6.2.2 WWI – Explain the causes of World War I, the reasons for American neutrality and eventual entry intothe war, and America’s role in shaping the course of the war.

6.2.3 Domestic Impact of WWI – Analyze the domestic impact of WWI on the growth of the government(e.g., War Industries Board), the expansion of the economy, the restrictions on civil liberties(e.g., Sedition Act, Red Scare, Palmer Raids), and the expansion of women’s suffrage.

6.2.4 Wilson and His Opponents – Explain how Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” differed from proposals by others, including French and British leaders and domestic opponents, in the debate over the VersaillesTreaty, United States participation in the League of Nations, the redrawing of European political boundaries, and the resulting geopolitical tensions that continued to affect Europe. (National GeographyStandards 3 and 13; p. 188 and 210)

The aggressive buildup of armed forces to intimidate and threaten other nations.

An agreement between two or more countries to come to each other’s aid or defense in times of need.

The economic and political domination of a strong nation over a weaker one.

Feelings of intense pride in one’s homeland. (Superiority)

Causes of World War IMilitarismAlliancesImperialismNationalism

Remember MAIN

Unified GermanyBetween 1864 and 1871, the German

kingdom of Prussia had united the various German states.

Newly unified Germany industrialized quickly, becoming a world power.

While unifying Germany, Prussia had attacked France and defeated them, forcing them to give up territory along the German border.

France and Germany became enemies.

AlliancesTo protect itself from French revenge,

Germany formed alliances with Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian empire.The Triple Alliance

Russia and Great Britain (England) became concerned about Germany’s new power.

They form another alliance with France.The Triple Entente

MilitarismAlliances and paranoia led to an arms race.European nations built up their armies, and

invented new weapons that would lead to large casualties during WWI.

Great Britain and Germany raced to build warships.

NationalismBy the late 1800’s, feelings of Nationalism

were a major driving force in Europe.Nationalists promoted the interests of their

own country over all others, who they saw as competitors on the world stage.

ImperialismThrough imperialism, European nations had

built large empires in the 1700’s and 1800’s.Nationalists feelings clashed with

Imperialism.Serbians, and other small Balkan peninsula

people groups, sought to form their own independent country.

Russia was supportive of their fellow Slavic speaking peoples efforts towards independence.

Serbia gained independence first, then sought to unite the Balkan peoples.

1908 - Serbs became angry when Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia, preventing them from achieving independence.

June 1914 – Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated while visiting Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.Gavrilo Pricip – A Bosnian revolutionary,

encouraged by the Serbian government.

Alliances TriggeredJuly 1914 – Austria-Hungary

declared war on Serbia.Russia mobilized its army, honoring its promises to Serbia.Germany declared war on Russia, then on France.WWI had begun.

Germany AttacksGermany had already planned on war with

France and Russia.Invaded France, trying to knock them out of

the war early.Germans invaded France through Belgium,

who had an alliance with England.Britain declared war on Germany.

The AlliancesThe Allies

(Triple Entente)FranceRussiaGreat BritainSerbiaItaly (decided to

switch sides in 1915)

The Central Powers (Triple Alliance)GermanyAustria-HungaryOttoman EmpireBulgaria

The Western FrontGermany penetrated France to within 30

miles of Paris.However, Russia attacked Germany from the

east, forcing Germany to pull troops out of France.

A stalemate began, with both sides locked in trench warfare along hundreds of miles of trenches.

The Eastern FrontGermany and Austria-Hungary stopped the

Russians.They then pushed deep into Russia, taking

hundreds of thousands of Russian prisoners.In 1915 alone, Russia lost 2 million killed,

wounded, or captured.

Overarching Question????What were the four main causes of WWI?

What was the triggering event?MAIN

MilitarismAlliancesImperialismNationalism

The triggering event was the assassination of Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

Information designed to influence public opinion.

Refusing to take sides in a conflict.

Neutrality

President Wilson was determined to keep the United States neutral in World War I.

This would prove to be easier said than done.

Divisions in America

8 million German Americans.Many of them supported their old homeland.

4.5 million Irish Americans.Resentment over centuries of British rule led

many of them to support the Central Powers. Majority of Americans supported the Allies.

Common heritage and culture with England.Age old friendship with France since they

helped us in our Revolutionary War.

“Preparedness”Americans wondered if they should be prepared for

war.Supporters of American “preparedness” felt that

preparing for war was one way to stay out of the conflict.Supporters also felt if we were pulled in, it was better

to be ready.Those against “preparedness”, like woman suffrage

leader Carrie Chapman Catt, discouraged military buildup.They feared that a military buildup would push us into

war.

Propaganda

Both sides in the war used propaganda tactics.

