Post on 19-Jan-2018
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In 1916 Woodrow Wilson ran for re-election as the Democratic candidate for
president on the promise of continued neutrality in WWI and in Mexico…unless
the U.S. was threatened…
“I kept us out of war!”
Wilson narrowly defeated Charles Evans Hughes on the basis of his campaign
promise of neutrality…despite his belief that the U.S. was likely to be brought into the war
So…why neutrality?
Or, in reality,“Is America neutral?”
U.S. Neutrality• Planned to trade with both sides• Isolationism – a policy of avoiding political or military
involvement with other countries• Most Americans favored Britain and France
– Historical and cultural connections– Economic ties– Honored Britain’s illegal blockade of the continent– British had cut the Trans-Atlantic Telegraph Cable so all news
filtered through Britain and was anti-German• British Propaganda flooded into the US• By 1917, the U.S. had loaned $2.25 billion to the Allies and
nothing to the Central Powers
The British Naval Blockade
• British Navy cuts off German trade• Crop failures led to food shortage in
Germany• German survival threatened by lack of US
trade• The Germans respond with unrestricted
submarine warfare
The American public was outraged. Some blamed
the British, but most blamed Germany.
The Germans promised to stop attacking neutral
ships, but some people in the U.S. government did
not believe them.
Sec. of State William Jennings Bryan urged
Wilson to prohibit Americans from traveling
on belligerent ships. When Wilson refused,
Bryan resigned.
The U-Boat Response
• German attacks violated rules of war• May 7th, 1915 a German U-boat torpedoed a British
passenger ship – The Lusitania– 128 Americans among 1198 dead– Americans were outraged; Germany promised not to
attack neutral ships– Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned after
Wilson refused to prohibit Americans from traveling on belligerent ships
• Unrestricted submarine warfare resumed in 1917
Zimmermann Telegram
• Sent to Mexico by German official– Germans ask Mexico to attack U.S.– In exchange, Germans promise Mexico
control of U.S. territory after the war– Mexican-American relations at an all time low
• British intercepted the message and made it public
The February Revolution
Tsar Nicholas II is forced to abdicate the throne
(Rasputin = Crazy)
The October Revolution
Bolsheviks led by Lenin come in to power
March 3, 1918 – The Russians signed a separate peace with Germany: The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Allies feared thebalance of power inEurope would tip tothe Central Powers
Russian Revolution(Feb. – Nov. 1917)
• March 1917: Tsar Nicholas II forced to abdicate; Russia effectively out of WWI
• Bolsheviks come to power as a result of the October Revolution
• New Russian government signed a separate peace with Germany– Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Mar. 3, 1918)
• Tip in the balance of power in the war which could potentially end the European stalemate
In April of 1917 Wilson asked Congress
to declare war on the Central Powers
to“make the world
safe for democracy!”
The fresh American troops boosted morale in Europe
The U.S. provided supplies, financial aid, and troops
U.S. Declaration of War (April 6th, 1917)
• Unrestricted U-Boat warfare resumed in 1917
• Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war
• Fresh troops boost morale of weary European soldiers
• US provided supplies, financial aid, and troops
The Espionage and Sedition Actsbanned all sorts of things
Prohibited “insubordination, disloyalty and refusal of duty in the military services.”
The Postmaster General could ban
select magazines
It was illegal to slander the government, uniform, or flag
Punishment for violations was up to 20 years in jail
The Creel Committee was created to produce and distribute propaganda
The age range for eligible draftees was set at 18-45
“A man who can’t lend his government $1.25 per week at the rate of 4 percent interest is not entitled to be an American citizen”
- Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo
Mobilization and Shift in Policies
• Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917)– Prohibited “insubordination, disloyalty and refusal of duty in the
military services.”– Postmaster General could ban select magazines.– Could not slander the government, uniform or flag.– Punishment of up to 20 years in jail for violations
• Committee on Public Information (or Creel Committee) formed to distribute propaganda
• Selective Service Act (1917)– Set age for service in military (18‑45)
• War Bonds issued
Increased the tax rate for the wealthy
Encouraged rationing by the American public
The government became directly involved in business by building ships, assuming national control of factories and railroads, and regulating prices
Some people criticized this as “War Socialism”
During this period radical labor (IWW) was wiped out and AFL membership soared to 4 million
Changing Role of Government
• War Revenue Act of 1917 - Increased the tax rate for the wealthy
• Food Administration - Encouraged rationing by the American public– “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays”
• War Industries Board – Government directly involved in business– Built ships, nationalized railroads, and set prices– Criticized as “war socialism.”
• Labor– Radical labor (IWW) wiped out– AFL membership increased to 4 million
Anti-German Sentiment
• Germans were violently attacked for speaking German or participating in cultural traditions; a German‑American was bound in an American flag and lynched by a St. Louis mob in 1918
• Germans changed their names (e.g. Schmitz to Smith)• German books were burned in front of libraries• Beethoven was banned from symphonies• German street names, landmarks, etc. were renamed• Sauerkraut renamed "Liberty Cabbage"; other German
food removed from menus• Prohibition movement driven by anti-German feelings