Chapter 26 - American Involvement in the Great War
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
1914 - Assassinated by the Black Hand because of his perceived threat to Serbian independence
His assassination was the justification to start World War I
The Great War
1914-1919
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia because of the Archduke’s assassination
The Central Powers were made up of Germany and Austria-Hungary
The Allied Powers were made up of France, England, and Russia
The war was fought with new, modern weapons
Central Powers
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
Declared the war
Were eventually defeated by the end of the war
Allied Powers
England, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, US
Possessed greater overall demographic, industrial, and military resources than the Central Powers and enjoyed easier access to the oceans for trade with neutral countries
U-Boats
German submarines that were used to attack enemy ships
Their widespread destruction eventually caused the US to enter WWI
Lusitania
1915 - Sunk by German submarines
The US demanded Germany to stop their submarine warfare
The death of so many innocent civilians at the hands of the Germans galvanized American support for entering the war, which eventually turned the tide in favor of the Allies
Arabic Pledge
1915
The German ambassador promised they would warn countries before German submarines sank passenger liners
Broke the Arabic Pledge in March of 1916, when a U-boat torpedoed the French ship Sussex
Sussex Pledge
1916 - German submarines sank French ship Sussex, violating the Arabic Pledge
The US declared that if Germany continued submarine warfare, the US would break off diplomatic ties
Germany promised to stop the indiscriminate sinking of non-military ships
Merchant ships would be searched, and sunk only if they were found to be carrying contraband materials
Zimmermann Telegram
1917
A secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico if the United States entered World War I against Germany
If Mexico helped Germany during WWI, Germany would help them recover their lost territory from the Mexican-American War
This caused Woodrow Wilson to declare war
Election of 1916
1916
Woodrow Wilson’s motto was “He kept us out of war”
Incumbent Democratic President Woodrow Wilson narrowly defeated former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Charles Evans Hughes, the Republican candidate
After the election, Wilson began war preparations, like funding and the Selective Service Act
Uncle Sam
A euphemism, or personification, of the US federal government
Was drawn on war recruiting posters to motivate young American soldiers to join the service
John J. Pershing
A senior United States Army officer
Served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front during World War I, from 1917 to 1918
Battle of Chateau Thierry
1918
Direct American support to Allied Powers
One of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces under General John J. Pershing
A battle in World War I as part of the Second Battle of the Marne, initially prompted by a German Spring Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
1918 - The US sent a large force of American soldiers to cut the main German supply line
One of the attacks that brought an end to the War
After an armistice ended the fighting, the Treaty of Versailles was signed that put an end to the war
National War Labor Board
1918
Created by William Howard Taft
Used to prevent labor disputes on the home front during World War I
George Creel
1917 - Headed the Committee on Public Information
An American investigative journalist and writer, a politician and government official
Became the mastermind behind the U.S. government's propaganda campaign
Rallied the American public to the cause of war and sold the globe a vision of America and President Wilson's plans for a world order
Bernard Baruch
One of the most famous Wall Street traders in the nation
Served as President Wilson's Advisory Commission to the Council on National Defense
1918 - Served as chair of the War Industries Board
Espionage and Sedition Acts
1917 - The Espionage Act of 1917 prohibited obtaining information, recording pictures, or copying descriptions of any information relating to the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information may be used for the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation
1918 - The Sedition Act made it a crime for American citizens to print, utter, or publish any false, scandalous, and malicious writing about the government
Fourteen Points
1918 - Written by Woodrow Wilson
Attacked war imperialism
Proposed self-government for oppressed peoples
Proposed the League of Nations
Armistice
1918
A cease-fire during the war led to the Treaty of Versailles
Did not end the First World War itself, but it was the agreement which stopped the fighting on the Western Front while the terms of the permanent peace were discussed
Treaty of Versailles
1919
Created a punitive peace while punishing Germany and Austria-Hungary
This treaty and its terms humiliated Germany, which led to the unification of the Nazi Party for revenge
League of Nations
League of Nations
Used to solve future international conflicts
The US created it, but didn’t end up joining it
Didn’t allow Japan or Italy to join it because of their actions in WWI
Was eventually reformed to become the United Nations
Henry Cabot Lodge
Served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign policy
Disliked Woodrow Wilson
Was against the League of Nations
Irreconcilables
Was led by Henry Cabot Lodge and made up of conservative Republicans
Was against the League of Nations because they believed it violated the Constitution
Wanted isolationism and for the US to stay out of foreign affairs
BIG PICTURE
US - Couldn’t stay neutral in WWI
Manpower + nat’l resources → Allied Powers won
American Expeditionary Force
Woodrow Wilson - 14 Points + League of Nations
