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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