The British, who were particularly skilled in this, cut the transatlantic cable from Europe to the U.S. so that they could control war reports to the U.S..British reports of German atrocities helped

sway American public opinion onto the side of the Allies.

American BusinessesHad strong ties to Allied countries.Many American banks invested heavily in the

Allied cause.Some pro-German banks lent around $27

million to Germany.

• A series of events would draw the U.S. into World War I.

U - BoatsGerman submarines.England blockaded German ports.

Intercepting merchant ships and forcing them into British ports for inspection.

February 1915 – Germany declared it would sink, without warning, any ship found in the waters around Britain.

Americans are outraged, Germany had previously signed an international treaty which banned attacks on civilian ships without warning.

The LusitaniaBritish passenger ship.May 7, 1915 – Lusitania is sunk by a U-Boat,

killing around 1200 people including 128 Americans.

Americans see this as a terrorist attack on civilians.

President Wilson still refused to declare war, still seeking neutrality.

U-Boats attack a French passenger ship, the Sussex, injuring several Americans on board.

Wilson finally issued a last warning to Germany, calling for an end to “unrestricted submarine warfare”.

Germany, to avoid war with the U.S., pledges to stop sinking merchant ships without warning.

The Election of 1916Wilson is re-elected with the slogan..

“He kept us out of the war”

The Zimmerman TelegramJanuary 1917 – German official Arthur

Zimmerman sent a telegram to Germany’s ambassador in Mexico.

This telegram proposed a deal with Mexico.If Mexico joined Germany in a war with the

U.S., Germany promised to restore Mexico’s lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

British intelligence intercepted the letter and leaked it to the American newspapers.

Furious Americans concluded that war with Germany is now necessary.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

February 1, 1917 – Germany resumed its practice of sinking all ships bound for England.

Germany hoped to starve Britain of supplies, bringing them into submission in a few months.

In just under 2 months, German U-boats sank 6 American ships.

Germany underestimated America’s ability to respond quickly.

U.S. Declares WarApril 2, 1917 – President Wilson appeared

before a special session of Congress.Wilson declared that “The world must be

made safe for democracy”.Congress passed the war resolution, bringing

America officially into WWI.

Overarching Question???What were the two main causes of America’s

entry into WWI?Unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany

led to the sinking of passenger ships, like the Lusitania, which carried American citizens on board.

The Zimmerman telegram, which called for Mexico to join Germany in a war with the U.S..

United StatesWoodrow Wilson

Organizing the War Effort

Progressives in the government applied their ideas of planning and scientific management, to the war effort.

Wartime Agencies

Created by the government to coordinate between the federal government and big businesses.

Emphasized cooperation between the two in order to meet war needs.

The War Industries Board

Established in July 1917 to coordinate the production of war materials.Told manufacturers what they could produce.Allocated raw materials to businesses.Created new factories.Set prices.

The Food Administration

Run by future president Herbert Hoover.Responsible for increasing food production.Worked to reduce civilian food consumption.

“Food will win the war – don’t waste it!”Encouraged families to plant Victory gardens.Hooverizing – Wheatless Mondays, Meatless

Tuesdays, and Porkless Thursdays.Made more food available for troops.a

Fuel Administration

Managed the nation’s coal and oil use.Established day-light savings time to

conserve energy in factories.Encouraged families to take part in Heatless

Mondays.

National War Labor Board

Established to keep strikes from disrupting the war effort.

Mediated labor disputes that would lead to strikes.

Encouraged businesses to improve wages, adopt an eight hour day, and allow collective bargaining.

In exchange, labor leaders agreed not to hurt war production with strikes.

Committee on Public Information

CPICreated by Wilson to “Sell” the war to

Americans.Recruited advertising executives, artists,

authors, songwriters, entertainers, public speakers, and movie companies.

American propaganda machine

Paying For the War

U.S. spent $32 billion by the end of WWI.Raised income tax rates.Imposed extra taxes on arms factories profits.Sold Liberty and Victory Bonds

Government borrowed $20 billion from Americans by selling bonds.

Bonds would gather interest for a specified amount of time.

Women in War

With the men fighting in Europe, factories hired women.Women worked in factories, shipyards, and

railroad yards as well as serving as police officers, mail carriers, and train engineers.

After the war, women would return to their previous roles at home or in their old jobs.

The Great MigrationAfrican Americans also moved north to fill war

time jobs.Henry Ford sent agents to the south to recruit

workers.Other companies followed his example.Between 300,000 and 500,000 African Americans

moved north. Greatly changing the racial makeup of cities such

as Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Detroit.This move also changed the politics in the north.

Many African Americans who had been prevented from voting in the south, now were able to vote in the north.

America Enters the War

When the U.S. entered WWI, it had around 300,000 volunteers in the National guard.

