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Chapter 22: World War I and its Aftermath, 1914-1920

Chapter 22: World War I and its Aftermath, 1914-1920. Spark that started the war. June 28, 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand , the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated by a Serbian nationalist/ terrorist. War Begins.

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Chapter 22: World War I and its Aftermath, 1914-1920

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  1. Chapter 22: World War I and its Aftermath, 1914-1920

  2. Spark that started the war • June 28, 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated by a Serbian nationalist/ terrorist

  3. War Begins • Austria-Hungary issues an ultimatum threatening war against Serbia • Serbia does not give into the demands • July 28, 1914 – WWI begins when Austria-Hungary invades Serbia

  4. Alliance System The alliance system brought all of the major powers of Europe into the war Allied Powers Serbia Russia France Great Britain Italy [1915] US [1917] Central Powers • Austria-Hungary • Germany • Ottoman Empire

  5. Neutrality • President Wilson issued a declaration of US neutrality • However, it was difficult to protect US trading rights while maintaining a policy that favored neither the Allies or the Central Powers

  6. Economic Links with Britain and France • Even though a neutral nation, the US economy was closely tied to the economies of Great Britain and France • The US economy rebounded soon after the outbreak of the war thanks to orders of war supplies from the British and French • By 1915, US business was extremely prosperous

  7. British Blockade • In theory, the US could have shipped supplies to Germany as well, but the British blockade prevented this • As a result, US trade was only with one side; the Allies • Between 1914 and 1917, US trade with the Allies quadrupled while its trade with Germany vanished

  8. Business Loans • J.P. Morgan and other bankers extended as much as $3 billion in secured credit to Great Britain and France • These loans maintained US prosperity, in addition to sustaining the Allies’ war effort

  9. Public Opinion • Most Americans favored the Allies • Americans read in the newspapers about German armies marching ruthlessly through neutral Belgium • They perceived Germany as a cruel bully whose armies were commanded by a mean-spirited autocrat [Kaiser Wilhelm]

  10. British War Propaganda • Britain controlled the war news that was cabled daily to the US • They made sure the American press was well supplied with stories of German atrocities in Belgium and the German-occupied part of eastern France • This greatly influenced US public opinion on the war

  11. Preparedness Movement • Eastern Republicans clamored for greater defense expenditures soon after the European conflict broke out • They recognized the US army and navy were hopelessly unprepared for a major war • Leading the campaign was the National Security League, organized by a group of business leaders to promote preparedness

  12. Preparedness Movement • Late 1915, President Wilson calls for an expansion of the armed forces • June 1916 – Congress passes the National Defense Act • Increased the regular army to a force of nearly 175,000 • A month later, Congress approved the construction of more than 50 warships [battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines] in just one year

  13. Opposition to the war • Many Americans were opposed to preparedness, feeling that it would soon lead to US involvement in the war • Antiwar activists included: • Populists • Progressives • Socialists • Leaders were William Jennings Bryan and Jane Addams

  14. Peace Efforts • Wilson was committed to keeping the country out of the war • In 1915, he sent his chief of foreign policy advisor, Colonel Edward House, to London, Paris, and Berlin to negotiate a peace settlement • These attempts were unsuccessful

  15. Peace Efforts • January 1917 – Wilson delivers speech where he declares US commitment to the idea of “peace without victory”

  16. Submarine Warfare • Germany warned that ships that entered the “war zone” [waters near the British Isles] risked being sunk on sight • May 7, 1915 – Germany sinks the Lusitania, killing 128 Americans • Wilson threatens Germany with “strict accountability” if it continued to sink unarmed ships

  17. Submarine Warfare • Sunk two more ships: Arabic [August 1915] and Sussex [March 1916] • Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with Germany • A step towards war • Germany backs down, promising not to sink merchant or passenger ships without giving due warning

  18. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • January 1917 – Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare knowing the risk of the US entering the war • Goal: cut off supplies to the Allies before America could get involved • In the first weeks of March, German submarines sank 5 unarmed US merchant ships

  19. Zimmermann Telegram • March 1, 1917 – US newspapers carry the shocking news of a secret offer made by Germany to Mexico • Arthur Zimmermann [German foreign minister] proposed that Mexico ally itself with Germany in return for Germany’s pledge to help Mexico recover lost territories: Texas, New Mexico and Arizona

  20. Declaration of War • April 2, 1917 – President Wilson asked that Congress recognize a state of war between Germany and the US • He declared “the world must be safe for democracy” • April 6 – Congress overwhelmingly voted for a declaration of war

  21. Mobilization • It was going to take months to train US troops • Therefore, the 1st American contribution to the Allies would be shipping needed supplies: • Munitions [rifles and gunpowder] • Food

