THE UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR I

Chapter 8 Section 2Page 238-244

U.S. Stays Neutral

• People in the United States considered the war a European conflict that did not concern them

• POTUS Wilson declared The U.S. would stay neutral

• Isolationism- U.S. policy of not being involved in the affairs of other nations

Leaning toward the Allies•POTUS Wilson favored the Allied cause

•Wilson didn’t approve of Germany’s war tactics or their invasion of Belgium

•By 1917, Britain was buying $75 million worth of war goods from the United States per week

German Submarine Warfare• Germany waged it’s naval war using the U-boat

• U-boat- small submarine that uses torpedoes to attack and sink enemy ships

• In February 1915, Germany announced it’s policy of “unrestricted submarine warfare”

• This meant Germany would attack any ships in British waters

Sinking of the Lusitania• In May 1915, the British cruise ship, the Lusitania left New York headed for England

•On May 7, as it was nearing the British Isles it was hit by a German torpedo

•The ship sunk within 18 minutes

•Almost 1,200 people died including 128 Americans

Sinking of the Lusitania

Heading Toward War• In March, 1916, Germany sank the French passenger ship Sussex, killing 80 people

•POTUS Wilson warned Germany to stop killing civilians

•The Germans feared the U.S. would enter the war, so they issued the Sussex Pledge- this was a promise not to sink merchant ships w/o a warning

Wilson’s Re-election• In 1916, Wilson ran for re-election on the promise that he would “Keep America out of War“

• He ran against Republican Charles Evan Hughes

• The election was very close, but Wilson won re-election

• After his re-election, Wilson began to work for a peace treaty to end the war

The Zimmerman Note•German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman sent a telegram to Mexico asking them to attack the United States

•The telegram was intercepted by the British, who turned it over to the United States

•After it was printed in U.S. newspapers, Americans began to call for war against Germany

The U.S. Declares War• In 1917 in Russia, a revolution overthrew the Czar, causing Russia to pull out of the war

• In March 1917, German U-boats sunk three American merchant ships

• Finally, on April 2, 1917, Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany

• On April 6th, the U.S. joined the war on the side of the Allies

Raising an Army•Selective Service Act- made all men aged 21-30 to register for the draft

•700,000 men volunteered for the military

•3.7 million more were drafted

•The new recruits faced a short, intense training to prepare them to fight

Training the Doughboys

Arriving in Europe• The AEF (American Expeditionary Force) was transported to Europe using the Convoy System- troop transport ships surrounded by warships for protection

• They were led by General John J Pershing

• When the Americans arrived, the Allied situation was grim

• Belgium and France were under German control

Bolshevik Revolution• In November 1917, the Russian Czar was overthrown by communist forces led by Vladimir Lenin

•The new Russian govt. withdrew from the war allowing the Germans to send more troops to the Western front

Czar Nicholas II

Vladimir Lenin

U.S. Troops in Action•U.S. troops were a major factor in the war

•They stopped the Germans at Chateau-Thierry

•U.S. Marines recaptured the forest of Belleau Wood in northern France

•They also helped halt the German advance and saved the city of Paris

U.S. Marines in the Battle of Belleau Wood

Sergeant Alvin York- All American B.A.

•Unit was ambushed by German soldiers

•York and 6 other soldiers were the only survivors

•York attacked the German machine gun nests, killing 20 Germans and capturing 132 more

•He was given the Medal of Honor for his bravery

Beginning of the End• In July 1918, the Germans launched their last offensive at the Second Battle of the Marne

•After two weeks of heavy fighting, they began to retreat

• In Sep. 1918, the Allies launched a counterattack

•They began to push back the German army

The Armistice• By late 1918, the Central Powers began to surrender

• Austria-Hungary signed a peace treaty w/ the Allies

• Germany then surrendered its aircraft, tanks, and U-boats

• On November 11, 1918, the Armistice went into effect and the fighting ended

• Almost 9 million people had been killed in the “Great War”

Identify Key People and Terms (8.2) Page 238-244

•Lusitania• Isolationism•U-boats•Sussex Pledge•Charles Evans Hughes•Zimmerman Note•Selective Service Act•Convoy System•Communists•Harlem Hell Fighters

•How many Americans were killed when the Lusitania was sunk?

•On what date did the U.S. join the war?

•What does AEF stand for?•Who was Vladimir Lenin?•Who captured 132 Germans and was the most famous U.S. hero of the war?

Honors “One-Pager” Page 238-244

•What events led to the United States choosing to get involved in World War I and how did our involvement change the course of the war?