US History 202-071 (Chapter 22)

World War I : 

World War I An Introduction

Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy : 

Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy Believed US had duty to promote national self-determination, free trade, & political democracy. Claimed disdain for Big Stick & Dollar Diplomacy. Yet firm believer in Monroe Doctrine. Intervened in Haiti & Dominican Republic.

Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy : 

Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy Confronted Mexico in 1914. Refused to recognize Huerta’s government. Recognized Carranza’s government. Poncho Villa suffered defeats against Carranza. Villa invaded the US hoping to start a war between Carranza and the US. General Pershing chased Villa with 12,000 men but failed to capture him.

Root Causes of WWI : 

Root Causes of WWI Nationalism & Imperialism were two destructive forces. Imperialism: colonies increased prestige. Formed alliances to prevent war. Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Triple Entente: England, France, and Russia. Secret treaties created “trip wires” that led to WWI.

Spark: Assassination of Franz Ferdinand : 

Spark: Assassination of Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand shot by Gavrilo Princip. Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia backed the Serbs. (Russia got support from France as well) Germany backed Austria-Hungary and also declared war on France and Russia. Germany declared war on Belgium. (England backed Belgium) Japan joined the Allies.

What did Wilson do? : 

What did Wilson do? Wilson initially called for neutrality. Wilson wanted to continue free trade with warring nations. (Needed trade to help ailing economy) Also feared it would heighten ethnic tensions at home. Yet sympathies were with England despite blockade. War related exports to England increased 400%.

Neutrality Falls Apart : 

Neutrality Falls Apart Germans destroyed merchant trade with u-boats. U-boats sank vessels headed to England without warning. Lusitania sunk by a u-boat. Wilson: future attacks are unacceptable. Germany apologized. Wilson won reelection with slogan “he kept us out of war.”

Neutrality Falls Apart : 

Neutrality Falls Apart By 1916 US supplied Allies with 40% of their war material. US also leant money to Allies. Germany resumed submarine attacks. Tried to beat England before the US entered the war, but Admiral Sims’ convoy system worked. Zimmerman Telegram: Mexico should fight US. Wilson: This is a war to defend democracy.

“Over There” : 

“Over There” On April 12, 1917 Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. US fought to “vindicate the principles of peace and justice” and to make the world “safe for democracy.” Idealism guided Wilson’s foreign policy.

“Over There” : 

“Over There” May 1917: Selective Service Act: draft of young men into military service. Progressives: soldiers trained to adhere to high moral standards. John Pershing chosen as head of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

“Over There” : 

“Over There” War was bloody stalemate (Battle of the Somme) Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended Germany’s two front war and scared the Allies. Pershing had to fight amalgamation. (Europe didn’t respect US) Wilson backed Pershing because he wanted the US to make separate contributions.

“Over There” : 

“Over There” Germany launched a giant offensive which commenced at Picardy. Germans came within 50 miles of Paris. At Cantigny and Chateau-Thierry, US launched counter assaults against the Germans. US also won a tough battle at Belleau Wood. The Great German Offensive of 1918 stalled.

“Over There” : 

“Over There” By 1918 Germany was on the verge of collapse. US sought “open” warfare. Large unit assaults with rifle fire & artillery support. US took part in an Allied counteroffensive. Allies ignored Pershing’s suggestion that they march into Germany and occupy it. New German republic signed armistice with France.

Casualties : 

Casualties US Casualties: 53,402 killed and over 200,000 were wounded. (57,000 more died from Influenza Epidemic) German: 2.2 Million. Russia: 1.9 million France: 1.4 million. England: 900,000. Can you see why Wilson had trouble dictating terms to the Allies?

Progressivism and World War I : 

Progressivism and World War I Progressives hoped to end tyranny & militarism. War could be an agent of reform. Wilson wanted greater government control over mobilization effort. Wilson appointed Bernard Baruch to head the War Industries Board (WIB). WIB: stimulate and direct industrial production.

