a people and a nation eighth edition

A PEOPLE and ANATION

EIGHTH EDITION

Norton • Katzman • Blight •Chudacoff • Paterson • Tuttle •

Escott • Bailey • Logevall

Chapter 23:Americans in the

Great War,1914–1920

Copyright © Houghton Miffl in Company. All rights reserved. 23 | 2

Ch. 23: Americans in the Great War,1914–1920

• Americans debate foreign policy,1914–17

• New technology increase war’sdestruction

• USA emerge as major world power• War emergency (1917–18) force

dramatic political, economic, socialchanges at home

• Postwar conflict over continuing changesor restoring prewar status quo

• War and 1919 peace disillusion many


I. Outbreak of the First World War

• Years of European competition overtrade, colonies, allies, armaments

• Germany (Triple Alliance) rival England(Triple Entente) for world leadership

• Many Americans see growing Germanpower as threat (militarism, autocracy)

• Assassination by Serbian nationalisttrigger chain of events in Europe (seeMap 23.1)

• Result = war (Central Powers v. Allies)


II. Taking Sides

• Wilson proclaim neutrality in war• Full neutrality not possible

1. Ethnic groups in USA take sides2. Wilson & advisers hold pro-Allied views:

see Germany as threat to civilization3. USA-England trade (arms, loans) grow;

USA-German trade drop; Germany see UStrade with England as un-neutral

4. Wilsonianism = ideas Wilson assume willspread if Allies win


II. Taking Sides (cont.)

• USA will lead nations toward peacefulworld

• World of free trade, capitalism,democracy, open diplomacy, fewer arms,& no empires

• Wilson proclaim US destiny = save world• Ideals benefit USA; mix idealism with

realism• Wilson willing to force ideas on others


III. Violations of Neutral Rights

• Wilson not want to enter war• USA caught in crossfire between

belligerents• England violate neutral rights by seizing

US cargoes for Germany (take property)• Germany try to stop US trade with

England via submarines (take lives)• Wilson demand Germany comply with

strict interpretation of international law


IV. Secretary Bryan’s Resignation

• Lusitania sinking (1915) take 1198 lives(128 Americans); contraband (ammo) onship

• Bryan advocate banning Americans onbelligerent ships, but Wilson reject it

• Wilson assert US right to sail on any ships• Bryan resign; some Americans call him

traitor• Germany halt attacks on passenger ships

after Lusitania, but tensions increase(Sussex, 1916)


V. Peace Advocates;Unrestricted Sub Warfare

• Many groups fear costs/consequences ofwar

• Movement not unified• Feb. 1917, Germany take calculated risk

of full submarine war (defeat Alliesbefore US entry)

• With Zimmerman Telegram, Wilson seeGermany as threat to US security

• Wilson arm US ships withoutcongressional consent


VI. War Message and WarDeclaration (April, 1917)

• Wilson accuse Germany of violatingneutral and human rights

• War to make “world safe for democracy”• US ideas & interests require German

defeat• By 1917, Wilson assume USA must enter

war to shape peace & postwar world• Wilson get support from preparedness

groups (National Security League)


VII. The Draft and the Soldier

• Defense Act, Navy Act (1916) start buildup• Selective Service Act (1917) start draft• 4.8 million serve; most draftees in early 20s,

white, single, US-born, poorly educated• 400,000 blacks serve; in segregated units• 90% in labor units; those in combat do well• Du Bois & NAACP support war• Hope for change at home after war


VII. The Draft and the Soldier (cont.)

• 3 million evade draft• Conscientious objectors face harassment• Pershing insist AEF remain independent

of Allied control, criticize trench warfare• Machine guns, poison gas, etc. kill huge

#s• 1 million casualties at Somme, 1916• Many survivors suffer “shell shock”• US men/materials tip balance & end

stalemate


VIII. Bolshevik Revolution (1917)

• Challenge Wilson’s vision of world• Lenin attack capitalism; want worker

uprisings• Release secret treaties to embarrass Allies• Wilson respond with 14 Points (1918)• Show Allies as different from Central Powers• #14 call for League of Nations to achieve

US vision of ideal world order• Lenin make peace with Germany (early

1918)


IX. Americans in Battle

• Germany then launch offense; Allies halt it• Allies then launch counter-offensive• Germany accept armistice (Nov. 1918)• 16.6 million die (6.6 million = civilians)• 21.3 million wounded• US losses = 53,000 combat dead (+ 62,000

dead from disease); 200,000 wounded• War destroy European economy & 4

empires


X. Mobilizing the Home Front

• US Gov’t intervene as never before ineconomy & society

• Form partnership with big business viadollar-a-year executives on new agencies

• W/ cost-plus contracts (guaranteedprofits) & no antitrust acts, big businessget bigger

• US Gov’t bureaucracy grow to shifteconomy to war-related production


XI. Business-GovernmentCooperation

• Food Administration try to increase productionand conserve food

• Fuel Administration control coal, ration gas• War Industries Board = largest agency• Make purchases, allocate materials, & set

prices (all on business advice)• WIB order standardization of goods• Economy supply enough men/material to win• Shortages (esp. coal) at home result


XII. Economic Performance

• USA finance ⅓ of war through taxes• Rest through loans/bonds; US debt rise

from $1 billion (1914) to $25 billion (1919)• War cost $33.5 billion; veteran benefits &

interest on debt triple that figure overtime• Corporate profits swell during war to $7

billion• Labor benefit from full employment• Suffer rising cost of living (food, fuel, etc.)


