World War I

1914-1918APUSH

Period 7

Key Concept 7.3 II: WWI changed

American conceptions about WOR

and ID

Key Concept 7.3: Global conflicts over resources,

territories, and ideologies renewed debates over the

nation’s values and its role in the world while

simultaneously propelling the United States into a

dominant international military, political, cultural, and

economic position.

II. World War I and its aftermath intensified debates

about the nation’s role in the world and how best to

achieve national security and pursue American interests

Causes of World War I

Militarism (not possible without

industrialism)

Nationalism (rivalry/self-determination)

Imperialism (rivalry)

Alliances

The Sun never sets on the

British Empire

World War I Begins

6/28/1914 – Gavrilo Princip, a Serb nationalist killed

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

Alliance System spiraled Europe into total War –

World War I began July 28, 1914

World War I Alliances

Central Powers – Austro-Hungarian Empire,

Germany, Ottoman Empire (primary

members)

Allied Powers- France, Great Britain and the

Russian Empire (primary members)

USA later joined Allied Powers (1917)

Trench Warfare

Western Front (battle line) barely moved for years

Military leaders could only throw masses of men

over the trenches, millions died

WWI -“The War to End All Wars”

Militarism –European armies doubled 1890-1914

Weapons and war technologies were “improved”

Industrialized war – most deadly ever

Weapons “Innovations” of WWI

Poison Gas

Machine Guns

Tanks and Air Warfare

Not possible without

industrialization!

Death Tolls

At least 15 million died as direct result of war

Christmas truce – small glimmer of hope

1916 – election – Woodrow Wilson re-

elected

US Trade before entrance in WWI

US Attempts at Neutrality US tried to stay neutral in European slaughter

Americans preferences:

German/Irish-Americans favor Central Powers

British-Americans, Eastern-European

Americans favor Allied Powers

Trade and Neutrality

US maintained better trade with Allied Powers

Trade with Germany and the Central Powers

collapsed

Germany particularly annoyed with this

German U-Boats Germany U-Boats sank non-military

trading ships headed to Britain

Lusitania – 1915- ship that carried over

100 Americans – RAGE

Zimmerman Telegraph

January,1917 - German ambassador to Mexico

offered to help Mexico take back territory from the

US; start UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE!

A final straw – US joined Allied Powers by April

Entry of the US/Withdrawl of Russia

US entered WWI in April 1917

Total War – industry/military work together

**US changed pace of WWI

** Russian Revolution – Russia (Allies) quits – March

1918

Building military

April 1917 - 200,000 men in army

Selective Service Act – May 1917 –military draft by

lottery system – 2 million would serve

War at Home Congress gave Wilson broad powers to regulate

economy during WWI – Total War

War Industries Board (WIB)

Railroad and Fuel Administrations

Food Administration – Herbert Hoover - high gov’t

price on wheat – encouraged farmers to grow

Food Administration - FYI

Gospel of the Clean Plate

“Meatless” day

“Sweetless” day

Two “wheatless” days

Two “porkless” days

War Financing Raised income taxes on rich; War profits tax

Higher “sin” taxes (tobacco, liquor, luxuries)

“Victory” and “Liberty” loan bonds

War Industries

Shipyard workers – exempt from draft

Gov’t took over private/commercial ships

Emphasis on shipbuilding

Propaganda Propaganda - advertising that sells an idea

Committee on Public Information –

produced propaganda to create

enthusiasm for WWI among US citizens

Naval Blockades and Convoys

Germans had sought to create a blockade and

prevent US from entering Europe

Convoys – strategic clusters of ships used by US

Debs Speech - reenacted

http://zinnedproject.org/posts/11179

Espionage and Sedition Acts, 1917-1918

$10,000 fine, up to 20 years in prison for saying ANYTHING “disloyal, profane, or

abusive about the gov’t or the war effort)

Targeted mainly labor leaders

Eugene Debs – 10 year sentence

Big Bill Haywood – fled to Russia

Emma Goldman - deported

Repeal of the Sedition Act

Most controversial parts of Espionage Act; All of Sedition

Act repealed – 1920

Espionage Act – still exists

Debs – 1920 – ran for president from prison

Effects of War Hysteria

More patriotism but more hatred against various

ethnic groups (primarily German-Americans)

German-Americans – often changed names, denied

heritage in order to survive

FYI:

- People with German names – job discrimination

- Refusal to play German-made music

- Many schools stopped teaching German language

- Hamburger – Liberty Sandwich

The US and World War I 1917-18 Second Battle of the Marne- July-August 1918 –

US helps allies win– TURNING POINT

St. Mihiel – September 1918 – largely American

force – major blow to Germany

Battle of Meuse-Argonne- 9/1918-11/1918 – Last

major battle of war – Americans led Allied

Victory

Ending World War I

Armistice Day – November 11, 1918 –

Germany surrendered – fighting ended

Roughly 15 million killed

Shell Shock

Shell shock - psychological reaction to the stresses

of battle – flashbacks, unease, physical symptoms

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – modern

terminology – similar causes to Shell Shock

Aftermath of WWI

Paris Peace Conference - first half of 1919- sets

up a new order for after the war – Wilson goes to

Europe! – took a delegation of Democrats only

Big Four – US, Britain, France, Italy

Treaty of Versailles – 28 June 1919 – finalized

peace deals

Treaty of Versailles – 28 June

1919

9 new nations, boundaries shifted

Ottoman Empire – no more

Germany banned from having an army

Germany forced to pay $33 billion in reparations,

accept complete blame for war

Established League of Nations

** US – Treaty of Berlin – US refusal to sign onto

League of Nations - 1921

Wilson’s “14 Points” and the

League of Nations

President Wilson gave a 14 speech about creating a

lasting peace in Europe before war ended

First 5 points – addressed preventing war

Next 8 points – national boundary changes

Last point – development of League of Nations

Failure of the League

US never joined the league of nations

Wilson collapsed and had a stroke – 1919 –

could not combat Henry Cabot Lodge’s 14

Reservations

Isolationist Republican Senators –

“Irreconcilables” – feared lack of autonomy in

foreign affairs

League – virtually powerless

Hyperinflation in Germany

Germany forced to pay back its

debts

Solution – print lots of money

Germany’s money became

worthless

Germany left in a horrible state of

debt and despair

Rise of a Madman

The humiliated condition of Germany after World War I

creates the perfect environment for the rise of a

dictator – Adolf Hitler