1. World War I Chapter 30

3. Stagnation in Europe The war in Europe had quickly ground into a stagnant mass slaughter on both sides.  Trenches  Stagnant lines. Casualties on both sides were extraordinarily high. Reasons. By early 1917 both sides were running out of steam.  Germans couldn’t go on much longer simply throwing new bodies into the war.  Britain was highly dependent on foreign shipping for keeping its war effort going. Germany needed to end the war soon or lose.

4. WWI Western Front Trench Line

5. Unlimited Sub Warfare Peace without Victory address. Germany’s response  January 1917 Germans announce unlimited sub warfare  Is a repeal of the Sussex Pledge. What is the German gamble? What about the state of the US military seemed to justify this gamble? Wilson breaks off diplomatic relations, but refuses to enter the war absent some overt act of aggression against US. What happens when he tries to arm merchant ships for self-defense?

6. Wilson Asks for War March, 1917, Zimmerman Note is publicized.  What is it? Germany’s overt act. Revolution overthrows Czar in Russia and Russia withdraws from war. Consequences?  Now all Allies democracies  Allies are in even more desperate straits. April, 1917 Wilson asks congress for a declaration of war.

7. Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned Isolationism ran deeply in the American psyche.  Washington’s farewell address While most favored the Allies, the fever to go to war was relatively mild. How does Wilson sell the war to the public? What is the objective of the war? Goes over the head of Congress.

8. Wilson’s 14 Points Wilson articulates the moral basis for the war in a speech setting out 14 points that should be in any peace agreement. Fourteen points include:  Abolish secret treaties  No territorial gains; return to pre-war borders  freedom of the seas  removal of economic barriers among nations  Arms reduction  adjustment of colonial claims in the interest of both natives and colonizers  self-determination for minority groups such as Poles  international organization to provide for collective security and dispute resolution.

9. Creel Manipulates Minds Committee on Public Information. Purpose? George Creel. Creel is very successful.  Super-Patriotism.  Dehumanizing the enemy Problem: Wilson and Creel convince the country that the war will create a new international utopia.

10. Enforcing Loyalty Anti-German hysteria and discrimination. Liberty Cabbage, e.g. Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918 Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) Witch-hunt against communism and socialism.

11. The Nation’s Factories Go To War Country unprepared when war started. Army ranked 15th in the world in size. Up-hill battle to mobilize the economy onto a war footing  Wilson strategy for mobilizing the economy.  Why doesn’t it work well? Government never had a very effective central control over war production.

12. Labor Would it cooperate by not going out on strike? Mostly, Feds were able to keep labor in line with a combination of strategies.  Work or fight rule.  National War Labor Board  Samuel Gompers Effect on membership in mainstream labor

13. Strikers get Squashed Smaller and more radical organizations, especially the Wobblies (IWW), organized strikes and industrial sabotage. These groups were harassed unmercifully. 1919 largest strike in American history hits the Steel industry.  Industry reacted mercilessly to strikers demands that union be recognized and that they be allowed collective bargaining.  Strike collapses after black strike-breakers brought in.

14. Black Migration War was beginning of a mass migration of blacks from the south to the industrial north.  Reasons Reception in the north. Migration continues after the war. Beginning of the large black populations in industrial northern cities.

16. Women Go to Work Women also entered the workforce Helped convince Wilson to support the 19th Amendment, giving women the vote; ratified in 1920. Most women gave up their jobs after the war. Boost to women’s activism

17. Hoover Sets the Table Volunteerism vs. enforced restrictions. Food production and availability was a key issue Herbert Hoover chosen to lead Food Administration. Hoover’s approach. victory gardens.

18. Hoover, Cont. Congress restricted use of crops for making alcohol  Helped advance the cause of prohibition.  Many brewers were of German extraction and were subject to war-prejudices.  18th Amendment prohibiting the sale of alcohol passed in 1919 and began prohibition. Hoover’s voluntary approach worked. Farm production increased by a quarter and food exports to the allies tripled.

19. Appeal to Conserve Food

20. Bond Drives Hoover’s methods were emulated in other agencies Great bond drives. Went overboard; those who refused to purchase bonds were branded unpatriotic Intimidation and threats. Kansas Mennonites

21. Making Plowboys Into Doughboys At the beginning, most Americans assumed that US contribution to war would be naval Allies made it clear that they were running out of men to throw into the war. The war had been extraordinarily bloody. Allies need America to supply fresh troops.

22. Draft Many volunteered for war, but not enough. conscription. Some in congress predicted that a draft would cause riots.  Compared by some to Slave labor.  Had not been a draft in US since the Civil War.  Legislation starting draft was passed six weeks after war declared. Terms Workers in key industries exempted.

23. Doughboys Within a few months, army grows to over 4 Mill. How to get these guys ready to fight? Training timetable had to be accelerated. Nearly a year after US declared war before US troops in any force could fight in Europe.

