1. World War I

2. The Road to War 3. Origins of World War I Causes of WWI Imperialism: European competition for trade & territory in Africa, Asia, & Pacific Fed militarism (glorification of the military) Nations built up forces (protection & glory) Military leaders gained influence in governments Nationalism: (pride in ones nation or ethnic group) Boosted tensions National groups sought freedom from Austria-Hungary Serbians & Balkan nationalists (powder keg of Europe) Alliance System: formed as tensions mounted Germany & Austria-Hungary France, Britain, & Russia Conflict between 2, would soon involve others War Begins June 28, 1914 Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary throne A-H accused Serbia of supporting terrorism; declared war on July 29 20 countries became involved Allies: led by France, Britain, & Russia Central Powers: led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, & the Ottoman Empire 4. The Deadliest War Quick victory sought by both sides September Germany: 30 miles from Paris, France 1st Battle of Marne French & British halted German advance Area became known as Western Front Fighting settled into a long stalemate w/ trench warfare Charges on the enemy resulted in mass casualties as bothsides fought back & forth over the same piece of land 5. Technological Advances Made war more lethal Airplanes: scouting & ground support Armored tanks Machine Guns Heavy artillery Poison gas: most feared 1st used by Germans Caused choking, blinding, severe skin blisters Banned by 140 nations after the war 6. American Neutrality President Woodrow Wilson Issued proclamation of strict & impartial neutrality Ethnic Loyalties Americans supported ethnic group German Americans: central powers Irish: central powers; hated England British propaganda Used to win American support Spread of information designed to win support for a cause Focused on Germanys brutal treatment of Belgians 7. Supplying the Allies American firms Could sell to both sides Most traded w/ Allies Banks also lent to Allies British blockade Stopped supplies from reaching Germany Wilson agreed w/ blockade only if British bought more American cotton to make up lost sales w/ Germany 8. The Lusitania Germanys navy Few surface vessels to impose blockade Large supply of U-boats 1905 Germany announces use of U-boats to blockade Britain May 7, 1915 Lusitania sunk by German U-Boat 1,200 people died 128 Americans President Wilson & American public were outraged Germany said Lusitania was carrying ammunition to England Germany announced U-boats would no longer target passenger liners fearing U.S. entering the war 9. Entering the War November 1916 Wilson reelected under slogan he kept us out of war Tried to make peace with warring powers Attempt failed Germany continued unrestricted U-boat attacks inFebruary 1916 Wanted to cut off British supplies from U.S. Break stalemate on Western Front U.S. cut diplomatic ties w/ Germany 10. Zimmermann Telegram February 24 British intercepted German telegraph Wilson was shown telegraph Germany proposed Mexico to join the war on Germanys side Germany would help Mexico re-conquer New Mexico, Texas, & Arizona Released to press on March 1 Americans were outraged Ready for war after U-boats sank 3 American merchant ships 11. Russian Revolution March 1917 Military defeats & food shortages led to an uprising Russian tsar overthrown New govt vowed to keep Russia out of War U.S. could now enter the war Joined Allied powers Did not side w/ a tyrant Sided w/ other democracies to fight tyranny 12. Declaring War April 2 Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Central Powers Goal: To fight for the rights of nations great and small and the privilege of men everywhere to choose their way of life and of obedience. The world must be made safe for democracy. 13. Supporting the War Effort 14. Building the Military U.S. Had large navy Worlds 16th largest army (125,000 men) Would have to mobilize quickly to contribute Selective Service Declaration of War = eager young men volunteering for military service Not enough to expand army Wilson wanted draft established Selective Service Act passed All young men between 21-30 to register for the military draft 15. Women in the Military Not subject to draft 30,000 volunteered Most served in Army & Navy Nurse Corps Others preformed clerical work Women were divided on war topic Some favored war, others opposed it Jane Addams Cofounded Womens Peace Party in 1915 Jeannette Rankin of Montana 1st