Chapter 11

The First World War

Section 1

World War I Begins

A devotion to the interests and culture of

one’s nation (We are better than everyone and only we matter)

This will lead to competition and rivalry Increases resentment from ethnic groups that

are dominated by others and want their own country

Many ethnic groups look to larger nations for protection like the Slavs looking to Russia (Serbs in Serbia AND Austria-Hungary)

Nationalism

Been practiced by European countries for a

very long time as the extended their political and economic control over others

The ruling countries use the raw materials of a colony to create goods to then sell back to the colonies so the fatherland makes money

Germany industrializes and now competes with England and France for colonies

Imperialism

Empires are expensive to build and defend so

nationalism and imperialism lead to increased military spending which can be seen as a threat

Competitors for empires develop armed forces and use them as a tool of diplomacy

Germany’s army grows, then they decide to expand their navy to compete with Great Britain. France, Italy, Japan and the U.S. then join the competition

Militarism

Pledge of “I’ve got your back” before there is

a fight Triple Entente: France, Britain and Russia Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Ottoman Empire Is okay for awhile as people are afraid to

disturb the balance of power, but once a conflict arises it means EVERYONE’S involved.

Alliance System

Assassination

Balkan Peninsula (powder-keg of Europe) is fought over by stronger countries all for different reasons

June 28, 1914 Archduke Fran-Ferdinand (heir to Austrian throne) visited Bosnia capital of Sarajevo, Gavrilo Princip (a Serbian nationalist) shot him and his wife

One month later Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Could have been a quick war with a decisive winner, but wasn’t because of the Alliance System

Because of a treaty Germany is obligated to

back-up Austria-Hungary so they declare war on Russia (which supports Serbs) on August 1, then on France on August 3 (because France and Russia are allies)

Germany then invades Belgium so Great Britain declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary

Alliances Complicate the War

August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium with the

Schlieffen Plan Hold against Russia, then quick drive through Belgium

to Paris then combine and defeat Russia Allies deserted Belgium but stopped the advance at

the Marne River in France Neither side could outflank the other so they both dug

trenches instead Two lines of trenches cross France, rat-infested, cold,

disgusting, fighting for yards of land each day and mowed down by machine gun fire

The Fighting Starts

Trench Warfare

Socialists: it is an imperialist & capitalist

struggle to control foreign markets, do not get involved

Pacifists: war is evil & the U.S. should be an example

Naturalized citizens want their birth country to win

Most Americans feel the strongest ties to England, and don’t like the stories of “the bully of Europe”

Most importantly economic ties strongest with the Allies (they buy more of our stuff so support them)

Divided Loyalties

Britain blockades German coast, includes food

as contraband, extends the blockade to neutral ports and mines the entire North Sea

American stuff going to Germany gives up and goes home, Germany can’t import food or fertilizer, 750,000 Germans die from the resulting famine

Americans didn’t like the British blockade, but they liked Germany’s response even less

British Blockade

Counter blockade of U-boats, any Allied boat in the

waters around Britain would be sunk May 7, 1915 U-boat sunk the Lusitania (a British

cruise ship), 128 Americans die (boat WAS also carrying ammunition)

Germany sank another cruise liner and 2 Americans before agreeing not to sink any more liners, broke promise and offered new promise IF America could convince Britain to end the blockade of food and fertilizer, otherwise Germany would resume unrestricted submarine warfare

German U-boat Response

1916 Election

Wilson ran for reelection on the slogan “He kept us out of war”

His opponent went to bed believing he would be elected

When Wilson wins he tries to negotiate a peace without a winner

Resume unrestricted warfare, this means

America cannot stay neutral, but they wait Zimmerman Note, from Germany to Mexico

pledging mutual defense and support Sinking of 4 unarmed American ships No more Russian Monarchy so we can pretend

we are joining the “right” side

German Provocation

April 2, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare

war They agree a few days later Wilson’s purpose is to “make the world safe

for democracy”

America Acts

Section 2

American Power Tips the Balance

Selective Service Act (draft) 3 million called up, 2 million actually make it

to Europe and ¾ see combat Blacks serve in segregated army units, mostly

non-combat duties, not allowed in navy or marines

Women no allowed to serve in army except as volunteer nurses, can serve in noncombat positions in navy and marines

Raising an Army

Exempted shipyard workers from the draft, ran

campaign emphasizing importance, gave flags to families, encouraged car owners to give them rides to work

Used fabrication techniques, parts built elsewhere and assembled in the shipyard (launched 95 in one day)

Government took over ships for private use and militarized them for war use

Mass Production

Convoy System

Destroyers escort merchant ships across the Atlantic

Cuts ship loss in half 230 mile barrier of

mines across the North Sea

Germans had a hard time replacing subs and submariners

Fighting in Europe

After 2 ½ years, exhausted and demoralized

Americans contribute numbers, freshness and enthusiasm

American Expeditionary Force led by General Pershing, nicknamed “doughboys” were from small towns and culture shocked by Paris and then war

New Weapons

Machine guns, tanks, airplanes…

Tanks: bullets bounce off, drive through barbed wire, clear a path for infantry, shoot down scouting planes

Airplanes: flimsy and first used solely for scouting, later used for dogfights, then mounted machine guns make them real weapons of war, then start carrying bombs and escorting observation balloons

New Hazards

Dysentery, poison gas, dead bodies, rats, lice, polluted water, lack of sleep, battle fatigue, “shell shock”, trench foot, trench mouth…

Russia withdraws, Germany can concentrate

on France Get within 50 miles of Paris U.S. arrive, help stop the advance and push

back the Germans all the way to the 2nd battle of the Marne

American Offensive

Alvin York

One of many war heroes Was once a conscientious

objector (Thou shalt not kill), joined the army because he felt the cause was just