Progressivism and World War I : 

Progressivism and World War I Herbert Hoover: Food Administration (Meatless Mondays and Wheatless Wednesdays) Farmers supplied the Allies. Liquor also took a hit since it consumed valuable wheat. (No liquor makes our democracy pure)

Progressivism and World War I : 

Progressivism and World War I Women also made some gains. 25,000 women served in France as nurses, ambulance drivers, or food servers. Thousands of women worked as welders, metal workers, and heavy machine operators. Number of female clerks doubled. More than a 1 million women found work in war industries.

Suppressing Dissent : 

Suppressing Dissent Wilson appointed George Creel to head the Committee on Public Information (CPI) Used 75,000 volunteer “Four- Minute Men” to build support for the war. Posters, pamphlets, and cartoons painted US soldiers and sailors as virtuous warriors. Film industry buttressed Creel’s campaign.

Suppressing Dissent : 

Suppressing Dissent Espionage Act (1917): targeted those that opposed draft or encouraged disloyalty at home. 1,500 people were jailed under this law. Post Master General refused to mail publications deemed disloyal. Schenck v. United States upheld law.

Suppressing Dissent : 

Suppressing Dissent Anti-German feelings spread across the nation. The lynching of Robert Prager was seen as a “patriotic” murder. Sauerkraut became liberty cabbage and German toast became French toast. What about “freedom” fries?

The 14 Points : 

The 14 Points Wilson’s vision: the 14 Points. Points 1-5: no secret treaties, freedom of the seas, reductions of trade barriers, reductions of armaments, and adjustments of colonial claims. Purpose: provide a general context for a lasting peace.

The 14 Points : 

The 14 Points Points 6-13: return territories that France lost to Germany in 1871 and self determination in central Europe and the Middle East. Point 14: called for a League of Nations. Purpose: to secure a lasting peace (and justify the bloodshed). Wilson pressured the allies to accept his terms.

The Paris Peace Talks : 

The Paris Peace Talks Wilson left for Paris without Republicans. Wilson had to contend with the ungracious victors of WWI. Allies: blame Germany for the war, disarm them, and make them pay. Wilson agreed with French calls to blame Germany for the war. Germany upset with the vindictive Allies.

The Paris Peace Talks : 

The Paris Peace Talks Allies kept their colonies via mandate system. Idea self-determination often led to instability. Ethnic and national rivalries dampened success of democracy. Problems between Arabs & Jews and problems in Iraq are rooted in the Paris Peace Conference. Japan angered by rejection of racial equality.

Treaty of Versailles Rejected : 

Treaty of Versailles Rejected Wilson believed League of Nations would fix mistakes made in Paris. Isolationists condemned Versailles Treaty. Henry Cabot Lodge thought the League would handcuff US freedom of action. Lodge’s reservations: Congress must approve measures before US takes part in economic sanctions or military action. (Wilson refused)

Labor Strife : 

Labor Strife Economic problems heightened tensions. Businesses attacked labor unions. 1919: over 4 million workers took part in strikes. Seattle Strike saw the AFL and IWW working together to help shipyard workers. The 1919 steel strike affected 15 states. Strikers/labor unions linked to Bolsheviks.

The Red Scare : 

The Red Scare Red Scare: economic problems, labor unrest, and difficultly of returning soldiers to society. Communists created the Comintern. Bomb attacks scared the public. Libraries banned controversial books, shut down newspapers, fired teachers. A. Mitchell Palmer took advantage of fear to increase his power. (Palmer Raids)

Ethic Tensions : 

Ethic Tensions Blacks began to move north to find opportunities for wartime work (500,000 moved north between 1915 and 1920) Blacks hoped that their experience in WWI would lead to changes for the better. Frequent race riots rocked the nation in 1919. Mexicans also came to the US in large numbers.

Election of 1920 : 

Election of 1920 Warren G. Harding won election promising a return to normalcy. Troubles at home convinced many to vote for Harding. Americans tired of Progressive Movement.