WORLD WAR & RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Involvement of the United States in World War I

  • Neutrality During World War I

    • Traditional dates: 1914-1918

    • U.S. involvement was primarily in 1917.

    • Desire to remain neutral.

    • Historical context: America had been isolationist; avoidance of foreign entanglements advised since George Washington's presidency.

  • Economic Factors

    • The U.S. was economically benefiting from the war.

    • As a neutral party, America profited by selling weapons to both sides: Germans, British, and French.

    • U.S. emerged economically strong while not officially participating in the combat.

  • Demographics and Public Sentiment

    • Public divided due to large immigrant populations.

    • Germans: pride in heritage and unification.

    • Irish: historical conflict with England led some to favor conflict against Britain.

Events Leading to American Entry into the War

  • Sinking of the Lusitania

    • The Lusitania was a luxury liner attacked in 1915.

    • Ironically, the ship was carrying ammunition and war supplies disguised as civilian passenger goods.

    • Sank quickly, resulting in the deaths of 128 Americans and over a thousand other passengers.

    • Intelligence gathered by Germans indicated the ship was a military target due to its cargo.

  • Reactions to the Lusitania Incident

    • Causes outrage amongst Americans, leading to calls for involvement in the war.

    • Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned in protest after the attack, claiming the Germans had been set up.

The Road to War: Zimmermann Telegram

  • Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

    • Germany broke its promises by attacking American ships after the Lusitania incident.

    • This led to greater American resolve to enter World War I.

  • Zimmermann Note

    • A secret telegram from Germany proposed that Mexico align with Germany against the U.S.

    • Offered a return of lands lost to the U.S. during the Mexican-American War if they allied with Germany

    • Interception and public revelation of the telegram fueled war sentiments in the U.S.

Domestic Sentiment Towards Germany

  • Public Perception

    • Germans became vilified; propaganda depicted them as barbaric.

    • German culture was denigrated—music, language, and even beer brands in America faced backlash.

  • Historical Context

    • Similar to post-9/11 treatment of Muslims and internment of Japanese during WWII.

Situation in Russia During WWI

  • Russian Military Challenges

    • Russia struggled due to lack of industrialization and defeats against Japan (1905).

    • The impact of WWI causing civil unrest and protests.

    • Bloody Sunday (1905): Military fired on peaceful protesters, fueling discontent against the monarchy.

  • Role of Tsar Nicholas II

    • Incompetence led to further distrust among citizens.

    • The royal family was perceived as detached from the struggles of the Russian people.

  • Impact of Rasputin

    • Rasputin, a mystic, gained influence through his relationship with the royal family due to their son’s illness.

    • His controversial position and influence became a point of contention, leading to his eventual assassination by nobles.

Russian Revolutions and Exit from WWI

  • February (White) Revolution (March 1917)

    • Nicholas II abdicated leading to a provisional government under Alexander Kerensky.

    • Granted limited freedoms and suffrage but failed to address land reforms or exit from the war.

  • October (Red) Revolution (November 1917)

    • Led by Vladimir Lenin, the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government.

    • Russia withdrew from WWI through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ceding territory to Germany.

Consequences of World War I

  • End of the War

    • November 11, 1918, marked the official end of the war.

    • American troops significantly contributed to breaking the stalemate established by trench warfare.

  • Treaty of Versailles (1919)

    • No German representation at the treaty negotiation, leading to resentment.

    • Germany faced military restrictions, reparations, and loss of territory.

    • War guilt clause blamed Germany solely for starting the war.

  • Territorial Changes

    • Formation of new nations: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, among others.

    • Redrawing of borders fostered animosities that contributed to future conflicts, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

  • Long-term Implications

    • Tensions arising from the Treaty of Versailles set the stage for future conflicts, notably WWII.

    • Economic devastation in Germany and unresolved ethnic disputes in new nations led to instability.

  • Post-war Nationalism

    • The Balfour Declaration promised a Jewish homeland, intensifying future conflicts in the Middle East.

    • Nationalism in colonies and former Ottoman territories led to further tensions and conflicts worldwide.

America's Role in World War I

Staying Neutral (at first)

  • The war usually lasted from 1914-1918, but the U.S. really only joined in 1917.

  • America wanted to stay out of it.

  • Historically, the U.S. liked to keep to itself (isolationist). George Washington even warned against getting involved with other countries' problems.

Making Money from the War

  • The U.S. was actually doing pretty well financially because of the war.

