ww1 apush

World War I (1914-1918)

Central Powers

• A military alliance during World War I consisting of:

  • Germany

  • Austria-Hungary

  • The Ottoman Empire

  • Bulgaria

Allied Powers

• The coalition opposing the Central Powers, including:

  • Great Britain

  • France

  • Russia (until 1917)

  • Italy

  • Japan

  • Later, the United States

Lusitania

• A British passenger ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.

• Killed 1,198 people, including 128 Americans.

• The event fueled anti-German sentiment in the U.S. and moved the country closer to war.

Sussex Pledge

• A 1916 promise by Germany to the United States to stop unrestricted submarine warfare.

• Germany would only attack military vessels.

• This pledge was later broken by Germany.

Wilson’s Pre-War Views of American Foreign Policy

• President Woodrow Wilson initially sought to keep the U.S. neutral in World War I.

• Promoted a policy of moral diplomacy that encouraged democracy and peace without direct involvement in the war.

U-Boat

• German submarines used during World War I to attack enemy ships, including civilian and neutral vessels.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

• Germany’s policy of sinking all ships, including neutral and passenger ships, in war zones without warning.

• This policy was a key factor in the U.S. decision to enter the war.

Zimmerman Telegram

• A secret message sent in 1917 by Germany to Mexico.

• Proposed a military alliance against the U.S. in exchange for Mexico regaining lost territories (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona).

• Its interception and publication outraged Americans and helped push the U.S. into war.

Home Front and War Effort

Committee on Public Information (CPI)

• A government propaganda agency created in 1917.

• Aimed to build public support for the war effort through:

  • Posters

  • Speeches

  • Films

  • Press releases

George Creel

• Head of the CPI, who used propaganda to rally American support for the war.

Food Administration

• A wartime agency led by Herbert Hoover.

• Encouraged food conservation through voluntary measures like:

  • "Meatless Mondays"

  • "Wheatless Wednesdays"

• Aimed to support the war effort.

Herbert Hoover

• Director of the Food Administration during World War I.

• Later became the 31st president of the United States.

Civil Liberties and Dissent

Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917/1918

• Laws that criminalized anti-war activities, criticism of the government, and interference with military recruitment.

• Used to silence dissent during the war.

Eugene Debs

• Socialist leader and vocal opponent of World War I.

• Arrested under the Espionage Act for delivering an anti-war speech.

• Sentenced to ten years in prison.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

• A Supreme Court case that upheld the Espionage Act.

• Ruled that speech creating a “clear and present danger” (such as encouraging draft resistance) was not protected under the First Amendment.

“Clear and Present Danger”

• A legal doctrine established in Schenck v. United States.

• Justified restrictions on free speech if it posed an immediate threat to national security.

Military and Wilson’s Diplomacy

AEF (American Expeditionary Forces)

• The U.S. military force sent to Europe in 1917.

• Commanded by General John J. Pershing.

• Played a decisive role in ending World War I.

Quentin Roosevelt

• Son of former President Theodore Roosevelt.

• Served as a pilot in the AEF and was killed in combat in 1918.

• Became a symbol of American sacrifice.

Wilson’s 14 Points

• President Wilson’s 1918 plan for postwar peace.

• Promoted principles such as:

  • Self-determination

  • Free trade

  • Open diplomacy

  • Creation of a League of Nations

Self-Determination

• The idea that ethnic groups and nations should have the right to govern themselves.

• A key principle in Wilson’s 14 Points.

Article X

• A controversial provision of the League of Nations covenant.

• Required member nations to defend each other in case of attack.

• U.S. opposition to Article X led to the rejection of the League.

Treaty of Versailles and U.S. Rejection

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

• The peace treaty that ended World War I.

• Imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including:

  • Territorial losses

  • Military restrictions

  • Heavy reparations

Senate Refuses to Ratify the Treaty of Versailles

• The U.S. Senate, led by opposition from isolationists and Republicans, rejected the treaty.

• Concerns were primarily over the League of Nations and entangling alliances.

Irreconcilables

• A group of U.S. senators who completely opposed the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.

• Rejected any form of compromise.

Reservationists

• A faction of senators, led by Henry Cabot Lodge.

• Willing to support the Treaty of Versailles only if changes were made, particularly to Article X.

Henry Cabot Lodge

• A Republican senator and fierce critic of Wilson.

• Led opposition to the League of Nations, arguing it would undermine U.S. sovereignty.

Post-War America and the Red Scare

Russian Revolution (1917)

• The overthrow of Russia’s czar.

• Led to the rise of the Bolsheviks and the establishment of a communist government under Lenin.

• Fueled fears of communism spreading to the U.S.

First Red Scare (1919-1920)

• A period of intense fear of communism and radical political movements in the U.S.

• Triggered by labor strikes, anarchist bombings, and the Russian Revolution.

A. Mitchell Palmer

• U.S. Attorney General who led a crackdown on suspected communists and radicals during the First Red Scare.

• Known for his aggressive stance against leftist groups.

Palmer Raids (1919-1920)

• A series of government raids authorized by A. Mitchell Palmer.

• Aimed to arrest suspected anarchists, communists, and radicals.

• Often violated civil liberties and resulted in mass deportations.