The First World War: The Great War? War to End All Wars?
Chapters 22-25 History Alive!, Ch. 11 Americans
History Alive!
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War
p. 283-291
“Was it in the national interest of the US to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?”
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War
p. 293-301
“How was World War I different from previous wars?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front
p. 303-313
“How did Americans on the home front support or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 25: The Treaty of Versailles: Ratify or Reject?
p. 315-323
“Should the US have ratified or rejected the Treaty of Versailles?”
The Americans, Ch. 11
Section 1: World War I Begins
Section 2: American Power Tips the Balance
Section 3: The War at Home
Section 4: Wilson Fights for Peace
p. 372-380
p. 381-387
p. 388-397
p. 398-403
Socratic-like Circle
Scoring Rubric
(40 major points)
Content
10/9 -displays an extensive command of accurate historic information
-examples, elaborations, connections, & comparisons are detailed & relevant
-analysis of issues and events, plus their effects, show a high level of
thought/insight
Speaking & Listening Skills
10/9 -contributions are delivered with highly effective volume & clarity
- eye contact & body language show engagement & active listening
-verbal contributions reflect awareness of others’ points of view
Preparation & Reflection
10/9 -extensive written evidence of planning in anticipation of performance
-multiple perspectives & opposing points of view are considered & addressed
- comments (written or verbal) show growth and/or a deepening of thought
FYI: “Advanced” criteria & points are given as a “target.”
Proficient (8/7) or basic scores (6) will be applied when inside circle performance
exhibits effort, but does not demonstrate mastery of all of the expectations for
each scoring category.
History Alive!
Ch. 22-25
Introductions & Summaries
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War p. 283-291
“Was it in the national interest of the US to stay neutral or declare war in
1917?”
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War p. 293-301
“How was World War I different from previous wars?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front
p. 303-313
“How did Americans on the home front support or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 25: The Treaty of Versailles: Ratify or Reject?
p. 315-323
“Should the US have ratified or rejected the Treaty of Versailles?”
Socratic-like Circle
• An informal discussion arrangement with a small inner CIRCLE of students,
surrounded by the rest of the remaining class.
• ALL students should be prepared to enter the INNER circle and participate by
asking and/or answering questions, while the larger population also
participates by observing & taking “note” of what is being discussed
• Prepare by reviewing & organizing notes, re-reading texts, watching videos,
etc…THINK about what you want to say and LISTEN to what is being said by
your fellow “student teachers.”
*Planning WORKSHEET should be “FILLED” by Wednesday, 11/5!
Socratic Circle Performances begin Wednesday-Monday, 11/6-11/10
Socratic-like Circle Preparations
1. HIGHLIGHT chapter, then WRITE & EXPLAIN your “decision” (ANSWER) to the focus question.
Ch. 22: Neutrality to War (p. 283-291) “Was it in the US national interest to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?”
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War (p. 293-301) “How was World War I different from previous wars?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front (p. 303-313) “How did Americans on the home front support or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 25: Versailles: Ratify or Reject? (p. 315-323) “Should the US have ratified or rejected Treaty of Versailles?"
1. My initial response & reasoninginterpretations, opinions, & ideas:
What do you THINK is the “RIGHT” answer to the question? WHY?
Do you have examples and explanations for your written answer?
2. What issues, concepts, conflicts, or debatable topics do you wish to DISCUSS? List ??s
What do you want to TALK about? What questions will you ask your inner circle peers?
3a. CausesEffects (Past, Present, and/or Future)
3b. Applications for Today &
Tomorrow
Examples/events (stimuli) & HOW they changed life? What “life lessons” (+ or -) or
conclusions do you observe?
