Transcript Click here for a Powerpoint on World War I.

Causes of WWI – M.A.N.I.A.
• Militarism – buildup of a nation’s military in preparation for war
• Alliances – agreements between nations to provide aid and protect
one another (or fight on the same side)
• Nationalism –
– Extreme pride in one’s nation; desire to make that nation the most
powerful.
– extreme pride in one’s ethnic or national background; desire to create
a nation along those lines.
• Imperialism – control of other regions or countries for economic or
political gain
• Assassination – of Austrian Archduke Franz (Francis) Ferdinand
Nationalism
• In 1815, several European countries sent
representatives to a meeting called the
Congress of Vienna. The purpose was to
resolve several disputes, such as national
boundary lines.
• In some cases, boundaries were drawn that
put ethnic groups inside “foreign” borders.
For example, the Alsace-Lorraine region,
which contained a French-speaking
population, was given to Germany. For
almost a century, France was determined
to get it back.
Nationalism cont.
The areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slavic in
heritage, were part of Austria; but many Slavs
thought they should be part of Serbia.
Alliances
In Europe, a
complicated web of
alliances dictated the
way that the nations
responded to each
other. Those countries
who had pledged to
support one another
were “primed” to get
involved in conflict if
their allies were
involved.
Imperialism
The Europeans
were competing
for control over
parts of Africa and
Asia, thus
increasing
tensions among
themselves.
Imperialism Cont.
• In particular, Germany was clashing with
Britain and France over territories in North
Africa.
• Additionally, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was
crumbling; Russia and Austria-Hungary were
looking to take control there.
Militarism
• Add to this the fact that the major Europeans
countries had been increasing their military
powers, with Germany leading at a 74%
increase over 1910-1914.
• Europe in 1914 has been described as a
“powder keg” that was primed for war –
physically, psychologically, etc.
The Spark
• In June 1914, an
Austrian
Archduke (Franz
Ferdinand) was
assassinated by a
Pro-Slavic
terrorist. Serbia
was blamed.
Graphic Courtesy Janet Diederich
The Combatants
• The Allied Powers –
Great Britain, France,
and Russia
• Previously called the
Triple Entente
• The Central Powers –
Germany, AustriaHungary, the Ottoman
Empire (Turkey)
• Previously called the
Triple Alliance
In the meantime,
• The United States had decided to stay
neutral. President Woodrow Wilson hoped to
stay above the conflict and help mediate its
settlement.
• Also, Wilson was aware that the people of the
United States were divided in their loyalties
and couldn’t be brought together to fight on
one side.
• At the beginning of the war, the U.S. traded
with nations on both sides and loaned money
to both sides, but the majority of the trade
was with the Allies – Britain, France and
Russia.
• In 1915 Germany issued a statement that all ships flying
British or Allied flags would be subject to attack.
• The sinking of the Lusitania : Shortly after that, a German uboat (submarine) torpedoed and sank a British passenger
ship, the Lusitania. Of the over-1000 people killed, over 100
were Americans. We were outraged. How would this change our thinking?
• When the U.S. sent a strong protest to Germany, the Germans
announced they would no longer attack passenger ships
without warning.
• That fall, Wilson got congressional approval to increase
military spending to $1 billion.
• In 1916, Wilson campaigned for re-election as
“the president who kept us out of war.” He won
by a small margin.
• In early 1917, Germany again announced that it
would not restrict its marine attacks. This was
due to a stalemate on land.
• Shortly after that, Wilson broke off diplomatic
relations with Germany (stopped trying to talk to
the Germans).
• Zimmermann Telegram: In Feb. 1916, a telegram
from Germany to Mexico was intercepted. The
telegram, sent by Arthur Zimmermann (the
German foreign secretary) asked Mexico to join
the Central Powers in the war. If Mexico joined
and the Central Powers won, Germany promised
to help Mexico “recover” the territories of Texas,
Arizona, and New Mexico.
• On March 18, German u-boats sank three
American ships.
• On April 2, 1917, Wilson asked Congress to
declare war against Germany. The United
States’ involvement would “make the world
safe for democracy,” he said.
• Although Congress did declare war (on April
6), the country was still divided in its feelings.
• http://www.marseillaise.org/english/audio.ht
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Americans in the War
• Many Americans didn’t expect to send men into
the war; they thought we would just send money
and supplies. However, in declaring war, Wilson
and Congress had committed troops to the effort
of making the world “safe for democracy.”
