Chapter18

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Chapter 18 – The First World War Video The First World War Images Wilson Campaign Truck Harlem Hell Fighters War Bonds Infantry Troops in France Quick Facts Major Battles Wilson’s Fourteen Points and the Treaty of Versailles Visual Summary: The First World War Maps Alliances, 1914 World War I, 1914–1917 World War I, 1917–1918 Europe and the Middle East, 1915 Europe and the Middle East, 1919 History Close-up Fighting in the Trenches Section Notes A World Crisis The United States in World War I The Home Front Peace without Victory

A World Crisis: 

The Main Idea Rivalries among European nations led to the outbreak of war in 1914. Reading Focus What were the causes of World War I? How did the war break out? Why did the war quickly reach a stalemate? A World Crisis

Sparks of World War I: 

Sparks of World War I In 1912 a Bosnian teenager named Gavrilo Pincip joined the Black Hand terrorist organization, which wanted to free Bosnia-Herzegovina from Austro-Hungarian rule. This group plotted to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on his visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia. On June 28, 1914, Princip accidentally found himself in front of the archduke’s car and fatally shot the archduke and his wife. 3,000 miles away, most Americans cared little about the murder. Still, most of Europe plunged into war within five weeks. Long before Princip even fired a shot, political changes in Europe made war almost unavoidable. By 1914 Europe was ripe for war.

Conditions in Europe in 1914: 

Conditions in Europe in 1914

Alliances: 

Alliances Nations formed alliances, or partnerships, for protection. Alliances were formed to maintain peace but would lead directly to war. Germany formed a military alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy called the Triple Alliance. Fearful of Germany’s growing power, France and Russia formed a secret alliance with each other. Great Britain, also worried, joined France and Russia to form the Triple Entente. Some European leaders believed that these alliances created a balance of power, in which each nation had equal strength, therefore decreasing the chance of war. Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination exposed flaws in this thinking, as after this attack Europe exploded into war.

War Breaks Out: 

War Breaks Out

A New Kind of Warfare: 

A New Kind of Warfare Word of Germany’s invasion of Belgium quickly spread to France and other European nations. French troops mobilized to meet approaching German divisions. They looked much as French soldiers did over 40 years earlier, wearing bright red coats and heavy brass helmets. The German troops dressed in gray uniforms that worked as camouflage on the battlefield. French war strategy had not changed much since the 1800s. French soldiers marched row by row onto the battlefield, with bayonets mounted to their field rifles, preparing for close combat with the Germans. The Germans, however, had many machine guns, and mowed down some 15,000 French troops per day in early battle. A well-trained German machine-gun team could set up equipment in four seconds, and each machine gun matched the firepower of 50 to 100 French rifles. Many Europeans wrongly thought these technological advances would make the war short and that France would be defeated in two months.

The First Battle of the Marne: 

The First Battle of the Marne

The War Reaches a Stalemate: 

The War Reaches a Stalemate The First Battle of the Marne ended in a stalemate, and both French and German soldiers dug trenches, or deep ditches, to defend their positions and seek shelter from enemy fire. By late 1914, two massive systems of trenches stretched 400 miles across Western Europe, and the battle lines known as the Western Front extended from Switzerland to the North Sea. Trench warfare, or fighting from trenches, was an old strategy that had been used in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. This trench warfare, however, was different because of its scale. Soldiers lived in trenches, surrounded by machine-gun fire, flying grenades, and exploding artillery shells. Opposing forces had machine guns pointed at enemy trenches at all times, firing whenever a helmet or rifle appeared over the top. Thousands of men that ran into the area between the trenches, known as “no-man’s-land,” were chopped down by enemy fire. Neither the Allies nor the Germans were able to make significant advances, creating a stalemate, or deadlock.