Use articles to help you with 3a & 3b
http://articles.mcall.com/2014-06-25/opinion/mc-lessons-wwi-fisheryv--20140625_1_self-determination-world-war-i-yugoslavia
http://articles.mcall.com/2014-07-21/opinion/mc-world-war-i-anniversarylessons-largay-yv-0722-20140721_1_black-soldiers-great-war-wwi
Completing your Alive! Chapter Reflection
4. What NEW ideas, insights, opinions, points of view, “facts” or perspectives did your peers share?
-Are multiple perspectives & opposing points of view described in writing?
5. What did you DISCERN, or perceive to be “true,” as a result of your Socratic-Circle performance? EXPLAIN
-
Did you show written evidence of growth and/or a deepening of thought?
Have you
shown what you LEARNED from Socratic-like Circle?
reflection” is worth 20 major points!
“perform” in the inner circle)
Your chapter “preparation &
(DUE the day after you
Self-evaluate on BACK (academic placemat):
6=below basic EFFORT and CONTRIBUTIONS
7=basic EFFORT and/or CONTRIBUTIONS
8=proficient EFFORT and CONTRIBUTIONS
9/10=advanced CONTRIBUTIONS and EFFECTIVENESS!
Academic Conversation Placemat with Prompts
What
impact
does
technology
have on
our social
lives?
Elaborate & Clarify
Paraphrase
Support Ideas with
Examples
Build On and/or
Challenge a partner’s
IDEA
Synthesize
Conversation Points
History Alive!
Ch. 22-25
Introductions & Summaries
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War
p. 283-291
“Was it in the national interest of the US to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?”
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War
p. 293-301
“How was World War I different from previous wars?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front
p. 303-313
“How did Americans on the home front support or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 25: The Treaty of Versailles: Ratify or Reject?
p. 315-323
“Should the US have ratified or rejected the Treaty of Versailles?”
History Alive!
Introductions & Summaries
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War
p. 283-291
“Was it in the national interest of the US
to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?”
History Alive!
Introduction & Summary
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War
p. 283-291
“Was it in the national interest of the
US to stay neutral or declare war in
1917?”
Ch. 22: From Neutrality to War: Was it in the national
interest of the US to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?
In 1914, during a visit to Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife with their
children in 1909 were gunned down by a terrorist. Although this assassination sparked the outbreak of
World War I, the conflict had deeper causes.
In the spring of 1914, President Woodrow Wilson sent "Colonel" Edward House, his trusted adviser, to
Europe. House's task was to learn more about the growing strains among the European powers. After
meeting with government officials, House sent Wilson an eerily accurate assessment of conditions there.
"Everybody's nerves are tense," he wrote. "It needs only a spark to set the whole thing off."
That spark was not long in coming. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie,
made an official visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Austria-Hungary's province of Bosnia. Ferdinand was heir
to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A few years earlier, Bosnia had been taken over by AustriaHungary, a move that angered many Bosnians who wanted closer ties to nearby Serbia and other Slavic
ethnic groups. On the day of the visit, several terrorists, trained and armed by a Serbian group, waited in
the crowd.
Early in the day, as the royal couple rode through the city in an open car, a terrorist hurled a bomb at their
car. The bomb bounced off the hood and exploded nearby. Unharmed, the couple continued their visit.
Another terrorist, Gavrilo Princip, was waiting farther down the route. When the car came into view,
Princip fired several shots into the car, killing the royal couple.
Their murders set off a chain reaction. Within weeks, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. When the
Russian foreign minister learned that Austrian soldiers had begun shelling the Serbian capital of Belgrade,
the stunned diplomat warned the Austrian ambassador, "This means a European war. You are setting
Europe alight." He was right. A local quarrel in the Balkans quickly became far more dangerous. Russia
sided with Serbia and declared war on Austria-Hungary. To help Austria-Hungary, Germany declared war
on Russia and its ally France. Britain came to France's defense and declared war on Germany. Dozens of countries took
sides.
Ch. 22 Summary
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked the outbreak of
World War I. However, the war had many underlying causes, including
the European alliance system and the growth of nationalism and
imperialism, which led to military buildups. The United States remained
neutral until events in 1917 convinced Americans to fight on the side of
the Allies.
