Wilson, Mexico & US Foreign Policy
• Woodrow Wilson
• Southern Democrat
• History professor & intellectual
• Mind for grand ideas- role of US in postwar world
• Believed American economic expansion + democratic principles
= civilizing force in the world
• Emphasized foreign investments and industrial exports
• Open Door principles of John Hay
– Strong diplomatic and military measure to achieve economic
supremacy
• 1913 Wilson became president
• Continued progressive activism of TR
• Greater federal role in economic and business regulation
• 16th Amendment- Federal income tax
• Federal Reserve Act- created 12 reserve banks regulated by
Washington
• Clayton Antitrust Act- recognition of union legality, check big
businesses
• Federal Trade Commission- regulatory control of corporations
Wilson’s problems in Mexico
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1911 Revolution in Mexico overthrows corrupt dictator
(Porfirio Díaz)
Francisco Madero- new democratic government in Mexico
promised land reform (this made U.S. with $11 billion
invested very nervous)
Madero murdered by his own chief lieutenant, Victoriano
Huerta
Wilson refused to recognize Huerta’s gov. because he was
unlawful (viewed him as murderer)
Wilson used a minor insult to attack & occupy Veracruz
attempting to oust Huerta
Carranza, leader of opposition to Huerta, ousts Huerta (w/
US arms), then denounces Wilson
Poncho Villa, former ally turned enemy of Carranza & U.S.,
tries to draw U.S. into war – raids and kills Americans
Villa evades 1,500 US troops for over a year
Wilson’s involvement leads to Mexican distrust of US
Wilson didn’t go to war with Mexico because he didn’t want
to weaken US position with Germany
Wilson believed capitalist development, democracy and
free trade were wave of future
Wilson believed in Moral Values  WWI
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Europe:
Triple Alliance (aka The Central Powers)
– Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Triple Entente (aka The Allies)
– Great Britain, France, Russia
Competition of Great Britain and
Germany
– GB: long-standing dominant power
– Germany: aspirations of empire
Alliances kept countries from going to war
over small conflicts from 19th-20th century
Inclusiveness was its weakness
– Could draw others into war that did
erupt
1914 archduke of Austro-Hungary
assassinated in Bosnia by a Serbian
nationalist
– He thought Bosnia should be
annexed by Serbia
Germany backed retaliation by AustroHungary
Serbia asked for Russian help
War declared by both sides
Stalemate in northern France
New weapons: machine guns, tanks,
trench warfare = 5 million killed in 2.5
years
The Great War
Run-up to War
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Wilson urged Americans to be “impartial in thought and action”
Germany declares waters around British Isle a war zone
May 7, 1915 German U-boat sinks Lusitania killing 1200, 128 Americans
Americans demand strong stance against Germany but don’t want war
March 1916 German U-boat torpedoes French Sussex injuring 4 Americans
Wilson threatens to cut off diplomatic relations w/ Germany
June 1916 National Defense Act doubles the size of US army and increases
spending of new battleships, cruisers and destroyers
Anti-war feelings still very strong in US
Wilson wins 2nd term w/ “He kept us out of war” campaign 1916
Germany declares unlimited submarine warfare gambling to destroy Allies
before America can arrive
March 1, 1917 Zimmerman Note intercepted
 Germany encouraging Mexico to take back New Mexico, Texas and
Arizona
US merchant ships are armed and allowed to shoot
Germans sink 7 US merchant ships killing many
April 2, 1917 Wilson asks congress for war
 Wilson’s case based on America’s special mission as mankind’s most
enlightened and advanced nation to make the world safe for democracy
Selling the War
Committee on Public Information – CPI agency for war
promotion led by George Creel
 Enlisted 150,000 people to work on CPI committees
 Produced more than 100 million pieces of literaturepamphlets, articles, books- explaining causes and
meaning of war
 Created posters, slides, newspaper ads and films
 Used movie stars to help sell war bonds
 75,000 “Four Minute Men” gave patriotic speeches before
stage and movie shows
 Aggressively negative campaign against Germans
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 Huns = bestial monsters/ uncivilized
 German music, language and books banned
War Propaganda
The Draft
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Lack of volunteers for service
Selective Service Act- registration of all men
ages 21-35
Different from Civil War draft- couldn’t buy your
way out of service by paying for a substitute
June 5, 1917 10 million register
Aug. 1918 extended age limits to 18-45
Illiteracy rates among troops as high as 25%
Low test scores of immigrants and African
Americans reflect biases of tests
African Americans in the Military
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Organized in segregated units
Barred from Marines and Coast Guard
Worked as cooks, laundrymen, stevedores
Endured humiliating and violent treatment form southern white
officers
Faced hostility from white civilians
200,000 served in France
1 in 5 saw combat compared to 1 in 3 white soldiers
Black combat units served with distinction in some French
divisions
The all black 369th US infantry served in trenches for 191 days,
longest of any American regiment
French government awarded entire regiment the Croix de Guerre
Enjoyed better treatment in military and by civilians in France than
in US
America’s Effect on the War
AEF- American Expeditionary Forces = US troops
Led by General John J. Pershing, independent of
European command
 70,000 AEF soldiers arrived in early 1918, helped the
French stop the Germans from reaching Paris in June
1918
 AEF troop numbers grew to 1 million by Sept.