After war was declared, 2 million more would volunteer.

Selective Service Act (1917)

Congress, with Wilson’s support, passed a new draft to fill the war time military.

This required all men, ages 21-30, to register.A lottery was used to randomly determine the

order of draft.Draftees appeared before local draft boards

who decided who to enlist and who to leave at home.

Approximately 2.8 million men were drafted.

Reasons for Volunteering

Stories/Propaganda about German atrocities.Fear of Democracy being lost.Duty to the nation.

Many had grown up with stories of Civil War and Spanish American War vets.

Saw war as a great adventure.

African American Soldiers

400,000 African Americans were drafted.42,000 would serve as combat troops, the

rest would serve as cooks, laborers, laundrymen, etc.

Combat troops served in segregated units, usually under white officers.

The “Harlem Hell-Fighters”

369th Regiment – An African American unit.Assigned to the French army and sent

immediately to the front.First Americans in combat in WWI.Spent 191 days in the trenches.Suffered 1,500 casualties.The whole unit received the French War Cross

for gallantry in combat.

Women In The MilitaryWWI = First war in which women officially served

in the armed forces (or at least wore the uniform).Noncombatant positions.

NavyClerical workers, radio operators, electricians,

pharmacists, chemists, photographers.Army

Nursing Corp – the only women sent overseas.

Propaganda assign.Page 334-335

Spying to acquire government information.

The War Effort vs. Civil Liberties

In an effort to limit opposition to the war effort, and fight espionage, the U.S. government passed new legislation focusing on these goals.

Espionage Act (1917)

Made it illegal to aid the enemy, give false reports, or interfere with the war effort.

Sedition Act (1918)

Made it illegal to speak out against the war (or government) publicly.

The 1st amendment to the constitution states that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press”.

Despite protests over 1st amendment violations, the Supreme Court upheld both of these acts on numerous occasions. (over 1,000 convictions)

The Supreme Court ruled that the government could restrict speech when the words constitute a “Clear and present danger”.

Supreme Court Cases

Schenck v. United States, 1919Charles Schenck mailed pamphlets to draftees

telling them the draft was wrong and urging them to write protest letters.

Abrams v. United States, 1919Jacob Abrams wrote pamphlets denouncing the

war and criticizing the decision to send troops to Russia to fight communist forces.

Both men were convicted under the Espionage Act.

Payment for damages caused.

Overarching ????How did Wilson’s 14 points plan, differ from

the other Allies plans for the Treaty of Versailles?

Versailles Peace Talks

January 1919 – Delegates from 27 countries met at the Palace of Versailles near Paris to discuss peace.

The most important attendees were the Big Four…U.S. President Wilson, British Prime Minister

David Lloyd George, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, and Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando.

Negotiations would last five months.

Russia, now called the Soviet Union, was not invited because the Allies did not accept/recognize the communist government as legitimate.

The Fourteen Points Plan

President Wilson’s proposed plan for peace.Goal = To create a lasting peace in Europe.

First Five Points

Focused on eliminating the causes for war through…Free tradeFreedom of the seasDisarmamentImpartial adjustment of colonial claimsOpen diplomacy instead of secret agreements

Next Eight Points

Focused on the right of national self-determination.Borders of countries should be based on

ethnicity and national identity.Believed that a group of people who feel that

they are a nation, should be allowed to have their own country.

Called for all territory that had been taken from another nation, to be returned.

Fourteenth Point

Called for a League of Nations.Goal = Preserve peace through mutual

pledge to respect and protect each other’s territory and political independence.

The League of Nations was Wilson’s main objective.

(Graphic, pg. 342)

The Treaty of Versailles

Used Wilson’s Fourteen Points plan as a framework for the peace treaty.

However, Wilson met with resistance to many of his 14 points.

Many Allies wanted to severely punish Germany for the suffering and destruction they had caused.

The Treaty of Versailles that was finally signed, had many parts designed to punish and weaken Germany.It specifically blamed Germany for the war and forced

them to pay reparations for wartime losses. Approx. $33 BillionThis bill of reparations would kill Germany’s economy.

(Graphic, pg. 343)Pts 2,3,5 ignored by treaty.

Out With the Old in With the New

World War I dismantled four empires.Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, and

Russian.Many new nations were created.

Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and Transjordan.

Rejection in the U.S.Despite not achieving all his 14 points, Wilson

felt confident in the Treaty of Versailles.He was surprised when the Senate opposed the

treaty.Rejection focused on the League of Nations.

Some argued that the League was an “entangling alliance” that our founders had warned against.

Others felt that the commitment to defend other members, could force the U.S. into a war without Congress’ approval, which is required by the Constitution.

Wilson Goes on the RoadWilson took his case to the American people.Gave 30 speeches in three weeks.