The Allied and Central powers When World War I began, the nations
of Europe divided into two alliances—the Allied powers (Great Britain,
France, & Russia) and the Central powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary,
& the Ottoman Empire (Turkey).
U-boats The war at sea started with a British blockade of German
ports. Germany fought back by introducing a new weapon called a Uboat, or submarine. German U-boats sank both neutral and enemy
vessels, often without warning.
Lusitania The German sinking of the British ship the Lusitania killed
128 Americans. The United States strongly protested U-boat attacks
on merchant ships carrying American passengers.
Ch. 22 Summary
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked the outbreak of World War I.
However, the war had many underlying causes, including the European alliance
system and the growth of nationalism and imperialism, which led to military buildups.
The United States remained neutral until events in 1917 convinced Americans to fight
on the side of the Allies.
Sussex pledge Germany agreed in the Sussex pledge to stop sinking merchant ships
without warning but attached the condition that the United States help end the
illegal British blockade. Wilson rejected that condition, and Germany did not keep
the pledge.
Preparedness movement As anger over American deaths at sea grew, some
Americans called for the country to prepare for war. Although Wilson won reelection
on the slogan "He kept us out of war," he was already preparing the country to fight
by building up the army and navy.
Unrestricted submarine warfare In a desperate bid to end the conflict, Germany
announced early in 1917 that it would resume unrestricted submarine warfare.
Zimmermann note The disclosure of the Zimmermann note, calling for cooperation
between Mexico and Germany to take back U.S. territory, outraged Americans. Soon
after its publication, the United States declared war on Germany.
• Alive!, p. 284
By late November
1914, the war reached
a stalemate. The lines
of battle stretched
across Belgium and
northeastern France to
the border of
Switzerland. Month by
month, casualties
mounted in what, to
many Americans,
looked like senseless
slaughter.
Alive!, p. 285
The Lusitania, a British passenger
ship, sank near Ireland after being
torpedoed by a German U-boat. Of
the 1,198 people who died, 128
were American. The American public
was outraged, and the incident
helped strengthen American support
for the Allies.
Alive!, p. 286-287
Woodrow
Wilson
(Democrat)
Peacemaker?
In 1916, Woodrow Wilson ran for
reelection against the Republican
presidential candidate, Charles Evans
Hughes. The Democrats did their best to
portray Hughes as eager to go to war. Fullpage ads in newspapers read, “If you want
war, vote for Hughes! If you want peace
with honor, vote for Wilson.” Alive!, 288
The Zimmermann Note stirs ups AntiGerman Feelings (February 1917). Britain
had gotten hold of a note sent in code by
the German foreign minister, Arthur
Zimmermann, to the German minister in
Mexico. Zimmermann suggested that if the
United States entered the war, Mexico and
Germany should become allies. Germany
would then help Mexico regain "lost
territory in New Mexico, Texas, and
Arizona." The Zimmermann note was a
coded telegram that German foreign
minister Arthur Zimmermann sent to the
German minister in Mexico proposing that
if the United States entered the war,
Mexico and Germany should become
allies; it helped influence the United
States to declare war on Germany five
weeks later. It created a sensation in the
United States and stirred anti-German
feeling across the nation. Alive!, p. 290
History Alive!
Introductions & Summaries
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War
p. 293-301
“How was World War I different from previous
wars?”
History Alive!
Introductions & Summaries
Ch. 23: Course & Conduct of the War
p. 293-301
“How was World
War I different
from previous
wars?”
Ch. 23: The Course and Conduct of World War I
How was World War I different from previous wars?
More than 2 million Americans served in Europe during World War I. Eager to promote democracy
around the world, many entered the war with great enthusiasm. But their first taste of battle left them
more realistic about the horrors of war.
