World War I

Chapter 30

Stagnation in Europe

The war in Europe had quickly ground into a stagnant mass slaughter on both sides. Trenches Stagnant lines.

Casualties on both sides were extraordinarily high. Reasons.

By early 1917 both sides were running out of steam. Germans couldn’t go on much longer simply throwing new

bodies into the war. Britain was highly dependent on foreign shipping for keeping its

war effort going. Germany needed to end the war soon or lose.

WWI Western

Front

Trench Line

Unlimited Sub Warfare Peace without Victory address. Germany’s response

January 1917 Germans announce unlimited sub warfare

Is a repeal of the Sussex Pledge. What is the German gamble? What about the state of the US military seemed to

justify this gamble? Wilson breaks off diplomatic relations, but refuses

to enter the war absent some overt act of aggression against US.

What happens when he tries to arm merchant ships for self-defense?

Wilson Asks for War

March, 1917, Zimmerman Note is publicized. What is it?

Germany’s overt act. Revolution overthrows Czar in Russia and

Russia withdraws from war. Consequences? Now all Allies democracies Allies are in even more desperate straits.

April, 1917 Wilson asks congress for a declaration of war.

Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned

Isolationism ran deeply in the American psyche. Washington’s farewell address

While most favored the Allies, the fever to go to war was relatively mild.

How does Wilson sell the war to the public? What is the objective of the war?

Goes over the head of Congress.

Wilson’s 14 Points Wilson articulates the moral basis for the war in a

speech setting out 14 points that should be in any peace agreement.

Fourteen points include: Abolish secret treaties No territorial gains; return to pre-war borders freedom of the seas removal of economic barriers among nations Arms reduction adjustment of colonial claims in the interest of both natives and

colonizers self-determination for minority groups such as Poles international organization to provide for collective security and

dispute resolution.

Creel Manipulates Minds

Committee on Public Information. Purpose?

George Creel. Creel is very successful.

Super-Patriotism. Dehumanizing the enemy

Problem: Wilson and Creel convince the country that the war will create a new international utopia.

Enforcing Loyalty

Anti-German hysteria and discrimination.

Liberty Cabbage, e.g. Espionage Act of 1917

and Sedition Act of 1918 Industrial Workers of the

World (IWW or Wobblies) Witch-hunt against

communism and socialism.

The Nation’s Factories Go To War

Country unprepared when war started. Army ranked 15th in the world in size. Up-hill battle to mobilize the economy onto

a war footing Wilson strategy for mobilizing the economy. Why doesn’t it work well?

Government never had a very effective central control over war production.

Labor

Would it cooperate by not going out on strike?

Mostly, Feds were able to keep labor in line with a combination of strategies. Work or fight rule. National War Labor Board Samuel Gompers

Effect on membership in mainstream labor

Strikers get Squashed Smaller and more radical

organizations, especially the Wobblies (IWW), organized strikes and industrial sabotage. These groups were harassed unmercifully.

1919 largest strike in American history hits the Steel industry. Industry reacted mercilessly to

strikers demands that union be recognized and that they be allowed collective bargaining.

Strike collapses after black strike-breakers brought in.

Black Migration War was beginning of a mass migration of

blacks from the south to the industrial north. Reasons

Reception in the north. Migration continues after the war. Beginning of the large black populations in

industrial northern cities.

Women Go to Work

Women also entered the workforce

Helped convince Wilson to support the 19th Amendment, giving women the vote; ratified in 1920.

Most women gave up their jobs after the war.

Boost to women’s activism

Hoover Sets the Table Volunteerism vs. enforced

restrictions. Food production and

availability was a key issue Herbert Hoover chosen to

lead Food Administration. Hoover’s approach. victory gardens.

Hoover, Cont.

Congress restricted use of crops for making alcohol Helped advance the cause of

prohibition. Many brewers were of German

extraction and were subject to war-prejudices.

18th Amendment prohibiting the sale of alcohol passed in 1919 and began prohibition.

Hoover’s voluntary approach worked. Farm production increased by a quarter and food exports to the allies tripled.

Appeal to Conserve Food

Bond Drives Hoover’s methods were

emulated in other agencies Great bond drives. Went overboard; those

who refused to purchase bonds were branded unpatriotic

Intimidation and threats. Kansas Mennonites

Making Plowboys Into Doughboys

At the beginning, most Americans assumed that US contribution to war would be naval

Allies made it clear that they were running out of men to throw into the war.

The war had been extraordinarily bloody.

Allies need America to supply fresh troops.

Draft Many volunteered for war, but

not enough. conscription. Some in congress predicted

that a draft would cause riots. Compared by some to Slave

labor. Had not been a draft in US since

the Civil War. Legislation starting draft was

passed six weeks after war declared.

Terms Workers in key industries

exempted.

Doughboys

Within a few months, army grows to over 4 Mill.

How to get these guys ready to fight?

Training timetable had to be accelerated.

