America and the Great War

1. America and the Great War Modern America

2. Objectives • Analyze Wilson’s idealistic diplomacy and show the clash of ideals and reality in Mexico. • Explain early U.S. reaction to World War I. • Account for the entry of the United States into World War I. • Evaluate the status of civil liberties during World War I and during the Red Scare afterward. • Assess the process and product of peacemaking after World War I. • Explain the failure of the United States to ratify the peace treaty after World War I. • Describe the problems of reconversion from World War I to civilian life.

3. EnD of American Isolation • 19th Century • Isolated from Europe and all of its imbroglios • Immigrants • 20th century • Industrial development and active World Trade • Steam powered ships and submarines that could easily reach US • Missionary (idealism) diplomacy

4. Wilson in Foreign Affairs • No background and no experience • America had a religious duty to advance democracy and moral progress • Idealistic or pious democracy • Secretary Bryan's “Cooling Off” Treaties • Arbitration treaties • Eradicate war • Submit troubles to arbitration panel • Have a year of cooling off period

5. Intervention in Mexico • Profirio Diaz and military dictatorship • 1876-1910 • Manipulation and coercion • Overthrow of Diaz • Francisco Madero candidate • Jailed by Diaz • Popular support called for a revolt that began the Mexican Revolution • General Victoriano Huerta ( La Cuaracha) • Assumed power and killed Madero • Non-recognition of the Huerta government • Legality of government • Immoral government • Help for opposition • Warships to Vera Cruz • Removal of embargo • U.S. soldiers arrested • Salute the American flag • Invasion at Vera Cruz • ABC Powers • Huerta flees Mexico • Constitutionalist Carranza

6. Francesco “Pancho” Villa • Early Life • Bandit to Revolutionary • Division del Norte • U.S. recognition of Carranza gov’t • Attack against Carranza’s men • Villa attack on Americans • 16 mining engineers • 17 Americans in New Mexico • Wilson mobilization of National Guard under Pershing • 11,000 men • Later life • Retired received general’s pension

7. Problems in the Caribbean • Protecting Democracy • Protecting fledging Republics • American occupation of Nicaragua, Haiti and Dominican Republic • Atoning for American Imperialism • Attempt to undo the ill feelings in Colombia prompted by TR acts • Purchase of Virgin Islands from Demark

8. Motives for War • Germany • Recently formed nation • Wanted to be more influential and amass a colonial empire • Austro-Hungary • New territorial acquisitions • Survive as an empire • France • Recovery eastern provides • Bitter and vengeful about the Franco-Prussian War • Russia • Territorial acquisition • Survive as an Empire; recover prestige • Great Britain • Naval arms race with Germany • Maintain its empire by stabilizing Europe

9. Europe and Causes of World War I • First glance Europe was relatively peaceful • No general European War since Napoleon I • Material progress • Nations trade with one another • Travelers passed freely • Arts and industry flourished • Second glance, powder keg • Major Nations substantial arms industries • Programs of compulsory military services • Large forces quickly • Developed plans for war

10. Cause of War: The Balkans • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Wife Sophie • 28 June 1914 • 2attempts of assassination • Attempted suicide • GavrilloPrincip, 20 • Anti-Austro-Hungarian resistance, Black Hand • To young for death

11. The Domino Effect • Austria-Hungary declared War on Serbia • Russian bound by treaty mobilized army against Austria-Hungary • Germany allied with Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia • France bound by treaty to Russian, declared war on Germany by ext. Austria Hungary • GB bound by entente with France joined in the fray • Japan declared military alliance with Britain • American and Italy neutral WAR!

12. Alliances • Germany • Austro-Hungary • Italy (1915) • France • Great Britain • Russia Triple Alliance or Central Powers Triple Entente or Allied Powers

13. Fronts of the War

14. Dulce Et Decorum….? • Dulce et Decorum est  Pro patria mori • Summer of 1914 about 6 million men marched to war • Home before the leaves fall • Volunteer enlistment high • Holiday to escape boredom • Grand Adventure • Spoiling for War

15. Unprecedented war • Scope of fighting • Unlike any war before • Indifferent, impersonal, directionless • 61 million men • 9 million dead • 19 million wounded • 3 million widows/6million orphans • Psychological damage • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRv56gsqkzs • Military technology • Massive causalities • Widespread destruction • 2,533 men died on an average day at the Western Front

16. Military Innovations • Chemical • Tanks • Flame throwers • Land Mines • Machine guns • Hiram Maxim • Automatic weapon • Advance Artillery • French 75 • 16 rounds/minute • Dreadnought Battleships • Backpack • Airplane • Reconnaissance • bombers

17. Trench warfare

18. Life in the Trenches • 7’ x 6’ • By 1915 4 million living in trenches • Disease and death • Typhus (Rats and Lice) • Influenza • Unsanitary conditions • Trench foot • Living slept next to the dead

19. Initial U.S. response • Thankful form the Atlantic and freedom from entangling Alliance • Declaration of neutrality • “impartial in thought and action” • Attitudes of hyphenated Americans • 8 Million German • 4 million Irish • Views of other Americans • Support of Britain and Allies • Extension of economic credit to the Allies • $2 billion to Allies • $27 million to Germany

20. Problems of neutrality • “Freedom of the seas” • Sea trade important • British declaration of the North Sea war zone • Mines • Neutrals submit to searches • Seizure of ships carrying goods to Germany • Blacklisted American Companies that trade w/Germany • Censor of mail • American Protest • German use of submarines • unrestricted submarine warfare • British Isle war zone • Any ship entering would be destroyed

21. Sinking of the Lusitania • 128 Americans lost • U.S. protests • Bryan's resignation • Arabic pledge • Liners would not be sunk by German subs w/o warning • House's futile mediation efforts • Americans should not travel on armed belligerent vessels • Sussex pledge • U-boats would not target merchant and passenger ships