More than 2 million Americans served in Europe during World War I. Eager to promote democracy
around the world, many entered the war with great enthusiasm. But their first taste of battle left them
more realistic about the horrors of war.
In 1917, many Americans viewed the nation's entry into World War I as the commencement of a great
adventure. Others saw it as a noble or heroic cause that would give the country a chance to
demonstrate its courage. President Woodrow Wilson's call to help make the world safe for democracy
appealed to Americans' sense of idealism. Many shared the president's belief that this would be "the
war to end all wars."
A young recruit named William Langer enlisted to fight in the war because, as he described it, "Here was
our one great chance for excitement and risk. We could not afford to pass it up." Henry Villard felt the
same. He eagerly followed incidents on the battlefields of Europe, reading newspapers and discussing
events with friends. "There were posters everywhere," he recalled. "'I want you,' . . . 'Join the Marines,'
'Join the Army.' And there was an irresistible feeling that one should do something . . . I said to myself, if
there's never going to be another war, this is the only opportunity to see it."
In 1917, Villard got his chance when a Red Cross official visited his college looking for volunteers to drive
ambulances in Italy. Many of Villard's friends signed up. Although he knew his family would protest,
Villard said, "I couldn't just stand by and let my friends depart." After securing his family's reluctant
consent, Villard enlisted and soon headed out for combat duty.
Very soon after arriving in Italy, Villard discovered how little he knew about war. "The first person that I
put into my ambulance was a man who had just had a grenade explode in his hands." Bomb fragments
had severed both of the soldier's legs. As Villard sped from the front lines to the hospital, the wounded
soldier kept asking him to drive more slowly. By the time the ambulance reached the hospital, the
young man was dead. "This was a kind of cold water treatment for me, to realize all of a sudden what
war was like," explained Villard. "And it changed me—I grew up very quickly . . . It was the real world."
Ch. 23 Summary
World War I was the world's first truly modern war. New inventions and
technological advances affected how the war was fought and how it
ended. The United States provided soldiers, equipment, and finances,
which contributed to the Allied victory.
Selective Service Act Before the United States could join the Allies,
tens of thousands of troops had to be recruited and trained. As part of
this process, Congress passed the Selective Service Act to create a
national draft.
369th Regiment Hundreds of thousands of African Americans served
in segregated military units during World War I. The all-black 369th
Regiment received France's highest military honors for its service in
Europe.
American Expeditionary Force President Woodrow Wilson and
General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary
Force, insisted that most American troops fight as a force separate
from the Allied army. Two million Americans fought in the AEF during
the war.
Ch. 23 Summary
World War I was the world's first truly modern war. New inventions and
technological advances affected how the war was fought and how it
ended. The United States provided soldiers, equipment, and finances,
which contributed to the Allied victory.
The land war New weapons made land warfare much deadlier than ever
before. The result was trench warfare, a new kind of defensive war.
The air war Both sides first used airplanes and airships for observation.
Technological improvements allowed them to make specialized planes for
bombing and fighting.
The sea war Early in the war, ocean combat took place between battleships.
The Germans then used U-boats to sink large numbers of ships. To protect
merchant ships, the Allies developed a convoy system. Later, the Allies laid a
mine barrier across the North Sea and English Channel.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive In 1918, close to 1 million U.S. soldiers took part
in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Their success helped bring about an
armistice with Germany.
World War I: Course & Conduct
More than 2 million
Americans served in
Europe during World
War I. Eager to
promote democracy
around the world,
many entered the
war with great
enthusiasm. But
their first taste of
battle left them
more realistic about
the horrors of war.
Alive!, p. 293
World War I
began on two
main
battlefronts. The
western front
stretched across
Belgium and
northern
France. The
eastern front
spread across
much of
present-day
Poland. Russia’s
withdrawal from
the war in early
1918 closed
down the
eastern front.