New Weapons of War: 

New Weapons of War

Major World War I Battles: 

Major World War I Battles

The United States in World War I: 

The Main Idea The United States helped turn the tide for an Allied victory. Reading Focus Why did the United States try to stay neutral in the war? Which events showed that America was heading into war? What contributions did Americans make in Europe? How did the war end? The United States in World War I

The United States Stays Neutral: 

The United States Stays Neutral Americans thought of World War I as a European conflict with little effect on their country. Just after the war broke out, President Wilson declared that the U.S. would stay neutral. Wilson’s decision reflected the U.S.’s longstanding policy of isolationism, or not being involved in foreign affairs. Privately, Wilson favored the Allied cause because Germany's tactics and invasion of Belgium was worrisome. The U.S. also had greater political, cultural, and commercial ties to Great Britain and France than to Germany. Financially, the U.S. did more business with the Allies. The British fleet blockaded German ports and transportation routes, and few American businesses could sell goods to German forces. Doing business with the Allies was easier, and by 1917 Britain purchased nearly $75 million worth of war goods each week.

German Submarine Warfare: 

German Submarine Warfare U-Boats Germany suffered because of the British blockade, so it developed small submarines called U-boats to strike back at the British. U-boats are named after the German for “undersea boat.” In February 1915 the German government declared the waters around Great Britain a war zone, threatening to destroy all enemy ships. Germany warned the U.S. that neutral ships might be attacked. The German plan for unrestricted submarine warfare angered Americans, and Wilson believed it violated the laws of neutrality. Wilson held Germany accountable for American losses. America’s Involvement In 1915, Germany sank a luxury passenger ship to Great Britain called the Lusitania, killing many, including 128 Americans Americans were outraged, and Wilson demanded an end to unrestricted submarine warfare. The Germans agreed to attack only supply ships but later sank the French passenger ship Sussex, killing 80 people. Wilson threatened Germany again, and Germany issued the Sussex pledge, promising not to sink merchant vessels “without warning and without saving human lives.”

Re-Election, Espionage, and War: 

Re-Election, Espionage, and War

The American Army: 

The American Army Raising an Army On May 18, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act, requiring men between 21 and 30 to register for a draft. Some asked to be classified as conscientious objectors, or religious people against fighting, but were rejected. In the summer of 1917, new recruits reported for training but found almost nothing ready. Soldiers slept in tents until barracks were built, and supplies hadn’t yet arrived. New recruits learned military rules with sticks and barrels instead of rifles and horses. Discrimination African American soldiers were segregated and trained in separate camps. Many white officers and southern politicians feared African Americans would pose a threat after the war so only trained a few black regiments. Latino soldiers faced scorn from other troops and were often assigned menial tasks. The federal government, however, did accept non-English-speaking soldiers. The military had programs in New Mexico and Georgia to help Hispanic soldiers learn English.

Arriving in Europe: 

Arriving in Europe The American Army, National Guard, and volunteer and draft soldiers overseas formed the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing. The first U.S. troops arrived in France in 1917 through a convey system, in which troop-transport ships were surrounded by destroyers or cruisers for protection, limiting the number of ships sunk and troops lost. When America arrived, Germany occupied all of Belgium and part of France, and Russia struggled against famine and civil war. If Russia fell, Germans would bring all their troops west, and the Allies needed the Americans to fight immediately. General Pershing, however, wanted American troops to train and to fight separately from European regiments. Pershing sent his troops to training camps in eastern France instead of to the battlefields.

Allied Setbacks and U.S. Action: 

Allied Setbacks and U.S. Action Allied Setbacks While Americans trained, the Allies suffered a blow when a group called the Bolsheviks took over Russia’s government. Bolsheviks were Communists, who seek equal distribution of wealth and no private ownership. The new government, led by Vladimir Ilich Lenin, signed a peace treaty with the Central Powers and withdrew its troops. Germany was free to focus on the West, and in May 1918 Germany launched a series of offensives against the Allies. Germans were backed by a large artillery, and by late May the Germans pushed the Allies back to the Marne River, 70 miles northeast of Paris. The U.S. Fights American troops began fighting 12 months after arriving, digging extensive trenches in the dark to avoid detection. In the trenches, troops stood in deep mud with rats as enemies dropped gas and explosives. While defending Paris in June 1918, U.S. troops helped the French stop the Germans at Chateau-Thierry. In northern France, a division of U.S. Marines recaptured the forest of Belleau Wood and two nearby villages. After fierce fighting, the Allies halted the German advance and saved Paris.

