Chapter 10: The World War I Era
Section 1: The Road to War
Pages 309 - 312.
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand will visit Sarajevo, Bosnia.
-The 1st assassination attempt:
--A bomb thrown by a terrorist will bounce off his car into another car injuring
two of his aids.
-The 2nd attempt:
--Gavrilo Princip, age 19, will shot and kill the archduke and his wife.
Causes of World War I
There were several underlying causes to the 'Great War'.
-Imperialism
--Rivalries within Europe over territory.
-Militarism
--A policy that involved aggressively building up a nation's armed forces in
preparation for war.
-Nationalism (Two Kinds)
--Tendency for countries to act in their own national interest. (Conflict
between other nation's interest.)
--Countries with diverse populations. The longing of an ethnic minority for
independence often led to violence.
-Alliances
--Bound nations to come to each other's aid in the event of an attack.
The Conflict Expands
-Bosnia was the focal point of a nationalist dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.
--Was annexed by Austria-Hungary.
-On July 28, 1914, A-H declared war on Serbia.
-July 29, 1914, Russia began to mobilize.
-Germany demanded they stop.
-France began to mobilize.
-August 1st, Germany declared war on Russia.
-German plan called the Schliffen Plan.
--Called for a quick sweep through France to knock the French out of the war. Then
turn toward Russia.
--Had to pass through Belgium to get to France.
--Germany will invade Belgium bringing Britain into the war on August 4.
-Central Powers
--Austria-Hungary and Germany.
-Allies
--Russia, France, Serbia, Britain.
Stalemate
-Experts believed the war would last only six (6) weeks.
-The two sides will reach a stalemate.
-Machine guns, long-range artillery will halt advances.
-Germany will only get within 30 miles of Paris.
-At the end of 1914, the Ottoman Empire will enter the war on the side of Germany.
-Spring 1915, Italy will join the Allies.
Modern Warfare
-The youth of Europe were eager for a chance of glory and to be heroic.
-In the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the British will suffer some 20,000 deaths in a
single day.
The American Response
-Most Americans opposed the Central Powers.
-Saw the Germans as a people of frightening militarism and cold-blooded efficiency.
-Trade strongly influenced the American position on the war.
-To protect investments, President Wilson on August 4, 1914, proclaimed the U.S. a
neutral country and will try to act as peacemaker.
-Those with strong commercial ties to Britain urged for preparedness.
-December 1914, the National Security League was formed.
-A peace movement was started by the Populists, Progressives and Social Reformers.
Chapter 10: The World War I Era
Section 2: The U.S. Declares War
Pages 314 - 316.
German Submarine Warfare
-One action that will provoke the U.S. will be the German use of submarine warfare.
-U-boats issued no warning to targets. Unheard during this time.
-On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania will be destroyed. Killing almost 1,200 passengers.
(128 Americans).
-March 24, 1916, the Sussex, a French passenger ship will be destroyed. The U.S.
will threaten to cut diplomatic ties with Germany.
-The Sussex Pledge, the German gov't will promise the U.S. that they will warn ships
first.
Moving Toward War
-Election of 1916, Wilson ran on the slogan "He kept us out of the war."
-Feb. 1, 1917, Germany violates the Sussex Pledge.
-Feb. 3, U.S. will break off diplomatic relations with Germany.
-The Zimmerman Note:
--A proposed German alliance with Mexico against the U.S.
Revolution in Russia
-1917, Russian casualties:
--1.8 million killed
--2.4 million P.O.W.
--2.8 million killed or wounded.
-March 1917, Czar Nicholas II forced to give up power.
-Will be replaced with a republican gov't.
War Resolution
-Between March 16 & 18, Germany sank the U.S. ships City of Memphis, Illinois, and
Vigilancia.
-March 20, President's Cabinet will vote for war.
-Sent to Congress on April 2nd.
-Signed by President on April 6, 1917.
Chapter 10: The World War I Era
Section 3: Americans on the European Front
Pages 317 - 321.
The Allies desperately needed replacement troops.
June 1917, a small American force sent to Europe under command of General John J.
"Blackjack" Pershing.
Preparing for Action
-Congress sent naval support, supplies, arms and $3 billion in loans to the Allies.
-Pershing recommended that the army should number 1 million by 1918, and 3 million in
1919. They only
had 120,000 regular army and 80,000 National Guard.
-May 1917, Selective Service Act.
--Authorized the Draft.
-By Nov. 1918, 24 million men had registered.
-Volunteers and National Guard made up the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).
-Thousands of women will serve.
--11,000, volunteered as nurses, drivers, and clerks.
--14,000 will volunteer to serve abroad as civilians working for the gov't.
The Convoy System
-April 1917, German U-boats will sink 430 Allied and neutral ships.
-May 1917, all merchant and troop ships traveled in convoy.
--A group of unarmed ships surrounded by warships.
American Soldiers in Europe
-The AEF were kept independent from the Allied armies.
-Pershing wanted to save his men's strength for offensive moves.
--(American infantrymen were called doughboys.)