In one day killed 25 Germans by himself and captured 132 prisoners with the help of 6 other doughboys

Made a sergeant, and an instant celebrity upon returning home

November 3, 1918 Austria-Hungary surrenders German sailors mutiny against government,

revolution spreads, Socialists take over, Kaiser gives up the throne

Germans were too exhausted to continue and agree to an armistice

11th hour, 11th day, 11th month peace will reign in 1918

The Collapse of Germany

Bloodiest war in history to date 22 million dead, 20 million wounded, 10

millions refugees, $338 billion U.S. lost 48,000 in battle 65,000 of disease,

200,000 wounded

The Final Toll

Section 3

The War at Home

Main regulatory body established in 1917 Urges mass production, efficiency, eliminate waste,

standardize parts Set production quotas, allocate raw materials Production increases by 20% Inflation also increases since they only controlled

wholesale prices, profits also skyrocketed Railroad and Fuel Administration also existed to

regulate wartime economy and conserve “gasless Sundays”, “lightless nights”, Daylight Savings Time

War Industries Board

Wages increased, but so did food and housing costs Companies and stockholders made millions Huge gap in pay, long hours, dangerous “sped up”

conditions, child labor all forced unions to grow 6,000 strikes broke out so Wilson organizes National

War Labor Board If workers refused board decisions they lost their

draft exemption (“work or fight”) Board improves conditions, hours, safety and child

labor

War Economy

Food Administration

Set up to conserve food, follow gospel of the clean plate

One meatless, one sweetless, two wheatless, two porkless

Victory gardens and 40 million extra acres into production help triple food exports to Allies

War Financing

$35.5 billion of war effort 1/3 through taxes

(progressive income tax, war-profits tax, higher tax on tobacco, liquor and luxury goods)

2/3 through war bonds, thousands of volunteers sold them and even movie star encouraged those who weren’t “friends of Germany” to buy them

Propaganda

Biased communication designed to influence actions

Draft, rationing, war bonds, victory gardens, purpose, “How the War Came to America”…

Boy Scouts distribute the literature which encourages patriotism (and also racism)

Mostly against German immigrants and

descendants (beaten, tarred & feathered, lynched…)

Germans names lost jobs No Mozart, Bach, Beethoven… No more

teaching German in schools, no reading German authors

Liberty measles, Salisbury Steak or Liberty Sandwiches, Liberty cabbage, Liberty pups…

Anti-Immigrant Hysteria

Fined or imprisoned for interfering with the

war effort or saying anything disloyal, profane or abusive against the government or the war

2,000 prosecutions, ½ convictions Newspapers and magazines lost mailing

privileges Senator refused seat, professor fired, labor

leaders jailed and fined…

Espionage and Sedition Acts

Blacks and the War

DuBois said blacks should support the war (have to be seen as human when fighting…)

Trotter said blacks should not support a racist government

Most backed the war

Large scale movement of hundreds of

thousands of Southern blacks to the cities in the North

Escape racial discrimination; boll weevil infestation, floods and droughts meant less crops; factory jobs open in the North as soldiers leave

Migration actually increases racial tension in the North

The Great Migration

Start working “men-only” jobs because they

are needed (railroad workers, cooks, dockworkers, bricklayers, shipbuilders, miners…)

Volunteered with Red Cross, bonds sales, victory gardens…

Some joined the Peace Movement Gained support for suffrage, 19th amendment

passed in 1919

Women in the War

The Flu Epidemic

1918-1919 ¼ of U.S. population affected

Also affected economy (mines closed, telephone service cut in half, staggered working hours to avoid contagion, coffin shortage left poor dead unburied for a week…

Spread by soldiers, ½ million Americans die (30 million worldwide)

Section 4Wilson Fights for Peace

First Five: No secret treaties, Freedom of the

seas, Low tariffs for free trade, Arms reduced, Consider people when colonizing.

Next Eight: Base country boundary lines along “historically established lines of nationality”.

Point 14: *League of Nations*, an international organization to address diplomatic crises. That way countries could discuss and solve problems before jumping straight to war.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

Big Four

Peace talks did not include Central Powers, now Communist Russia, and small Allied Nations.

Big Four: France: Clemenceau,

prevent German Invasions Great Britain: Lloyd George,

make Germany pay Italy: Orlando, gain

Austrian-held territory United States: Wilson,

Fourteen Points

June 28, 1919. Created 9 new nations and redrew boundaries. Lets winners take over Ottoman Empire as

colonies until they are ready for self-rule. Germany not allowed to maintain an army. Germany must return Alsace-Lorraine to

France. Germany must pay war reparations of $33

billion to the Allies.

Treaty Provisions

War-guilt clause: humiliate Germany by forcing

them to accept full responsibility for starting the war.

War reparations: There is no way that Germany can pay back this huge debt. Their money-making colonies were taken away from them.

Russia: even though they were on the winning side for most of the war and suffered the most casualties they were not included in the peace talks and had more territory taken away than the loser: Germany.

Treaty Weaknesses

Too harsh Too imperialistic New boundaries don’t allow sufficient self-rule

League of Nations threatens isolationism and infringes on Congress’s right to declare war.

Opposition to Treaty

Wilson speaks all over the country trying to

get support for the treaty, but fails. It is voted on twice in the Senate and not ratified either time so U.S. eventually signs a separate treaty with Germany after Wilson is no longer president.

Also Congress refuses to allow Wilson to join the newly formed League of Nations because they do not want the League to shape our foreign policy.

Treaty Ratification?

Accelerated social change for African

Americans and women Leftover resentment for immigrants in U.S. Leftover political instability and violence in

Europe Leftover desire for vengeance in Germany.

Legacy of the War