World War I BeginsMr. White’s US History 1

Main Ideas and Big Questions

• World War I was a global war that occurred mainly in Europe and involved the United States.

• Big questions– What were the four main causes of World War I?– What sequence of events led to World War occurring?– What was combat like in World War I?– Why did the United States stay neutral regarding World

War I?

Causes of World War I

• Militarism – building military to advance interests of one’s nation

• Alliance system – system of secret alliances between nations

• Imperialism – building an empire by taking over smaller countries

• Nationalism – devotion to the interest of one’s nation over others

MAIN Causes

Militarism

Alliances

Imperialism

Nationalism

Militarism• Since many nations were trying to become empires,

they were building up their armies and navies• These were used not just to fight wars, but also in

diplomacy - the bigger your army and navy, the more power you had

• Nations were very ready to use their armies to get what they wanted

• Many nations even had to-the-minute plans ready for the invasion of other nations

Alliance System

• By 1907 there were two major alliance systems in Europe, in which nations would promise to help each other in war– Triple Entente – France, Britain, Russia– Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman

Empire, Italy

• These countries agreed to help each other if attacked

• What will happen if one country attacks another?

The Alliance System

Alliances

Imperialism

• Many European nations were building empires, just like the U.S.

• Countries would take over smaller nations and use them for:– Raw materials– New markets to sell goods

• Competition for colonies and resources made rivalries between nations bigger

Nationalism

• Nationalism – the devotion to the interests of one’s nation over others

• Nationalists believed that the ultimate identity of a person or groups was to their nation

• The politics of the 19th and early 20th century were influenced by nationalism

• This nationalism created intense rivalries between nations

French Soldiers, also joined by civilians, on their way to Berlin

Berlin students on their way to enlist.

British hordes swamp the recruiting office

Trouble Brewing

• Bosnia had been taken over by Austria-Hungary, so Bosnians didn’t really like Austrians

• Some Bosnians were really angry, like Gavrilo Princip and the Black Hand

The Spark That Sets off the Powder Keg

• January, 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary visits Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia

• Gavrilo Princip and the Black Hand successfully assassinate the Archduke and his wife

• Austria-Hungary declares war on Bosnia and Serbia• What’s going to happen?

The Chain Reaction• Russia, allied with Serbia, mobilizes to help defend,

declares war on Austria-Hungary• Germany, allied with Austria-Hungary, declares war

on Russia• France, allied with Russia, declares war on Germany• Germany attempts to invade France through Belgium• England, allied with Belgium, declares war on

Germany

Combat

• Germany first invades France, trying to capture Paris and end the war quickly

• Both sides begin to dig in and entrench• Trench warfare– Sides dig in– Advantage for the defender

British infantry knee deep in mud

Trenches

• Both sides dug extensive trench systems• Space between was called “no-man’s land” –

no man controlled it• Trenches stretched across the entire

battlefield• Attacks were head-on charges to take the

other side’s trenches

•

Trenches

The Defensive Advantage

• Defenders had the advantage in trench warfare – why?

• New weapons made warfare more deadly– Machine gun – high rate of fire, devastating to

attacks– Barbed wire – obstacle; attackers slowed by it– Gas – poisonous gas used to wipe holes in the line;

soldiers had to wear masks to protect from this

American Neutrality

• Many people in U.S. did not want war• People supported different sides– English – common language, culture– Germans – Irish; don’t like the English

• United States begins to supply weapons and supplies to the war

America Power Tips the Balance

Mr. White’s US History 1 Class

American Neutrality is Broken

• Americans wanted to stay neutral; wanted to keep European problems in Europe

• The Great War wasn’t threatening American lives or property

• Woodrow Wilson won re-election in 1916 with the phrase, “He kept us out of war”

U-boats and the Lusitania

• Germans were using new weapon – submarines (unterseeboot)

• Used them to sink British ships bringing supplies to English and French in Europe

• Germans sink Lusitania – British ocean liner with 128 Americans on it

• American opinion turns against Germans

The Zimmerman Note• Germany continues to attack all ships, Allied or

neutral, that they find in British waters• British spies intercept a telegram from Germany to

