SSUSH15A thru D & 16A

World War One

World War One

Pre-War Relations with Mexico

• An International Crisis was awaiting President

Woodrow Wilson when he took office in 1913.

• Neighboring Mexico was in a Revolution due to

years of poverty, oppressive laws, and dictatorship.

• 1884 – 1911: Mexico was under the control of a

Caudillo (Dictator) named Porfirio Diaz.

• 1911 – 1913: Democratically minded Francisco Madero

attempted to make changes as President

of Mexico until he was assassinated.

• 1913: General Victoriano Huerta seized power and

continued Mexico’s brutal & corrupt rule.

World War One

Pre-War Relations with Mexico

• President Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize the

new government and General Huerta was overthrow.

• 1914: Revolutionary Leader, Venustiano Carranza,

became President of Mexico.

• Anti-American Forces in Mexico opposed the new

president and Continued the Revolution.

• Mexican Revolutionary, Poncho Villa, raided towns

and ranches in the United States for supplies.

• Raids conducted by these Mexican Guerillas was also

intended to cause Woodrow Wilson to intervene.

World War One

Pre-War Relations with Mexico

• President Woodrow Wilson sent 6,000 U.S. Troops under

Maj. Gen. John J. Pershing to find & capture Poncho Villa.

• 1916 – 1917: The Mexican Punitive Expedition into Mexico succeeded in

routing the Mexican Guerillas and wounding Poncho Villa.

• It also served as a good training for the U.S. Army

troops that might soon enter World War One.

• However, growing concerns over the war in Europe

caused the President to recall the troops home.

• Unfortunately, the Mexican Expedition also damaged

U.S. Foreign relations with Latin America & Britain.

World War One

Pre-War Problems in Europe

• The roots of World War One date back to the 1860’s:

• 1848 – 1871: Nationalist Revolutions against

Austrian Rulers resulted in the

Unification of Germany & Italy.

• 1870 – 1871: Prussia fought the Franco-Prussian

War to solidify German Unification.

• 1882: The Triple Alliance between Germany, Italy

& Austria-Hungary was designed to protect

them from possible French Aggression.

• 1907: France, Britain, and Russia formed the Triple Entente to

protect themselves against the growing power of Germany.

World War One

The Naval Arms Race

• 1890’s: Germany began to build a naval fleet

to rival the British Navy.

• The British Navy responded by building the

Battleship known as the HMS Dreadnought.

Increased Steel Hull Thickness

Utilized Steam Turbine Propulsion

Armed with Heavy Caliber Guns

• Dreadnought styled Battleships became

symbols of National Power in the world.

Japan’s Battleship Satsuma (1906)

Germany’s SMS Rheinland (1907)

America’s USS South Carolina (1907)

Europe Goes to War

The Immediate Causes of WWI

SERBIA

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

GERMANY

RUSSIA

GREAT BRITAIN

FRANCE

28 July 1914

28 June 1914

29 Jul 1914

Russian Army Mobilizes to

Support Serbia

1 Aug 1914

Germany declared War on Russia Russian Troops

Struggle to Defend along Eastern Front

2 Aug 1914 Due to Alliance France pledges

Support to Russia 3 Aug 1914

Germany declares War on France

4 Aug 1914

Great Britain declared War on Germany

5 Aug 1914 12 Aug 1914

O T T O M A N

E M P I R E

Entered War in 1916 as Central Power

ITALY

Switched Sides in 1916

Declared War

Great Britain declared War on Austria

Assassinated Archduke Ferdinand

World War One

World War One

America’s Initial Response

• As a result of the war, the two alliances became known as:

• Central Powers = Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (Until 1916)

• Allied Powers = • France, Britain, and Russia (Until 1917)

• When fighting began, President Woodrow Wilson declared Neutrality to

keep the United States out of foreign affairs.

• Many American Political and Military Leaders favored supporting the

Allied Powers to preserve the International Balance of Power in the world.

• Many American Businessmen with strong ties to Europe also supported and

invested in an Allied Victory.

• Britain influenced the American public by using Propaganda stories of

German war atrocities to gain their support.

World War One

The U.S. Moves Toward War

• 1914: J. P. Morgan and Co. became the leading U.S.

financer of the war for England & France.

• 1914: Britain deployed their navy to blockade

supplies headed for Germany or its allies.

• 1915: Germany changed their naval policy to

begin Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

against all ships in British waters.

• 7 May 1915: A German Submarine (U-Boat)

sunk the British Passenger Liner

Lusitania, killing about 1200 people.

• Many outraged Americans called for war with

Germany.

World War One

The Sinking of the Lusitania: Analyzing Point of View

World War One

The U.S. Moves Toward War

• President Woodrow Wilson steered the middle course on the issue:

He refused to take Extreme Measures against Germany

But, he insisted in Safeguarding Noncombatant Lives

• Mar 1916: Wanting to avoid bringing the U.S. into the war,

Germany agreed to the Sussex Pledge.

Promised not to sink merchant ships without proper warning.

• Jan 1917: The U.S. received a copy of a German Telegram sent to Mexico

offering an alliance between them against the United States.

Promising to provide Mexico with financial and military support

Promising to help them get back Texas, Arizona, & New Mexico

President Venustiano Carranza declined the generous offer

World War One The Zimmerman Telegram: Analyzing Point of View

Coded Telegram sent to Mexico Decoded Telegram sent by Britain

World War One

The U.S. Moves Toward War

• American’s called for war again after reports of the telegram reached the

newspapers.