22. Debate over preparedness • Demands for stronger army and navy • Antiwar advocates • Traditionally opposed to standing armies • Opposed by Progressives and others from South and West • National Defense Act of 1916 • Expansion of army from 90,000 to 175,000 • Segregated military • Expanded National guard • Provided federal funds for summer training camps • Move for a stronger navy • Less opposition than army • Between $500 million and $600 million 3-year expansion program • Efforts to obtain revenue for preparedness • Increase of income tax

23. Election of 1916 • Republicans nominated • Justices Charles Hughes • TR hoped to regain majority • Defection remembered • Bellicose natured scared many • Progressive party disbanded • Gathered in Chicago • Endorsed Hughes • Democratic program • Wilson • “he kept us out of the war” • “peace and progressivism” • Results of the election • Narrow win

24. Wilson and Mediation • Wilson's effort to mediate • Notes to belligerents to each state its war aims • Germans (state aims at neutral site) • Allies ( reparations and partition of Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empire) • Wilson's assertion of terms of peace • “peace w/o victory; “peace among equal” • Peace based upon principals of democratic government, freedom of the seas disarmament, international league of peace

25. Toward War • Germany & unrestricted submarine warfare • Diplomatic break with Germany • 3 Feb 1917 • Efforts to arm U.S. merchant ships • Zimmerman telegram • British intercepted and decoded a telegram message from Minister Zimmeran to Mexican Ambassador • Offer an alliance and financial aid to Mexico in case of war b/t US and Germany • In return for action Mexico could revered lost territory in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona • Russian Revolution • Fighting for democracy • Bolshevik sued for a separate peace with Germany • Trouble for the western front

26. U.S. entry into the war • Loss of U.S. vessels • 17 March U-boat sank five US merchant vessels • Declaration of war • 6 April 1917

27. Mobilizing a nation • Army Appropriation Act • Council of National Defense • Created wartime agencies • Lever Food and Fuel Control Act • Raise agriculture production while reduced civilian use of foodstuffs • Victory gardens • Meatless Tuesday • War Industries Board • Allied government submit there needs to the board • Set priorities planned production • Allocate raw materials • Fix Prices • Construction of New Plants

28. Early U.S. role • Limited expectations from the United States • Contributions to naval strategy • Convoy system and decrease in shipping losses • Minefield across the North Sea limiting u-boat access • Financial assistance to the Allies • Liberty Loan Act • $5billion to national debt in “liberty bonds” • $3 billion could be lent to the Allied Powers • First contingents of troops • 26 June 1917 14,500 men embarked on French Coast • Under leadership of General Pershing • “Lafayette, We Are Here” • Struggle with Allies

29. New labor sources • African Americans • Great Migration • 400,000 blacks • Racial conflicts • Women

30. War propaganda • Committee on Public Information • Sell Americans the War • George Creel • 150,000 workforce • Uncle Sam photo • Conveyed Aims of Allies and the Enemy • Beast of Berlin

31. Support of The War • Popular disdain for all things German • Liberty Cabbage • Bach and Beethoven • German language courses dropped • Espionage and Sedition Acts • Espionage Act of 1917 penalty of 20 years and $20,000: • giving aid to enemy • Insubordination, disloyalty, refusal of duty to the armed services, and interfering with War effort • Sedition Act of 1918 • Interfere in the sale of wary bonds • Say , write or publish anything against America • Prosecutions • 1,000 convictions • Eugene V. Debs • Schenck v. United States • Anti-draft leaflets among Armed Forces • Free speech does not apply to where there is a “clear and present danger”

32. Americans In the War • Allies on defensive through 1917 • Token American forces • Italian line collapsed and Austrians take over • German offensive after Russian withdrawal • Broke through British and French lines • Established a 40 mile Front • Significant U.S. participation in the war • Increase moral • Reversed German offensive at 2nd Battle of the Marne and Amiens Offensive • Meuse-Argonne Offensive • 1.2 million American troops

33. Stg. Alvin York • Hell Raiser from TN • Life change at revival • Conscientious objector • Action occurred during the U.S.-led portion of the Meuse Argonne Offensive • Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German Machine gun nest, • taking 32 machine guns • killing 28 German soldiers and • capturing 132 others. • Other medals • French Légion d'honneur • French Croix de guerrewith Palm • ItalianCroce di Guerra

34. Fourteen Points • Peace plan of Wilson, 1918 • No Selfish aims • Open Diplomacy • Freedom of the Seas • Removal of Trade Barriers • Reduction in Armaments • impartial adjustment of colonial claims • Central Powers to evacuate occupied land • Independent Poland • League of Nations • Keep Russia involved • Nobel Cause • Drive a wedge in the Central Power Alliance

35. November 11, 1918 • German Allies drop out of the war • Kaiser abdicated • German Republic • Armistice • 11 hour, 11 day and the 11 month • Compromises on national self-determination • Boundaries could not correspond with ethnic groupings • Agreement for reparations • Germany confessed responsibility • Obtaining the German signature • Coreced • Treaty Versailles, 1918

36. League of Nations • Equal Voice of Members • Court of International Justice • Article X of the Covenant • Military and economic sanctions against aggressors

37. Domestic Unrest • Lack of leadership • Unplanned demobilization • Spanish Flu Pandemic • 22 million world wide • 675,000 deaths in U.S. • Drop in farm prices • Labor unrest • Strikes • Race Riots • Red Summer of 1919 • Texas • Alleged assault on White women

38. Red Scare • Fear of radicals • Bombs in the mail • Deportation of aliens • Evaporation of the Red Scare • Legacy of the Red Scare