  • Since America wasn't officially fighting, it could sell weapons to everyone—Germans, British, and French.

  • This meant the U.S. came out of this period rich and strong, even before officially joining the fight.

Divided Opinions at Home

  • Americans weren't all on the same page because of all the immigrants.

  • German-Americans often felt proud of their German roots and their country's strength.

  • Irish-Americans, remembering old conflicts with England, sometimes rooted against Britain.

How America Got Pulled Into the War

The Lusitania Sinks

  • In 1915, a fancy cruise ship called the Lusitania was attacked.

  • Here's the twist: it was secretly carrying weapons and war supplies, hidden among the regular passenger stuff.

  • It went down fast, killing 128 Americans and more than a thousand other people.

  • German intelligence knew the ship was actually a military target because of what it was carrying.

Everyone Was Outraged

  • Americans were furious and wanted to join the war.

  • The Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, even quit his job in protest. He thought the Germans were tricked into attacking the ship.

The Final Push: Submarines and a Secret Message

Germans Break Their Promise

  • After the Lusitania, Germany had promised not to attack passenger ships without warning. But they broke that promise by sinking more American ships.

  • This made Americans even more determined to enter World War I.

The Zimmermann Telegram

  • Germany sent a secret coded message (the "Zimmermann Note") to Mexico.

  • It suggested that Mexico team up with Germany against the U.S.

  • In return, Germany offered to help Mexico get back land it lost to the U.S. during the Mexican-American War.

  • When this telegram was caught and made public, it really pushed America towards war.

How Americans Saw Germany

Germans Became the Bad Guys

  • Suddenly, Germans were seen as evil. Propaganda showed them as wild and brutal.

  • German culture got a lot of hate too. Things like German music, the German language, and even German beer brands in America faced strong negative reactions.

It's Happened Before

  • This kind of public anger against a group isn't new. It was similar to how Muslims were treated after 9/11 or how Japanese-Americans were put in internment camps during WWII.

What Was Happening in Russia During WWI

Russia's Army Was Struggling

  • Russia had a tough time in the war because it wasn't very industrialized (like other big countries) and had even lost to Japan in 1905.

  • WW1 made things even worse, leading to lots of anger and protests among the people.

  • Bloody Sunday (1905): Soldiers shot at people protesting peacefully, which made everyone even angrier at the king (Tsar).

Tsar Nicholas II: Not a Great Leader

  • Tsar Nicholas II wasn't very good at his job, and this made people trust him even less.

  • The royal family seemed completely out of touch with what ordinary Russians were going through.

The Mystery Man: Rasputin

  • Rasputin, a mysterious mystic, became very powerful because of his close relationship with the royal family. This was mainly because they believed he could help their sick son.

  • People really disliked his controversial role and the power he had, which eventually led to some nobles killing him.

Russia's Revolutions and Leaving the War

The First Revolution (February/March 1917)

  • Tsar Nicholas II stepped down, and a temporary government led by Alexander Kerensky took over.

  • This new government gave people some basic freedoms and the right to vote, but it didn't solve big problems like giving land to farmers or getting Russia out of the war.

The Second Revolution (October/November 1917)

  • Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik party (the "Reds") took control from the temporary government.

  • Russia then pulled out of WWI by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which meant giving up some land to Germany.

What Happened After World War I

The War Ends

  • The war officially stopped on November 11, 1918.

  • American soldiers played a huge part in breaking the deadlock of trench warfare, which really helped end the fighting.

The Treaty of Versailles (1919)

  • Germany wasn't allowed to have a say in the treaty negotiations, which made them super resentful.

  • The treaty hit Germany hard: they had their military limited, had to pay huge fines (reparations), and lost a lot of land.

  • A "war guilt clause" put all the blame on Germany for starting the war.

New Countries, New Problems

  • Lots of new countries were formed, like Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia.

  • But drawing these new borders caused a lot of bad feelings and disagreements, especially in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, leading to future fights.

Lasting Effects

  • The problems created by the Treaty of Versailles really set the stage for more conflicts later on, famously World War II.

  • Germany plunged into economic disaster, and the ethnic issues in the new countries led to a lot of instability.

Rise of Nationalism

  • The Balfour Declaration promised a homeland for Jewish people, which sparked even more conflicts in the Middle East down the road.

  • Strong feelings of national pride in colonies and former Ottoman lands also caused tensions and more conflicts globally.