Iris Feng
Ch 23 America and the Great War
Opening (613)
I was surprised that minor conflict b/t
2 nations could flick the fire among the
most powerful European countries,
including Japan. The main reason why
Brit, Fran and Russ joined the war was
because their opponent, German,
sided w. Serbia. All these nations
wanted to be the preeminent
nationand winning this war would
give them the “supreme” position.
America, of course, also wanted to be
involved in the war and exert political
and $ influence especially when it saw
it was a good oppor for its $/trading
w/ the elite nations.
MI WWIa massive great war
involving the most powerful nations in
the world – putting the world in
danger
 1917, Europe @ the verge of
collapsing
 CasualtiesGermany-2mill,
Russia-1.7 mill, France 1.4 mill,
Great Brit-900,000↓ in
popu
 Political, social, $ ↓
 Caused international
instability and led to another
greater problemWWII
MI America ↑ in power and in some
way benefited from the Great War,
but also devastated the beliefs of
some Americans.
 Only 112,000 Ame soldiers did
(most from disease)
 Created a source of industrial
boominternational
dominance
 Destroyed the hope of
progressives.
In the August of 1914, a conflict happened in Europe led to an international involvement and
later an instability in world in social, political, and $ issues. America wanted to watch the war
from an outsider’s point of view, but later its intervention also resulted booms and busts in
many issues.
KT
Competing Alliances
(614)
The major powers were organized into 2 alliances
 Triple Entente: Brit, France, Russia (Allie to Ame)
 Triple Alliance: Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy (Central
Powers to Ame)
Supposedly the War started w/ the assassination of a Austro-Hungarian
leader in the region of Serbia
 A-H-support from Triple Entente, esp Bri
 Serbia-support from Triple Alliance, esp Germany
Iris Feng
$ Ties to Britain
Lusitania (615)
1916 Elections
Events Pushed to the
War (616)
Stalemate
Russian Revolution
(617)
Selective Service Act
AFE (618)
General John
Pershing
Chateau-Thierry
(619)
Meuse-Argonne
Offensive
High Casualty Rates
(620)
Soon almost all and part of Asia were involved (allied) WWI
Wilson called neutrality, but it was impossible b/c Irish/Germans hated
Brit; Wilson and others admired Eng culture; most imp ~ America
ignored Brit’s naval blockade to German b/c it couldn’t stop the trading w/
Brit, which ↑ Ame $!!!
Ger couldn’t fight w/ Brit navy, so created submarines to sink Brit ships,
i.e. ~, which contained 1,000s of Brit passengers, munitions, and
Ameangered Ame, who demanded angered Ame again and demanded
German to abandon its “unlawful” tactic.
German believed the incident didn’t yet draw Ame to the War.
Wilson 1st support pacifist, but since tension grew b/t Ame & Ger, he
shifted to the pro-war sidewon the reelection w/ a SUPER CLOSE
votesDemo had a very unstable control over Congress. Wilson then
justified the war w/ spreading democracy, new world order, and ending in
peace w/ no materials gains.
 Ger planned attacks in France and use of submarine to destroy
ships of Allies & Ame
 Zimmermann (German) wrote to Mexico about allying w/ Ger and
get land of Ame in return
 A new Repu govt of Russia formed, which left no concerns to Ame
about allying w/ a monarchy
Wilson proposed D of War; despite oppo, finally passed on Apr 6, 1917.
Both side suffered great casualties. Brit was desperate about the help of
Ame, which Wilson was willing to give.
Ame helped Allies (Bri) greatly on naval warfare. But soon it realized it was
not enough to help the devastated Allies w/ the new Russ gov freeing
Germeaning more Ger soldiers on the line.
Ame was in need of men. Passed ~  3 mill men to army, and 2 mill to
other armed services voluntarity 2gether, formed American
Expeditionary Force (AFE). 1st time 4 Ame fight in great #s over seaharsh
conditionsdemanded French inspections on diseases.
Women-1st time ~ allowed in military. No combat, but hospitals + offices.
A-A- Army or Navy, but not Marine. Still segregated, no combat. Punished
harshly for revolting
Psychologists gave IQ tests created by mid-classtested edu instead of
intelligenceblacks/uneducated were tested as morons.
Ame soon had enough #s to fight in the spring of 1918, and the war was
over 8 months later (brief) . Under ~, Ame AEF joined Allied forces.