  22. War Agencies • War Industries Board • Directed by Bernard Baruch • Set production priorities and established centralized control over raw materials and prices

  23. War Agencies • Food Administration • Directed by Herbert Hoover • Encouraged American households to eat less meat and bread so more food could be shipped abroad for troops • In two years, US overseas shipment of food tripled

  24. War Agencies • Fuel Administration • Led by Harry Garfield • Directed efforts to save coal • Nonessential factories were closed • Daylight savings time went into effect for the first time

  25. War Agencies • National War Labor Board • Led by William H. Taft • Helped arbitrate disputes between workers and employers • Labor won concessions that had earlier been denied • Wages rose, the 8-hour work day became more common, and union membership increased

  26. Financing the War • Wilson’s war government managed to raise $33 billion in two years through a combination of loans and taxes • It conducted 4 massive drives to convince Americans to put their savings into federal government Liberty Bonds

  27. Propaganda Agency • Committee on Public Information • Directed by George Creel • Created war propaganda consisting of films, posters, pamphlets, and volunteer speakers all urging Americans to watch out for the German spies and to “do your bit” for the war • Enlisted the voluntary services of artists, writers, vaudeville performers, and movie stars

  28. Armed Forces • Selective Service Act [1917] • Required all men between 21 and 30 to register with the government for possible induction into the military • About 2.8 million men were drafted through a lottery • The draftees provided over half of the total 4.7 million Americans who were issued a uniform for the war

  29. Civil Liberties • Espionage Act [1917] • Imprisonment of up to 20 years for persons who either tried to incite rebellion in the armed forces or obstruct the operation of the draft

  30. Civil Liberties • Sedition Act [1918] • Prohibited anyone from making “disloyal” or “abusive” remarks about the US government • About 2000 people were prosecuted under these laws • Half of them were convicted and jailed

  31. Armed Forces • 400,000 African Americans served in WWI in segregated units • Only a few were permitted to be officers • All were barred from the Marine Corps • Leaders like W.E.B. DuBois believed their record of service would earn them equal rights at home when the war ended

  32. Effects on American Society • Women • As men were drafted into the army, the jobs they vacated were taken by women • Their contributions to the war effort, both as volunteers and wage earners, will help convince the President and Congress to support the 19th Amendment

  33. Effects on American Society • Migration of African Americans • Took advantage of job opportunities that opened up by the war and migrated north • The Great Migration • 1.6 million left mostly rural areas for industrial cities

  34. Fighting the War • A revolution in Russia took that nation out of the war • Germany could now concentrate on one all-out push to break through the Allied lines in France • US troops were shipped overseas in late 1917 • They arrived just in time

  35. Naval Operations • Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare was having its intended effect • 900,000 tons of shipping was lost in just one month [April 1917] • US undertook a record-setting program of ship construction • They also implemented a convoy system of armed escorts for groups of merchant ships

  36. American Expeditionary Force • AEFwas commanded by General Pershing • The first US troops were used to plug weaknesses in the French and British lines • By the summer of 1918, the AEF assumed independent responsibility for one segment of the Western Front

  37. Last German Offensive • Enough US troops were in place to hold the line against the last assault by German forces on the Marne River • The Americans stopped the advance [June 1918] and struck back with a successful counterattack

  38. Drive to Victory • In August, September, and October Allied offensives succeeded in driving an exhausted German army backward towards the German border • On November 11, 1918, the Germanys signed an armistice • They agreed to surrender their arms, give up much of their navy and evacuate occupied territory

  39. US Casualties • Combat deaths: nearly 49,000 • Many more thousands died of disease [flu] • Total US fatalities in WWI: 112,432

  40. Fourteen Points • Wilson wanted to shape the peace settlement • In January of 1918, he presented to Congress a detailed list of war aims, known as the Fourteen Points • Many of the Fourteen points related to specific territorial questions

  41. Fourteen Points • Others were principles for securing the peace • Recognition of freedom of the seas • An end to the practice of making secret treaties • Reduction of national armaments • Self-determination for the nationalities within the Austro-Hungarian Empire

  42. Fourteen Points • The point that Wilson valued the most was: • “A general association of nations…for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike” • League of Nations

  43. Treaty of Versailles • The Big Four • Great Britain – David Lloyd George • France – Georges Clemenceau • Italy – Vittorio Orlando • US – Woodrow Wilson

  44. Treaty of Versailles • The European nations wanted both revenge against Germany and compensation in the form of reparations and territory • They did not share Wilson’s vision of “peace without victory”

  45. Peace Terms • Germany is… • disarmed and stripped of its colonies in Africa and Asia • forced to admit guilt for the war • to accept French occupation of the Rhineland for 15 years • to pay a huge sum of money in reparations [$33 billion]

  46. Peace terms • Independence was granted to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Poland • The new nations of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were established

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