-More than 300,000 African-Americans will serve.
-4,000 will be killed or wounded. Most never saw action, but were used for manual
labor.
-The 369th Infantry Regiment "Harlem Hell Fighters," were loaned to the French.
--The entire regiment received France's highest combat medal, the Croix de Guerre.
Turning the Tide of War
-Nov. 1917, followers of Vladimir Lenin, called Bolsheviks, will overthrow the Russian
gov't.
-Lenin makes peace with Germany on March 3, 1918.
Americans Save Paris
-Battle of Chateau-Thierry, early June, will lose over half of their troops in order
to save Paris.
-This began to turn the tide of the war.
Allied Counterattack
-The Allies used the tank to break the German lines. (Page 321)
-Wanted total surrender.
-Battle of St. Mihiel. Germans will be ousted from a long-held positions.
German army in full retreat.
Ending the War
-Armistice
--A cease fire on Nov. 11, 1918.
--More than 50,000 Americans died in battle, many more from disease.
-Total death toll of 8 million soldiers and sailors (estimate).
-More than 5,000 soldiers killed on each day of the war.
-Millions of civilians died during and after the fighting, from starvation, disease,
or war-related injuries.
Chapter 10: The World War I Era
Section 4: On the Home Front.
Pages 322 - 325.
Financing the War
-Liberty Bonds
--Special war bonds sold to support the Allied cause.
--Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo's idea.
--Raised more than $20 billion.
Managing the Economy
-Industry was converted to produce war goods.
-A War Industries Board created under control of Bernard Baruch.
--Oversaw war-related production.
-A War Trade Board, licensed foreign trade and punished firms dealing with the enemy.
-A National War Labor Board, April 1918, under control of former President Taft,
worked
to settle any labor disputes.
-A War Labor Policies Board, headed by Felix Frankfurter, set standard wages, hours,
and conditions.
Regulation of Food and Fuel Consumption
-August 1917, the Lever Food and Fuel Consumption Act.
-Manage the production and distribution of foods and fuels.
-Under Herbert Hoover, the Food Administration worked to increase agricultural output
and decrease waste.
--Imposed price controls, a system of pricing determined by the gov't.
--Imposed a system of rationing, distributing goods to consumers in a fixed amount.
-Fuel Administration sponsored gasless days and begun the practice of Daylight Savings
Time in order to lower fuel consumption.
Enforcing Loyalty
-News and information came under federal control during the war. They imposed
censorship.
-1917, George Creel headed the Committee on Public Information.
--To rally popular support for the war. (Short films, pamphlets and posters.)
-The National Security League.
--1917, literacy test for immigrants.
"Hate the Hun"
-People began calling the Germans Huns, an Asiatic people who brutally invaded Europe
in the fourth and fifth century.
-German composers and musicians were banned.
-German measles became "Liberty Measles."
-The Hamburger became the "Liberty Sandwich."
Repression of Civil Liberties
-1917, Espionage Act, made it illegal to interfere with the draft.
-Amended in 1918 by the Sedition Act.
--Sedition: speech or actions that encourage rebellion.
-Made it illegal to obstruct the sale of bonds or to discuss anything "disloyal,
profane, or abusive" about the American gov't, the Constitution, or the army and navy.
-1,500 prosecutions; 1,000 convictions.
Due to the lack of able bodied workers, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and
Women
gained positions in the work force.
-1917, Eighteenth Amendment passed.
--Illegal to manufacture, sell or transport alcohol in the U.S.
--Alcohol used a lot of grain that could be used to make bread.
Chapter 10: The World War I Era
Section 5: Global Peacemaker
Pages 328 - 332.
Vision for Peace
-Wilson's program was called the Fourteen Points.
--First end entangling alliances.
--Remove trade barriers.
--Reduce armaments and armies.
--Protection of self-determination.
The Paris Peace Conference
-Jan. 1919, international peace conference held in Paris.
-Wilson did not expect the U.S. to gain any territory. His only goal was to establish
a permanent agency to guarantee international stability.
-The allies were interested in spoils.
-Wanted to divide up the German colonies.
-Pressed for total humiliation, if not destruction, of Germany.
League of Nations
-Wilson will produce a plan for the League of Nations, an organization in which the
nations of the world would join together to ensure security and peace for all members.
-The heart of the proposal was Article 10: Members of the League would have to regard
an attack on one member as an attack on all.
-The League will have no military power.
-U.S. politicians feared that the article would be used to drag the U.S. into unpopular
foreign wars.
The Peace Treaty
-New nations of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia created.
-France insisted on German war guilt and reparations of $33 billion.
-June 28, 1919, Treaty of Versailles signed.
Seeking Approval at Home
-Some opposed the treaty because it include the U.S. in the League.
-Treaty voted on in Nov. 1919, and again in March of 1920 and will not win approval.
-On May 20, 1920, Congress voted to declare the war over. Wilson vetoed.
-July 2, 1921, Congress voted again and the war will officially be over in America.
(Signed by Pres. Harding)