American Military Women: 

American Military Women The majority of Americans who served in the military were men, but some women also signed up to serve overseas. During the war, more than 20,000 nurses served in the U.S. Army in the United States and overseas. Women also served in the navy and marines, usually as typists and bookkeepers. Still, some women became radio operators, electricians, or telegraphers. The U.S. Army Signal Corps recruited French-speaking American women to serve as switchboard operators. Known as the Hello Girls, they served a crucial role in keeping communications open between the front line and the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Forces.

The War Ends: 

The Germans’ Last Offensive The War Ends Allies Push Forward The Armistice

The Home Front: 

The Main Idea The U.S. mobilized a variety of resources to wage World War I. Reading Focus How did the government mobilize the economy for the war effort? How did workers mobilize on the home front? How did the government try to influence public opinion about the war? The Home Front

Mobilizing the Economy: 

Mobilizing the Economy

Regulations to Supply U.S. and Allied Troops: 

Regulations to Supply U.S. and Allied Troops

Mobilizing Workers: 

Mobilizing Workers During the war, the profits of many major industrial companies skyrocketed because companies sold to the federal government. This created enormous profits for stockholders of industries like steel, oil, and chemicals. Factory wages also increased, but the rising cost of food and housing meant that workers were not much better off. War demands also led to laborers working long hours in increasingly dangerous conditions in order to produce the needed materials on time and faster than other companies. These harsher conditions led many workers to join labor unions. Union membership increased by about 60 percent between 1916 and 1919, and unions boomed as well, with more than 6,000 strikes held during the war.

Wartime Workers: 

Wartime Workers

Influenza Spreads: 

Influenza Spreads Three waves of a severe flu epidemic broke out between 1918 and 1919 in Europe and in America. Of all American troops who died in World War II, half died from influenza. On the Western Front, crowded and unsanitary trenches helped flu spread among troops, then to American military camps in Kansas and beyond. This strain of influenza was deadly, killing healthy people within days, and during the month of October 1918, influenza killed nearly 200,000 Americans. Panicked city leaders halted gatherings, and people accused the Germans of releasing flu germs into the populace. By the time it passed, over 600,000 Americans lost their lives.

Influencing Public Opinion: 

Influencing Public Opinion

Limiting Antiwar Speech: 

Some Americans Speak Out Limiting Antiwar Speech Legislation Opponents

Opponents Go to the Supreme Court: 

Opponents Go to the Supreme Court Many Americans thought the Espionage and Sedition Acts violated the First Amendment, but others thought they were essential to protect military secrets and the safety of America. The Supreme Court also struggled to interpret the acts. In one case, Charles Schenck, an official of the American Socialist Party, organized the printing of 15,000 leaflets opposing the war and was convicted of violating the Espionage Act. He challenged the conviction in the Supreme Court, but the Court upheld his conviction, limiting free speech during war. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. wrote the Court’s unanimous decision, stating that some things said safely in peacetime are dangerous to the country during wartime.

Peace without Victory: 

The Main Idea The Allies determined the terms for peace in the postwar world. Reading Focus What was President Wilson’s Fourteen Points plan for peace? What was resolved at the Paris Peace Conference? Why did Congress fight over the treaty? What was the impact of World War I on the United States and the world? Peace without Victory

The Fourteen Points: 

The Fourteen Points In a speech to Congress before the war ended, President Wilson outlined a vision of a “just and lasting peace.” His plan was called the Fourteen Points, and among its ideas were Open diplomacy, freedom of the seas, the removal of trade barriers, and the reduction of military arms A fair system to resolve disputes over colonies Self-determination, or the right of people to decide their own political status and form their own nations Establishing a League of Nations, or an organization of countries working together to settle disputes, protect democracy, and prevent future wars The Fourteen Points expressed a new philosophy that applied progressivism to U.S. foreign policy. The Fourteen Points declared that foreign policy should be based on morality, not just on what’s best for the nation.

