The War to End All Wars

The War to End All WarsChapter 30Objective: Students should understand how World War I affected America on the home front and how the Treaty of Versailles was created and why the US wouldnt support it..

War by Act of GermanyJanuary 31, 1917 Germany declared unrestricted warfare on all ships including Americas in the war zoneWilson broke diplomatic relations but waited for a declaration of war until Germany took an overt act against the USWilson asked for a bill to arm merchant ships but was filibusteredZimmerman Note March 1, 1917Germany wanted a Mexican-Germany alliance in which they offered to get back Texas, NM, and Arizona for MexicoGermans sank four unarmed merchant ships in MarchRussian Revolution also overthrew the Czars and threatened to pull out of the warWilson asked for a declaration of war on April 2, 1917 and got in on the 6th Only six senators and 50 representatives voted against it

Wilsonian Idealism EnthronedWilson was forced to idealize his goals to convince America to rid itself of its isolationist blanketTo make the world safe for democracyThe war to end all warsWilson awoke the sleeping bear and had a very hard time controlling its anger, prejudice, and destructive fury

Wilsons Fourteen PointsOne of the main purposes was to keep Russia in the war1Abolish secret treaties2Freedom of the seas3Removal of economic barriers among nations4Reduction of armaments 5Adjustment of colonial claims in the interests of natives and colonizersOthersSelf Determination to oppressed minority groupsLeague of NationsAllied leaders were hopeful of territorial booty taken from the Central powers werent as accepting of themRepublicans complained about Wilsons 14 commandments while God himself only had 10

Creel Manipulates MindsLarge need to mobilize people for war convinced them through propagandaCommittee on Public Information was createdHeaded by George CreelJob was to sell America on the warEmployed 150,000 workers at home and abroad75,000 4 minute men to give speechesPosters, speeches, pamphlets, movies, songs, etcOversold the ideals of Wilson and got Americans to expect too much

Enforcing Loyalty and Stifling DissentExtreme hatred of everything German banned, music, literature, speaking and learning the German language, sauerkraut (liberty cabbage), hamburger (liberty steak) frankfurters (hot dogs) etc.Espionage Act 1917 Sedition Act 19181900 prosecutions under them, many were socialist and members of the IWW, Industrial Workers of the WorldEugene Debs was convicted and sentenced for 10 yearsIWW leader Big Bill Haywood and 99 IWW members were also convictedAny criticism of the government was apt to be censoredSchenck v. United States 1919 Supreme Court upheld the Acts

The Nations Factories Go to WarThe US was not ready to go to war economically, socially, or politicallyAmericans were afraid of big government which restricted what they could doWouldnt let the government have very much control over the economyWar Industries BoardBernard Baruch as its headVery weak powers to control the economy

Workers in WartimeWork or fight rule 1918 threatened to draft any unemployed malealso helped discourage strikesNational War Labor BoardHeaded by TaftHelped stop labor disputes to keep the economy running smoothly, helped get the 8 hour work day but wouldnt guarantee labor the right to unionizeAF of L and Samuel Gompers supported the warDoubled its membership to 3 million after the war

Workers in WartimeReal wages in the most heavily unionized areas (coal mining, manufacturing, transportation, etc.) rose over 20%

Suffering until SuffrageWomen took up jobs left by men that went to warNational American Women Suffrage AssociationSupported the war in many waysFight for democracy abroad was womens best bet to get it at homeWilson backed the suffrage movementMany states voted to allow women the right to vote starting in the East with New York in 191719th Amendment passed in 1920Granted women the right to voteMost women gave up their war jobs when the war ended

Forging a War EconomyFood AdministrationHeaded by Herbert HooverRelied on voluntary compliance rather than compulsionPropaganda campaign to get Americans to voluntarily comply Wheatless Wednesdays and meatless TuesdaysVictory gardens Restricted what could be used to make alcoholhelped lead to prohibitionWorked very wellFarm production increased 25%, food exports increased 3 foldAlso saved fuel with heatless Mondays and gasless SundaysLiberty loan drives21 billion $ in bonds sold to the American people (2/3 of the cost of the war)

Making Plowboys into DoughboysConscriptionAllies in 1917 revealed that they were out of troops Wilson responded by issuing a draft which ran into strong opposition in CongressAll males between 18-45 had to registerNo substitutions or purchase exemptionsDid exempt workers in key industries Worked very effectively, no bloodshed but 337,000 escaped the draftIn a few short months the army rose to an astounding 4 millionWomen and African-Americans were allowed in the army although segregated under white officersAllowed a very short training time

