The First World War: 1914 - 1918

1. Unit 9: Imperialism & WWI RUSH Mrs. Baker The First World War:1914 - 1918

2. Do-It-Now: • Identify the four long-term causes of WWI. • ______________________________________________ • ______________________________________________ • ______________________________________________ • ______________________________________________ • Identify the short-term causes of WWI.

3. Groups Align • The Alliance System • Two groups organized against each other in an effort to maintain a balance of power. • Triple Alliance – Central Powers • Germany • Austria-Hungary • Italy • Triple Entente – Allied Powers • France • Russia • Great Britain

4. Europe Goes to War

5. New Weapons of War

6. Trench Warfare

7. Neutrality to War

8. The Causes of U.S. Entry into WWI

9. Propaganda • What is propaganda? • How was it been used in past foreign issues in the United States? • Aided by the control of the transatlantic cable • Allies conducted an effective propaganda campaign in the U.S. • Pictured the war as one of civilized, democratic nations against the barbaric monarchy of Germany.

10. British Blockade • Using its naval strength • Britain blockaded the German coast to prevent weapons and other military supplies. • Extended the blockade to neutral ports and mined the entire North Sea. • Results: • American ships carrying goods for Germany refused to challenge the blockade and seldom reached their destination. • Germany responds with the use of the U-boats to blockade Britain

11. Initial Unrestricted Submarine Warfare • Lusitania (May 1915) • 1st major challenge of neutrality • British passenger liner torpedoed by German submarine • Killing 128 Americans • Wilson sent message to Germany stated that they would be held “strictly accountable” if policy of sinking unarmed ships continued. • Other Sinking's • Arabic (August 1915) • Two more Americans were killed on another passenger liner. • German government to pledge that no other unarmed passenger ships would be sunk without warning. • Sussex (March 1916) • Unarmed merchant ship struck, injuring several Americans • Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with Germany. • Sussex Pledge: promised not to sink merchant or passenger without giving due warning • Lasted for remainder of the year.

13. The Election of 1916 Battle cry of Wilson: “He Kept Us Out of War.”

14. Events of 1917 Lead to War • February • Germany breaks Sussex Pledge • Reinstates policy of unrestricted submarine warfare • U.S. break all diplomatic relations with Germany • March • Zimmerman Telegraph • Germany proposes an alliance with Mexico • Promised to support Mexico with efforts to regain “lost territories” • Russian Revolution • U.S. able to join an alliance with democratic nations • April • U.S. declares war on Germany

15. The Role of the U.S. in the War

16. America Mobilizes • Raising an Army • Prior to declaring war in 1917… • U.S. began preparing for entrance into the war with the passage of the: • National Defense Act • Navy Act • Revenue Act • Each allowing for the expansion of the military • Raising troops • Selective Service Act (1917) • Established the draft • Act required men to register with the government in order to be randomly selected for military service • All males 18 to 45 • 24 million men registered • 3 million were called to duty • 2 million fought in Europe • 400,000 African Americans served in armed forces • More than half served in France

17. The Poster War

19. America on the Frontlines • American Expeditionary Force • Led by John J. Pershing • Led 2 million troops in France on the frontlines • The entry of the U.S. troops tipped the scale of favor towards the Allies.

20. The War at Home

21. Mobilizing the Government • War Industries Board (WIB) • Main regulatory body of the war • Centralizing and consolidating the war effort • Encouraged mass production techniques to increase efficiency • Eliminated the production of unnecessary products • Railroad Administration • Fuel Administration • Day-light savings • National War Labor Board • Food Administration • “Victory gardens”

23. Results of Government Agencies • Unemployment virtually disappeared • Expansion of “big government” • Excessive government regulations in the economy • Some gross mismanagement as a result of overlapping jurisdictions • Close cooperation between public and private sectors • Unprecedented opportunities for disadvantaged groups

24. Mobilizing the Economy • $35.5 billion dollars spent. • One-third raised through taxes • Remainder raised through war bonds • “Liberty Loan” • “Victory Loan” • Committee of Public Information • Encourage Patriotism • Attacked Germany • Created songs & posters • Encouraged conservation

25. Wartime Constitutional Issues • Espionage and Sedition Acts • Espionage Act • Made it a crime to interfere with the draft and allowed the postmaster general to bar “treasonous” materials from all • Sedition Act • Made it a crime to speak or publish anything “disloyal, profane…or abusive” about the government, Constitution, flag, or military services of the U.S. • What natural right was challenged by these acts? • Targeted Socialists and labor leaders • Eugene Debs – arrested and sentenced for 10 years for speaking against the government • More than 2,000 Americans were arrested and over 1,500 sent to jail

26. Schenck v. United States Supreme Court Case Analysis • What are the origins of the case? • What does the First Amendment say about the freedom of speech? • What was the Courts decision in the case? • What legal reasoning did the Court provide to explain their ruling? • What is the significance of the Courts decision? • What is the historical impact of the case?

28. Social Effects of WWI • Great Migration • Large scale movement of hundreds of thousands of southern blacks to cities in the North • Sought jobs in the North • Escape Southern racial segregation • Women in the Workforce • Took over jobs that had once been male only

29. The Search for Peace

30. The Fourteen Points –Woodrow Wilson • No secret treaties among nations • Freedom of the seas • Removal of trade barriers • Arms reduction • Self-determination • An “association of nations” to guarantee political independence and territorial integrity • League of Nations • Provide a forum for nations to discuss and settle their grievances without having to resort to war

31. The Treaty of Versailles, 1919 • Germany had to do all of the following: • Accept complete responsibility for causing the war • Pay huge reparations to the Allies • Give up its military forces • Cede lands to new nations of Poland and Czechoslovakia • Give up its over seas colonies • Wilson disagreed with most of these provisions but the treaty also provided for the League of Nations. • But….Wilson was willing to accept treaty terms to gain League of Nations

32. Rejection of the Treaty • Greatest objection to treaty = League of Nations • Feared the U.S. would be forced into joining into European wars. • Opposition was led by Henry Cabot Lodge • Wilson was unwilling to compromise on the treaty • Failed to pass the Senate on two occasions • U.S. never joined League of Nations • U.S. turned to a phase of isolationism in regards to foreign affairs

34. The Impact of WWI • Accelerated America’s emergence as the world’s greatest industrial power • Contributed to the movement of African Americans to Northern cities • Intensified anti-immigrant and anti-racial sentiments among mainstream Americans • Brought over one million women into the workforce