The Paris Peace Conference: 

The Paris Peace Conference President Wilson led American negotiators attending the peace conference in Paris in January 1919. His attendance of the Paris Peace Conference made him the first U.S. President to visit Europe while in office. Republicans criticized Wilson for leaving the country when it was trying to restore its economy. Wilson’s dream of international peace, though, required him to attend the conference as a fair and unbiased leader to prevent squabbling among European nations. The Paris Peace Conference began on January 12, 1919, with leaders representing 32 nations, or about three-quarters of the world’s population. The leaders of the victorious Allies—President Wilson, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, French premier Georges Clemenceau, and Italian prime minister Vittorio Orlando—became known as the Big Four. Germany and the Central Powers were not invited to attend.

Conflicting Needs at the Peace Conference: 

Conflicting Needs at the Peace Conference

The Treaty of Versailles: 

The Treaty of Versailles The Allies eventually reached an agreement and presented the Treaty of Versailles to Germany in May. The treaty was harsher than Wilson wanted, requiring Germany to Disarm its military forces Pay $33 billion in reparations, or payments for damages and expenses caused by the war, which Germany could not afford Take sole responsibility for starting the war The Central Powers also had to turn over their colonies to the Allies, to stay under Allied control until they could become independent. The treaty included some of Wilson’s Fourteen Points, such as the creation of a League of Nations and self-determination for some ethnic groups in Eastern and Central Europe. Germany strongly protested the treaty but signed it after France threatened military action.

Fight over the Treaty: 

Fight over the Treaty President Wilson returned to the U.S. and presented the treaty to the Senate, needing the support of both Republicans and Democrats to ratify it. Wilson had trouble getting the Republican Congress’s support. The Senators divided into three groups: Reservationists thought the League of Nations charter requiring members to use force for the League conflicted with Congress’s constitutional right to declare war. 3. Reservationists, led by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, who would only ratify a revised treaty 2. Irreconcilables, who wanted outright rejection of U.S. participation in the League of Nations 1. Democrats, who supported immediate ratification of the treaty

Wilson Tours America: 

Wilson Tours America Wilson refused to compromise with reservationists and took his case directly to the American people, traveling 8,000 miles in 22 days. In 32 major speeches, Wilson urged the public to pressure Republican senators into ratifying the treaty, warning of serious consequences if world nations didn’t work together. Wilson’s heavy touring schedule weakened him, and after suffering a stroke in October 1919, he cut himself off from friends and allies. In September 1919, Senator Lodge presented a treaty to the U.S. Senate including a list of 14 reservations, or concerns about the Treaty of Versailles. Wilson was unwilling to compromise, and the Senate rejected Lodge’s treaty on Wilson’s instructions. After Wilson left office in 1921, the U.S. signed separate treaties with Austria, Hungary, and Germany, but never joined the League of Nations. Without U.S. participation, the League’s ability to keep world peace was uncertain.

The Impact of World War I: 

The Impact of World War I

Impact in Europe: 

Impact in Europe The effects of World War I in Europe were devastating. European nations lost almost an entire generation of young men. France, where most of the fighting took place, was in ruins. Great Britain was deeply in debt to the U.S. and lost its place as the world’s financial center. The reparations forced on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles were crippling to its economy. World War I would not be the “war to end all wars,” as some called it. Too many issues were left unresolved. Too much anger and hostility remained among nations. Within a generation, conflict would again break out in Europe, bringing the United States and the world back into war.

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