President Woodrow Wilson tried to avoid conflict

based on unverified accusations.

Mar 1917: German Secretary, Arthur Zimmerman,

admitted that the telegram was true.

• By Mar 1917: Germany resumed Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.

Mar - Apr 1917: 6 U.S. Merchant Ships were sunk with 63 lives lost.

• 2 Apr 1917: President Woodrow

Wilson asked Congress to

Declare War on Germany.

World War One

The U.S. Mobilizes for War

• 18 May 1917: President Woodrow Wilson and Congress enacted the

Selective Service Act.

Registration of ALL Males

between 21 and 20 years old.

Individuals were drawn by

random lottery.

No Substitutions were authorized (like in the Civil War).

• Aug 1918: Congress Amended the drafting age to between 18 and 45.

2 Million American men had volunteered for service.

2.8 Million American men were drafted into the service.

By the end of World War One:

World War One

• World War One is the first war in which Women

Officially Served in the Armed Forces.

Only allowed in non-combat positions.

U.S. Navy was the first to enlist them

for clerical and nursing services.

• Over 11,000 served in the Navy.

U.S. Army hired civilians for clerical jobs.

U.S. Army enlisted women as Nurses.

U.S. Army Nurses were the only enlisted

women to actually serve overseas.

• Over 20,000 served in the Army.

The U.S. Mobilizes for War

World War One

• The United States had to quickly organize and mobilize its work force.

July 1917: The War Industries Board (WIB) was created to

coordinate the production of war materials.

Mar 1918: The National War Labor Board (NWLB) was established to

prevent strikes from disrupting the war effort.

Prominent Labor Attorneys to mediate disputes.

Pressured Industries to grant concessions to workers.

Increased Membership in Unions occurred.

• Increased Industrial job opportunities for Women & African-Americans.

The U.S. Mobilizes for War

The “Great Migration” = About 500,000 African-Americans left the

South to take Industrial Jobs in Northern Cities.

World War One

• The Government needed about $44

Million a day to conduct the war.

• They borrowed more than $20

Billion from Americans.

• Agreeing to pay it back with

interest after the war.

• The Federal Food Administration, under

Secretary Herbert Hoover, asked

Americans to plant “Victory Gardens.”

• The Federal Fuel Administration, under

Harry Garfield, introduced “Daylight

Savings Time” to conserve fuel..

U.S. Public Support for the War

World War One

• The Committee of Public Information was given the

task of “Selling the War” to the American Public.

• Former “Muckraker” Journalists George Creel

headed the agency.

• Hired Artists, Authors, Songwriters, Entertainers.

• “Four-Minute Men” gave motivational public speeches.

• The Espionage Act of 1917:

The U.S. Mobilizes for War

Made it illegal to for anyone to aid the enemy.

• The Sedition Act of 1918: Made it illegal to for anyone to publically speak

against the war, the government, or president.

• 1919: Supreme Court, in Schenck –vs- the U.S., ruled against Freedom of

Speech if the words posed a “Clear and Present Danger” to National Security.

World War One

• Maj. Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing commanded

the American Expeditionary Force in World War I .

They were engaged in 13 different campaigns.

2 Million American “Doughboys” served in Europe.

• The most famous battles were:

Chateau-Thierry (May 1918)

Belleau Wood (June 1918)

The Marne (Jul-Aug 1918)

Saint Mihiel (Sept 1918)

Argonne Forest (Sep-Nov 1918)

The U.S. in World War I

• 11 Nov 1918: Armistice Signed

World War One

• Some Famous U.S. Units and Fighting Men of World War One included:

308th U.S. Inf: The Lost Battalion 369th U.S. Inf: Hellfighters of Harlem

Sergeant

Alvin C. York

Company G,

328th U.S.

Infantry

The U.S. in World War I

Captain

Eddie

Rickenbacker

U.S. Air

Service

Major

Charles

Whittlesey

308th U.S.

Infantry

World War One

Providing Justice for all People and Nationalities

Promoting the Right of Self-Determination

Establishing a General Association for World Peace

• President Woodrow Wilson presented his plan known as

the “Fourteen Points.”

• The other three leaders of the “Big Four” didn’t agree with the proposal.

• 28 June 1919: Despite the President’s hopes, the terms of the “Treaty of

Versailles” signed by Germany were very harsh.

The Flawed Peace

The harshest part of the treaty was known as the “War Guilt Clause.”

It required Germany to pay $33 Billion in Reparations (War Damages).

• Although the treaty adopted the idea for a “League of Nations”, the

United States refused to ratify the treaty or join the new organization.

World War One

The War’s Impact

• Loosened Government Controls after the war caused:

Race to buy goods = Rapid Rise in Prices = Increased Inflation

Ultimately, the Cost of Living rose more than 15%

• Operating Cost for Companies also caused:

New Restriction on Wages = Dissatisfied Workers = Wave of Strikes

Feb 1919: Shipyard Workers in Seattle sparked a “General Strike.”

Sep 1919: Boston Police Strike caused mass Rioting and Looting.

1919 - 1920: U.S. Steel experienced a “General” Steelworkers Strike.

• July 1919: Chicago Race Riot occurred over jobs and segregated beaches.

• Strikes caused a fear of Communist Revolution known as the “Red Scare.”

• J. Edgar Hoover headed the new Federal Bureau of Investigation to arrest

and deport radical foreigners advocating violence