Ch. 30 Notes The War to End War Causes of WWI 1. Long term causes of WWI included European imperialism, militarism, nationalism and the formation of secret alliances. 2. Short-term causes of WWI were the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and the Austria-Hungarian Empire’s declaration of war against Serbia (secret alliances kicked in and causes all the other nations of Europe to pile on). The U.S.’s Entry into WWI 1. The U.S. tried to remain neutral during WWI but the sinking of civilian ships by the Germans, combined with the Zimmerman telegram, slowly swung public opinion towards support of the war. 2. The U.S. eventually entered the war after the Germans resumed unrestricted submarine warfare and sunk four unarmed U.S. merchant ships. 3. When asking Congress to declare war on Germany (April 2, 1917 – war was declared April 6, 1917), Wilson stated that the U.S. had to “make the world safe for democracy” – this goes along with his idea of moral or missionary diplomacy policy. WWI 1. By this time, the war on the western front of Europe had bogged down into a stalemate because of the use of trench warfare. 2. The industrial age had also allowed the various armies to develop new and improved ways of killing each other, which made it even more difficult to wage war (machine guns, poison gas, tanks, planes, etc.). America Prepares for War 1. The U.S. military was not prepared to enter the war and was forced to institute a draft because there was no other way to raise the number of troops that would be necessary. 2. In May of 1917 Congress passed the Selective Service Act to begin drafting men into the military – by the end of 1918, almost 3 million men had been drafted and around 2 million of them actually made it to Europe. 3. Conscription during this time will be different than during the Civil War because there were no provisions favoring the wealthy – you couldn’t pay someone to take your place or purchase an exemption. The Russian Revolution 1. During the early years of the war, Germany was forced to fight a two front war. 2. In February, 1917, the Russian Revolution begins – by March Czar Nicholas will be forced to abdicate his throne and a provisional government will be established. 3. The provisional government will keep Russia in the war, leading to the October Revolution led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks (communists). 4. The Bolsheviks will pull Russia out of the war in March of 1918, allowing the Germans to move troops to the western front. 5. This will increase the need for fresh troops from the U.s. on the western front. Vladimir Lenin War on the Home Front 1. Wilson was hesitant to extend the power of the federal government over the economy during the war. 2. Instead, most wartime mobilization agencies relied on voluntary compliance to prepare the economy for war. 3. As the war progressed, though, Wilson will use the federal government to manage the U.S.’s wartime production – this will set the precedent for the federal government to take a central role in economic planning during times of crisis. The Committee on Public Information 1. The Committee on Public Information was run by George Creel. 2. It’s job was to use propaganda to get the U.S. to support the war effort. 3. He persuaded many of the nation’s artists to create thousands of posters to promote the war. WWI Propaganda WWI Propaganda The War Industries Board 1. The War Industries Board will be create to encourage companies to use massproduction techniques in producing war materials – it had very limited powers. 2. Under the Board’s direction industrial production will increase around 20%. Unions and the War 1. At the start of the war, labor unions struggled. 2. The war led to an increase in inflation but not an increase in wages. 3. If workers went on strike, factory owners brought in strikebreakers or used violence against their own workers. 4. The federal government also still refused to recognize labor’s right to organize. The War Labor Board 1. The War Labor Board will be established to deal with disputes between management and labor – the government doesn’t want strikes to hamper the war effort. 2. The Board will press employers to grant concessions to labor including higher wages and an eight hour day. 3. The Industrial Workers of the World, or Wobblies, which had been formed in 1905, consisted of radical unionists, such as socialists, communists and anarchists – actually carried out acts of industrial sabotage during the war. The Wobblies The Espionage and Sedition Act 1. Congress passed the Espionage Act and Sedition Act to combat any type of anti-war sentiment. 2. The Espionage Act was aimed primarily at GermanAmericans and the Sedition Act was aimed at anyone who criticized the war effort – mainly social radicals, many who were immigrants. 