June 1918, Ame @ ~ helped French against Ger. 6 wks later, turned away
another assault @ Rheims. Allie-begin to have a successful offensive
Sep 26, Ame fought against Ger @ Argonne Forest – 7 wks. By Oct, pushed
Ger back to their land and cut their supplies. Used more ammunition in 7
wks then 4 yrs Ame Civil War. Ger was threatened @ their own
landwanted armistice and negotiationsAllies agreedNov 11, 1918,
Great War (WWI) came to an end.
New tech (airplanes-simple; navy, most modern (i.e. Brit Dreadnought-led
to new tech like electric light, wireless telegraphy; submarines. All~
Iris Feng
Sell “liberty Bonds” Ame ($23 mill)
Tax (corporation, graduated income, inheritance tax  70%) ($10mill)
Tried 2 approaches. 1st, Wilson est Council of National Defense and local
defense councils to divide power among the communitiesfailed b/c
many members believed in centralizationformation of “war boards” –
each supervise a specific sec of $ (i.e. railroad, food)
War Industries Board Est July 1917, led by Bernard Baruch buy military supplies (decide which
factory it uses, set price)seemed like centralized regu of $ but in fact it
partnered w/ corporation (Baruch ensured manufactures who fulfill his
goal cn b spared from antitrust law).
Gov worked w/ private inst for a mutually beneficial adv angered progr.
Lessons of the
Success –Hoover’s efficient food supplies, McAdoo’s in railroad. Still many
Managed $ (622)
supplies were still not ready by the time the war was over. Some from gov
and corpor believed in adv of a close rela w/t public and private.
Ludlow Massacre
Est national War Labor Board to protect rights of labors, but not all the
(623)
time. ~ started w/ a strike of coal mine owned by Rockefeller. State militia
were called to protect workers but they became strikebreaker and killed
39 ppl including kids.
“Great Migration”
$ - boom; Indus, agri, manuf, jobs, also inflation .
Socially- ~ AA moved from rural S to Indus cities. Push: poverty, debt,
racism, violence. Pull: $, oppo of N; live in communities-freedom.
Resulted in race riots. white mob attacked AA neighborhood.
Women
B or W face  in oppo in Indus after men left 4 war. Some took adv and
spoke 4 W’s rights. Women in Industry Board b.came W’s Bureau later.
Women’s Peace
Many shared peace idea esp W when war was intensified in Euro. However
Party (624)
when Ame got involved many W supported it – National American W
Suffrage Asso led by Catt. Some also opposed – Addams, Gilman and these
peace activists believed in moral maternal basis of pacifism.
CPI (625)
In an effort to get all public support, ~ Committee on Public Info passed
pro-war books, reasons for war, war posters, and propaganda pics of
German savage.
Espionage Act
1917penalty for spying, sabotage, or obstruction of war effort.
Then passed Sedition and Sabotage in 1918 make illegal of anything
against war effort & allow officials to arrest any1 who does it (i.e. Eugene
Debs sentenced to deathmobs sprang up to “punish” those against
warAmerican Protective League formed to influence their
neighborhood’s opinion on prowar.
100 % Americanism
Many were target of the , esp immigrants (b/c irish hatred against Brit,
(628)
Jews against Russ), out of them, Ger-Ame suffered the most: music,
language banned; fired; violence.
Wilson’s idealistic
Jan 8, 191814 Points 4 postwar settlement (8 recommend about post
Visions
war boundary and new nations replacing the losing countries) (5 principles
of interna. Affairs: freedom of the seas, open treaties, reduction in
ammunition, free trade, impartial mediation of colonial claims.) (1 more
proposal to help nations to apply these).
Flaws: no how to “self-determ.; little about $. But used @ the time & by
generations; reflected progr.
Financing the War
(621)
Organizing the $
Iris Feng
Lenin’s Challenge
Obstacles of Wilson
(629)
The Big Four
Wilson’s Retreat
(630)
Reparations
League of Nations
Wilson’s
Intransigence (613)
Henry Cabot lodge
League Membership
Rejected
New Social
Environment (623)
Postwar Recession
Seattle Strike
Boston Police Strike
(633)
Steelworkers’ Strike
New Black Attitude
Chicago Race Riots
(635)
Lenin passed st rly similar to Wilson’s proposal b4 he did. Announced 14
pts to make sure the world looked to US for postwar guidance.
