lecture 4 america in the great war. the european theater the formation of secret alliances entente...
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LECTURE 4AMERICA IN THE GREAT WAR
THE EUROPEAN THEATERThe formation of secret alliancesEntente Cordiale (Allies) England, France,
RussiaCentral Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany,
Italy, TurkeyArchduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in
Sarayevo, July 1914
BACKGROUND OF THE WARTripling of Europe’s populationRise of nationalismRise of militarismDivision of the world among colonial nationsSecret alliances
1914-1916Mutual war declarationsNorth Sea becomes a war zoneInvasion of Belgium1915: U-boats, (submarines) sink the
LusitaniaUnrestricted submarine warfareEuropean ”funny war,” war of attrition
EUROPEAN FRONT1914 German advance stopped at MarneStalemate, trench warfareA continuous immovable front from Flanders
to Switzerland, 25,000 miles of trenchesPoison gas (Ypern), tanks,German siege of Verdun, battle of the Somme1917: Russian Revolution, Brest Litovsk
Peace Treaty
AMERICAN RESPONSEA strained neutralityIdentification with France, EnglandSympathy for BelgiumGerman militarism, authoritarianism vs.
American democracyPro-British high officials (Col. Edward House,
Robert Lansing)
WOODROW WILSONDemocratStrong WASP backgroundPrinceton University president, historian,
political scientistPro-BritishWins election of 1916
CAUSES OF U.S.ENTRYFatigue of allies, defection of RussiaSuccessful anti-German propagandaFreedom of the seas doctrineDesire to be at peace tableWilson’s war message: The world must be
made safe for democracy
Anti-German propaganda
MOBILIZATION FOR WARTotal mobilization of the economyWilson’s war dictatorshipExercising power through committeesFood AdministrationFuel AdministrationWar Industries Board
TOTAL MOBILIZATION FOR WARMobilizing societyCommittee on Public Information-propaganda
machineAnti-German hysteria, attack against radicalsEspionage and Sedition Act of 1917Schenck v. U.S., US Supreme Court upholds ”clear and present danger”
NATIVISMForced Americanization-superpatriotic
national unityAmerican Protective LeaguePersecution of Socialists, union members,
social reformers, pacifists, consciencious objectors
THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCEThe DoughboysThe Selective Service Act 24 million
registered, 3 million draftedVolunteers (adventure, advance in life,
impress women)Segregated military unitsIntelligence testing, temperance, chastity
ADVANCES IN EUROPEGeneral John J. Pershing AEF commanderFresh infusion of blood to tired allies1918: battles at Chateau Thierry, Belleau
Wood, and Saint Mihiel900,000 American troops in the Meuse-
Argonne campaign
WILSON’S PEACE PLANFourteen PointsOpen diplomacyFreedom of the SeasNational self-determination for Central
EuropeDisarmamentAssociation of nations to prevent war
WINNING THE WAR, LOSING THE PEACE1918 Nov. 11 Armistice1918-1920 Paris peace talksSkepticism of Fourteen PointsWilson fails as a peace makerAllies punish Germany: reparations, loss of
coloniesFailure of League of Nations, U.S. does not
join
LEGACY OF WORLD WAR ONEU.S. becomes an economic superpowerAmericans experience centralized economyDivisions within American society-pacifists v. interventionist, nativist v.
immigrant, dry v. wetAmerica becomes more cosmopolitan and
urban
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