3. These laws were used restrict civil liberties and to force loyalty and conformity upon the American pubic. 4. Even the 18th Amendment, which banned the manufacture or sell or alcohol, was influenced by antiGerman sentiment because many of the leading brewers were of German descent. Schenck v. U.S. 1. In 1918 Charles Schenck was arrested for handing out fliers protesting the draft. 2. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld his conviction, stating that during times of war, some things presented “a clear and present danger” to the country. “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism.” Woodrow Wilson, 1915 The Great Migration 1. During the war, as production increased in northern factories, many African Americans migrated north. 2. They went not only for the jobs, but to escape the segregation of the south. 3. However, when they arrived in the north, they faced racial violence as factory workers viewed them as competition for jobs, especially because African Americans were willing to work as strikebreakers. Women in the War 1. The shortage of labor will also necessitate women joining the labor force. 2. Their participation in the war effort will eventually lead to Woodrow Wilson supporting the 19th Amendment, which finally granted women’s suffrage in 1919. Paying for the War 1. Most of the money raised to finance WWI came from loans from the American public through the sell of war bonds. 2. The U.S. spend around $35.5 billion on the war effort – about 1/3 was raised through taxes, the rest came from the sell of bonds. War Bond Propaganda America in the War 1. American troops began arriving in Europe in the spring of 1918 under the leadership of John J. Pershing. 2. Their presence brought a much needed lift to the Allied forces on the western front. 3. These fresh reserves will eventually lead to the surrender of the Germans. 4. On November 11, 1918, at 11:00, the fighting finally ceased. The Peace Talks 1. The peace talks will be held at the Palace of Versailles in France. 2. It will be attended by the Big Four: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Woodrow Wilson of the U.S. David Lloyd George of Great Britain George Clemenceau of France Vittorio Orlando of Italy Germany will not even be allowed to attend. The Big Four 1. Wilson arrives in France with a plan already prepared – his 14 Points. 2. He wanted to abolish secret alliances, provide for freedom of the seas, provide for free trade, reduce all national armaments, prevent a seizure of territory by the victors and allow for selfdetermination for smaller European nations. 3. His main goal though was to create a League of Nations – help prevent future wars through diplomacy. Wilson’s 14 Points The Treaty of Versailles 1. The other allies have other goals in mind. 2. They want to force Germany to pay for the war, they want to acquire territory from the Central Powers and they want to make sure Germany isn’t able to wage war again. 3. In an effort to secure the League of Nations, Wilson eventually capitulates on most of his other points – this will be seen as a betrayal by many people, both in the U.S. and Europe. The Treaty of Versailles 1. Under the treaty, Germany will be forced to agree to a blame clause, stating that it’s the sole cause of the war. 2. Germany will be stripped of many of its valuable territories. 3. The bulk of Germany’s military will be disbanded and it will be forbidden to produce munitions. 4. The treaty is very harsh and is going to cause a huge amount of resentment in Germany and eventually help lead to WWII. U.S. Opposition to the Treaty of Versailles 1. When Wilson returns home, a group of Republican Senators led by Henry Cabot Lodge are going to oppose the treaty. 2. Their main fear is that our membership in the League of Nations will lead us into another foreign war – and Congress doesn’t want to give up it’s authority to declare war. Wilson’s Refusal to Compromise 1. Wilson is appalled by the lack of support in the Senate and decides to appeal to the U.S. public. 2. He goes on a speaking tour to gather public support for the treaty. 3. Already ill, he collapses in Colorado – several days later in Washington D.C., he suffers a stroke. 4. When the Senate votes on a modified version of the treaty, Wilson gets the Democrats to defeat it (twice). The Presidential Election of 1920 1. In the presidential election of 1920, the Republicans will nominate Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. 2. The Democrats will nominate James Cox. 3. The major issue is the League of Nations. 4. The Republicans win, largely on Harding’s promise of a “Return to Normalcy” and the League of Nations is now dead. 5. The U.S. will not ratify the Treaty of Versailles an will later sign a separate treaty with Germany.