The Great War1914-1920

What Causes War??????

The Great War: An Overview

• July 1914 – November 1918

• Known as the “Great War” “WWI” applied later

• Machine guns, poison gas, flame throwers, land mines

• Massive casualty #s

• Set the stage for rise of Hitler and WWII

WWI Deaths…

• http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/casdeath_pop.html

Europe on the Eve of War…

• Since the fall of Napoleon in 1815, Europe had gone through a period of peace and prosperity

• 1914 – peace ends with the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand

• The seeds of war had been planted long before...

Causes of World War I

Causes of WWI

Imperialism

• Late 1800s, Europeans powers rushed to colonize in places like Africa and China

• Result: European rivalries heightened

Causes of World War I

Militarism

• Early 1900s – diplomacy takes a back seat to military build up

• Arms race

• Endless planning for war

Causes of WWI

Nationalism

• Great powers acted according to their own interests; this leads to a CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

• Countries with ethnic minorities faced mounting calls for independence

Causes of WWI

Alliances

• Late 1800s – complicated alliance system develops in Europe

• Countries bound to come to aid of allies if attacked

• Then the dominoes fall…

Causes of World War I

The Spark of War…

• The Spark:• Assassination of

Archduke Ferdinand in Serbia

• Assassin: Gavrilo Princip• Believed Austria-

Hungary had no right to rule Bosnia

• Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia• 28 July 1914

Taking Sides…

• Russia begins mobilization of troops the next day• Germany demands them

to stop

• France and Germany mobilize in response

• August 1 – Germany declares war on Russia

Dominoes Fall…

The Schlieffen Plan

• Due to Germany’s geographical location, they feared being trapped by France and Russia

• German military leaders had planned for this• The Schlieffen Plan

• Knock the French out then mobilize to fight the Russians

Putting the Plan to Action

• In order to execute the plan, Germany needed to pass through Belgium

• Belgium was allied with Great Britain• Britain enters the

war on August 4

The Sides…

Stalemate

• The “experts” believed the war would last around 6 weeks

• Since both sides were relatively equal, a stalemate ensued• Stalemate – situation in which neither side is able

to gain a clear advantage

• In this age of warfare, defensive forces could use modern firepower, such as machine guns and artillery, to stop advancements

Hiram Maxim and the Machine Gun

• http://military.discovery.com/videos/weaponology-rapid-fire-part-1.html

Stalemate

• Progress of German advance was stopped at the river Marne, about 30 miles from Paris

• Both sides dug in and fought from trenches

• “No man’s land”• Area between the trenches• Why would it be called

this?

Modern Warfare

• Combat becomes more deadly• Machine guns

• 450 round / min.

• Hand grenades• Poison gases• Artillery shells

• High death toll• Battle of the Somme (1916)

• 20,000 British die in one day!!!

• Prolonged war leads to dip in morale

The American Response

• 1/3 of the 92 million in the U.S. are first or second generation immigrants• Many still identified with

their old countries

• While most immigrants favor the Central Powers, most Americans opposed them

• American public dislikes German autocrat, Kaiser Wilhelm• Autocrat – ruler with unlimited

power

The American Response

• In order to protect American commercial interests (trade), President Wilson officially proclaimed American neutrality on 4 August 1914• U.S. profited from trade

• While American business leaders did praise neutrality, they also stressed the need for American “preparedness”• Wilson began to take steps

to prepare the country; in particular the military

German Submarine Warfare

• The German use of submarine warfare provoked calls for war in the U.S.

• While effective for the Germans from a military perspective, it ultimately turned the tide of American public opinion

• The German U-boat was a game-changer when it came to naval operations

German Submarine Warfare

• Passenger and merchant ships had no defense against the U-boats

• U-boats issued no warnings; relied on surprise

• American news comes through London; biased• Encourages pro-Allied

feeling in America

The Sinking of the Lusitania…

• 7 May 1915

• German U-boat sinks British passenger liner in the Irish Sea

• Germans suspected ship was carrying weapons for the Allies

• 1,200 dead; 128 Americans

• Wilson demands end to German sub. warfare; payment to families• Germans promise to warn

ships if they do not resist search and seizure

Sussex Pledge…

• 24 March 1916 – Germans sink French ship Sussex

• U.S. threatens to cut diplomatic ties with Germany

• Sussex pledge – Germans once again promise to warn ships before attack

• Wilson authorizes New York bankers to make loans to the Allies

Moving Toward War…

• Wilson re-elected in 1916

• February 1917 – Germany violates Sussex pledge; U.S. breaks diplomatic ties with Germany

Zimmerman Telegram

• British intercept German telegram from Germany’s foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman

• Zimmerman made a secret offer to Mexico• Promises territory lost to

U.S. in exchange for alliance

Russian Revolution

• Early 1917 – Already 1.8 million Russians killed

• March 1917 – Czar Nicholas II gives up throne

• Russian monarchy replaced with a republican govt.