 September 1918 AEF troops took over southern part of
a 200 mile front in the Meuse-Argonne offensive 
German surrender
 November 11, 1918 war ends
 Massive influx of American troops hastened the end of
the war by ending the stalemate
 52,000+ Americans died in battle, 60,000 died from
influenza and pneumonia
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The Economy
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Economic boom began with exports to allies
(between 1914-1916)
War = government-business cooperation
(organization, regulation, subsidization)
War Industries Board (WIB)- mobilized national
industry to support war effort
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Led by Wall Street speculator Bernard M. Baruch
Regulation of production & prices
Maximization of productivity & efficiency
= BIG government
“voluntary cooperation” enforced w/ threats of military
takeover (Ford, US Steel
Government saved $$, gained control of production,
got what it needed for the war
Businesses expanded, saw high profits
The Economy (continued)
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1917 Food and Fuel Act Gave President authority to regulate commodities
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(food & fuel) needed for the war effort
Hoover, millionaire engineer, leads FA (Food Admin)
Uses price controls on agricultural commodities (pork,
sugar, wheat) to regulate consumption
Gov. buys products, distributes to licensed dealers
who sell to public at high prices
Urged conservation ie. limit consumption, grow your
own veggies, reuse/recycle
Cost of War
$33 billion dollars
 Paid for with increased
income & profit taxes
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 Min. income for taxation
$1000
 Highest brackets rates up
to 70%
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Liberty Bonds- $23
billion
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government borrowed
money from American public
Federal debt jumps from
$1billion to $20 billion
Labor & Labor Unions
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Economic expansion + army mobilization + decline in
immigration = labor shortage
Despite overcrowding & inflation workers enjoy
higher wages and standard of living
AFL pledged support for the war, saw sharp rise in
membership (1mil) & increased influence, power
National War Labor Board- led by Samuel Gompersavoid strikes & interruptions in production
NWLB: ensured right to organize, higher wages,
less hours, over-time pay, equal pay for women
IWW- denounced “capitalist war,” attacked by gov.
agents-> Espionage Act
Women & The War
8 million women already working gained
higher pay and access to new jobs
 Another million joined workforce
 Manufacturing jobs, munitions plants, train
engineers, drill press operators, etc.
 Women in Industry Service (WIS)- created
standards, not legally enforced
 ½ pay of men on average
 End of war = end of women in “men’s”
positions
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The Great Migration
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Mass movement of African Americans from rural
south to urban north
Labor shortage = job opportunities & higher wages
1914-1920, 300,000-500,000 migrated north
Single women often found best opportunities
Men worked on railroads, meatpacking plants,
shipyards, steel mills…..lower paying jobs,
unskilled
Violence and rioting against blacks in Northern
cities
NAACP membership grows to 60,000- provide
legal defense, influence legislation
Suppressing the Antiwar Movement
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Espionage Act (1917)
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Replaced previous, expired law addressing seditious expression
Used to crush dissent and criticism
Severe penalties, up to 20yrs prison, $10,000 fine
Aiding the enemy, obstruction recruitment, causing
insubordination in the armed forces
 Allowed postmaster gen. to censor mail
 Police & surveillance machinery increase
 Leads to creation of Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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Sedition Act (1918)
 Amendment to Espionage Act
 Outlawed “any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language
intended to cause contempt, scorn, contumely, or disrepute” to
the government, Constitution, or flag (Freedom of Speech??)
 Used to strike out against socialists, pacifists, labor radicals
 Eugene Debs (4 times presidential candidate) imprisoned for 2.5
yrs, defending antiwar protestors
Women & The Vote
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Before WWI:
 State battle rather than nation
 Led by western states (UT & WY 1st)
 In east suffrage linked to prohibition
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During WWI:
 National campaign for constitutional amendment
 Linked to patriotism
 2 opposing tactics:
○ NAWSA- more conservative, linked vote to war effort,
moderate lobbying & orderly demonstrations
○ NWP- more aggressive, picketed White House, condemned
the Pres. & Congress, dramatic demonstrations
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19th Amendment: “war measure” passed Aug. 1920
after 2 years gaining states for ratification
Labor and Unions After the War
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Wartime wage gains wiped out by inflation, high prices for
food, fuel, housing
Government ended controls on industry, employers withdrew
union recognition
4 million Americans workers involved in 3,600 strikes in 1919
alone (most ever)
Strikes stir fear, question social order
Seattle General Strike: 60,000 workers, city shut down for 3
days -> federal troops occupy the city
Boston Police Strike: National Guard called in, entire force
fired
Steel Strike: 350,00 workers, 4 months, state & federal
troops used to break it
Public opinion turns against organized labor, propaganda
calls strikers revolutionaries
Russian Revolution… fear it could happen here, Red Scare
Wilson’s Post-War Ambitions
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Fourteen Points & Versailles Treaty
 Postwar European boundaries, division of
empires
 Principles for governing international
conduct
○ Freedom of the seas
○ Free trade
○ Open covenants instead of secret treaties
○ Reduce armaments
○ Mediation for competing colonial claims
League of Nations (14th point)
 Based in Geneva, Switzerland (neutral)
 Implement 1st 13 points
 Collective security to keep world peace
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Downfalls:
 Allies resist the call for independence of
colonies & carve up former German and
Ottoman empires
 No military to enforce peace
 Similar to previous alliances?
 US, German, Russia don’t join
Germany & the Treaty:
 Germans need to be made to hate war
 Territories divided (WWII- trying to get it back)
 Wilson disagrees with Britain and France over
reparations ($33 billion)
 German resentment & rise of Nazis
Defeat of the League in US
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Party politics (Democratic President v
Republican controlled Congress)
 Oppose collective security & restraints on F.P.
(isolationism)
 Proposal of weakened version in Senate fails
 Wilson’s refusal to compromise
 Entire point for going to war wasted in Wilson’s
eyes
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US doesn’t sign Versailles Treaty or join
League of Nations
Ultimate Effects of WWI
112,000 Americans died (battle & illness),
200,000+ wounded
 9 million Russians died
 6 million Germans died
 5 million French died
 2 million British died
 2 million Italians died
 Same nations fight again 20 years later
 Major European economies stifled
 US becomes dominant world economic power
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