Transcript Slide 1 - mtrivette

THE U.S. PREPARED FOR WAR
1916
NATIONAL DEFENSE ACT
INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ARMY
AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN
AUGUST $313 MILLION
CHANNELED INTO BUILDING UP
THE NAVY
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
CREATED TO COORDINATE
INDUSTRY AND DEFENSE
SHIPPING BOARD GIVEN $50
MILLION TO UPDATE MERCHANT
MARINE FLEET
THE ELECTION OF 1916
DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT
WOODROW WILSON
WILSON RAN ON THE
SLOGAN “HE KEPT US OUT
OF WAR!” HOWEVER HE
KNEW THAT THE U.S. WAS
GETTING CLOSER TO
ENTERING THE WAR
REPUBLICAN SUPREME
COURT JUSTICE CHARLES
EVANS HUGHES
HUGHES CHALLENGED
WILSON’S
UNWILLINGNESS TO
STAND UP TO THE
GERMANS
FEBRUARY 1, 1917
GERMANY ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD RESUME
THEIR U-BOAT CAMPAIGN AND SINK ALL
(INCLUDING AMERICAN) SHIPS IN THE WAR
ZONE. MANY GERMANS WERE STARVING
FROM THE BRITISH BLOCKADE AND THE
GERMAN MILITARY BELIEVED THEY COULD
FORCE THE BRITISH TO SURRENDER IN A
FEW MONTHS, BEFORE THE U.S. WOULD
ENTER, AND WIN THE WAR.
WILSON CLUNG TO THE HOPE THAT GERMANY
WOULD NOT ACTUALLY ATTACK U.S. SHIPS,
HOWEVER IN MARCH FOUR UNARMED
MERCHANT SHIPS WERE SUNK, WITH 36
LIVES LOST.
ZIMMERMANN NOTE (1917)
On the first of February we intend to begin submarine
warfare unrestricted. In spite of this, it is our
intention to endeavor to keep neutral the United
States of America.
If this attempt is not successful, we propose an
alliance on the following basis with Mexico: That we
shall make war together and together make peace.
We shall give general financial support, and it is
understood that Mexico is to reconquer the lost
territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The
details are left to you for settlement. . . .
You are instructed to inform the President of Mexico
of the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it
is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with
the United States and suggest that the President of
Mexico, on his own initiative, should communicate
with Japan suggesting adherence at once to this plan;
at the same time, offer to mediate between Germany
and Japan.
Please call to the attention of the President of Mexico
that the employment of ruthless submarine warfare
now promises to compel England to make peace in a
few months.
Alfred Zimmermann, German Foreign Minister 1916
WILSON ASKED CONGRESS TO DECLARE WAR
APRIL 2, 1917
“THE WORLD MUST
BE MADE SAFE FOR
DEMOCRACY. ITS
PEACE MUST BE
PLANTED UPON
THE TESTED
FOUNDATIONS OF
POLITICAL
LIBERTY. WE HAVE
NO SELFISH ENDS
TO SERVE. WE
DESIRE NO
CONQUEST, NO
DOMINION. WE
SEEK NO
INDEMNITIES FOR
OURSELVES, NO
MATERIAL
COMPENSATION
FOR THE
SACRIFICES WE
SHALL FREELY
MAKE.”
CONGRESS DECLARED WAR APRIL 6, 1917
EXCERPT FROM THE
WAR DECLARATION
“Whereas the Imperial German
Government has committed
repeated acts of war against
the Government and the people
of the United States of
America; Therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and the
House of Representatives of
the United States of America in
Congress Assembled, that the
state of war between the
United States and the Imperial
German Government which has
thus been thrust upon the
United States is hereby
formally declared; and that the
President be, and he is hereby,
authorized and directed to
employ the entire naval and
military forces of the United
States and the resources of the
Government to carry on war
against the Imperial German
Government; and to bring the
conflict to a successful
termination all of the resources
of the country are hereby
pledged by the Congress of the
United States.”
MAY 1, 1917 - ARMY EXPANSION ACT
•FROM 200,000 TO 4,791,172 IN ARMED FORCES
•32 NEW CANTONMENTS AND CAMPS BUILT FOR
40,000 SOLDIERS EACH AT A COST OF $262M.
(PANAMA CANAL COST $375M.)
•2,800,000 DRAFTED - SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT
MAY 19
•42 DIVISIONS SENT TO FRANCE - 2,084,000 MEN
CAMP KEARNEY FREMONT, CA
SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT MAY 18, 1917
REQUIRED ALL MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21-30
(LATER CHANGED TO 18-45) TO REGISTER FOR THE
DRAFT
ABOUT 24 MILLION MEN REGISTERED, 23% OF TOTAL
POPULATION
ABOUT 11,000 WOMEN VOLUNTEERED AS NURSES,
CLERICAL WORKERS AND TELEPHONE OPERATORS
GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING, COMMANDER OF
THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN WWI
"ALL A
SOLDIER
NEEDS TO
KNOW IS
HOW TO
SHOOT
AND
SALUTE."