II. War Begins:

• The American Response:-some Americans felt personally involved –

Why? 1/3 were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants

-most Americans wanted to Allies to win – Why?1) Cultural ties with England2) Most of the news from the war came from

England3) Kaiser Wilhelm II, German leader, was an

autocrat (ruler with unlimited power)

II. War Begins:

• The U.S. remained neutral at first and continued to trade with both sides

-we were an isolated country at that time

III. U.S. Declares War:

• 3 Major Events led the U.S. to join the Allies:

1) Germany’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare – Ex:a. Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915) – British passenger liner sunk by a German u-boat because it was secretly carrying weapons for the Allies – 1,200 died (128 Americans)

III. U.S. Declares War:

b. Sinking of the Sussex (March 24, 1916) – French passenger liner sunk by a u-boat – the Germans later agreed to the Sussex Pledge (promised to warn ships before attacking) – kept the U.S. out of the war

III. U.S. Declares War:

• Election of 1916 – Pres. Wilson ran under the slogan “He kept us out of the war” and was re-elected

• Feb. 1, 1917: Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare – thought they could defeat the British and win the war before the U.S. could make a difference

III. U.S. Declares War:

• Feb. 3, 1917: Wilson ended Am. neutrality by arming merchant ships – “armed neutrality”

III. U.S. Declares War:

2) Zimmerman Note / Telegram – German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, made a secret offer to Mexico

-if they would attack the U.S., then they would be given back the lost territory in TX, AZ, and NM

-the note was intercepted by the British -neither Wilson nor Mexico took the note

seriously -however, the American public called for war

Zimmerman Note

III. U.S. Declares War:

3) Revolution in Russia – March 1917, Czar Nicholas II was overthrown and replaced by a republican (democratic) gov’t

-since a czar was no longer in power, the U.S. viewed Russia as an acceptable ally

-this was the last stumbling block to a full Am. commitment to the Allies

III. U.S. Declares War:

• Pres. Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany saying…

“The world must be made safe for democracy.”

• War was declared on April 6, 1917

V. Americans on the European Front:

• American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) – led by Gen. John J. Pershing – arrived in Paris on June 14, 1917 – provided reinforcements to British and French troops

-U.S. soldiers nicknamed doughboys

V. Americans on the European Front:

• The first job of the doughboys was to help England attack the German u-boats – Americans thought they would only provide naval assistance at first

• Convoy system – began in May 1917 – group of unarmed merchant ships surrounded by armed naval ships – reduced number of ships sunk

V. Americans on the European Front:

• The Bolshevik Revolution (communist revolution in Russia – Oct. 1917) changed the involvement of Am. soldiers

-led by Vladimir Lenin -Russia signed a treaty with Germany in

March 1918 to drop out of the war -allowed Germany to send all troops to the

Western Front -forced U.S. to send in more foot soldiers to

help Allies

V. Americans on the European Front:

• Battle of Chateau-Thierry (June 1918) – major turning point in the war – U.S. helped French save Paris and began to push German lines back towards Germany

• Battle of Argonne Forest (Sept.-Nov. 1918) – last critical battle of the war – 47 day battle – 1.2 million Allied troops began to push German lines back and eventually broke through

VI. Postwar:

• An armistice (cease fire) was signed on Nov. 11, 1918 (11th hour, 11th day, 11th month)

• WWI Casualties:

-Russia – 9 million -Germany – 7 million

-France – 6 million -A-H – 7 million

-England – 4 million

-U.S. – 364,000

VI. Postwar:

• WWI’s Impact on U.S.:

-lost 116,000 young men

-created a distrust of foreigners

-created new opportunities for women and Afr. Am’s.

-higher wages

-booming economy – richest nation in world

VI. Postwar:

• Pres. Wilson’s Plan for Peace:

-to prevent future world wars he outlined his goals in his “Fourteen Points” speech before Congress – included:

1) Ban on secret treaties / alliances

2) Freedom of the seas

3) Reduction of arms

VI. Postwar:

4) self-determination, or power to make decisions about one’s own future, for all A-H’s ethnic groups

5) League of Nations – international org. that would help keep world peace and maintain order

VI. Postwar:

• Paris Peace Conference (Jan. 1919) – attended by the “Big 4” (leaders of the 4 major Allied powers):

1) Woodrow Wilson (U.S.)

2) David Lloyd George (G.B.)

3) George Clemenceau (France)

4) Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

The Big Four

VI. Postwar:

-remember: Russia had dropped out of the war in 1917 and Italy joined Allies in 1915

-Goals – Wilson concerned about world peace – brought 14 Points with him – the other 3 leaders wanted to punish Germany (esp. France)

VI. Postwar:

-Treaty of Versailles – officially ended WWI – compromise – included:

1) War Guilt Clause – forced Germany to take the blame for starting the war (big mistake!)

2) Germany stripped of all colonies

3) Germany forced to pay reparations (payment for damages) to Allies - $33 billion total

VI. Postwar:

4) League of Nations created5) Created new countries based on self-

determination: -Poland -Austria -Finland -Estonia -Czechoslovakia -Latvia -Yugoslavia -Lithuania -Hungary

VI. Postwar:

• Germany refused to sign treaty at first (too hard on them) – they eventually did sign it on June 28, 1919

• Republicans in Congress were upset that they were not represented in Versailles (Wilson was a Dem.), so they refused to approve the treaty – never joined League of Nations (very weak without U.S.)