women elected to Congress Voted against Wilsons war resolution Carrie Chapman Catt Urged women to support war effort Hoped it would gain women the right to vote 16. A Diverse Force Reflected diversity within the U.S. 1 in 5 recruits had been born in foreign lands Philippines, Mexico, Italy, etc. Native Americans, who were not U.S. citizens, fought in WWI 17. African Americans Serve 38,000 served Opportunities restricted Encouraged to support thewar effort by W.E.B. Du Bois Faced discrimination inmilitary Placed in all black units 10% sent to combat Most unloaded ships, worked in kitchens, or constructed barracks Some served w/ French units Harlem hell Fighters received Frances highest medal for bravery, the cross of war 18. The Military as Educator 1 in 4 draftees were illiterate Some from poor rural areas not use to eating dailymeals, taking regular baths, or using indoor plumbing Military taught men how to fight & read Also learned about nutrition, personal hygiene, &patriotism 19. Managing the War Effort Managing food supplies: Herbert Hoover lead Food Administration Job was to assure adequate food supplies to civilians & troops Americans urged to conserve: wheatless Mondays meatlessTuesdays Producing for War American industry demands increased War Industries Board set up Oversaw shift to war production Had limited power at 1st w/ new head WIB had power to tell industries what toproduce, how much to charge, & how to use scarce resources 20. Finding Workers Labor shortage w/ war Millions of men joined military Decline in immigration Business owners turned to 2 sources Women: took on roles denied to them before the war African Americans: left rural South to work in factories 21. Shaping Public Opinion Calling for Patriotism Committee on Public Information 75,000 Four-Minute Menrecruited Delivered brief patrioticspeeches Artists Produced pro-warcartoons & posters Liberty Bonds Issued to help finance war 22. Suppressing Dissent Measures take to suppress criticsof the war Espionage Act of 1917 & Sedition Act of 1918 Newspapers closes & individuals jailed for expressing antiwar views War fever often collided withpersonal freedoms Private organizations started thatencouraged people to spy on theirneighbors American Protective League 2000,000 members Opened peoples mail, tapped phones, & pried into medical records 23. Anti-German Hysteria German Americans Shunned, harassed, & assaulted across the country Some tarred & feathered Schools stopped teaching German language Also affected language Sauerkraut became liberty cabbage German measles became liberty measles 24. Americans at War 25. Joining the Fight As U.S. prepared U-boats continued assault on supplies ships 844 Allied ships sunk Protecting Allied Shipping Convoy system developed Large group of merchant vessels sailing together Light & fast Allied destroyers accompanied convoy 26. American Expeditionary Force John J. Pershing Commander of American Expeditionary Force Wanted Americans to fight in separate units under American command June 1917 American troops reached Europe Not ready to combat; meant to increase French moral;symbolized American commitment to the war 27. Setbacks & Advances 1917 Allies waited for more American troops Western Front: British offensive slowed in Belgium Central Powers: major victory over Italians at Caporetto Russia Makes Peace New govt struggled w/ war effort 2 million soldiers deserted front lines German troops drove deep into Russia 28. Vladimir Lenin Leader of Bolsheviks; seized power on Nov. 7, 1917 Wanted communism Embraced ideas of German thinker Karl Marx Workers around the world would unite to overthrow the ruling class March 1918 Russia & Germany sign peace treaty Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 30% of Russias territory to Germany Setback Peace in the east 40 divisions of German army now re-focused to Western Front 29. Germany Attacks March 21, 1918 Series of daring attacks Goal: defeat allies quickly & bring peace on German terms Pershing Pledged U.S. troops would now fight under French command Infantry, artillery, aviation, all that we have are yours, Use them as you wish 2 months before significant contributions made Germans Broke through Allied line in Belgium & France Reached Chateau Thierry (50 miles from Paris) U.S. troops arrived to reinforce the Allies 30. Turning the Tide American & French counterattacked Germans near Chateau-Thierry Americans: evict Germans from Belleau Wood Filled w/ barbed wire, artillery, & machine