Checks + balances → Avoid tyranny
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
1914 - Assassinated by the Black Hand because of his perceived threat to Serbian independence
His assassination was the justification to start World War I
The Great War
1914-1919
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia because of the Archduke’s assassination
The Central Powers were made up of Germany and Austria-Hungary
The Allied Powers were made up of France, England, and Russia
The war was fought with new, modern weapons
Central Powers
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
Declared the war
Were eventually defeated by the end of the war
Allied Powers
England, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, US
Possessed greater overall demographic, industrial, and military resources than the Central Powers and enjoyed easier access to the oceans for trade with neutral countries
U-Boats
German submarines that were used to attack enemy ships
Their widespread destruction eventually caused the US to enter WWI
Lusitania
1915 - Sunk by German submarines
The US demanded Germany to stop their submarine warfare
The death of so many innocent civilians at the hands of the Germans galvanized American support for entering the war, which eventually turned the tide in favor of the Allies
Arabic Pledge
1915
The German ambassador promised they would warn countries before German submarines sank passenger liners
Broke the Arabic Pledge in March of 1916, when a U-boat torpedoed the French ship Sussex
Sussex Pledge
1916 - German submarines sank French ship Sussex, violating the Arabic Pledge
The US declared that if Germany continued submarine warfare, the US would break off diplomatic ties
Germany promised to stop the indiscriminate sinking of non-military ships
Merchant ships would be searched, and sunk only if they were found to be carrying contraband materials
Zimmermann Telegram
1917
A secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico if the United States entered World War I against Germany
If Mexico helped Germany during WWI, Germany would help them recover their lost territory from the Mexican-American War
This caused Woodrow Wilson to declare war
Election of 1916
1916
Woodrow Wilson’s motto was “He kept us out of war”
Incumbent Democratic President Woodrow Wilson narrowly defeated former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Charles Evans Hughes, the Republican candidate
After the election, Wilson began war preparations, like funding and the Selective Service Act
Uncle Sam
A euphemism, or personification, of the US federal government
Was drawn on war recruiting posters to motivate young American soldiers to join the service
John J. Pershing
A senior United States Army officer
Served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front during World War I, from 1917 to 1918
Battle of Chateau Thierry
1918
Direct American support to Allied Powers
One of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces under General John J. Pershing
A battle in World War I as part of the Second Battle of the Marne, initially prompted by a German Spring Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
1918 - The US sent a large force of American soldiers to cut the main German supply line
One of the attacks that brought an end to the War
After an armistice ended the fighting, the Treaty of Versailles was signed that put an end to the war
National War Labor Board
1918
Created by William Howard Taft
Used to prevent labor disputes on the home front during World War I
George Creel
1917 - Headed the Committee on Public Information
An American investigative journalist and writer, a politician and government official
Became the mastermind behind the U.S. government's propaganda campaign
Rallied the American public to the cause of war and sold the globe a vision of America and President Wilson's plans for a world order
Bernard Baruch
One of the most famous Wall Street traders in the nation
Served as President Wilson's Advisory Commission to the Council on National Defense
1918 - Served as chair of the War Industries Board
Espionage and Sedition Acts
1917 - The Espionage Act of 1917 prohibited obtaining information, recording pictures, or copying descriptions of any information relating to the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information may be used for the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation
1918 - The Sedition Act made it a crime for American citizens to print, utter, or publish any false, scandalous, and malicious writing about the government
Fourteen Points
1918 - Written by Woodrow Wilson
Attacked war imperialism
Proposed self-government for oppressed peoples
Proposed the League of Nations
Armistice
1918
A cease-fire during the war led to the Treaty of Versailles
Did not end the First World War itself, but it was the agreement which stopped the fighting on the Western Front while the terms of the permanent peace were discussed
Treaty of Versailles
1919
Created a punitive peace while punishing Germany and Austria-Hungary
This treaty and its terms humiliated Germany, which led to the unification of the Nazi Party for revenge
League of Nations
League of Nations
Used to solve future international conflicts
The US created it, but didn’t end up joining it
Didn’t allow Japan or Italy to join it because of their actions in WWI
Was eventually reformed to become the United Nations
Henry Cabot Lodge
Served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign policy
Disliked Woodrow Wilson
Was against the League of Nations
Irreconcilables
Was led by Henry Cabot Lodge and made up of conservative Republicans
Was against the League of Nations because they believed it violated the Constitution
Wanted isolationism and for the US to stay out of foreign affairs
BIG PICTURE
US - Couldn’t stay neutral in WWI
Manpower + nat’l resources → Allied Powers won
American Expeditionary Force
Woodrow Wilson - 14 Points + League of Nations
Checks + balances → Avoid tyranny