Alive!, p. 295
In 1883, American
inventor Hiram Maxim
developed the first
entirely automatic
machine gun to become
widely used by both the
Allies and the Central
powers. The new
weapon’s heavy
firepower made mass
assaults across open
ground suicidal. As a
result, both sides
retreated into a vast
network of trenches to
fight a defensive war.
In World War I, typical frontline trenches were 6 to 8 feet deep and wide enough for
two people to stand side by side. Short trenches connected the front lines to the
others. Each trench system had kitchens, bathrooms, supply rooms, and more.
However, living in and doing combat from the trenches was not pleasant. Nurses, such
as those in the photograph below, provided medical care under difficult conditions.
Both the Allies and the Central powers
developed new weapons in hopes of
breaking the deadlock in the trenches. In
April 1915, the Germans first released
poison gas over Allied lines. The fumes
caused vomiting and suffocation. Both
sides soon developed gas masks to
protect troops from such attacks.
World War I was the first war in which
planes were used as weapons. Early in
the war, when enemy planes met, pilots
exchanged smiles and waves. Soon they
were throwing bricks and grenades or
shooting pistols at one another. Once
guns were mounted on planes, the era of
air combat began.
The MeuseArgonne Offensive
was the last major
battle of World War
I. More than a
million American
troops helped the
Allies capture the
railroad that served
as Germany’s main
supply line to
France. With defeat
all but certain,
Germans
demanded an end
to the fighting.
Kaiser Wilhelm
abandoned his
throne and fled to
the Netherlands as
the German
government agreed
to a truce.
Ch. 24: The Home Front
p. 303-313
“How did Americans on the home front support
or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front
p. 303-313
“How did Americans on the home front support
or oppose WW I?”
Ch. 24: The Home Front
How did Americans on the home front
support or oppose WW I?
As "doughboys" left for France, Americans at home mobilized—organized the nation's resources—for
war. Years after the war ended, popular stage and film star Elsie Janis recalled this time as the most
exciting of her life. "The war," said Janis, "was my high spot, and I think there is only one real peak in
each life."
Entertainer Elsie Janis became a tireless supporter of the war effort and used her talents to work as a
fundraiser. Janis also took her act on the road, entertaining troops stationed near the front lines.
Along with many other movie stars, Janis eagerly volunteered for war work. She had a beautiful singing
voice and a gift for impersonating other actors. She used both talents to raise money for the war. Janis
later went overseas to become one of the first American performers to entertain U.S. troops. She gave
more than 600 performances over 15 months, sometimes performing as many as nine shows a day.
Before her arrival in Europe, no other woman entertainer had been permitted to work so close to the
front lines.
While only a few women like Janis helped the war effort publicly, thousands found more prosaic but just
as useful ways to do their part. Many women joined the workforce. With so many men overseas, a
serious labor shortage developed. Eager for workers, employers across the nation put large-print
"Women Wanted" notices in newspapers. In the final months of the war, a Connecticut ammunition
factory was so frantic for workers that its owners hired airplanes to drop leaflets over the city of
Bridgeport listing their openings.
Although the number of women in the workforce stayed about the same throughout the war, the
number of occupations in which they worked rose sharply. Many who were already in the workforce
took new jobs in offices, shops, and factories. They became typists, cashiers, salesclerks, and telephone
operators. Women worked in plants, assembling explosives, electrical appliances, airplanes, and cars.
Many took jobs in the iron and steel industry—jobs once open only to men. Most had to give up these
jobs when the war ended, but they had shown the public just how capable they were.
Ch. 24 Summary
During World War I, the federal government worked to mobilize the
country for war. At the same time, tensions arose as the need for
national unity was weighed against the rights of Americans to express
their opposition to the war.
Woman's Peace Party For religious or political reasons, some
Americans opposed the war. Among the leading peace activists
were members of the Woman's Peace Party.
Committee on Public Information During the war, the
government created this propaganda agency to build support for
the war. Although CPI propaganda helped Americans rally around
the war effort, it also contributed to increased distrust of
foreign-born citizens and immigrants.
