Transcript Is Wilson really being neutral?

America and the
Great War:
From Neutrality to Conflict
The war begins in Europe
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July, 1914
President Wilson’s
message to the American
people:
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http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usn
eutrality.htm
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Most popular song:
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http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4942/
The difficulty of neutrality
Wilson the idealist: his vision for the world
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Democracy, civil rights,
capitalism, and free trade
for all
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Is Wilson really being
neutral?
Trouble on the high seas
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1914 and 1915:
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February, 1915:
The Lusitania
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May 7, 1915:
Election of 1916
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Woodrow Wilson
(Democrat) reelected
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“We didn’t go to war!”
Charles Evans
Hughes-Republican
The final steps
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Jan 31, 1917:
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Feb 24, 1917: British spies inform Wilson of
the “Zimmermann Telegram:”
Zimmermann Telegram
Declaration of War on Germany
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April 2, 1917: Wilson’s war message
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The world must be “made safe for democracy”
“A war to end all wars.”
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http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4943/
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Getting ready for war
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Selective Service Act of 1917:
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War Industries Board (1917):
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Fuel Administration:
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Food Administration:
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5,000 other government boards regulated American life
during the war
Wartime propaganda
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Propaganda: one-sided, persuasive communication
designed to influence the opinions and behavior of
people.
Goals of propaganda
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Inspire unity among
Americans (the U.S. was 1/3
immigrant at the time)
Crush opposition to the war
Vilify the enemy
Inspire people to enlist in the
military
Contribute to the war effort at
home in other ways
On the following slide, cut and paste your four
favorite WWI propaganda images.
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Use these sites:
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http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm
http://www.library.georgetown.edu/dept/speccoll/amposter.htm
http://web.uccs.edu/history/student%20presentations/heidi/world_war_one.
htm
http://www.archives.state.al.us/teacher/ww1/lesson5/ (scroll to the bottom)
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