Nearly a year after US declared war before US troops in any force could fight in Europe.

Fighting In France

The need to hurry US troops into action was magnified by events in Russia.

With Russian out of war, Germany able the send battle-tested troops from the Eastern front to the Western front.

Germany suddenly has a dangerous manpower advantage in that theater.

America is having shipping problems and is taking a long time to get army together and trained.

American soldiers began to trickle into France in 1918, but were not a separate army. Were used to reinforce the Allied armies on a unit by unit basis.

America is not a separate fighting force.

America Helps Hammer The “Hun” Spring 1918 the Germans unleash a massive offensive

that rolled the Allies back with frightening momentum. May 1918 Germans within 40 miles of Paris

US troops see their first real action as an independent unit at Chateau-Thierry.

Americans brought a fresh spirit of optimism July 1918 Allies begin to role back Germans. Black Jack Pershing. Muess-Argonne offensive, involving 1.2 Mill. US troops.

10% US casualties. Germany getting worn down. Reverses on the battle

field, and British blockade is taking its toll.

The Fourteen Points Disarm Germany

October 1918 Germans turn to Wilson seeking a peace based on his fourteen points.

Wilson says that no negotiations before the Kaiser is out of power.

The Germans promptly send him packing.

Armistace—11/11/1918. America rejoices.

US Contribution to Victory

America’s primary contribution. The potential numbers US could throw into

battle made it clear to the Germans that they could not win.

US was forced to rely heavily on European equipment

Battlefield casualties compared

Losses in World War I

Wilson Steps Down From Olympus

At the end of the war Wilson was extraordinarily popular both at home and in Europe.

Moral leader of the world with most powerful economy behind him.

That popularity was not destined to last. Impossible to satisfy expectations Wilson’s mistakes

Biggest and most fatal “mistake” was mid-term election

Republicans upset by his delegation to peace negotiations. Why?

An Idealist Battles The Imperialists

People of Europe welcome Wilson with thundering acclaim

Leaders of the Allied countries were wary. Why? Peace conference was dominated by the Big Four,

leaders of US, France, England and Italy. Wilson in the driver’s seat.

The Big Four

Wilson’s Goal

Europe was a mess. Wilson’s ultimate goal was

League of Nations First priority to keep the

winners from dividing up the colonies of the beaten countries.

Wilson had to compromise. What did the treaty say

regarding Colonies?

Republicans Carve up the Treaty

Henry Cabot Lodge and other isolationist Republicans raise objections to the LON treaty and insisted on modifications.

Enough Senators said would not pass without the changes to defeat the treaty. What were their

complaints?

Treaty That Bred A New War Wilson forced into a series of compromises Treaty presented to Germans in June, 1919.

They cried foul. Why? Planted seeds of resentment.

Wilson was forced to compromise many of his ideals

Wilson’s popularity is tarnished Treaty did, though, liberate a number of people. Treaty was better to the Germans and to citizens

in colonies because he was there.

New Nations

The Domestic Parade Of Prejudice

Wilson returned to political storm.

Isolationists hated the LON.

Rabid anti-Germans Liberals. Recent immigrants

from Axis countries Irish

Wilson’s Tour And Collapse Majority of Americans favored the treaty

and senate Republicans had no real hope of defeating it.

What is Republican strategy? Is it successful?

Delay causing Americans to become increasingly apathetic and confused

Wilson decided to go over the heads of congress to the people.

Went on a barnstorming speaking tour. Collapses and suffers a stroke. One side

paralyzed. With Wilson incapacitated, Republicans

in congress have control of the debate.

Wilson on his whirl-wind tour to

sell the nation on a League of Nations

Wilson Rejects The Lodge Reservations Senator Lodge able to tack on

14 reservations so that LON would not bind the US to act.

Wilson, who hated Lodge, flatly rejected the reservations.

What does Wilson order Democrats to do? Why? What is the result?

Defeat Through Deadlock

Public pressure forced another vote. 4/5 of senators favored the treaty in some

form, but the necessary 2/3 majority could not agree on a version of it.

In 1920 comes up again for a vote with the Lodge amendments tacked on again.

What does Wilson do? What happens to the treaty?

Election of 1920

Wilson’s plan: make the election of 1920 a referendum on the League

Who controls the Republican party? Republicans nominate Warren Harding

from Ohio; second-rate candidate. Calvin Coolidge from Mass. the VP nominee.

Dems nominate Ohio Gov. James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt is his VP nominee.

Election of 1920

Dem platform: Strongly in favor of the treaty.

Harding statements on treaty. Republicans win overwhelmingly. Big

business, laize faire Republicans back in power.

Women voting for the first time. Debs gets nearly a million votes despite

being in prison.

Consequences of US Rejection of LON

LON left without the vital American international support

America retreated behind isolationism and let Europe find its own way.

France feels compelled to rearm, so Germany does, too. Without America, the LON was toothless.