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AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD WAR I. POINT TO REMEMBER:. WATERBEDS. W ilson A ttempts T o E ncourage R econciliation. Wilson sent Edward House to London, Berlin & Paris to mediate a “peace without victory.”
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AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD WAR I
POINT TO REMEMBER: WATERBEDS WilsonAttempts To Encourage Reconciliation.
Wilson sent Edward House to London, Berlin & Paris to mediate a “peace without victory.” His plan included an international organization to preserve world peace.
All parties ignored Wilson’s plan for peace and Wilson then changed his view of the war as a struggle of democracy v. totalitarian rule
How did most Americans feel about joining the War in Europe? • Most people wanted to remain NEUTRAL because: • They felt it was not our fight • Europe was too far away • War was expensive • Divided loyalties since we traded with both Germany & Great Britain (and France) and didn’t want to sever ties with either one by fighting against them
SO, WHAT DREW US INTO THE WAR? B.E.D.S.
British propaganda: Most of our news of the war came from England and France since they had control of the Trans-Atlantic cables. The British propaganda machine fed info to the U.S.
The Germans were depicted as savage Huns who tortured and mutilated their victims. Germans became associated with militarism and aggression.
At the right time, England released the Zimmerman telegram which they had decoded. The telegram was from Germany to Mexico with an offer to Mexico.
THE OFFER: If the U.S. Entered the war, Germany wanted Mexico to declare war on the U.S. In exchange, Germany would help Mexico reclaim the lost territories of CA, NM, TX, AZ, UT, NV, & CO.
Mexico did not seriously consider the offer, but it raised Anti-German feelings in America.
Economic ties: Germany had flooded the market with cheap goods which angered U.S. business. By 1913 75% of U.S. trade to Europe was going to allied nations.
U.S. banks had loaned $2.3 billion to the allies and only $275 million to the central powers. A defeat of the allies was seen as a threat to the American economy.
Diplomatic ties: The U.S. and England had cooperated since the civil war and England was the only country to side with the U.S. in it’s war with Spain.
England did not resist the American building of the panama canal by agreeing to the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.
Submarine warfare: This was the primary reason we entered the war. England had blockaded Germany and was slowly strangling the central powers.
The Germans could not challenge England’s naval superiority so they resorted to a new weapon… The sub was so new that no international laws had been written about it’s use.
The German U-boats relied on surprise attack and declared the waters around England to be a war zone. All ships should enter at their own risk!
By May 1915, 90 ships had been sunk without warning and the U.S. protested the use of U-boats. The U.S. told Germany they would be held accountable for any U.S. losses.
On May 7, 1915 the British passenger ship Lusitania was sunk with 1,198 lives lost which included 128 Americans. The ship was carrying 4,200 cases of arms in violation of international law.
Wilson did not know the ship was carrying arms and he referred to the incident as piracy. He then called on the Germans to stop sinking passenger ships and he started a U.S. military build-up
In August, Germany sank another passenger ship for which they formally apologized. Another one was sunk in March 1916, the Sussex, which led to the Sussex Pledge …
Germany said they would stop sinking ships without warning and Wilson still hoped for a negotiated peace… A peace without victory!
In February 1917, Germany resumed their unrestricted sub warfare and Wilson threatened to break-off diplomatic relations… Germany called his bluff and relations ended.
Final steps to war: On February 24th, Wilson received the Zimmerman telegram which was released to the American press on March 1st.
On March 4, unarmed U.S. merchant ships were sunk and U.S. newspapers began to call for war. On April 2nd Wilson called a special session of congress to declare war.
Wilson made the war a crusade to “make the world safe for democracy” and he called it “the war to end all wars.”
Serious mobilization began with the Selective Service Act passed in May 1917. This required registration for all men between ages 21 and 30. By June, over 9 million men were registered.
In August, the Manpower Act was passed which extended the registration age to 18-45 years old. The case of Arver v. U.S. upheld the Selective Service Act.
General John Pershing was appointed commander of the A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Force). The first troops arrived in Europe on July 4th saying “Lafayette, we are here.”
Douglas MacArthur commanded the rainbow division made up of men from all 48 states. U.S. destroyers controlled the U-boats and not a single U.S. life was lost crossing the Atlantic.
A DOUGHBOY
In January 1918, President Wilson announced his 14 point plan for peace.
No secret agreements • Reduction in arms • Reduction of trade barriers • Freedom of the seas • Adjustment of colonial claims • Restore Russian Territory
Restore Belgium's neutrality • Adjust Italy’s borders • Return Alsace-Lorraine to France • Break up Austria-Hungary • Rearrange Balkan borders • Give Serbia sea access
Free passage through the Dardanelles • Polish independence and sea access Russia signed a peace treaty with Germany in March 1918 leaving 1 front.
END OF THE WAR In May 1918, the Germans launched a counter offensive and got within 50 miles of Paris before the American troops drove them back.
BIG GUN
The allies then launched their own offensive and the largest American engagement took place in the Argonne forest from September through November 1918.
On November 4th, Austria-Hungary surrendered then on November 11th Germany signed an armistice. November 11th was declared a national holiday.
COST OF THE WAR 20 million casualties for both sides. The allies had a total of 5.1 million dead. Over $41 billion was spent fighting the war.
NEXT TIME.... On the Home Front