The War Resolution

• March 1917 – Germany continues to sink American ships

• “the world must be made safe for democracy.”

• 6 April 1917 – U.S. officially enters war

The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make.

Preparing for Action

• When the U.S. entered the war in April 1917, it was unprepared to send an army to Europe

• Instead, the U.S. sent supplies, $3 billion in loans, and some naval support

• General Pershing, commander of U.S. forces, recommended that the U.S. Army should number 3 million men by 1919

Draftees and Volunteers

• When the U.S. entered the war, it only had 120,000 men enlisted in the armed forces

• May 1917 – Congress passed the Selective Service Act• Selective Service Act – authorized a draft of young men for

military service

• By November 1918, more than 24 million men had registered for the draft• 3 million of these were drafted to serve in the war

• American Expeditionary Force (AEF) – force of American troops in Europe during WWI

Women and WWI

• Thousands of women served their country during the war

• Around 11,000 volunteered to serve in uniforms as nurses, drivers, and clerks

Suffering Until Suffrage

• War gave new momentum to the women’s suffrage movement

• Wilson endorsed woman suffrage as “a vitally necessary war measure.”

• 1920 – 19th Amendment ratified• Granted women the right to vote

Ending the War…

• With the Russians out of the war, Germany was able to concentrate on Britain and France

• Arrival of American forces and tanks turns the tide of the war in favor of the Allies in August 1918

• Germans surrender – 11 November 1918

American Contributions…

• Food• Munitions• Credit• Oil• Manpower

• Limited impact on the battlefields

Financing the War

• How are we going to pay for all this stuff???

• Liberty Bonds – special war bonds that were sold to support the Allied cause

• What is a bond?• Could later be redeemed at face value

+ interest

Financing the War

• Liberty Bonds were the brainchild of Secretary of the Treasury William McAdoo

• McAdoo raised more than $20 billion

Financing the War

• Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts help to sell bonds

• Govt. hires artists to draw posters

• Govt. recruited famous actors to host bond rallies

• The “Four Minute Men”

The Creel Committee

• Committee on Public Information• Headed by journalist

George Creel

• Purpose was to influence American public opinion supporting participation in WWI• Propaganda

• “Selling” the war

Managing the Economy

• U.S. economy must convert to one based upon producing war goods

• 1918 – President Wilson set up system to manage and oversee this conversion process

• War Industries Board oversaw the nation’s war-related production• Powers:

• Distributed raw materials• Told manufacturers what and how much to produce• Controlled prices

Managing the Economy

• War Trade Board• Licensed foreign trade

• Punished firms suspected of dealing with the enemy

• National War Labor Board

• Worked to settle labor disputes that might hinder the war effort

“Labor Will Win the War”

• Gompers and the AF of L supported the war

• “Work or fight”

• AF of L doubles membership• Wages rise

Regulating Food and Fuel Consumption

• August 1917 – Congress passes the Lever Food and Fuel Control Act• Gave the president the power to manage the

production and distribution of foods and fuels vital to the war effort

• Govt. worked to increase agricultural output and decrease waste in an effort to help the war effort

• Food Administration, under leadership of Herbert Hoover, regulated food consumption

Regulating Food and Fuel Consumption

• Govt. had the power to use price controls and rationing to accomplish their goals• Price controls – govt.

determined and set prices• Rationing – distribution

of goods to consumers in a fixed amount

• Hoover opposed both of these approaches; urged personal restraint and efficiency

Regulating Food and Fuel Consumption

• Role of women• “Gospel of the Clean

Plate”

• Fuel Administration• Focused on fuel

conservation

• Daylight saving time • Increased the number of

daylight hours in a dayHow would this help the war effort?

