7.5 World War I: Military and Diplomacy

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the causes and consequences of US involvement in World War 1

INTRODUCTION

  • WW1 broke out after Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated

    • Austria-Hungary & Germany were in a full-scale war w Russia, France, & Great Britian

  • Main causes were:

    • Militarism

    • Alliances

    • Imperialism

    • Nationalism

NEUTRALITY

  • President Wilsons first response was declaration of US neutrality

    • Wilson found it difficult to steer neutral course that favored neither

      - wanted to continue protect US trading rights

      - US moved through a wide range of roles (neutral>war>world power)

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS

  • Belligerent powers tried to stop supplies (caused trouble for the US)

    • Great Britian was first to declare blockade against Germany

      - seized ships (including US ships) attempting to run blockade

      - WIlson view seizures as violation to neutrality & freedom to seas

SUMBMARINE WARFARE

  • Germanys hoped to challenge British with the submarine

    • Answered British blockade by announcing blockade of its own

      - warned against ships entering ¨war zone¨

LUSITANIA CRISIS

  • First major crisis challenging US neutrality

    • German torpedos hit & sank British passenger ship (Lusitania)

      - passengers were killed (including 128 Americans)

      - Wilson sent diplomatic message warning Germany against their sinking of unarmed ships

      - William Jennings Bryan objected message & resigned (too warlike)

OTHER SINKINGS

  • Two Americans lost their lives at sea due to German submarines (The Arabic)

    • Wilsons note of protest prevailed upon German government

      - no unarmed passenger ships would be sunk without warning

      - allowed passengers to get into lifeboats

    • Germany ended up attacked unarmed merchant ship (the Sussex)

      - injured several American passengers

      - Wilson cut diplomatic realtions w Germany (step closer to war)

      - Germany back down & replied w Sussex pledge (promised not to sink ships w/o due warning

ECONOMIC LINKS WITH BRITAN AND FRANCE

  • US was closely tied to economy of allied powers (despite neutrality)

    • US was in economic recessions before war began

      - Economy rebounded after war (due to orders 4 war supplies)

      - US business have never been so prosperous

    • British blockade prevented US trade to Germany

      - Wilson tolerated blockade while restricting German submarines

      - US ecnomic support was going to one side & not the other

      - trade w allies quadrupled while trade w Germany vanished

LOANS

  • US gov permitted US bankers to extend 3 billion in credit to allies

    - helped allies sustain war effort

    - premoted US pospersity

PUBLIC OPINION

  • Most Americans favored Britian

    • Newspapers perceived Germany as bully marching through Belgium

      - sinking of Lusitania reinforced negative view

ETHNIC INFLUENCES

  • First & seond-generation citizens made up more than 30% of US population

    • Supported neutrality (sympathies still reflected their ancestries)

      - German Americans identified w stuggles of their ¨homeland¨

      - Irish Americans hated Britain bc of opressive rule in Ireland

      - Italian Americans cheered on allies to fend of Germand assault

    • Most native-born Americans supported Allies

      - relations from Revolutionary War w French bolsterd support

      - Brtish & French democratic governments also increased support

BRITISH WAR PROPAGANDA

  • British commanded seas & news that was cabeled to US

    • British gov fully recognized importance of winning US influence

      - supplied American press w German attorcities in Belgium & France

THE WAR DEBATE

  • Lusitania crisis—→ minority of influentical republicans from the East argued for war againt Germany (included Theodore Roosevelt)

    • Foreign policy realist believed:

      - Germany victory would change balance of power

      - US needed British navy to protest status quo

    • Majority of Americans remained thankful for economy & peace

PREPAREDNESS

  • Eastern republicans recognized US military was hoplessly unprepared

    • Clamored for preparedness (greater defense expenditures)

      - Wilson later urged congress to approve expansion of armed forces

      - proposal—→ issues w democrats (opposted military increases)

      - Congress eventually passed national defense act (increased regular army force & construction of 50 warships)

OPPOSITION TO WAR

  • Many Americans (Midwest & West)opposed preparedness (feared involvement)

    • Antiwar activist

      - included populist, progressives, socialist

      - included William Jennings Bryan, Jane Addams, Jeannette Rankin

      - supported war effort after declaration of war

THE ELECTION OF 1916

  • President Wilson was aware of his victory (split in parties—→ democrat victory)

    • Roosevelt left progressives to rejoin republicans

      - this decisions destroyed Progressives chance of surviving

¨HE KEPT US OUT OF THE WAR¨

  • Democrats adopted campiagn slogan: ¨He Kept Us Out of War¨

    • Peace sentiment, progressive leadership, & weak Republican candate

      - allowed Wilson and democratic strength to prevail

PEACE EFFORTS

  • Wilson made efforts to fufill party campaign ZXX