Fighting in FranceBelatedly Early in 1918 Russia pulled out of the war forcing US into it on the groundAllowed Germany to move its troops from the Eastern front to the West dangerously throwing off the balance of powerGermany was right that US would take its time entering the war and have a hard time transporting its army to EuropeUS troops were used to fight on all fronts especially in Russia to keep them from falling to Germany where they ended up fighting the Bolsheviks that just took over

America Helps Hammer the HunGermany made a massive advance in the spring of 1918Led to a new organization with a supreme commanderFrench marshal Foch Germany made it to within 40 miles of ParisAmerican Doughboys showed up to save the day replacing the Russian bear in the East with the American giant in the WestGerman advance was over in July 1918 and the Second Battle of the Marne marked the beginning of the German withdrawalGeneral John J. Pershing was given his own command of an American army and overtook the Meuse-Argonne offense from September 26-November 11, 1918Lasted 47 days and engaged 1.2 million Americans120,000 killed or wounded, 10% casualty rateAlvin C. YorkSingle-handedly captured 132 Germans and killed 20

The Fourteen Points Disarm GermanyGermany turned to Wilson to end the war in October 1918 Wilson made them dethrone the Kaiser firstSurrendered at eleven oclock of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918Americas main contributionsFoodstuffs, munitions, credit, oil, and manpower not battlefield victoriesfought only two major battlesIt was the idea that the US had unlimited troops that caused Germany to quitUS was still reliant on the allies once in the field for artillery, planes, etc.

Wilson Steps Down From OlympusThe world revered Wilson, he was head of the most powerful country on earth and he was seen as the worlds moral leaderexpectations ran too highRepublicans won a majority in Congress in 1918 electionsThis diminished Wilsons capacity at ParisWilson also traveled to Europe himselfBig mistake, made Republicans mad and he left his high moral position to fight with the other politiciansDidnt put one Republican in his peace delegation

An Idealist Battles the Imperialists in ParisWilsons ultimate goal was a League of Nations but he also wanted to stop the victors from parceling out the conquered territories of the enemiesInstead he gave them to the Europeans as protectorates under the League of NationsExample: Saar BasinHammering Out the Treaty Wilson had to go home to fight for the League in the Senate, Republicans were against it and ready to kill it39 Republican Senators said they wouldnt approve the League of NationsThis made the Anti Wilson faction in Paris happy, it weakened his position dramaticallyClemenceau pressed French demands for the Rhineland and Saar ValleyCompromisedSaar Valley went under control of League for 15 years and then got to vote which country it went back to (Germany)France got the Security TreatyBritain and US pledged to help France if Germany invaded againNot approved by US SenateJapan over Chinas Shandong Peninsula and German islands in the PacificJapan got the German Pacific islandsFight over Chinas Shandong because of Wilsons belief in Self-determination Japan got economic control because it pledged to give control of the region back later (and it threatened to leave Paris)

The Peace Treaty that Bred a New WarTreaty of Versailles Given to Germany in June 1919Only honored 2 of Wilsons original 23 pointsGermany had no choice they were forced to sign itIt was very vengefulIt did free millions of minority people to rule themselves Wilson was the fallen idolNeither side was happy with the compromises he made to save the League of NationsAmerica wanted no part in the new treatyIsolationists didnt want to be entangled with EuropeIt was seen as both not harsh enough and too harsh

Wilsons Tour and CollapseSenator Henry Cabot Lodge stalled the treaty in the Senate by reading the entire 264 page treaty out loud in committee Wilson again appealed to the people and went on a speaking tour across the USWilsons health was never good and he took a gambleSeptember 25, 1919 Wilson collapsed after a speech in which he broke down cryingWilson suffered a stroke in September 1919 that paralyzed half his body

Defeat Through DeadlockLodge came up with his 14 reservations to the treatyThey reserved the rights of the US under the Constitution, Monroe Doctrine, and othersEspecially against article 10 which morally bound US to help victims of aggressionLodges reservations were voted down because Wilson told the Democrats to vote against it, he wanted his or none and got noneThe Lodge-Wilson feud killed the treaty Wilsons refusal to compromise on the treaty killed it

The Solid Referendum of 1920Wilson was waiting until the election of 1920 to settle the treaty issue by giving the people a referendumRepublicans put up Warren G. Harding from Ohio, on a fence straddling platform over the League of Nations, as Vice President the put up Silent Calvin CoolidgeDemocrats nominated James Cox also of Ohio He strongly supported the leagueHarding won with the help of the ladies who could now vote16.1 to 9.1 million votes 404 to 127 electoral college votesDebs got 919,000 for the Socialist party from jail (most ever)