US Imperialism and WW1 – Part 4 of 6 | U.S. Involvement in WWI

American Involvement in WWI

1914-1918: US shifted from neutrality to active involvement and helped end the war.

American Neutrality (1914-1917)

President Woodrow Wilson declared neutrality to avoid European entanglements but trade and finance tied US to Allies.

Economic Expansion and Trade with Allies

British blockade cut off trade with Central Powers; US exports to Allies grew from $825M (1914) to $3.2B (1916); exports to Germany nearly stopped.

Financial and Banking Connections

American banks like J.P. Morgan loaned over $2.3B to Allies vs only $27M to Central Powers; US financial stability depended on Allied victory.

Industrial Support

US industry produced weapons

Agricultural Support

Farmers exported massive food supplies to Allied armies and civilians; boosted economy.

Great Migration

Labor shortages led African Americans to move north for industrial jobs; reshaped urban demographics.

Humanitarian Aid

Herbert Hoover's Commission for Relief in Belgium sent food to war-torn civilians.

Diplomatic Mediation

Wilson attempted peace through "peace without victory" proposals

Challenges to Neutrality

German U-boat attacks on civilian ships like the Lusitania angered Americans; British propaganda fueled anti-German sentiment.

Two Events Drag America into WWI

1) Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare (Feb 1917). 2) Zimmerman Telegram offered Mexico alliance against US.

Zimmerman Telegram (1917)

German message promising Mexico US territory (Texas

Wilson's War Message (April 2

1917)

US Declares War

April 6

Mobilization Definition

Transitioning from peace to wartime economy through government coordination of industry and labor.

War Industries Board

Regulated manufacturing

Fuel Administration

Managed coal and gasoline use; promoted voluntary conservation ("Heatless Mondays").

Railroad Administration

Nationalized railroads to improve wartime logistics.

Emergency Ship Corporation

Built fleet to transport men and supplies across the Atlantic.

War Labor Board

Mediated disputes between workers and owners to prevent strikes during war.

US Food Administration

Led by Herbert Hoover; promoted "Meatless Mondays" and "Wheatless Wednesdays."

Selective Service Act of 1917

Required registration for draft; 24 million men registered; 3 million drafted; 2 million volunteered.

Liberty Bonds

Citizens loaned money to government to fund war; raised two-thirds of total $35.5 billion cost.

War Financing

1/3 by income taxes

Committee on Public Information (CPI)

Led by George Creel; produced propaganda posters

Propaganda Campaign

Promoted patriotism but fueled anti-German sentiment and censorship.

African Americans in WWI

400

Native Americans in WWI

6

Asian Americans in WWI

Served in segregated units; non-whites granted citizenship after service.

Hispanic Americans in WWI

200

German Americans in WWI

Faced suspicion

Robert Prager Case

German American lynched by mob in 1918 amid wartime hysteria.

Conscientious Objectors (COs)

Refused service on moral or religious grounds; faced imprisonment

WWI Labor Shortage

Women and minorities filled industrial jobs vacated by soldiers.

Women in the Workforce

Took factory and clerical jobs; challenged gender roles; paved way for 19th Amendment.

WWI and the Great Migration

African Americans moved north to escape segregation and find industrial jobs.

Mexican Immigration during WWI

Many Mexicans migrated north to fill agricultural and industrial labor shortages.

Civil Liberties During WWI

Freedom of speech and press restricted under Espionage and Sedition Acts.

Espionage Act of 1917

Made it illegal to interfere with military operations or support enemies; allowed mail censorship.

Sedition Act of 1918

Criminalized disloyal or abusive language toward government

Suppression of Dissent

Over 2

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Supreme Court upheld Espionage Act; free speech limited when it poses a "clear and present danger."

Committee on Public Information

Promoted pro-war sentiment but encouraged suspicion of "unpatriotic" citizens.

WWI Impact on Civil Rights

Expanded government power but restricted individual freedoms in name of national unity.

US in Europe (1917-1918)

American Expeditionary Force (AEF) led by General John J. Pershing joined Allied front in France.

Château-Thierry (June 1918)

US troops stopped German advance toward Paris.

Second Battle of the Marne (July-Aug 1918)

Turning point; Allies began to push Germany back.

Battle of St. Mihiel (Sept 1918)

First major offensive led by US Army alone.

Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Sept-Nov 1918)

Largest US operation; over 1 million troops; deadliest battle in US history.

Armistice (Nov 11

1918)

WWI Casualties

22M deaths (half civilians)

Florida's WWI Role

Provided training centers

Wilson's Fourteen Points (Jan 8

1918)

Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920)

Allied meeting at Versailles to decide postwar order; Germany and Russia excluded.

Big Four

Leaders of US (Wilson)

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

Official peace treaty; Germany blamed for war and punished severely.

German Punishments

Lost colonies and territory; limited military; forced to pay reparations; accepted war guilt clause (Article 231).

Global Reaction to Treaty

Italy and Japan angry over limited rewards; nationalist movements opposed colonial rule continuation.

League of Nations

International organization proposed by Wilson to promote peace and collective security.

US Rejection of League

Senate refused to ratify treaty

Return to Isolationism

Post-WWI US withdrew from foreign conflicts and avoided alliances.

WWI Impact on US

Strengthened economy and global influence but left disillusionment over war's cost.

Postwar Challenges

Demobilization