guns Suffered heavy casualties, but were successful 2nd battle of Marne Germans second attempt to reach Paris Gained ground, but stalled Allies counterattacked 31. Battle of the Argonne Forest German troops Became weakened by influenza & deprived of supplies; started losing will to fight September 1918 Allied forces pushed forward from North Sea to Verdun 1 million Americans advanced towards Meuse River & Argonne Forest Advanced slow at first; by November German defensecrumbled under unrelenting assault 32. The Armistice Cause was lost Realized by military & political leaders of Germany No reserves left Sought an armistice or halt in fighting Germans Knew French & British wanted harsh settlement Germans wanted peace on Wilsons 14 Points October 16, Germans requested armistice based on 14-Points, but Wilson was reluctant 33. A Harsh Armistice France & Britain Dictated terms of armistice Germany: pull back forces on Western Front, cancel Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, & hand over fleet of U-boats Other Central Powers: also wanted armistice; in no position to resist Allied demands Wilson Insisted Kaiser (absolute monarch of Germany) step down Kaiser Wilhelm II fled to Holland & soon gave up the throne & Germany became a republic 34. Wars Deadly Toll Armistice Took effect 11 a.m. on November 11 11 day of 11 month of 1918 10 million military personnel died Millions of other soldiers were blinded, lost limbs,suffered permanent lung damage, or experiencedpsychological problems Unknown civilian deaths 35. Shaping the Peace 36. The Fourteen Points Presented to Congress before war ended Plan made in idealistic terms Hoped to prevent future wars 1st 5 Points Factors that led to war Wanted to eliminate secret international agreements Freedom of seas Free trade among nations Sharp reduction in worlds military force Settlement of colonial claims 37. Points 6-13 Dealt w/ specific territorial issues Self rule for national minority groups in A-H & OE Later turned into call for self-determination Right of a group to decide its own form of government Point 14 Setting up an international organization to guarantee world peace 38. Peace Conference in Paris Wilson, Lloyd George, & Clemenceau organized in Paris for peace conference Wilsons 14 Points thrilled Europes population The Big 4 Wilson, Georges Clemenceau, David Lloyd George, & Vittorio Orlando Made major decisions at conference All did not agree w/ Wilsons idealistic goal of peace Wanted to punish Germany Secret treaties were also signed during the war dividing up theterritories & colonies of Central Powers 39. The Treaty of Versailles Dealt w/ Germany severely Territory on Germanys borders & colonies stripped away Forced to accept full responsibility for war & pay Allies huge reparations Placed limits on size & nature of Germanys military League of Nations formed Provided place for countries to meet, settle disputes peacefully, & punish any nation that broke the peace June 28, 1919 Germany reluctantly signed treaty Anger at Treaty of Versailles would set the stage for WWII 40. Other Treaties Treaties arranged w/ other Central Powers Applied principle of self-determination for people of Eastern Europe Did not apply to non-Europeans Britain & France divided Germanys African colonies Ottoman Empire dissolved, became Turkey 41. Battle Over the League Wilson urged Senate to ratify Treaty of Versailles Forcefully backed League of Nations U.S. must accept its destiny to lead the world on a new path Lodge Opposes Many Senators opposed treaty Henry Cabot Lodge Opposed U.S. joining LON Would restrict the right of U.S. to act independently 42. Wilsons Last Battle September Wilson set out on a tour to gain public support 8,000 miles in 3 weeks, giving 40 speeches October 2 Suffered major stroke, paralyzed left side Continued to reject all compromise on the treaty November 1919 Senate voted to reject the treaty Absence of U.S. crippled LON to stem the crises thatcame in the 1930s 43. Postwar Troubles U.S. didnt adjust easily to peace after war Influenza Epidemic Took 500,000 lives in 1918 in the U.S. Labor Unrest High employment rates as soldiers came home to seek jobs Unions demanded higher wages w/ stiff resistance from management 1919 4 million laborers went on strike Red Scare Americans feared Communists were behind labor unrest Fear of Communist revolution gripped the nation General A. Mitchell Palmer ordered immigrants suspected of radical views to be rounded up and deported