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World War I

World War I. The US Gets Involved. Homework. Study Island (Due Fri before Midnight). Do Now. Should we join the war? Imagine you are someone whose family has lived here for 100 years. Imagine you are a recent German immigrant. Neutrality. Most didn’t want to join 3000 miles away

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World War I

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  1. World War I The US Gets Involved

  2. Homework • Study Island (Due Fri before Midnight)

  3. Do Now • Should we join the war? • Imagine you are someone whose family has lived here for 100 years. • Imagine you are a recent German immigrant.

  4. Neutrality • Most didn’t want to join • 3000 miles away • Didn’t threaten us • All about money • Bad reason for war • Pacifists • William Jennings Bryan • War is evil • Most simply didn’t want their sons to go to war…

  5. Loyalty • Many recent immigrants were very interested in the war • Family back in Europe • Some support Central • Germans sympathized with Germany • Irish saw this as a chance for Ireland to gain independence from England

  6. Loyalty • Support Allies • Common language & ancestry to England • Germany was aggressive & violated Belgium’s neutrality • Very close (economically with Allies)

  7. US Economic Ties to Europe, 1912-17

  8. Neutrality? • Before war • Traded twice as much with France & GB than with Germany • During war, allies made a LOT of orders in US for war supplies • Dynamite, cannon powder, submarines, copper wire, copper tubing, armored cars • By 1915, we had a labor shortage

  9. The War Hits Home • Most Americans wanted Allies to win, but didn’t want to join • By 1917, we mobilize our forces (prepare for war) • Make sure the Allies can pay their debts • Stop Germans from threatening US ships

  10. British Blockade • GB blockades Germany • No war supplies are allowed to get to Germany • Including food & fertilizer • US ships can’t get to German ports • Germany can’t get enough food • Famine • 750,000 starve to death

  11. Germany Responds • Uses U-Boats (submarines) to blockade GB • Unterseeboot • Any British or Allied ship around GB would be sunk • Allied merchant & passenger ships • Originally surfaced first to allow people to abandon ship. • GB armed merchant ships, so Germany stopped doing this

  12. Lusitania • British Passenger Ship • May 7, 1915 • Sunk by U-boat • 1,198 killed (128 Americans) • Germany said ship had weapons on board • Promised to stop sinking ships if they were allowed to search ships

  13. What do YOU? If you were President Wilson, what would YOU do?

  14. President Wilson Responds • Protests Germany • 3 months later, another ship is sunk (2 Americans killed) • Protests Germany • Germany agrees not to sink any more passenger ships • March 1916, Sussex sunk (French passenger ship) • US warns that it will end diplomatic relationship w/ Germany • Germany agrees but ONLY if GB lifts blockade on food & fertilizer

  15. 1916 Election Charles Evan Hughes (R) Woodrow Wilson (D)

  16. 1916 Election • Wilson • “He Kept Us Out of War” • Hughes • Fight for Freedom of the Seas • VERY close election – one of the closest in history • Wilson wins (277-254)

  17. What Now??? • “He Kept Us Out of War” • Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare • Sink ALL boats in British waters on sight • Wilson knows it is only a matter of time before we declare war • 3 Important Events Take Place

  18. 1. Zimmerman Note • Germany sends note to Mexico • If Mexico joins war on German side, Germany would help Mexico gain land back from US • Texas • Arizona • New Mexico

  19. A little secret between you and me… • Neither Wilson nor Mexico took it very seriously • BUT, it COMPLETELY swayed public opinion

  20. 2. More U-Boat Attacks • 4 Unarmed merchant ships • 36 killed

  21. 3. Russian Revolution • Czar overthrown in Russia • Replaced by a representative government • NOW it could be viewed as a war of democracies vs. brutal monarchies

  22. WAR!!! • April 6, 1917 – US declares war on Germany It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts -- for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments…for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. ---Address to a Joint Session of Congress, April 2, 1917

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