10 th American History

1. 10th American History Unit II- Becoming a World Power Chapter 8 Section 2 The United States in World War I

2. The United States in World War I • The Main Idea • The United States helped turn the tide for an Allied victory. • Reading Focus • Why did the United States try to stay neutral in the war? • Which events showed that America was heading into war? • What contributions did Americans make in Europe? • How did the war end?

3. The United States Stays Neutral • Americans thought of World War I as a European conflict with little effect on their country. • Just after the war broke out, President Wilson declared that the U.S. would stay neutral. • Wilson’s decision reflected the U.S.’s longstanding policy of isolationism, or not being involved in foreign affairs. • Privately, Wilson favored the Allied cause because Germany's tactics and invasion of Belgium was worrisome. • The U.S. also had greater political, cultural, and commercial ties to Great Britain and France than to Germany. • Financially, the U.S. did more business with the Allies. • The British fleet blockaded German ports and transportation routes, and few American businesses could sell goods to German forces. • Doing business with the Allies was easier, and by 1917 Britain purchased nearly $75 million worth of war goods each week.

4. U.S. Neutrality • Aug. 4, 1914 Wilson proclaims the neutrality of the United States. U.S. needs to be the model for world peace. U.S. more interested in competing for markets than killing. • 1915 Henry Ford charters a Peace Ship to Stockholm, Sweden conference January 1916 • Ford, then one of the richest men in the world, actually thought he could talk the leaders of Europe into stopping World War. • Ford believed if he could only get foreign leaders to sit down in a room, he could make them listen to reason and the war would end. Straight talk from a no-nonsense businessman would persuade where diplomatic doubletalk had failed. • A boat of pacifists-“Every crackpot and nut in the country wanted to get on that boat,” from socialists, to prohibitionists, to anti-smoking crusaders, to pro-German partisans, and people from “every religious splinter-group” in the country. • The Peace Expedition became a farce, The world press mocked them mercilessly. It failed. Oskar II- Peace ship

5. Allies U.S. spoke English language. U.S. Laws and customs based on English foundations. All news from Europe came through British press. (England had cut the trans-Atlantic cable) British Propaganda-atrocity stories. Kaiser Wilhelm had made many warlike (militaristic) statements. Trade with England and Allies was enormous. $3 Billion $2 billion in loans to Allies. Central Powers Millions in US favored Central powers due to ancestors who had been born in Austria, Germany or Hungary. Irish Americans were glad to see anyone fight the British. US had long been trading with the Germans. But that dropped by 1916 from $170 million to $1 million. Ties that bind

6. Problem of Neutral Rights • International Law and use of the Seas • Neutral nations still allowed to trade with both sides. • Warring nations were allowed by International Law to stop and inspect neutral vessels at sea. • Warring nations could seize certain war materials (Contraband)- explosives, guns and ammunition. But not other goods. • Before sinking a commercial ship, the attacker had to give warning. • No court, or police force to make nations obey the law. • “Freedom of the Seas”

7. British Navy Blockade- Control the seas and starve Germany into submission Contraband included all sorts of goods including food. All neutral ships would be searched even those going to neutral countries. England would seize any ship bound for Germany. North Sea was a military are and put mines down. All in violation of international law. British would pay for all goods seized after America protested. German Submarines 1915- fleet of 27 subs disobeyed international law. War zone- Germany declares this around the British Isles. Unrestricted sub warfare. Advised all neutrals not to travel there or on British ships. Wilson insists under International law Americans had the right to sail on any ship. And Germany would be accountable for all American lives. 1915- Germany sinks Lusitania, then Arabic and Sussex passenger ships. After promising not to sink unarmed passenger ships without warning. The Problem of Neutral Rights

8. United States Stays Neutral • Why did the United States try to stay neutral in the war? • Why did President Wilson declare that the U.S. would remain neutral? • Do you think that Germany’s submarine warfare was an appropriate response to the British Blockade?

9. Lusitania

10. Wilson’s Peace Efforts • In the election of 1916 his slogan had been “He kept us out of war”. • After 1916 Wilson still tried to keep the US out of the war. • He asked the European powers to declare a “Peace without victory.” But Germany announces unrestricted sub warfare. • Germany felt the US would be too late even if they entered the war.

