THE GREAT WAR
How Civilian America Won the War
Three Branches of Historical Inquiry
Military History
Political and
Foreign Relations
Social and Cultural
Military History
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Four million “Doughboys” served in the US Army.
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Over 100,000 men died in service.
Rapid Technological Advances
Searchlight
 Tanks/Submarines
 Zeppelins/Airplanes
 Poison Gas
 Machine Gun
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Radio/Movie Reels
“Civilian” war
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Bombing of London, Paris, Berlin
Political and Foreign Relations
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US Enters the War!
February 3, 1917 - The United States
severs diplomatic ties with Germany
after a U-Boat sinks the American grain
ship Housatonic. Seven more American
ships are sunk in February and March as
the Germans sink 500 ships in just sixty
days.
April 2, 1917 - President Woodrow
Wilson appears before the U.S.
Congress and gives a speech saying
"the world must be made safe for
democracy" then asks the Congress for
a declaration of war against Germany.
April 6, 1917 - The United States of
America declares war on Germany.
June 25, 1917 - The first American
troops land in France.

“Over There”
 http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/ov
erthere.htm
Civilian America Enters the War!
The U.S. Home Front

Contextualization
 Imperialism
and the Spanish American War
 Surge in Immigration from 1890s-1924. Nativism
surges.
 Labor unrest
 Women’s suffrage
 Changes
in women’s tactics and leadership
 Progressivism
 Rationalism
and the Modern Scientific Home
 Medical advances
Women and the War
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Woman’s Committee for the Council of National Defense
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April of 1917, the Council of National Defense realized the need
to mobilize the women of the nation for wartime service and to
preserve the home
Involved in every aspect of home-front service
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Food Supply and Nutrition
Registering Women for Service—connections to other women’s groups
Red Cross Medical Relief—making supplies
Industries—airplanes, uniforms, materials.
Focusing on Children’s Health—Creation of health clinics, SheppardTowner Act (1921)
Mobilizing Nurses
Spanish Flu Relief Work
Children and the War
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Children were involved specifically with food and food conservation efforts.
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Will you have it said that little Karl in Germany, or little Marie in France, or little
Lucia in Italy has a braver heart than you? The little German boy or girl when
told he can have no bread says, ‘It is for Germany.’ The little French boy or girl
when told he can have no bread says, ‘It is for France.’ The little English boy or
girl when told he can have no bread says, ‘It is for England.’ You American boys
and girls can say more than ‘It is for America.’ You can say, ‘It is for freedom. It
is for liberty. It is for the whole world. We will gladly give up anything you ask.
Our hearts are as brave as French hearts. They are as brave as English hearts,
as brave as German hearts, as brave as Belgian hearts, as brave as Italian
hearts. We are glad to give up wheat.

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn! The cook’s using wheat where she ought to
use corn! And terrible famine our country will sweep, If the cooks and the
housewives remain fast asleep! Go wake them! Go wake them! It’s now up to
you! Be a loyal American, Little Boy Blue!
The Treaty of Versailles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles
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Based on Wilson’s famous “Fourteen Points” speech given in
January of 1918 before Armistice was declared in the fall of
that year.
“Big Four” negotiated…France, United Kingdom, Italy, and U.S.
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Wanted to open trading to Germany
Reparations too costly for Germany
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War Casualties
Article 231—War Guilt Cause—Germany accountable for damage to Allies
civilian populations.
Occupation of the Rhineland by Allied soldiers for 15 years.
Major disarmament for Germany.
Treaty never ratified by US Senate
Germany NOT allowed to attend.
The Obligations of Citizenship
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For civilian America:
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Women—19th Amendment
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African Americans
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Espionage and Sedition Act. 1917-1918
Beginnings of socialized health care
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Uprisings—Tulsa, East St. Louis
Socialists, Labor Leaders, Immigrants
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More opportunities in education and business
The end of Maternal Feminism and the rise of the “New Woman”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheppard%E2%80%93Towner_Act
War Veterans:
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The Bonus Army
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43,000 marchers, 17,000 World War I veterans of the American Expeditionary Forces
Spring and Summer of 1932, Great Depression
Demanded service certificates be redeemed early before 1945.
Marchers camp out around Washington, DC.
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President Hoover orders US Army to expel marchers and burn shanty towns. Two veterans are killed by US Army.
Sets social context in America until Pearl Harbor.
So What? What’s the Significance?
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Technological Changes
Creation of World Powers
Expectations of U.S.
Redefining Citizenship
Military/Weaponry Advances
“Old World” and “New World” Ideas of
Government
Rights and Responsibilities of the Citizenry
Advancements in Health and Nutrition