with both sides).

Why?

Remaining Neutral

Of 100 million people in the US, over half

traced their roots back to Great Britain They supported France because of the

Revolutionary War Almost 12 million Americans supported the

Central forces because of family immigration from Germany, A-H, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

Remaining Neutral

The US refused to fight, but would help both

sides Why?

Before the war, Americans were out of work. Food, weapons and war supplies were needed in Europe

America began to supply these goods; billions of dollars was spent on weapons, food, vehicles, and clothing for soldiers fighting on both sides.

Help for the Economy

At the start of the war, Britain used warships to block supplies from reaching Germany (merchant ships from the US were stopped and searched and if they were there to deliver to Germany, they were sent away)

Germany responded by building U-boats, which traveled underwater. These sunk more than 11 million tons of Allied supplies and killed thousands of sailors

Germans said they would try to avoid sinking neutral ships, but warned America against helping the Allies

German U-Boats

In May, 1915, a U-boat sank an American oil

tanker Germany apologized and offered to pay for it

Six days later, a U-boat torpedoed a British passenger ship, the Lusitania 1000+ people died, including 128 Americans

In August, a British ship was torpedoed; 2 more Americans died

The Lusitania

A German woman was told of the sinking and laughed.A person told her that children were on that ship. Her reply was, “The more Americans on the bottom of the ocean the better.”

“The more, the better”

Americans were outraged and many

demanded that Wilson declare war on Germany

Germany apologized and promised not to sink ships with passengers

In March, 1916, a U-boat sunk the Sussex, a British ship 80 civilians died

The Sussex

On June 30, 1916, more than 2 million pounds of

ammo and explosives were destroyed in the New York harbor, tearing holes in the Statue of Liberty

Black Tom Island (a huge loading dock) was destroyed It took several years to figure out that Germany was

behind this attack Germany was warned again, but Germans were

starving. January 1917: U-boats would sink all merchant ships

delivering supplies to the Allies, including those from the US.

Black Tom Island

March 1, 1917 German minister, Zimmerman, sent a telegram to the

president of Mexico: if the US declared war on Germany, Zimmerman wanted Mexico to join forces with Germany. In return for Mexico’s help, he promised to return the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona to Mexico (lands that were lost during the Mexican War)

Later in March, Germans sunk 4 American ships, killing 36 Americans

President Wilson asked congress to declare war on Germany On April 6, 1917, America entered war on the side of the

Allied Powers

The Zimmerman Telegram

Activity/Handout

Your Opinion Counts

April 6, 1917: America enters WWI The US was unprepared: their Navy was

strong, but their Army only had about 100 000 soldiers

Enough artillery to last 2 days During training camps, soldiers practiced with

brooms because there weren’t enough rifles The US sent most of their resources to the

Allied forces and didn’t have enough for themselves

America Declares War

War was declared thousands of men joined Women volunteered as nurses Women replaced men in offices, factories and farms May, 1917: Selective Service Act was passed

Wilson could increase military’s size through a draft Every man aged 21-30 was required to register and

each was given a number; lottery was held and over one million men were chosen for war (after 6 month training camp)

Before long, the draft was extended to include men aged 18-45.

The Selective Service Act

William Sims, Canadian, Vice Admiral of US

Navy during WWI Suggested a convoy system to protect

merchant ships and safely bring American soldiers to warfront Ships travel in groups, scare factor, large-scale

attacks Worked! Convoys cleared a path for new

soldiers

Sims’ Convoy System

General Pershing was in charge of the US Army He saw the trenches and didn’t want his men being

replacements for dead soldiers, nor did he want his men living in the awful trench conditions

He wanted to force the Germans out of the trenches and fight in No Man’s Land

Oct. 23, 1917: Americans fired machine guns into crowded German trenches, Germans returned fire, and crossed No Man’s Land (expecting Americans to run for safety). Pershing’s men stood firm and within minutes, Germans retreated, taking 11 American prisoners with them.

Pershing and Battle