Chapter 19: Safe for Democracy

Lecture Preview

• Main topics:

• An Era of Intervention

• America and the Great War

• The War at Home

• Who Is an American?

• Events of 1919

An Era of Intervention

• Focus Question: How did Progressive presidents promote the expansion of American power overseas?

• Key actions:

• Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine: Asserted the U.S. right to intervene in Latin American affairs to stabilize the region and prevent European intervention, marking a shift from mere containment to active involvement.

• Expansion in Panama, Caribbean, and Latin America: Involved military and diplomatic actions, such as backing Panama's independence from Colombia in 1903 to facilitate the construction of the Panama Canal, which was a strategic military and commercial waterway.

• Military interventions: Notable interventions included the Dominican Republic (1916-1924), where U.S. troops were deployed to restore order amidst political instability, and Haiti (1915-1934), where U.S. forces occupied the country to protect American economic interests and suppress local uprisings.

• The concept of the U.S. as a global police power: Established a doctrine of intervention justified by the need for order and stability, often framed as humanitarian efforts, fundamentally reshaping international relations in the Western Hemisphere.

America and the Great War

• Focus Question: How did the United States get involved in World War I?

• Key events:

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: The June 1914 assassination sparked the July Crisis, leading to a series of alliances pulling multiple nations, including the U.S., into conflict.

• The sinking of the Lusitania: The May 1915 sinking of the British liner, which resulted in the death of 128 Americans, combined with German unrestricted submarine warfare, shifted public sentiment towards supporting entry into the war.

• Growing division among Americans regarding involvement: The nation was split between the isolationist movement, which argued against foreign entanglements, and pro-Allied factions that argued for intervention, highlighting deep political and social divisions.

The War at Home

• Focus Question: How did the U.S. mobilize resources and public opinion for the war effort?

• Key strategies:

• Use of propaganda: The Committee on Public Information employed techniques such as posters, films, and public speaking tours to galvanize support for the war and promote nationalism.

• Liberty bonds campaigns: The sale of bonds raised over $23 billion to finance the war, portraying bond purchase as a patriotic duty, thus involving the general population in the effort.

• Public organizations mobilizing support: Organizations like the Red Cross provided medical services and aid; the Boy Scouts contributed by gathering materials, showing widespread community engagement in wartime efforts.

• Women’s movements: As women joined the workforce in unprecedented numbers, their contributions in factories and roles in organizations led to advancements in the suffrage movement, tying their efforts to national service.

• Social scrutiny and civil liberty suppression: Legislation like the Espionage Act (1917) and the Sedition Act (1918) targeted dissent, showing how the war led to a contentious balance between security and civil rights, including the jailing of anti-war activists.

Who Is an American?

• Focus Question: How did the war affect race relations in the U.S.?

• Key themes:

• Eugenics and views on the 'American race': The war heightened racial categorizations, with eugenics movements promoting pseudoscientific ideas of racial superiority, adversely affecting immigration policies, particularly against non-white immigrants.

• Anti-German sentiment and the treatment of immigrants: Following the war, widespread discrimination against German-Americans included violence, cultural suppression, and loss of jobs, with many German establishments being shuttered or rebranded.

• Participation of minority groups: African Americans served in segregated units in the military and took on wartime jobs; while they contributed to the war effort, they faced systemic discrimination, prompting civil rights activism.

• Black Experiences:

• W. E. B. Du Bois's advocacy for rights: Du Bois argued that supporting the war could help earn greater civil rights for Black Americans, urging them to fight for democracy abroad so they could claim it at home.

• The Great Migration and racial violence: The movement of African Americans from rural South to urban North for job opportunities in war industries created competition that led to racial tensions and riots, such as the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, highlighting the fragility of racial relations in post-war America.

1919: A Watershed Year

• Focus Question: What made 1919 significant?

• Key events:

• Global unrest and the Red Scare in the U.S.: Following the war, the fear of communism and anarchism led to government crackdowns, including the Palmer Raids which targeted suspected radicals and fueled paranoia around civil dissent.

• Economic and labor strikes: The country faced significant labor unrest in 1919, exemplified by the Great Steel Strike, where workers demanded better conditions, reflecting growing class tensions and the challenge to the capitalist system.

• Wilson’s Peace negotiations at Versailles: Woodrow Wilson’s advocacy for the League of Nations was controversial, leading to political conflict back home; the Treaty of Versailles and its conditions were met with strong opposition, foreboding future international strife.

• Seeds for future conflicts: The debates surrounding the Treaty laid the groundwork for future international relations challenges, particularly the U.S.'s role in global governance versus isolationist sentiments.

Key Questions for Review

1. How did Progressive presidents promote the expansion of U.S. power?

• Progressive presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson expanded U.S. power through assertive foreign policies, including military interventions in Latin America under the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, and the establishment of the U.S. as a global police power. Diplomatic initiatives, exemplified by the Panama Canal's construction, were also critical in securing American interests abroad.

1. What were the key factors leading to U.S. involvement in WWI?

• Key factors included the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which sparked a chain of alliances; the sinking of the Lusitania, which killed American civilians and heightened anti-German sentiment; and a growing division among Americans, with some advocating for intervention while others supported isolationism.

1. How did the U.S. mobilize resources for the war?

• The U.S. mobilized resources through propaganda efforts led by the Committee on Public Information, the sale of Liberty Bonds to finance the war, and the involvement of organizations like the Red Cross and the Boy Scouts in supporting military efforts. Women joined the workforce in unprecedented numbers, linking their contributions to national service, while civil liberties were curtailed through legislation like the Espionage and Sedition Acts.

1. In what ways did the war affect racial dynamics in American society?

• The war exacerbated racial tensions, with heightened eugenics movements promoting racial superiority and oppressive immigration policies. Anti-German sentiment led to violence against German-Americans. The participation of African Americans in the military and workforce during the war, combined with the Great Migration, highlighted inequalities and civil rights issues, culminating in violent race riots in several cities.

1. Why was 1919 considered a turning point for the U.S. and the world?

• In 1919, the U.S. experienced significant upheaval due to the Red Scare, widespread labor unrest, and debates over the Treaty of Versailles, which changed the global balance of power. Wilson's advocacy for the League of Nations faced strong domestic opposition. The events of this year laid the groundwork for future conflicts by challenging traditional notions of national sovereignty and international relations.

Conclusion

• The lecture comprehensively analyzes America’s interventionist policies leading up to and during WWI, examining the domestic impacts of wartime engagement, evolving race relations, and the significant implications of 1919 in shaping modern America.