The United States Goes to War World War I
American entrance into WWI- reasons 1. Unrestricted submarine warfare Before the US enters the war, over 200 Americans are killed as a result of German Uboats Lusitania (1915) Sussex Pledge (1916) Unrestricted submarine warfare again (1917)- Wilson orders guns to be placed on American ships
2. Allied Propaganda Kinship towards GB (common language/ culture) Friendship w/france went back to French support during the American RevoluRon
3. HosRlity towards Germany Germany invaded Belgium (violated treaty guaranteeing Belgium neutrality UnrestricRve submarine warfare Germany avempted to sabotage American industries Zimmerman Note Arthur Zimmerman
4. American Economic Interests Americans sold food and supplies to the Allies (period of prosperity for manufacturers, workers, farmers) American investors gave loans to Allied countries- IF Germany wins the war, American loans might never be repaid.
5. American Idealism A bever world would emerge if Allies win war to end war the world must be made safe for democracy 6. American Security IF Germany would win, would replace democrarc England and could threaten the security of the US
America at War: The Homefront Increased PresidenRal Powers Wilson received from Congress broad emergency powers to direct the economy Wilson commanded several govt agencies Mobilizing the Economy War Industries Board Headed by Bernard Baruch Allocated raw materials, eliminated waste, expanded war producron
Mobilizing the Economy War Industries Board Headed by Bernard Baruch Allocated raw materials, eliminated waste, expanded war producron War Labor Board Mediated labor disputes to prevent work stoppages Railroad AdministraRon Took control of the railroads to unify and improve operarons Shipping Board Built bridge of ships to transport men/goods to Europe Fuel AdministraRon Increased producron of coal, gas, and oil; cut back on wastefulness Food AdministraRon Headed by Herbert Hoover Increased farm output, encouraged meatless & wheatless days
Influencing Public Opinion CommiVee on Public InformaRon Reached the public through lectures, pamphlets, posters, press releases Heightened support for the war effort Led to excesses- banned German as a school subject, saurkraut- liberty cabbage
Punishing Espionage and SediRon Espionage Act (1917) Provided severe penalres for spying, sabotage, and obstrucrng the war effort Banned the mail of anrwar materials SediRon Act (1918) Punished people who spoke or wrote against the American form of government or the war effort Led to the arrest of 1500 pacifists and pro- Germans
Financing the War To pay for the war, the US govt.. Raised income taxes and levied new and higher excise taxes ($11 billion, 1/3 of the cost of WWI) Borrowed from the American people by selling Liberty and Victory Bonds ($21 billion, 2/3 of the cost of WWI) US lent the Allies $10 billion to purchase war supplies
Europe: Major Theatre of Warfare Eastern Front Russian forces suffered crushing defeats 1917- Russia experiences 2 revolurons, withdraws from war in 1918 (Treaty of Brest- Litovsk) Southern Front By 1917 the Central Powers had overrun Balkans, but no major victory in Italy 1918- Allies win back Balkans, force Austria- Hungary to surrender Western Front 1915-1917 Trench warfare (Marne, Verdun, Somme)
American Military ContribuRon SelecRve Service Acts Almost 3 million drakees 2 million volunteers American ExpediRonary Force 2 million men Led by John J. Pershing Halted German offensives (Chateau- Thierry & Belleau Wood) Led Allied counteroffensives (St. Mihiel & Argonne Forest)
German Surrender Late 1918, German high command (von Hindenburg) realized war was over ArmisRce signed on 11/11/1918 at 11:00
Wilson s 14 Points 1918- Before war s end, Wilson addressed Congress Wilson s program called for lasrng peace based upon 14 points 1. Open treares of peace 2. Freedom of the seas 3. Removal of internaronal trade barriers 4. ReducRon of armaments 5. Adjustment of colonial claims with due regard for the interests of the narve peoples 6-13. Adjustment of European boundaries in accordance of naronality (self- determinaron) 14. Establishment of the League of NaRons
Treaty of Versailles with Germany Big Four David Lloyd George (BriRsh PM) Wanted to expand Britain s colonial empire, preserve its naval and industrial supremacy, make Germany pay Georges Clemenceau (Premier of France) Make France safe against future German invasion, weaken Germany by imposing military limitarons, financial payments, and territorial losses ViVorio Orlando (Premier of Italy) Wanted to enlarge Italy s territory in Europe and overseas Woodrow Wilson (US president)
Treaty Provisions Territorial Changes Germany surrenders the following: Alsace- Lorraine to France Saar Valley to League of NaRons, coal mines to France Minor border regions to Denmark and Belgium Parts of Posen and W. Prussia creates Poland Danzig (BalRc seaport that borders Poland) to League of NaRons Colonial losses Germany lost all colonies to the Allies, held by the League of NaRons
Disarmament Germany limited to 100,000 volunteers ConscripRon is now forbidden Rhineland (W. Germany) was demilitarized Navy reduced to a few small ships Submarines, military aircrak, and war industries are prohibited.
War Guilt and ReparaRons Germany accepted SOLE responsibility for causing the war and agreed to pay for war damages ($33 billion dollars) Most humiliarng terms of Treaty of Versailles for Germany
TreaRes with other countries Austria- Hungary to become independent naronal states Czechoslovakia was created from territories of Austria and Hungary Italy, Romania, Poland, and Yugoslavia secure their own areas inhabited by their own naronals Both Austria & Hungary required to limit their armies- Austria forbidden Anschluss (union w/ Germany)
Results of World War I Social 10 million soldiers killed over 20 million wounded Millions of civilians died from hosrlires, famine, diseases The world is lek with a legacy of hatred, intolerance, and extreme naronalism
Economic Total cost of WWI was over $350 billion Paying for the war brought heavy taxes and lowered living standards to people of Europe InternaRonal trade suffers because narons raise tariffs and wanted economic self- sufficiency Communists seize power and introduce new economic system Economic difficulres caused by the war helped bring on the Great Depression
PoliRcal 3 major European dynasres were dethroned Hohenzollerns of Germany Hapsburgs of Austria- Hungary Romanovs of Russia New narons arose in Europe Several European countries will turn to dictatorships League of NaRons established to solve internaronal problems US emerged as a leading world power, but