Liberty Bonds The purchase of Liberty Bonds by the American
public provided needed funding for the war and gave Americans
a way to participate in the war effort.
Ch. 24 Summary
During World War I, the federal government worked to mobilize the
country for war. At the same time, tensions arose as the need for
national unity was weighed against the rights of Americans to express
their opposition to the war.
Great Migration During the war, hundreds of thousands of African
Americans migrated out of the South. They were attracted to northern cities
by job opportunities and hopes for a better life.
Espionage and Sedition acts The Espionage and Sedition acts allowed the
federal government to suppress antiwar sentiment. The laws made it illegal
to express opposition to the war.
Socialists and Wobblies Socialists and Wobblies who opposed the war
became the targets of both patriot groups and the government for their
antiwar positions. Many were jailed under the Espionage and Sedition acts.
Schenck v. United States The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of
the Espionage Act in this 1918 case. It ruled that the government could
restrict freedom of speech in times of "clear and present danger."
Four-Minute Men made
short speeches to build
support for the war
wherever they could
find an audience.
George Creel, head of
the Committee on
Public Information,
claimed that his 75,000
orators delivered more
than 7.5 million
speeches to more than
314 million people.
A number of peace groups formed after 1914, many headed by
women. Wanting a greater say in matters of war, women quite
naturally linked the issues of suffrage and peace. Some even
hoped that once all American women won the right to vote, they
would use that power to end war.
In 1917, the American Red Cross put out an urgent call for knitted
wristlets, mufflers, sweaters, and pairs of socks. The greatest need was
for socks. Soldiers stuck in wet trenches desperately needed dry socks
to ward off a condition known as trench foot. Americans of all ages
answered the call.
During the war, women took over many jobs traditionally done by men.
A Seattle newspaper reported “a sudden influx of women into such
unusual occupations as bank clerk, ticket seller, elevator operator,
chauffeur, street car conductor,” as well as factory worker and farmer.
On July 28, 1917,
thousands of African
Americans marched
peacefully down Fifth
Avenue in New York
City to protest mistreatment of blacks.
One carried a sign
that asked, “Mr.
President, why not
make America safe
for democracy?”
Espionage & Sedition Acts?
Schenck v. United States
Posters
discouraged
Americans
from
speaking
out against
the war.
People who
did speak
out risked
being
branded as
disloyal.
Eugene Debs was a colorful and eloquent speaker. During World
War I, he publicly condemned both the war and the government’s
crackdown on dissent. As a result, he was convicted under the
Espionage Act and jailed. While in prison, Debs ran for president as
the candidate of the Socialist Party, winning nearly 1 million votes.
Ch. 25: The Treaty of Versailles:
Ratify or Reject? p. 315-323
Should the US have ratified or rejected
the Treaty of Versailles?
In 1918, huge crowds
greeted President
Woodrow Wilson (on
the left) as a hero. He
offered hope to
millions who had
been left deeply
disillusioned by the
war.
Ch. 25: Treaty of Versailles: Ratify or Reject?
Should the US have ratified or rejected the Treaty of Versailles?
In 1918, huge crowds greeted President Woodrow Wilson (on the left) as a hero. He offered hope to
millions who had been left deeply disillusioned by the war. On December 13, 1918, President Woodrow
Wilson's ship, the George Washington, slipped into the dock at Brest, France. The war was over. The
Allies and the Central powers had put down their guns and signed an armistice. Wilson was going to
France to participate in writing the peace treaty that he believed would "make the world safe for
democracy.“
As the ship made its way to the pier, its passengers could hear the sounds of warships
firing their guns in Wilson's honor. On the dock, bands played the "Star Spangled
Banner" as French soldiers and civilians cheered. It was a stirring beginning to the
president's visit.
Once on shore, Wilson made his way through cheering throngs to the railway station.