Wilson’s peace plan faced both aboard and domestic ~
Allied Intransigence-Allied didn’t like Ame kept a distance and separated
soldiers from them. Also they wanted to get st out of the Germ
Domestic-Wilson appealed the plan to AMe @ the wrong time, Repub’s
victory in Congress. But Wilson believed he would influence his oppo.
Paris Peace Conferece on Dec 13, 1918. Lloyd George- Brit. ClemenceauFrance, Orlando-Italy, Wilson-US. Russ was unrepresented. B4 coming to
Paris, Wilson sent troops to Russ to assist White anti-Bolsheviks Russ
against new gov. relationship b/t US and Russ weas not stored till 1933.
The peace plan faced assault @ Paris negotiation: Refused free freedom
overseas, free trade, and open covenants (since the nego itself was
private, impartial mediation was refused (Wilson forced to accept
Germans colonies to Jap promised by Brit). But did protect many colonies
under L of Nations and prevented Germ from breaking into states, and
formed nations to replace Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Wilson oppo reparation/compensation from Central Powers and ultimately
gave in$9 mill. ~ also included $ and territorial gains which made sure
Germ could not rise as a powerful nation ever again.
Wilson’s most imp accomplishment in the postwar effortest ~ to
oversee world affairs and prevent wars. (US, Brit, France, Italy, Jap)
He brought Treaty of Versailles (changed a lil from L of N) to US,  arose
great oppo in Ame. Wilson refused to make any compromise. Many
senates took this issue to strength Repub Party.
Senator of MA, friend of Roosevelt, hated Wilson. When majority of public
favored ratification, Lodge took his time and waited 4 oppo.
Wilson got rly ill in 1919, but he still insisted on the original treaty and
called Demo to reject amended one. By now public was more concerned
w/ other crisis than peace issue.
Unlike what progr and most Ame predicted, the ~ turned out to b a severe
postwar recession, mid-class hostility, repression, and reaction
Wartime boom  when war suddenly stopped. 1919-1920 Demands were
cut, inflation, price  by 15%, farmers lost land, bankruptcy, lost jobs.
Involved the entire city, got help from US Marines to keep the city running.
The brief success of strike influenced the country.
Sep, 1920. Led by Boston police chaos in Boston b/c no one is keeping
control. Called National Guard 4 help and ultimately fired all police.
Sep 1919, greatest strike in Ame history. 350,000 steelworker in the nation
stopped work and demanded 8 hr and regco of union. ~-->mostly
employers-violent and hired guards, and used nonunion labor. Strikers
attracted hostile public opinion and were defeated.
AA fought in War had no affect on Whites attitude, but changed ~:
 determi of rights, wanted reward 4 their effort,  in $ , &social status.
S -  lynching, violence. N – no job as W veterans returned. Summer of
1919, a B boy swam in W’s area, later was drowned. Riots broke b/t W and
B where W openly shot. Imp-involved B fighting BACK!!!
Iris Feng
Marcus Garvey’s
Black nationalism
Popular
Antiradicalism (637)
Palmer Raids
Sacco and Vanzetti
19th Amendment
(638)
Return to
“Normalcy” (638)
Garvey- be proud of African heritage, and no assimilation. He organized
United Negro Improvement Assorun B business.
Ame Communist Party (allied w/ radical immigrants), influenced by Russ,
started in 1919racials-bombing  ~ among Ames who reinforced 100%
Americanismdestroyed radical newspaper, books, members. Most
radical concentrated in the gov. Created Red Scare.
Showed the weapons used3 pistols and no dynamite.
Italian immigrants accused of a murderno solid evi, but since both were
anarchists, sentenced to death b4 a trial. Public sympathy arose and
demanded a trial, but all refused. Died in 1927 on electric chair. Created
negativity for Red Scare.
Aug 26, 1920, promising W’s right to vote, was in the COnsti. Soon Shepard
Towner maternity and Infancy Act of 1921 passed to support fund of
health of W and Child. Cable Act of 1922 made W’s right of US citizenship
indep from their husband’s status. But w/ $ , W’s demand, labor strikes,
racism, and antiradicalism  ~ was like an ending of Reform.
Election of 1920: Demo instisted on Wilson’s referendum of League of
Nations; Rep – Warren Gamaliel Harding promised ~. Harding won and
Repu controlled Congress.