• At the beginning of the war, the US military
consisted of about 200,000 troops. By the end,
we had 4 million men in uniform.
• Recruitment was done through conscription, or
the draft. All men 21-30 were required to
register for possible selection. This was brought
about through the Selective Service Act of 1917.
Going “Over There”
• American troops were called the American
Expeditionary Force
• To get to Europe, the Navy had to get the
troops past the German u-boats; to do this
they sent ships in convoys.
• Merchant ships were also sent in convoys and
escorted by armed patrol boats.
• As a result, sub attacks were cut in half.
• Russian Revolution – November 1917 – took
Russia out of the Allied Forces and enabled
more Germans to fight along the Western
Front.
• The AEF was engaged in the war for about 1 ½
years.
• Helped break the stalemate.
Why the stalemate? Trench warfare
New ideas and technology
•
•
•
•
•
Machine Guns
Chemical weapons - chlorine and mustard gas
Tanks
Air attack squadrons
More sophisticated mortars and grenades
American forces
Out of the approximately 4 million troops we sent
into the war, there were
• 300,000 draft dodgers (“slackers”)
• 4,000 conscientious objectors
• 3,000 women in non-combat roles
• 1/3 didn’t go into combat; of those who did, most
weren’t in the worst trench warfare situations.
• 1/5 had been born outside of the U.S.
• 13% were black
• 25% of all Native American men served
On the home front
• ¼ of our gross national
product (the value of
everything we
produced) went to the
war effort: this totaled
$33 billion.
• 1/3 would be paid
through taxes;
• 2/3 was raised through
loans (bonds)
The American Home Front
• Even with the money raised, the U.S. debt went from $1
billion in 1915 to $20 billion in 1920.
• With many resources and production going toward the war
effort, Americans were encouraged to ration their
consumption with Wheatless Mondays, Meatless Tuesdays
and Porkless Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Women were a key part of the war, in taking the place of
factory workers who had gone to war. As such they were
(finally) given the right to vote through the 19th
Amendment (1920).
• Also taking the place of factory workers in the North, about
.5 million African-Americans moved from the South to cities
like Chicago, in what would be called the Great Migration.
Also connected to the war
• Prohibition was pushed through with the 18th
Amendment (1919); this was partly because
most of the major beer companies being
German-owned (and also to conserve grain);
• There were other forms of anti-German
behavior; in some places German music
performances were banned, and German
foods were given new names.
Connected to the war continued…
• The Espionage and Sedition Acts were passed to
deal with those suspected of working against the
United States.
• The Justice Department commissioned 25,000
American Protective League members; their job
was to spy on their neighbors and report
suspicious activities;
• Socialists especially were under suspicion. There
were bans against mailing or receiving socialist
materials through the USPS.
End of the War
• In October 1918, the Germans asked for peace.
• In November 1918, an armistice ended the war.
• The Treaty of Versailles outlined the conditions of
peace; it was ratified in 1919.
• The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles
due to conflict with President Wilson; they
approved a separate peace treaty with Germany
in 1921.
Wilson and the End of the War
• Allies’ plans v. Wilson’s vision
• The Fourteen Points – Wilson’s vision for
permanently avoiding war in the future
Highlights of the 14 Points
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open negotiations in arriving at peace (not secretive);
Freedom of navigation and trade;
Reduction of weapon stocks
Adjustment of colonial holdings
Troops would leave Russia, Belgium, and France.
Italy would include Italian nationals only;
Self-determination for Austria-Hungary and the
Ottoman Empire (self-determination = the people are
free to form their own government).
• Polish independence;
• Establishment of a League of Nations.
The Treaty of Versailles – negotiated
by Britain, the U.S., France and Italy
• Independent states of Austria, Hungary, Poland,
Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia; Finland, Estonia,
Lithuania, Latvia
• Czech. and Poland still contained German populations.
• http://www.cyberlearningworld.com/lessons/ushistory/ww1/preww1.htm
• Central Powers’ colonies were divided up among the
Allies;
• War guilt clause and war reparations of $33 billion to
be paid by Germany.
• Freedom of the seas and free trade were not
addressed.
• Wilson campaigned across America to have
the treaty approved by Congress;
• Suffered a stroke as a result (probably) of
exhaustion;
• The treaty was never approved; nor did we
join the League of Nations. We did make a
separate peace with Germany.
• Republican Warren G. Harding was elected
President, promised “normalcy”
• In 1921, Congress passed a resolution officially
ending the war.