chapter 30 the war to end war, 1917–1918

Chapter 30The War to End War,

1917–1918

I. War by Act of Germany• Zimmermann note (March 1, 1917)

– Secret message encouraged Mexico to attack U.S.

• The long-dreaded “overt” act in the Atlantic– U-boats sank 4 U.S. merchant ships (March, 1917)

• Russian Revolution toppled cruel regime of tsars– America could now fight foursquare for democracy

• Wilson asked for a declaration of war– Congress agrees (April 6, 1817)

(1917)(1917)

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II. Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned• America abandons isolationism

• Wilson proclaim U.S. glorified war goals– ‘Make world safe for democracy’

• Wilsonian idealism– Modern war unsustainable– Americans could be either isolationists or crusaders

III. Wilson’s Fourteen Potent Points• Wilson - the moral leader of the Allied cause

– On Wilson’s Fourteen Points (April 1918)• (1) No secret treaties• (2) Freedom of the seas• (3) Free trade• (4) Reduction of arms• (5) Adjustment of colonial claims (self determination)

– Capstone point• (14) The League of Nations

IV. Creel Manipulates Minds

• Committee on Public Information– Purpose—to mobilize the people’s mind for war

– Domestic propaganda took varied forms• Speeches, billboards, handbooks, movies

– U.S. relied on passion and voluntary compliance

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V. Enforcing Loyalty and Stifling Dissent• Over 8 million German-Americans

– Some were tarred, feathered, beaten

• Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918– Antiwar/Socialist/Labor leaders arrested

• Schenk v. United States (1919)– The Supreme Court affirmed their legality

• “Clear and present danger” ruling

FreeSpeech

vsNationalSecurity

VI. The Nation’s Factories Go to War

• Wilson backed preparedness measures– Supported economic mobilization– Increased size of Navy and Army

• Fed governments growing economic role– War Industries Board (1917-1918)

• Central role in the economic planning

VII. Workers in Wartime• “Labor Will Win the War”

– War Department’s “work or fight” rule– The National War Labor Board

• Employers / workers cooperated

– Most unions supported the war effort• Industrial Workers of the World (wobblies) did not

• Post war labor unrest– 1919 steel strike – failed & hurt unions for 15 years

• Strikers labeled as ‘communist’• Blacks used as workers (scabs), riots broke out

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VIII. Suffering Until Suffrage• Women heard the call of patriotism opportunity

– Thousands replaced men in factories and fields – War gave new momentum to the suffrage fight

• Wilson endorsed woman suffrage • States started to recognize women's right to vote

• The Nineteenth Amendment (1920)– Gave all American women the right to vote– Women’s post-war role returned to tradition

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What part of the nationWhat part of the nationGave women the rightGave women the right

To vote earlier?To vote earlier?

WHY ?WHY ?

IX. Forging a War Economy• Wilson’s administration’s preference

– Voluntary means to mobilize the economy

• Feds took greater command of U.S.’s resources– Food Administration

• Voluntary compliance, propaganda +25% production

– The Fuel Administration• “heatless Monday,” “lightless nights,” “gasless Sundays”

– The Treasury Department• “Halt the Hun” Liberty Loan drives

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X. Making Plowboys into Doughboys

• America’s early role in the war– Navy goal’s = freedom of the seas

• US military to be raised, trained, & transported– Conscription was the answer

Wilson didn’tWilson didn’tlike the draft,like the draft,

but agreedbut agreed

XI. Fighting in France—Belatedly• Russian Civil War won by Bolsheviks (1917)

• Withdrew from the “capitalistic war” (1918)

• Germany– Transferred ‘eastern front’ troops to ‘western front’

• France– Used American doughboys for replacements– American troops also in Russia, Belgium, Italy

Bolsheviks = Communist(US fought Bolsheviks)(US fought Bolsheviks)

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XII. America Helps Hammer the “Hun”• German drive towards Paris (July 1918)