Mexico• Germany promises that if U.S. declares war on

Germany, and Mexico allies with Germany, Germany will help them get back lost territory

• Shortly afterwards, U.S. Congress declares war on Germany

American Readiness

• U.S. not prepared for war– Only 200,000 men in the armed forces at the time– Few officers with combat experience; last American war

was Spanish-American, 1898

• Selective Service Act passed by Congress– All men ages 18 and above must register for military draft– Helped U.S. fill armed services with 3 million men

American Impact on WWI

• Convoy system– U.S. naval commander

developed a system in which destroyers would protect supply ships in convoys

• American troops– Known as doughboys for

pipe clay used to clean white belts

– Contributed new enthusiasm to the war effort

New Weapons and Technologies - Airplanes

– First used to gather information, scout battlefields

– Later used to shoot down other planes

– Finally used against regular soldiers

New Weapons and Technologies - Tanks

• Impenetrable against small arms fire and grenades• First used to attack and clear barbed wire and machine gun

nests• Used in “penny-packets” – tanks divided among men to

support them– Lessened their impact– Had to stay with infantry – couldn’t go ahead– Couldn’t combine firepower

• Later, tanks used in groups to punch holes and move into the rear of the enemy

• Tanks and planes reintroduce mobility to warfare

WWI Tank

Other Combat Hazards – Shell Shock

• Complete mental, emotional, and physical breakdown of a soldier put under too much stress

• Soldiers don’t get used to combat – stress wears on them to the breaking point – only treatment is to remove the soldier from the stressful situation

• Today, called post-traumatic stress disorder

Other Hazards – Trench Foot

• Rotting of feet caused by wet feet that got infected

• End result was sometimes amputation, as feet would get gangrene

• Prevented by keeping feet dry, clean, and changing socks often

End of the War• American enthusiasm played a major role in Allied

victories• Tanks and planes reintroduce mobility and

decisiveness to warfare – this advantage helps allies win

• November 3, 1918 – German army and navy surrender, and revolt against the government

• Overthrow the kaiser (like a king) and set up a republic

• November 11, 1918 – Germans sign armistice

The War at home

Mr. White’s US History 1

In order to coordinate the war effort, Congress gave President Woodrow Wilson direct control over much of the economy.

PART I: FEDERAL POWER

War Industries Board

The War Industries Board was a government body that regulated the war efforts Encouraged mass-production, efficiency, and the

elimination of wasteIndustrial production increased, but retail prices

nearly doubled on consumer goodsOther federal agencies regulated the railroads,

fuel productionThese organizations also enforced rationing and

some price controls

War Economy

Although wages increased dramatically for many blue-collar workers, rising food and housing costs offset this

Corporations saw large profits – DuPont rose in value 1,600%

In response to increased hours, child labor, uneven pay, and sped-up work conditions, union membership increased

Wilson established the National War Labor Board to improve labor-management relations

Food

Wilson called for the gospel of the clean plate – don’t waste Certain days without certain foods

Homeowners planted “victory gardens” to produce for the war effort

Increased prices for wheat encouraged many farmers to increase production – some had taken out loans to meet this

The United States was able to triple its food exports to the Allies

The federal government raised money and fostered public support for the war effort.

PART II: SELLING THE WAR

War Financing

• To raise money for the war, the government used many new taxes– Income tax– War-profits tax (war industries)– Excise tax – tobacco, liquor, luxury goods

• The government also sold war bonds to raise money – loans from the people to the government

Committee on Public Information

• To rally support for the war effort, the federal government resorted to propaganda

• Propaganda is the use of biased materials to influence people’s thoughts or actions

• George Creel used all sorts of media to encourage people to support the war:– Paintings, posters, cartoons, sculptures– Public speakers sent out to speak on topics of the war– Pamphlets, booklets, other printed materials

Attacks on civil liberties and prejudices against foreign people grew as the war continued.