The strain from this campaign across America caused Wilson to have a stroke, leaving him bedridden.

The Senate voted down the treaty, choosing to make its own peace treaties with the central powers.

Overarching ????How did Wilson’s 14 points plan, differ from

the other Allies plans for the Treaty of Versailles?Wilson sought to create a lasting peace by

eliminating the causes of WWI. Other Allies wanted to be much harder on Germany, taking revenge for the damages and death caused by the war.

The cost of the essentials which people need to survive. (food, clothing, shelter, etc.)

Strike that involves all workers in a community.

Economic problems

Soldiers returning home treated as heroes.American Legion is created to aid vets.

Problem – 2 million men now need jobs.War factories are shutting down to retool for

peace time production.Workers are being laid off from war factories.

Inflation

With the war over, government agencies lift their restrictions.People rush to buy goods which were rationed.Businesses raise prices which they had been

forced to keep low during the war.This combination led to severe inflation.

Prices went up more than 15% in 1919.

StrikesInflation was draining the money workers had

made during the war, while at the same time driving up the operating costs for industry.

Unions had made gains in membership during WWI.Workers were now more organized and capable of

strikes.Businesses wanted to break the union’ power.1919 saw more than 3,600 strikes involving 4

million workers.

Seattle General Strike

35,000 shipyard workers walk out.Workers want higher pay and shorter hours.

Other unions join in for a general strike.60,000 workers strike.Seattle is paralyzed for 5 days.Strike is unsuccessful, workers go back to

work.

Boston Police Strike

75% of Boston’s police force walked off the job.

Riots and looting erupt.National guard called in to put down riots.When police strikers tried to return to work,

they were fired and replaced by the police commissioner.

Steel Strike350,000 steel workers strike for higher wages,

shorter hours, and recognition of their union.U.S. steel leadership refused to talk, chose

instead to try to break the union using anti-immigrant feelings.Blamed strike on foreign radicals, called on loyal

Americans to return to work.To keep mills open, companies hired African

American and Mexican replacements.Strike collapsed after failing to achieve its

goal. violent clashes discouraged strikers.

Racial Unrest and Violence

During the “Great Migration”, African Americans had moved north to take war-time factory jobs.

Many Americans and returning soldiers who couldn’t find a job blamed African Americans for taking their jobs.

The “Red Summer” - 1919Summer of bloodshed.Race riots broke out across the U.S.Texas - Whites burned shops and homes of

African Americans.Washington D.C. – Black and white gangs fought

for four days before troops end the violence.Chicago – African Americans swimming at a

whites only beach on Lake Michigan are attacked. Whites throw stones to keep a teenager from coming ashore. He drowns and riots erupt in the city.38 people are killed and 500 more are injured.

Overarching Question???

Why did race riots erupt following WWI?During the war, the “Great Migration” had

brought many African Americans north to fill wartime jobs in factories. After the war ended, jobs were hard to find and many whites blamed the African Americans for taking their jobs.

To be kicked out of a country.

The Red ScareFollowing WWI, Americans feared a

communist revolution would occur in the U.S..Russia pulling out of the war was seen as a

betrayal.Wave of strikes in the U.S. fueled fear of a

revolution occurring in the U.S..

The Communist International

Established in 1919 by the Communist Soviet Union (Russia).

Organization for coordinating communist parties in other countries.

Fueled American’s fears of communism even more.

April 1919 – Postal Service intercepted more than 30 packages containing homemade bombs targeting prominent Americans.

June 1919 – 8 bombs in 8 cities explode within minutes of each other. This suggests a nationwide organization.One of these bombs hit the home of Attorney

General Mitchell Palmer.

The Palmer Raids

Attorney General Palmer creates the General Intelligence Division within the Justice Department.Future FBI agencyHeaded by J. Edgar Hoover

Palmer ordered raids on Russian workers union offices in 12 cities.

7 weeks later a ship carrying 249 deported immigrants left New York for Russia.

Second series of raids resulted in 6,000 arrests.

5 socialists are expelled from New York’s legislature.

32 states passed sedition laws, outlawing revolutionary speech.

Civil Rights and the Palmer Raids

During the Palmer raids….Agents ignored civil liberties of suspects.Entered homes without search warrants.Suspects were abused.Some were jailed indefinitely.Not allowed to speech to lawyers.Many deported without a trial.Radicalism became linked with immigrants.

Election of 1920

Economic problems, strikes, racial tensions, and negative memories of WWI cause Americans to seek an end to upheaval in the U.S..

Americans wanted stability.Warren G. Harding called for a return to

“Normalcy”A return to the simpler days before progressives

stirred things up.Voters agreed and elected Harding in a landslide.