There he and the other members of the American peace delegation boarded a private
train bound for Paris. In the French capital, a crowd of 2 million people greeted the
Americans. They clapped and shouted their thanks to the man hailed as "Wilson the Just." One
newspaper observed, "Never has a king, never has an emperor received such a welcome.“
Many Europeans shared in the excitement of Wilson's arrival. They were grateful for the help Americans
had given in the last months of the war. Moreover, they believed Wilson sincerely wanted to help them
build a new and better world. Wherever Wilson went, people turned out to welcome him. Everyone
wanted to see the man newspapers called the "Savior of Humanity" and the "Moses from across the
Atlantic." Throughout Allied Europe, wall posters declared, "We want a Wilson peace."
President Wilson arrived in Europe with high hopes of creating a just and lasting peace. The warm
welcome he received could only have raised his hopes still higher. Few watching these events, including
Wilson himself, could have anticipated just how hard it would be to get leaders in both Europe and the
United States to share his vision.
Ch. 25 Summary
After World War I, President Woodrow Wilson hoped to create a lasting
peace. He insisted that the treaty ending the war should include a
peacekeeping organization called the League of Nations. Many
Americans feared that membership in the League could involve the
United States in future wars.
The Fourteen Points Wilson outlined his goals for lasting peace in his
Fourteen Points. Key issues included an end to secret agreements,
freedom of the seas, reduction of armaments, self-determination for
ethnic groups, and collective security through creation of an
international peacekeeping organization.
The Big Four When the heads of the four major Allies—France, Great
Britain, Italy, and the United States—met in Paris for peace talks, they
were more focused on self-interest than on Wilson's plan.
Treaty of Versailles The treaty negotiated in Paris redrew the map of
Europe, granting self-determination to some groups. Some Allies
sought revenge on Germany, insisting on a war-guilt clause and
reparations from Germany.
Ch. 25 Summary
After World War I, President Woodrow Wilson hoped to create a lasting
peace. He insisted that the treaty ending the war should include a
peacekeeping organization called the League of Nations. Many
Americans feared that membership in the League could involve the
United States in future wars.
League of Nations Wilson hoped that including the League of Nations
in the final treaty would make up for his compromises on other issues.
He believed that by providing collective security and a framework for
peaceful talks, the League would fix many problems the treaty had
created.
The ratification debate The treaty ratification debate divided the
Senate into three groups. Reservationists would not accept the treaty
unless certain changes were made. Irreconcilables rejected the treaty
in any form. Internationalists supported the treaty and the League.
Rejection of the treaty Partisan politics and Wilson's refusal to
compromise led to the treaty's rejection and ended Wilson's hopes for
U.S. membership in the League of Nations.
League of Nations?
Woodrow Wilson unveiled
his Fourteen Points in a
speech to Congress on war
aims and peace terms. In
his 1918 address, he
talked about the causes of
the war. Then he laid out
his plans for preventing
future wars.
What was the reaction to Wilson’s “14 Points,” especially the
“League of Nations?” p. 317
In this cartoon, Woodrow Wilson is shown leaving
Congress to seek public support for the League of
Nations. The president’s speaking tour of the country
was cut short when he suffered a collapse.
Treaty of Versailles: a
peace treaty signed by
the Allied powers and
Germany on June 18,
1919, at the Paris peace
conference at the
Palace of Versailles in
France; it assigned
Germany responsibility
for the war, required
Germany to pay
reparations to the Allied
countries, reduced
Germany's territory, and
included the covenant
for the League of
Nations. June 18, 1919.
American neutrality could not keep the United States from the road to world war.
Dramatic footage, photographs and interviews illuminate significant events during this
time, such as the formation of the War Industries Board, the Great Migration, the
Espionage and Sedition Acts, the American Expeditionary Force in Europe and President
Wilson's Fourteen Points. The Strikes of 1919, the Red Scare and the Palmer Raids are
also covered.
http://safari.bucksiu.org/?a=26168&d=01933AA