Politics Behind WWI

1. Politics Behind WWI Lusitania, Zimmerman Note, U Boats, And the U.S.

2. What is a U-Boat

3. Lusitania • British Passenger Ship • Targeted and sunk by German U-Boat • 1,200 Die including 128 Americans • U.S. Tells Germany that if they continue to practice unrestricted submarine warfare they will not remain neutral

4. Zimmerman Note • Cryptic message that asked Mexico to attack the U.S. • Germany did not want the U.S. to join the war • What did Germany promise? • To help Mexico reclaim Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico from the U.S. • Note also • Suggested that Japan gets involved • 2 front war in the United States (Mexico and Japan)

5. Unrestricted Sub Warfare • German continue to practice sub warfare • U.S. Enters the War

6. How did countries raise money to fund the war? War Bonds

7. What is a War Bond • You buy a “Bond” for $100 • You just funded the war effort with $100 • After the war is over • Several years later • The government is going to pay you $150 for the “War Bond” they sold to you.

8. Why would I buy a War Bond? • Propaganda • What is Propaganda? • A technique to persuade a person to believe or do something

9. Common Propaganda Techniques • Demonization – portraying the enemy as evil, murderous, aggressive • Emotional Appeal – play on people’s fear about war • Name Calling – using labels to encourage hatred of the enemy (Huns, Commie’s) • Patriotic Appeals – using patriotic symbols to appeal to national pride (Statue of Liberty, flags)

10. Common Propaganda Techniques • Half-truth’s and lies – deception and twisting the truth • Catchy Slogans - memorable phrases to create support (Remember the Maine) • Evocative Visual Symbols – visual images that appeal to peoples emotions (i.e. Women, children, etc) • Humor – using the enemy as the butt of jokes