PART III: ATTACKS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES

Anti-Immigrant Hysteria

• As the war continued, many attacks occurred against foreign-born Americans or their descendents

• German immigrants or German Americans were targeted– Many lost their jobs– One was lynched

German Names

Much that was related to Germany was removed Towns with German names changed them Orchestras stopped playing music from German

composersOther things with “German” names were

renamed German measles: liberty measles Hamburger: Salisbury steak, liberty sandwich Sauerkraut: liberty cabbage Dachshunds: liberty pups

The Espionage and Sedition Acts

• The Espionage and Sedition Acts were passed to discourage people from obstructing or speaking out against the war effort

• Many people lost jobs because of anti-war views• Around 2,000 people were prosecuted for anti-

war activities• The law was often enforced inconsistently –

people giving the same anti-war speech in different states were arrested in some, not in others

The war encouraged certain social changes for black Americans, women, and other groups

PART IV: SOCIAL CHANGE

Black Americans and the War

• Black Americans were divided on their support for the war

• W.E.B. DuBois believed that black Americans should support the war effort– Felt that black support for the war would lead to

more racial justice• William Monroe Trotter disagreed – felt that

victims of racism should not support a racist government

The Great Migration

• More and more black Americans began to migrate to the northern states– Escape racial discrimination in the south– Boll weevil infestation, floods, and droughts made

farming difficult in the south– Job opportunities, especially with war production

• Black Americans migrated to Chicago, New York, Philadelphia

Women in the War

As men were drafted or enlisted, women began to fill the jobs they left Particularly war industries – worked for less

Some worked as volunteers for the Red Cross, helped sell war bonds, or encouraged victory gardens

In response to these contributions, Woodrow Wilson pushed for women’s suffrage

In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified by the states, guaranteeing women the right to vote

End of WWI

Mr. White’s US History 1

War is Over!

• Different sides now have to come together to discuss the agreements of the peace

• Each side has different things that they want• Different sides will meet at Versailles, in

France

Palace of Versailles

Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points

• Woodrow Wilson had a plan for after the war, to have a fair peace and avoid more war

• Wilson gave his “Fourteen Points” speech to Congress, outlining his plan

• Eight of the points dealt with boundary changes

Five Main Points – For A Lasting Peace

• Wilson had five main points that were to avoid further war:– There should be no secret treaties between nations– Freedom of the seas should be maintained for all– Tariffs should be abolished– Weapons should be reduced to as little as possible– Colonial policies should consider the colonized people, as well

• Fourteenth point – “League of Nations” would be set up as a place where nations could talk about problems before going to war

Allies Reaction

• French and English are very angry, want to “make Germany pay”– French want to get land back– English want to keep France and Germany balanced, so

that neither becomes too strong

• United States, France, England and Italy attend the peace conference– None of the defeated powers were invited– Russia, which has become communist, is not invited,

either

Treaty of Versailles• Several new nations established by the treaty– Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia,

and Yugoslavia – taken from Russia and Germany– Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, and Syria set up in the Middle

East – controlled by Britain• Germany– Not allowed to have a large military– Had to return Alsace-Lorraine to France– Had to pay reparations (war damages) to the Allies

Weaknesses of The Treaty• Harshness on Germany– War-guilt clause made Germany take all the blame– Germany wasn’t able to pay war reparations– Germany lost all of its colonies, which could have helped

pay the war reparations• Russia– Not included in the peace conference– Lost more territory than Germany did– Not happy at all

• Colonized people weren’t given independence

Opposition to the Treaty

• Some believed that the treaty was too harsh on Germany

• Colonialism – one group of colonial rules exchanged for another

• Some people didn’t like the new national boundaries

League of Nations• Many in the United States felt that membership in a

League of Nations would give up U.S. sovereignty• Thought that Congress wouldn’t have the right to

declare war anymore; would have to go through the League

• Woodrow Wilson refused to compromise on his Fourteen Points with Congress

• Since Wilson wouldn’t compromise, they reject Wilson’s Fourteen Points proposal

Legacy of the War• U.S. military and government power grew• Europe

– Many countries had political and social problems– Communism was established in Russia, and Russia was determined to

regain its lost territory– Fascism will come to power in Spain, Italy, and soon Germany– Many Europeans wanted to continue fighting

• Some felt there were unresolved issues• Germany, in particular, isn’t happy with arrangements• Neither is a young Austrian corporal by the name of Adolf Hitler