25. Fighting In France The need to hurry US troops into action was magnified by events in Russia. With Russian out of war, Germany able the send battle- tested troops from the Eastern front to the Western front. Germany suddenly has a dangerous manpower advantage in that theater. America is having shipping problems and is taking a long time to get army together and trained. American soldiers began to trickle into France in 1918, but were not a separate army.  Were used to reinforce the Allied armies on a unit by unit basis. America is not a separate fighting force.

26. America Helps Hammer The “Hun” Spring 1918 the Germans unleash a massive offensive that rolled the Allies back with frightening momentum. May 1918 Germans within 40 miles of Paris  US troops see their first real action as an independent unit at Chateau-Thierry. Americans brought a fresh spirit of optimism July 1918 Allies begin to role back Germans. Black Jack Pershing. Muess-Argonne offensive, involving 1.2 Mill. US troops.  10% US casualties. Germany getting worn down. Reverses on the battle field, and British blockade is taking its toll.

27. The Fourteen Points Disarm Germany October 1918 Germans turn to Wilson seeking a peace based on his fourteen points. Wilson says that no negotiations before the Kaiser is out of power. The Germans promptly send him packing. Armistace—11/11/1918. America rejoices.

28. US Contribution to Victory America’s primary contribution. The potential numbers US could throw into battle made it clear to the Germans that they could not win. US was forced to rely heavily on European equipment Battlefield casualties compared

29. Losses in World War I

30. Wilson Steps Down From Olympus At the end of the war Wilson was extraordinarily popular both at home and in Europe. Moral leader of the world with most powerful economy behind him. That popularity was not destined to last.  Impossible to satisfy expectations  Wilson’s mistakes Biggest and most fatal “mistake” was mid-term election Republicans upset by his delegation to peace negotiations. Why?

31. An Idealist Battles The Imperialists People of Europe welcome Wilson with thundering acclaim Leaders of the Allied countries were wary. Why? Peace conference was dominated by the Big Four, leaders of US, France, England and Italy. Wilson in the driver’s seat. The Big Four

32. Wilson’s Goal Europe was a mess. Wilson’s ultimate goal was League of Nations First priority to keep the winners from dividing up the colonies of the beaten countries. Wilson had to compromise. What did the treaty say regarding Colonies?

33. Republicans Carve up the Treaty Henry Cabot Lodge and other isolationist Republicans raise objections to the LON treaty and insisted on modifications. Enough Senators said would not pass without the changes to defeat the treaty.  What were their complaints?

34. Treaty That Bred A New War Wilson forced into a series of compromises Treaty presented to Germans in June, 1919. They cried foul.  Why?  Planted seeds of resentment. Wilson was forced to compromise many of his ideals Wilson’s popularity is tarnished Treaty did, though, liberate a number of people. Treaty was better to the Germans and to citizens in colonies because he was there.

35. New Nations

36. The Domestic Parade Of Prejudice Wilson returned to political storm. Isolationists hated the LON. Rabid anti-Germans Liberals. Recent immigrants from Axis countries Irish

37. Wilson’s Tour And Collapse Majority of Americans favored the treaty and senate Republicans had no real hope of defeating it. What is Republican strategy? Is it successful? Delay causing Americans to become increasingly apathetic and confused Wilson decided to go over the heads of congress to the people. Went on a barnstorming speaking tour. Collapses and suffers a stroke. One side paralyzed. With Wilson incapacitated, Republicans in congress have control of the debate. Wilson on his whirl- wind tour to sell the nation on a League of Nations

38. Wilson Rejects The Lodge Reservations Senator Lodge able to tack on 14 reservations so that LON would not bind the US to act. Wilson, who hated Lodge, flatly rejected the reservations. What does Wilson order Democrats to do? Why? What is the result?

39. Defeat Through Deadlock Public pressure forced another vote. 4/5 of senators favored the treaty in some form, but the necessary 2/3 majority could not agree on a version of it. In 1920 comes up again for a vote with the Lodge amendments tacked on again. What does Wilson do? What happens to the treaty?

40. Election of 1920 Wilson’s plan: make the election of 1920 a referendum on the League Who controls the Republican party? Republicans nominate Warren Harding from Ohio; second-rate candidate. Calvin Coolidge from Mass. the VP nominee. Dems nominate Ohio Gov. James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt is his VP nominee.

41. Election of 1920 Dem platform: Strongly in favor of the treaty. Harding statements on treaty. Republicans win overwhelmingly. Big business, laize faire Republicans back in power. Women voting for the first time. Debs gets nearly a million votes despite being in prison.

42. Consequences of US Rejection of LON LON left without the vital American international support America retreated behind isolationism and let Europe find its own way. France feels compelled to rearm, so Germany does, too. Without America, the LON was toothless.