XIII. Labor Shortage

• Draft, expanded production, & drop inimmigration create labor crisis

• US Gov’t recruit workers from Midwest &South to northeastern factories, help withhousing

• New opportunities for women & blacks• Total # of female workers not grow much• Key change = shift in occupations• Some enter traditionally male factory jobs


XIII. Labor Shortage (cont.)

• Most = single, white, & in clerical jobs• Black women move into openings in

domestic service & textile factories• 1,000s volunteer as military nurses/clerks

or work for Red Cross/Salvation Army• Also support mobilization programs• Female support for war help achieve

suffrage (19th Amendment, 1920)


XIII. Labor Shortage (cont.)

• Labor shortage accelerate blackmigration from rural south to northerncities

• 500,000 move (1916–1919)• Young, single males seek opportunity• National War Labor Board discourage

strikes and urge management to workwith unions

• AFL cooperate with US Gov’t in war effort• Not able to stop some workers from

striking


XIV. Committee on PublicInformation (CPI)

• Wilson try to silence any who question war• Result = massive violation of civil liberties• CPI seek mind mobilization with propaganda• Demonize Germany• Urge self-censorship & spy on neighbors• Vigilantes harass German-Americans• State/local governments, businesses, &

colleges fire dissenters, ban German culture


XV. Espionage & Sedition Acts

• Espionage Act (1917) ban treasonous(loosely defined) material from mail

• Sedition Act (1918) ban criticism of USGov’t

• US Gov’t crush IWW, imprison Debs• Supreme Court uphold 2 Acts• During war, US Gov’t can restrict First

Amendment


XVI. Red Scare; Labor Strikes (1919)

• Wartime suppression evolve into postwarrepression of leftists/unions/immigrants

• 4 million workers strike for betterpay/hours

• Opponents label them “Red” to discreditthem

• No radical conspiracy• New American Legion demand conformity


XVII. Palmer Raids; Wilson’s Anti-Bolshevism

• Attorney General harass alleged radicals• State/local governments, vigilantes copy him• His assistant, Hoover, arrest 4,000 people

(1920) without search warrants; deny themcouncil

• Palmer’s excesses slowly offend public• To topple Soviets, Wilson send in troops

(1918)• Arm opponents, impose embargo, refuse

recognition, & ban USSR from diplomacy


XVIII. Racial Unrest

• Despite participation in war, blacks stillsuffer discrimination & violence

• KKK revive; lynching continue• Race riots occur (Chicago, 1919) as

northern whites resist “Negro invasion”• Continuing racism disillusion Du Bois• Growing militancy among black veterans

& African Americans in northern cities


XIX. Peace Conference & Obstaclesto Wilson’s Plan

• Wilson ignore Republican majority inCongress

• Allies seek harsh peace and spoils of war• Wilson not follow or achieve 14 Points in

Paris• Wilson accept huge reparations/war guilt on

Germany• Allies gain colonies (mandates) from losers• British: Iraq, Palestine; French: Syria,

Lebanon• Create anti-Soviet nations in Eastern Europe


XX. League of Nations & Article 10

• League = Wilson’s top goal in Paris• Centerpiece for new world order• All nations have a vote in Assembly• Major powers control League via Council• Article 10 call for collective security• Joint action to preserve status

quo/prevent war• Wilson exempt Monroe Doctrine &

domestic matters from League action


XXI. Critics of the Treaty

• Some balk at Wilson’s concessions (14Points)

• Conservatives fear Article 10 will limit USaction, stop US expansion, pull USA into war

• Lodge propose reservations, esp. Article 10• Wilson lambaste critics• Collapse with stroke; refuse to compromise• Senate reject treaty (1919-1920)• With reservations, treaty would have passed


XXII. An Unsafe World

• Would USA swap traditional unilateralismfor collection action? Core issue for critics

• Want freedom of action in imperialistworld

• US economic & military power grow• Postwar international system not stable• Nationalists want independence• New East European nations weak• Germany, USSR want revenge &

expansion


Summary: Discuss Links to theWorld & Legacy

• Influenza pandemic as link of USA with world?• Start in USA, spread to Europe, then world• Kill between 25-40 million (675,000 in USA)• War & new transportation spread disease• ACLU as legacy of WWI debate over free

speech?• Wilson’s repression push Baldwin, Eastman,

etc. to defend free speech as vital to democracy

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