Enforcing Loyalty

• News and information fell under govt. control during WWI

• Fear of espionage (spies) was widespread

• Govt. feared that secret agents would attempt to destroy communication and transportation networks

Enforcing Loyalty

• Fear of spies called for restrictions on immigration

• 1917 – immigrants must pass literacy test to gain citizenship• Revival of nativism

• War encourages hostility toward Germans

Repression of Civil Liberties

• Espionage Act (1917)• Made it illegal to interfere with the draft

• Schneck v. U.S.• “Clear and present danger”

• Sedition Act (1918)• Made it illegal to speak out against the American

govt., Constitution, etc.

• Govt. pursues more than 1,500 cases• Eugene Debs

Schenck v. U.S.Schenck v. U.S.

• 1917- Charles Schenck 1917- Charles Schenck mails out pamphlets mails out pamphlets urging people to avoid urging people to avoid the draftthe draft• Schenck arrested for Schenck arrested for

violating Espionage Actviolating Espionage Act

• Issue at hand: 1st Issue at hand: 1st Amendment (free Amendment (free speech) and national speech) and national securitysecurity

• Conviction upheld; Conviction upheld; “clear and present “clear and present danger”danger”

Schenck v. U.S. (1919)

WWII: Korematsu v. U.S.WWII: Korematsu v. U.S.

• Supreme Court case Supreme Court case that upheld legality that upheld legality of Japanese of Japanese internmentinternment

America Responds to 9/11:Securtiy or Liberty?

• USA PATRIOT Act• Uniting (and)

Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001

• Dramatically influenced the powers of govt. and law enforcement to share and gather intelligence

Increased Security

“Shoe bomber”

“Underwear bomber”

Too Much Security?

Drones?

Social Mobility for Minorities and Women

• With many men off at war, businesses had to find new sources of labor

• Great Migration • Blacks flooded

northern factories between 1910 and 1930

Social Mobility for Minorities and Women

• Women also benefited from the diminished work force

• As a result of the war, around 400,000 women joined the industrial work force for the first time

• Another step toward equality…

Prohibition Finally Passes

• 18th Amendment ratified in 1919• Made it illegal to manufacture, sell, or

transfer alcohol

• Product of wartime patriotism• Anti-German sentiment

Wilson’s Vision for Peace

• January 1918 – While WWI is not yet over, President Wilson outlined his plan for establishing peace throughout the world

• Wilson’s plan was known as the Fourteen Points• Basically it was a plan for avoiding another

devastating war and ensuring future peace in Europe

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

• End to entangling alliances

• Removal of trade barriers

• Arms reduction

• Self-determination of peoples

The Paris Peace Conference

• January 1919 – International peace conference held in Paris• Wilson heads U.S. delegation

• Wilson welcomed as a hero

• Wilson’s BIG MISTAKE

• Wilson claims to have no interest in the spoils of war (gaining territory)

• Wilson’s goal: Permanent institution to guarantee international stability

Wilson Forced to Compromise

• Wilson’s plan ran into some problems• Allies interested in spoils of war

• Divide up Germany’s colonies• French want to humiliate the Germans to make sure

they are never invaded again• Whoops….

• Wilson was forced to compromise when it came to his Fourteen Points• Wilson allowed Allies to take possession of

German colonies• What happened to “self-determination”?

The League of Nations

• Wilson’s attempt to establish “global security”

• League of Nations• Nations of the world come

together to promote peace and security

• Article 10 – An attack on one is an attack on all• Moral, not military,

obligation• U.S. hesitant; 39 Senators

sign statement rejecting• Why?

The Peace Treaty

• March 1919 – Wilson returns to the peace conference

• The Big Four

• French demand harsh penalties for Germany• Wilson fears long-term

effects, future wars

• Wilson able to block Italian land claims

The Peace Treaty

• French and British demand war reparations • Reparations – Payment from an enemy for

economic injury• 1921 – Germany owes the Allies $33 billion

• Germany unable to pay, humiliated

• Treaty of Versailles signed on 28 Jun 1919

Seeking Approval at Home

• When Wilson returned to America, he was met with opposition• Some Senators opposed

commitment to the League of Nations

• “irreconcilables”• “reservationists”

• Wilson needs a 2/3 majority in the Senate in order to ratify a treaty• Never gets it…

Leader of the Opposition:Henry Cabot Lodge

Senate Majority Leader

Collective Security???

A Formal End to Hostilities

• 20 May 1920 – Congress voted to declare war officially over• Vetoed by Wilson

• 2 July 1921 – Another joint resolution to end war passes• Signed by new pres., Warren G. Harding

• Congress ratifies separate treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary