Unit 3. World War I

MAIN Causes

Millenarianism

The glorification of the military, military planning, and arms races

• German & Britain were competing to form the best navy/submarines

Created tension and paranoia between nations; every nation wanted the best army and military.

Ally System

A system that created bonds or teams between nations to preserve the balance of power

• Nations would get pulled into conflicts, expanding the scale of the war.

*The U.S. entered the war late in 1917

Imperialism

The desire for superior nations to take over smaller nations in the search of more power, bigger economy, and status.

• Created tension between nations

Nationalism

The belief that one’s nation is the best, and the belief that ethnic groups should only belong in their country of origin

• Created rivalries between Europe’s “Great Powers”

• Ethnic groups demanded own nation states

“Spark” of War

Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary, was assassinated by a Serbian assassin in June 28, 1914.

Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia

• Russia supported Serbia

• Germany supported Austria-Hungary

France and Britain were pulled into war because of alliances and since the Austria-Hungary army marched through neutral Belgium.

Strategy/Weapons

New technology prolonged the war, and made it infinitely more deadly.

• Poison Gas

• Submarines (U-boats by Germany)

• Tanks (relatively new)

• Airplanes (used for reconnaissance)

• Machine Guns

Trench Warfare

Soldiers dug deep holes extending for miles at a time protected by barbed wire and land mines to hide in and attack.

Soldiers suffered from prolonged time in the trenches:

• Trenches’ Foot

• Lice

• Mice

• Loud Shelling

• Diseases

• Dampness

“No Mans’ Land”: The land separating the trenches, machine guns would gun down anyone in “No Mans’ Land”

Naval Blockade

Britain used its extensive navy to block Germany’s foreign imports in order to starve their armies.

Germany responded by using submarines (U-Boats) to sink Britain’s ships that were importing food and supplies using torpedoes.

• Germany did not have a big enough navy to combat Britain’s ships, so they used submarines.

Why America Joined WWI (1917)

Cultural Ties

Many Americans share historical ties with Britain, and the U.S. shares extensive history with Great Britain

France and the U.S. share similar government styles and ideas

• The U.S. felt obligated to join

Germany’s Atrocities & Propaganda

Public opinion of Germany went down as they marched through neutral Belgium to reach France, destroyed property, and killed innocents.

• Propaganda exaggerated their crimes (cutting of children’s hands and killing babies), so public opinion plummeted even more

Britain’s Blockade

Britain blocked neutral countries ships supplied from Germany,

The U.S. became the main supplier of food, weapons, etc for the Allies, and bankers sent millions of dollars to the Allies

Germany’s Counter-Blockade

Germany did not have the navy to overtake Britain’s blockade

Germany decided to sink any Allied ship in blockaded areas:

• Germany sunk Lusitanian, a British passenger ship which contained American civilians; public outrage ensued

Sussex Pledge of 1916

Germany attacks a French ship, and the U.S. threatens to stop all diplomatic affairs with Germany

Germany agreed to stop sinking merchant ships without warning if the U.S. persuaded Britain to stop its blockade

Britain uses convoys (surrounding merchant ships by armed ships)

Unrestricted submarine warfare

Germany disregarded the Sussex Pledge and sunk any ship in their blockade area to get supplies

*Britain’s blockade was cutting off supply chain

Zimmerman Telegram

France intercepted a telegram from Germany to Mexico indicating that they could invade the U.S.

• If Mexico supported Germany, Germany would invade the U.S. to get back their land

  • Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona

Final Blow

German submarines kept sinking American merchant vessels, Wilson declares war so “The world must be safe for democracy“

America at War

Mobilization

General Pershing commanded the American Expeditionary Force:

Selective Service Act: random picking of men to be drafted based off of random lottery of birthdays

Conscientious Objectors: those who refuse to serve because of religious beliefs

*Played non-combative roles in military (driving, medics, etc)

Agencies

Committee of Public Information: Made pamphlets, papers, and news in purpose of propaganda for war effort (created anti-German films)

War Industries Board: Coordinated with factories and corporations to focus production towards war effort

Food Administration: Controlled the distribution of food to Allies, citizens, and army

Fuel Administration: Controlled gasoline and coal; voluntary conservation

Railroad Administration: nationalized railroads for army

Emergency Ship Conservation: Created a fleet to sent men and supplies to the Allies

War Labor Board: Intermediated disputes between owners and workers, so workers do not go on strike

Economy

• The U.S. started raising the taxes for the rich

• Implored citizens to buy liberty bonds to fund the war effort

  • Sent 1/3 of earnings to Allies

Acts

In the name of “national security” and suspicion of German spies, these laws were passed:

Espionage Act: Censorship of mail and imprisonment of anyone who interfered with draft

• Charles Schneck was imprisoned for mailing out fliers discouraging to signing up for the war

Sedition Act: Imprisonment of anyone who used “disloyal language”

• Eugene V. Debbs gave an anti-war speech and was arrested

Schneck v U.S. and Debbs v. U.S. upheld the notion of limiting freedom of speech when there is a “clear and present danger”

Minorities

Women

Supported the war effort by filling in many jobs left from men enlisting in war

Women Suffrage Association and its members bought war bonds, joined the Red Cross, knitted socks, and cooked meatless dinners

The National Women’s Party opposed the war.

American Indians

Fought in Europe

African American

Enlisted in army and served in segregated units to prove themselves to the government

Great Migration: African Americans escaping Jim Crow laws by migrating to the North for jobs

Jewish American

Enlisted in military while facing discrimination and created Anti-Defamation League to oppose Anti-Semitism and religious prejudice

Funded the distribution of food to the people of Europe

Asian American

Enlisted in the militate even though they were discriminated against

Hispanic Americans

Worked in farms to supply food for the war effort and enlisted

German Americans

Were harassed, mobbed, and even killed because of discrimination

• 4,000 German Americans were imprisoned

After War

Fourteen Points

Wilson scribed these points, but in the end were rejected

• Self-determination for people of Europe

• Reduced armaments

• Freedom of seas

• Creation of League of Nations

• End to secret diplomacy

• Equal trade terms

Treaty of Versailles

League of Nations created a treaty and signed it Versailles, France

*Was harsh to the losers of the war, particularly Germany

• Germany would give up all its army and navy

• Germany would give up all its territory to France and Poland

• Austria-Hungary would be separated and created into different nations

• Germany would sign “War Guilt” clause and take responsibility for war and pay reparations to Allies

• Turkey would be turned into a Republic and the Ottoman Empire lost its territories in Middle East which became mandates of Britain and France

• League of Nations would be established to protect the peace

America

• Citizens were disappointed at outcome

• Many retreated to isolation

• Congress gave control of Senate to Republicans

• Republicans feared being dragged into future wars

• U.S. never joined League of Nations and signed separate treaty with Germany in 1921