American History
Unit 4: World War One
Overview and Insights
Mr. Chortanoff
Chapter 22
Why was the leader of WWI France
buried standing up facing east toward
Germany?
Big Idea:
1. WWI advanced modern warfare and became the
starting point for future conflict in Europe.
2. The American Home Front contribute to the
war effort, and the American people
simultaneously struggled with many domestic
issues centered on race, gender, economics,
culture, and social standards.
Unit Essential Question:
1. How did WWI advance modern warfare and
elevate the status of the US as a world power?
2. What were the contributions and conflicts at the
American Home Front?
America’s role
in WWI (aka
the “Great
War"
1. How would you
summarize the
causes of WWI
and America’s
entry?
2. How would you 1. How would you describe the
compare and
American Home Front?
contrast the
(mobilization, financing,
Allies and the
women’s role, leadership)
Central Powers? 2. How would you describe the
nature of the fighting in WWI?
What was the basic strategy,
tactics, and weaponry of the
men at arms?
WWI
3 Concepts
WWI
WWI
Prewar
Conflicts and
Causes of WWI
The Effects of
the WWI/the
“Great War”
1. What were the short
term effects of WWI
on the world?
2. What do you predict
were the important
long term effects of
WWI on the world?
3. How would you
summarize the
conclusion of the war
and the Versailles
Peace Treaty?
Europe on the eve of World War I (1914-1918)
Yellow: Central Powers
Blue: Allies
Grey: Neutral
Europe
Goes
to War: US
not until
April of
1917
Militarism/Arms Race
Causes of World
War I
Long Term:
Alliance System
Imperialism
Industrialization/Global
Competition
Causes of
WWI
Assassination of
Austrian Heir to the
throne, Archduke
Franz Ferdinand in
Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Short
Term:
Poor
Communication
Systems /
Diplomacy
Mobilizations of
Armies and
Declarations of War
WAR
Staying Neutral in a World Conflict
•
•
•
Neutrality is
hard to
maintain with
many
Americans
choosing sides
Germany’s
actions turn
America
toward Britain
Americans
debate their
nation’s role in
world affairs
and the
country’s
preparedness
Americans
learn of the
Zimmerman
Telegram
Germany
renews its
submarine
warfare
Wilson issues
a final plea
for peace
Wilson
breaks off
diplomatic
relations
with
Germany
Germans sink
several
American
merchant
ships and the
Lusitania
Russian
Revolution
drives the
czar from
power and
the
Communists
start a civil
war in Russia
America
enters
the WWI
Nature of Fighting in WWI
• BASIC STRATEGY: CONQUER LAND, DESTROY
ENEMY ARMY, AND HOME FRONT
• BRUTAL LAND BATTLES; ONE MAJOR NAVAL
BATTLE (JUTLAND, near Denmark)
• NATIONALISTIC/RACIST/ETHNIC TENSION
• MASSIVE, CONSCRIPTED ARMIES
• MILLION MEN ARMIES FIGHT BLOODY BATTLES
• FOUGHT IN EUROPE, ALL OCEANS, MIDDLE EAST
• NEW/MODERN WEAPONS, BUT USED OLD
TACTICS = SLAUGHTER OF TRENCH WARFARE.
• SUBS, BATTLESHIPS, TANKS, PLANES, BARBED
WIRE, ARTILLARY, GAS, MACHINE GUNS,
TELEGRAPH, WIRELESS TELEGRAPH (RADIO)
Nature of the HOME FRONT:
Social Change During the Period of Neutrality
• Blacks move North lured by defense jobs, but face continued
discrimination
• Motion pictures attract large audiences and turn actors into
“Movie Stars.”
• Victorian Age is ending. Sexual attitudes undergo change;
many conservatives are concerned about liberal dress,
conduct of women and men. Teenagers are recognized.
• Wilson calls on Europeans to achieve “Peace Without Victory”
German resumption of unrestricted warfare pulls America
into war
Congress declares war on Germany on April 6, 1917
• Reality dashes hopes of sending aid but not troops, and
Selective Service Act is passed
• Training of troops and implementation of convoy system begin
Continued: A Nation at War
• Taxes and Liberty Bond sales finance war
• Herbert Hoover runs program to supply food to Allies and farm prices
increase
• Prohibition becomes law amidst war (Progressives also push for
suffrage)
• Federal government forms business-government partnership to manage
war and keep Americans behind war effort
• Racial tensions increase, but African Americans fully support war effort
• Women fill jobs in defense industries and finally gain right to vote
• Wilson supports laws that curtail rights
• Animosity toward German Americans increases
– (change names of food –”Liberty Cabbage”, not sauerkraut), ban on
school teaching German, towns change names…
• Liberty Bonds were sold to pay for the war….not like today!
™
Before 1920: Women’s Suffrage by State:
Green = No Suffrage
Red = Complete Suffrage (national, state, local)
March of Woman Suffrage.
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Election of 1916
Candidates for 1916 Election:
Wilson (Dem) 277 Electoral Votes, 9.1 Million Popular Votes
Hughes (Rep) 254 Electoral Votes, 8.5 Million Popular Votes
Conclusion
• Wilson proposes Fourteen Points in hopes of bringing permanent
peace to Europe
• Wilson is re-elected but distances himself from Republicans
• Wilson travels to Europe to participate in peace negotiations
himself, but Russians are absent due to civil war at home
• Wilson is unhappy with harshness of terms for Germany, but gives
in to obtain League of Nations
• President tours country to gain support for treaty, but suffers
massive stroke
• Senate Republicans block treaty, both because of Wilson’s
obstinance and because of fear of League of Nations
• Adjusting to peace is difficult, with labor unrest, inflation, and
influenza (world wide problem!)
• Progressivism declines after woman suffrage and prohibition
become law (did our job!?)
• Racial violence and a Red Scare contribute to unrest
• Warren G. Harding wins 1920 election by promising a “return to
normalcy”
FYI: Russian Revolution
• How does Russia makes a separate peace with
the Central Powers?
– The Bolsheviks (Reds Army) seize power (win)
– Kill the Royal (White Army) family
– V.I. Lenin opposes the war
– Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ends Russia’s participation
– Germany moves all of its armies to the Western
Front to overwhelm the Allies
– Civil War ensues for years, killing millions
Effects of WWI
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Short Term:
New World Order replaces the ( Old World Order of postNapoleonic generation of international relations)
9 Million men die in battle
Millions of civilians die
Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands in ruins
Many people lose faith in humanity to peacefully co-exist
American are praised as heroes/liberators/powerful
American Expeditionary Force (AEF) prove their worth in battle
Harlem Hell Fighters do, too (African Americans, too)
Federal Government regulates much of the war time economy
Federal Government and others raise Patriotism via cartoons and
posters to purchase war bonds, encourage conservation, growing a
“Victory garden,” and enlisting in the military.
Long Term: You tell me.
1. Fourteen
Points
2. “Peace
Without
Victory!”
Wilson’s Peace Goals:
Other Allies’ Goals:
Paris Peace
Conference:
1919
BIG FOUR decide key issues:
1. America’s Woodrow Wilson
2. Britain’s David Lloyd George
3. France’s George Clemenceau
4. Italy’s Vittorio Orlando
1. Large German
Reparations
2. War Guilt Clause
for Germany
3. Disarm Germany
1. Congress rejects
the Versailles
Treaty and
opposes the
League or Nations
Treaty of Versailles:
1. Harsh terms for
Germany
2. Self-determination
for Eastern Europe
3. League of Nations
Europe after the
Peace Conference,
1920
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American Participation on the Western Front
Europe and the
Near East After
the First World
War