The Great War

World War I, 1914-198

Decision for War

• Guns of August

– Uneasy Peace • Alliance System

• Nationalism

• Militarism

• Imperialism

– Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophia • Austria-Hungary declared war

on Serbia

• Russia mobilized

• Schlieffen Plan

– Western Front-Stalemate • Trench Warfare

Decision for War

• Perils of Neutrality – English Blockade

– German Blockade • U-Boats

• Lusitania

• Arabic Pledge

– National Defense Act-1916 • Double sized of army

– Opposition/Debate • Women’s Peace Parade

• Progressives lost momentum

• “I Didn’t Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier” 1915

• Election of 1916 – Wilson defeats Hughes with “He

Kept Us Out of War”

– Foreign Affairs • Pancho Villa Raids

• Wilson’s Plan for Peace in Europe – Peace without Victory (Democracy,

Seas, no alliances, & equality of nations)

Decision for War

• America Enters

– Unrestricted U-Boat resumed (Feb 1st 1917) • 500,000 tons lost each month

– Zimmerman Telegram (Feb-March 1st 1917) • E.O. to arm merchants & shoot

U-boats

– Declaration of War April 2nd 1917 • “Make the World Safe for

Democracy”

Decision for War

– Conflicting Views on the Purpose • Europe- same old war

• Wilson’s 14 Points- moralist & idealist

• Russian Revolution

– Arch Angel Expedition

– Lenin “Peace, Land, & Bread”

– Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

» Russia out of war-One Front War for Germany

War at Home • Gearing Up Over Here – Committee on Public Information-

George Creel • Sell the war to public • 3 Goals

– US Moral community – War was a idealistic crusade for peace &

freedom – Image of despicable enemy

– Food Administration Board-Herbert Hoover • Regulate and distribution of food and fuel

– War Industries Board-Bernard Baruch • Convert industries into a wartime economy • Expanded federal regulatory power • Created the modern day corporation

(partnership govt./Corp. such as RCA) • The Federal government was organized for

the first time ever to combat food shortages, promote scientific advancement, and take over operation of the railroads

– Cost • Income tax ($1,000 from $4,000 in 1913) • Liberty bonds- bulk of payment

– Federal debt $1 billion in 1915 to $20 billion in 1920

War at Home • Black Migration

– Resistance to African-Americans

• East St. Louis- 200 killed

• Chicago- 23 killed

• Female Suffrage

– Women’s role in War helped provide opportunity for support

• NAWSA-Conservative-Carrie Chapman Catt

– Patriotic & used war rhetoric

• National Woman’s Party-Radical-Alice Paul

– Picketed W.H. & hunger strike

• 1917-Wilson, 1918-House, 1919-Senate, & 1920 States

• 19th Amendment

War at Home

• Muzzling Dissent – Espionage Act 1917-aiding the

enemy, obstructing recruitment, or causing insubordination in armed forces • Up to 20 years & 10,000 fine

– Seditious Act 1918 • Any disloyal, profane , scurrilous, or

abusive language toward the Govt, Constitution, or flag

– F.B.I.-created to police & surveillance public • More than 2,000 cases

• Socialism, Pacifism, & Radical labor

– Eugene V. Debs • 10 years in prison

– Schenck v. US • Clear and Present Danger

– Vigilante Groups violate civil liberties unabated

Fighting the War

• Raising the Army

– Selective Service Act initiated the draft (21-35) 12, 000 men evaded the draft

– No emption clauses/or buy outs…learned from civil war!

– Stanford-Binet Test-Soldiers 25% could read

• “You’re in the Army Now” – African-Americans 13% (only 10% of pop.) – John J. Pershing head of AEF – 2.8 million men called to duty

• Western Front – 8 months of battle – Chateau-Thierry/Belleau Wood – Meuse-Argonne Offensive

• More ammo than entire Civil War

• Flu Epidemic • Final Campaigns

– Austria-Hungary – German Navy – 11:00 11/11/18

• Pan-African Congress in Paris to shape the peace-Black leaders from the world to try and influence peace treaty – Allies administer the former

German territories in Africa

– Africans should take part in governing their own countries “as fast as their development permits”

W. E. B. Du Bois in Paris

Peace

• Paris Peace Conference – Big Four: George (UK),

Clemenceau (FR), Orlando (Italy), and Wilson (US)

– Germany & USSR not invited – Fourteen Points

• Self Determination • International Court • League of Nations

– Article X Collective Security

– Wilson in Paris • Limited Success on Self

Determination/ Mandates (New Imperialism)

• War Guilt Clause-Germany • War Reparations-Germany (33

Billion) • Disarm-Germany

– Treaty of Versailles

Bloodiest War so far…

• It would last 4 years • Involve over 30 nations on 6 continents • 13 million soldiers killed • 13 million civilians killed • 20 million wounded • 1 million refugees • It rearranged the map of Europe • 3 Ancient monarchies collapsed Germany, Russia

& the Austria-Hungarian Empire

Peace • Treaty Fight at Home – Republicans won Senate & House

at 1918 mid-term • He went w/o any Republicans to

Paris • President not representatives or

Secretary of State

– “Irreconcilables”-opposed a treaty in any form- Robert La Folletee (WI-R)

– Opponents-Henry Cabot Lodge (MA-R) • Article X (Collective Security)-

Interfere with congress’s authority to wage war

• Proposed 14 Amendments to Treaty

– Wilson campaigned for Treaty-suffered stroke & never recovered • Instructed Democrats not to

compromise • Treaty did not pass both attempts

– US signed individually treaties w/ Germany, Austria, and Hungary

– Did NOT join League of Nations