the great war america’s first taste of what it’s like to be a “world power”
TRANSCRIPT
The Great War
America’s first taste of what it’s like to be a “World Power”
Background
• How had U.S. made enemies in Philippines? China? Japan?
• Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy” vs. Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”
• How did our relationship with Mexico deteriorate during the early 1900s?– Diaz, Madero, Huerta, Carranza, and role of
Roosevelt Corollary?• How did WWI break out in Europe?
Hello Central, Get Me To No Man’s Land
• By Al Jolsen• “When the gray shadows creep And the world is still asleep,
In the still of the night Baby climbs down a flight. First she looks all around without making a sound; Then baby toddles up to the telephone and whispers in a baby tone: “Hello Central! Give me to No Man’s Land, My daddy’s there, my mamma told me; she tip-toed off to bed After my prayers were said; don’t ring when you get the number, or you’ll disturb mama’s slumber, I’m afraid to stand here at the phone ‘cause I’m all alone, So won’t you hurry, I want to know why mamma starts to weep when I say, “Now I lay me down to sleep’; Hello, Central! Give me to No Man’s Land.”
What was No Man’s Land?
• How the trenches came to be• Life in the Trenches• New Weapons• Artistic expression in the Trenches: John
McCrae, Robert Palmer• The Christmas Truce 1914 (Bellau Woods by
Garth Brooks)• Soldiers of WWI: statistics?
U.S. Maintains Neutrality
• In what was was the U.S. not truly neutral?• “I Didn’t Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier” by
Morton Harvey, released March 1915– New York Advertisements– Sinking of Lusitania May 7, 1915– Sussex Pledge—May 1916– Zimmerman Note
America Enters War, April 1917
• Various ways US mobilized for war?• Patriotism and “Over There” by George Cohan• Morale boosting through war songs: Pack Up
Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile”
• Propaganda• Evidence of Civil Liberties violations?
The Final Years of the War
• American involvement turns the tide• Role of Women in war?• Role of African-Americans in war?– Great Migration
• Armistice Day 11/11/1918• Wilson’s idealistic plan?