Transcript Ch.12 – World War I

World War I
U.S. Involvement
U.S. Involvement
► Zimmerman Note
 German foreign secretary to
German ambassador in
Mexico
 Promises New Mexico,
Texas and Arizona
 March 1, 1917 – Wilson
makes note public
 Anti-German sentiment
strong in America
► The Russian Revolution
 Russians overthrew the czar
(autocrat)
► Sinking of U.S. Ships
Zimmerman Note
U.S. Goes to War
Policy before entry: isolationism
► Wilson torn between keeping
peace or war
► Revolution in Russia makes the U.S.
a suitable ally
► April 6, 1917 – Congress votes to go
to war
►
 Benefits: moral booster, new source of
money and war goods
►
►
1918 – more than a million U.S.
troops in Europe
Turning Point of the War
 With the help of General Pershing and
his troops the Germans are stopped 50
miles from Paris
►
1 month – more ammo used than
in 4 years of Civil War
► Selective Service Act
U.S. Goes to War
 May 1917: ages 21-30,
later 18-45
 24 million volunteer
for draft, 3 million
drafted
 Join the American
Expeditionary Forces
► Training for War
 Learned how to use a
bayonet, a rifle, dig a
trench, put on a gas
mask, and throw a
grenade
 Needed several
months for training
but, never had the
time
Training for War
U.S. Goes to War
► The Convoy System
Convoy System (WW2)
 Needed a way to transport all
merchant and troop ships
 Consisted of a group of unarmed
ships surrounded by a ring of
destroyers, torpedo boats, and
other armed naval vessels
(equipped with hydrophones to
track subs)
 Very successful – U-boats didn’t
sink a single troopship traveling to
Europe
► Black Soldiers – only 10%
saw action
 Most were used for menial labor
 369th Infantry – “Harlem Hell
Fighters,” integrated with French
troops, entire 369th Infantry
received the Croix de Guerre
369th Infantry
The Home Front
► Organizing Industry
 War Industries Board:
regulated supply of raw
material to manufacturers
 89 million pairs of socks, 19
million blankets, 95 ships in
one day
 Labor unions refused to strike
 Women taking over necessary
jobs
► Financing the War
 Liberty Bonds raised $20 billion
– only covered ¼ of costs
 Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts sold
them on street corners
WWI Propaganda
Posters
Liberty Bonds & War
Savings Stamps
The Home Front
► Conservation
 Price Controls: a system
of pricing determined by
the government
 Rationing: Heatless,
meatless, wheatless, &
victory gardens
 Daylight Savings Time:
increased the # of
daylight hours for
workers and reduced the
need for artificial light
(fuel conservation)
WWI
Propaganda
Poster displays
price controls
The Home Front
► Enforcing Loyalty
 Trading with Enemy Act –
censored publications
 Sedition Act – no speech disloyal
to government, flag, constitution,
or armed forces
 Espionage Act – punished guilty
for helping the enemy, hindering
recruitment or inciting revolt
► Anti-German Sentiment
 Hamburger = Salisbury Steak
 German Shepard = Police Dog
 German Measles = Liberty Measles
► 116,000 soldiers
► Wartime production
=
richest country in the
world
► Return to isolationism
► Killed progressivism, big
business back in
► Higher wages, higher
inflation
► Blacks still suffering from
inequality
► Women making gains and
loses
 Voting rights – 19th
Amendment
 Forced to leave jobs when
men returned home
(because of job shortage)
Impact on U.S.
End of War
► Peace Agreement
► Wilson’s 14 Points
 Creates the League of
Nations
► Paris Peace
Conference
 Treaty of Versailles
Redrawing of map
2. Germany accepts full
responsibility
3. stripped of colonies
4. pay reparations
5. reduced armed forces
1.
Signing the Treaty of Versailles
(Paris Peace Conference)
The Home Front: The Impact of Total War
► Increased Government Powers




Draft – Price, wage, and rent controls
Ration food and materials
Regulated imports and exports
Took over transportation systems and industries
► Manipulation of Public Opinion
 Defiance of the Realm Act (DORA): allowed the government
to arrest protestors as traitors
 Censored newspapers
 Propaganda
► Feminist Movement
 Women worked while the men went to war