12. U-Boats Germany suffered because of the British blockade, so it developed small submarines called U-boats to strike back at the British. U-boats are named after the German for “undersea boat.” In February 1915 the German government declared the waters around Great Britain a war zone, threatening to destroy all enemy ships. Germany warned the U.S. that neutral ships might be attacked. The German plan for unrestricted submarine warfare angered Americans, and Wilson believed it violated the laws of neutrality. Wilson held Germany accountable for American losses. America’s Involvement In 1915, Germany sank a luxury passenger ship to Great Britain called the Lusitania, killing many, including 128 Americans Americans were outraged, and Wilson demanded an end to unrestricted submarine warfare. The Germans agreed to attack only supply ships but later sank the French passenger ship Sussex, killing 80 people. Wilson threatened Germany again, and Germany issued the Sussex pledge, promising not to sink merchant vessels “without warning and without saving human lives.” German Submarine Warfare

13. Wilson promised not to go to war, and after his re-election in 1916 he began to work for a settlement of “peace without victory.” • When Germany restarted unrestricted warfare, the U.S. ended diplomatic relations and started installing guns on merchant ships. The U.S. Declares War • Wilson continued to resist. • Russians forced the czar to give up absolute power and formed a more democratic government, which Americans liked. • Then German U-boats sank three American merchant ships, and Wilson’s cabinet convinced him to declare war, which Congress approved. The Zimmermann Note • German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann sent a telegram to a German official in Mexico proposing an alliance between Germany and Mexico. • The Zimmermann Note asked for Mexico’s help in exchange for its lost Southwest territory. • The Mexicans declined, but the British decoded the note, and Americans called for war. On April 6, 1917, the United States joined the Allies. Now they needed to raise an army, train them, and ship supplies and troops. Re-Election, Espionage, and War

14. The United States goes to war • Zimmerman note- German ambassador asked Mexico to join Central powers with promise to return all lands taken by the US. • 1917-Wilson arms Merchant ships for protection against submarines. • April 2, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany. • “The world must be made safe for democracy. We must fight for the rights and liberties of small nations.” • Americans need to be soldiers of righteousness.

15. Possible causes of U.S. entry • British Propaganda and Pro-British sentiment • Submarine Warfare • Munitions trade and loans to Great Britain • Zimmerman Note • Sinking of the Lusitania

16. Heading Toward War • What events showed that America was heading toward war? • Why were the Germans concerned after the Sussex attack? • What view did both Wilson and Hughes hold about the war? • Why did the Allies reject President Wilson’s “peace without victory” plan?

17. Heading Toward War • How did the United States intend to :make the world safe for democracy” when most of European countries on both sides of the war were monarchies? • How do you think history might have been different if Mexico had entered the war as an ally of the Central powers?

18. Wilson’s 14 Points- His Dream for the world • 1. No more secret agreements ("Open covenants openly arrived at"). • 2. Free navigation of all seas. • 3. An end to all economic barriers between countries. • 4. Countries to reduce weapon numbers. • 5. All decisions regarding the colonies should be impartial • 6. The German Army is to be removed from Russia. Russia should be left to developher own political set-up. • 7. Belgium should be independent like before the war. • 8. France should be fully liberated and allowed to recover Alsace-Lorraine • 9. All Italians are to be allowed to live in Italy. Italy's borders are to "alongclearly recognisable lines of nationality." • 10. Self-determination should be allowed for all those living in Austria-Hungary. • 11. Self-determination and guarantees of independence should be allowed forthe Balkan states. • 12. The Turkish people should be governed by the Turkish government. Non-Turks inthe old Turkish Empire should govern themselves. • 13. An independent Poland should be created which should have access to the sea. • 14. A League of Nations should be set up to guarantee the political and territorial independence of all states.

19. Raising an Army On May 18, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act, requiring men between 21 and 30 to register for a draft. Some asked to be classified as conscientious objectors, or religious people against fighting, but were rejected. In the summer of 1917, new recruits reported for training but found almost nothing ready. Soldiers slept in tents until barracks were built, and supplies hadn’t yet arrived. New recruits learned military rules with sticks and barrels instead of rifles and horses. Discrimination African American soldiers were segregated and trained in separate camps. Many white officers and southern politicians feared African Americans would pose a threat after the war so only trained a few black regiments. Latino soldiers faced scorn from other troops and were often assigned menial tasks. The federal government, however, did accept non-English-speaking soldiers. The military had programs in New Mexico and Georgia to help Hispanic soldiers learn English. The American Army

20. Mobilization of Men and Women • Nation needs an army • May 28, 1917- Selective Service Act (Draft) • All men between 21 and 31 had to register • No buying ones way out- 10 million were listed. • Lottery was the fairest way to choose. Everyone got a number between 1 and 10,500. Numbers placed in a fishbowl and withdrawn enough for 687,000 men into the army. • 24 million men between 18-45 entered selective service. 3 million called into service. • 1918- 4.8 million- enlistee, draftees, and national guard in armed service.