– Second Battle of the Marine

• American Expeditionary Force – Meuse-Argonne offensive (Sept-Nov, 1918)

•1.2 million American troops engaged (10% causality rate)

11stst major fight major fightfor US troopsfor US troops

Map 30-1 p688

USA&

ALLIES‘WIN’WWI

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Figure 30-1 p690

XIII. The Fourteen Points Disarm Germany

• Berlin was ready to hoist the white flag– Kaiser had to abdicated before negotiations

• The cost exceeded comprehension – 9 million dead, 20 million seriopusly wounded– 30 million people died influenza pandemic (1918-19)

• U.S.’s main contributions to the victory– Foodstuffs, munitions, loans, oil, & manpower– The prospect of endless U.S. troops & resources

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Screw Wilson-Screw Wilson-He doesn’t live hereHe doesn’t live here

He didn’t fight for 5 yearsHe didn’t fight for 5 years

XIV. Wilson Steps Down from Olympus• The American president at his popularity peak

– Seen as the moral leader of the world

• Wilson’s European trip infuriated Republicans– No Republican senator in peace delegation

XV. An Idealist Amid the Imperialists• In Europe, Wilson gets a hero’s welcome• Paris Conference (Jan.1919)

– The Big Four made the treaty

• League Of Nations: Wilson’s ultimate goal– Would become a part of the final peace treaty

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XVI. Hammering Out the Treaty

– Wilson negotiating in Europe• Wilson’s loses battle with France, Italy & Japan

– Wilson’s domestic treaty battle begins• Irreconcilables (39 Republican Senators)

• Announced they wouldn’t support League of Nations

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XVII. The Peace Treaty That Bred a New War• Treaty of Versailles

– Vengeance, not reconciliation

• Wilson was seen as a fallen hero– Compromised to save the League of Nations

• The treaty had tremendous positives– Liberation of millions of minority people

• made ‘self-determination’ a goal

– A ‘fairer’ treaty because Wilson had gone to Paris

XVIII. The Domestic Parade of Prejudice

• Critics showered the Treaty of Versailles– For the Hun-haters the pact was not harsh enough– Liberals thought it too harsh—a gross betrayal

• Isolationists protested League of Nations

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XIX. Wilson’s Tour and Collapse (1919)• Wilson felt optimistic about treaty

– A strong majority of the people favored it– Republican goal was to amend

• Wilson decided to take his case to the country– His pro-treaty tour (September 1919)– Wilson collapsed from physical/nervous exhaustion

• He suffered a stroke

XX. Defeat Through Deadlock• Senator Lodge made 14 treaty changes• Wilson was strong enough to obstruct

– Sent word for all Democrats to vote against changes

• What / Who defeated the Treaty of Versailles– Traditional isolationists and those disillusioned– The Lodge-Wilson personal feud / partisanship– Wilson asked for all or nothing—and got nothing

Senate refuses to ratify Treaty of Versailles

US refuses to joinLeague of Nations

Super Pop Essay(10% of Quarter grade)

5 minutes to write 50 words

I’m Joking, it’s just a regular “Pop Essay”

XXI. The “Solemn Referendum” of 1920• Wilson’s deadlocked treaty solution= 1920

elections• Republicans nominate Warren G. Harding• Democrats nominated James M. Cox

– Democrats attempted a referendum on the League

• 1920 Election returns – Popular vote, Harding=16,143,407 to Cox=9,130,328– Electoral count, Harding=404 to Cox=127– People were eager to go back to “normalcy”

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XXII. The Betrayal of Great Expectations• Rejecting the League was short-sighted

– Eliminated any changes from pre-war Europe

• Senate also spurned the French Security Treaty– France undertook to build a powerful military force– Thus Germany began to rearm (illegally)

• The United States hurt its own cause– Isolationists igonered its new war-born leadership– Rejected responsibilities of a global leader

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