21. America Joins the Ranks- 4:17

22. Arriving in Europe • The American Army, National Guard, and volunteer and draft soldiers overseas formed the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing. • The first U.S. troops arrived in France in 1917 through a convey system, in which troop-transport ships were surrounded by destroyers or cruisers for protection, limiting the number of ships sunk and troops lost. • When America arrived, Germany occupied all of Belgium and part of France, and Russia struggled against famine and civil war. • If Russia fell, Germans would bring all their troops west, and the Allies needed the Americans to fight immediately. • General Pershing, however, wanted American troops to train and to fight separately from European regiments. • Pershing sent his troops to training camps in eastern France instead of to the battlefields.

23. Mobilization • War at Sea • Convoy to move troops and supplies to Europe. To provide a bridge of ships • Organized group of merchant and passenger ships surrounded and protected by naval vessels to ward off submarine attacks. • US ship building- a mammoth program. • US also seized German vessels in American waters and impressing US vessels the ship gap was filled.

26. American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

27. American Expeditionary Force (AEF) May 1918 • Doughboys-The name may have come from the large brass buttons on the uniforms of Union soldiers in the Civil War; they were said to resemble doughboys, a flour dumpling cooked in soup • 2nd and 3rd Divisions fight at Belleau Wood and Chateau-Thierry. Argonne Forest. • 85,000 American help save Paris • General John J. (Black Jack) Pershing has an army of 1/2 million on the Southern Front. • Oct. 1918- Battle of Sedan- American Victory. British and French Lines begin to advance. • German mistake- Americans were late but made a difference. • U.S. lost 50,280 men, and 25,000 to disease. 42,000 Black troop fought in French units. • Russia, England and France lost over 4 million total. 1 million other countries. • Armistice- November 11, 1918- 11th hour, 11th day of the 11th month.

29. Allied Setbacks While Americans trained, the Allies suffered a blow when a group called the Bolsheviks took over Russia’s government. Bolsheviks were Communists, who seek equal distribution of wealth and no private ownership. The new government, led by Vladimir Ilich Lenin, signed a peace treaty with the Central Powers and withdrew its troops. Germany was free to focus on the West, and in May 1918 Germany launched a series of offensives against the Allies. Germans were backed by a large artillery, and by late May the Germans pushed the Allies back to the Marne River, 70 miles northeast of Paris. The U.S. Fights American troops began fighting 12 months after arriving, digging extensive trenches in the dark to avoid detection. In the trenches, troops stood in deep mud with rats as enemies dropped gas and explosives. While defending Paris in June 1918, U.S. troops helped the French stop the Germans at Chateau-Thierry. In northern France, a division of U.S. Marines recaptured the forest of Belleau Wood and two nearby villages. After fierce fighting, the Allies halted the German advance and saved Paris. Allied Setbacks and U.S. Action

31. American’s In Europe • What contributions did American’s make in Europe? • What was the purpose of the Selective Service Act? • What was a conscientious objector? • What made up the American Expeditionary Force? • Do you think General Pershing’s decisions to train his troops in Europe rather than have them join the Allies who desperately needed help was a wise decision?

32. American Military Women • The majority of Americans who served in the military were men, but some women also signed up to serve overseas. • During the war, more than 20,000 nurses served in the U.S. Army in the United States and overseas. • Women also served in the navy and marines, usually as typists and bookkeepers. • Still, some women became radio operators, electricians, or telegraphers. • The U.S. Army Signal Corps recruited French-speaking American women to serve as switchboard operators. Known as the Hello Girls, they served a crucial role in keeping communications open between the front line and the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Forces.

34. At midnight on July 14, 1918, the Germans launched their last offensive at the Second Battle of the Marne. • U.S. blew up every bridge the Germans built across the Marne River, and the German army retreated on August 3, after suffering 150,000 casualties. • The Allies began a counterattack in September 1918 and, fighting as a separate army for the first time, defeated German troops at Mihiel, near the French-German border. • Allies continued their advance toward the French city of Sedan on the Belgian border, which held the main German supply railway. • By November, the Allies had reached and occupied the hills around Sedan. • By 1918 the war crippled the German economy, causing food strikes and riots, and revolution swept across Austria-Hungary. • The Central Powers lacked the will to continue and started to surrender. • Austria-Hungary, and then Germany, surrendered, and the Allies demanded that Germany surrender its weapons and allow Allied occupation of some areas. • November 11, 1918- The eleventh month, eleventh day and the eleventh hour. The War Ends The Germans’ Last Offensive Allies Push Forward The Armistice

35. The War Ends • How did the war end? • How did U.S. troops help defeat the Germans at the Second Battle of the Marne? • What was the significance of the Battle of Mihiel? • What demands did the Allies make of Germany in return for an armistice? • Why do you think World War I was referred to as “the war to end all wars”?

37. American Literature • A Farewell to Arms- Page 245.