WORLD WAR I AND THE UNITED STATES

THE CENTURY: AMERICA'S TIME : SHELL SHOCK 44mins

UNITED STATES STAYS NEUTRAL U.S. viewed the war as a European Conflict President Wilson declared the U.S. was not taking sides in the war and planned to be remain neutral Remaining neutral and being involved in the affairs or wars of other nations was an American Tradition known as Isolationism

MEXICAN REVOLUTION Mexican government (Diaz) was overthrown in 1914 Madero took over and then was overthrown by General Huerta Marines seized Mexican port of Veracruz and placed Carranza in as the new Mexican president Mexican revolutionaries crossed into the U.S. attacking/killing Americans. Pancho Villa led the revolutionaries. They slaughtered a entire American town in New Mexico U.S. sent troops into Mexico to capture Pancho Villa Wilson’s policy of refusing to recognize the new Mexican government damaged relations

FRANCISCO “PANCHO” VILLA

LEANING TOWARD THE ALLIES U.S. had more in common with Britain than Germany U.S. and Britain shared political, cultural, and economic values U.S. supplied $75 million worth of war goods to Britain Britain had blocked many German ports, preventing U.S. from engaging in trade with Germany

-GERMANY FOUGHT BACK AGAINST BRITAIN BY BLOCKING THEIR PORTS BY WARNING ALL NATIONS THAT ANY SHIPS AROUND THE WATERS OF BRITAIN WOULD BE DESTROYED BY U- BOAT. -U-BOATS WERE SMALL UNDER WATER SUBMARINES -PRESIDENT WILSON BELIEVED THIS WAS AGAINST THE U.S. STANCE OF BEING NEUTRAL (U.S. WAS NEUTRAL AND BELIEVED THEY SHOULD NOT BE ATTACKED IF IN BRITISH WATERS). GERMAN SUBMARINE WARFARE

HEADING TOWARD WAR Lusitania was a civilian British luxury ship sailing from NY to Britain. As it sailed into British waters, it was hit by an under water torpedo fired from a German U-boat 1,200 people died. 128 were Americans German sunk a French passenger ship killing 80 civilians President Wilson threatened to end relations with Germany if stopped attacking innocent civilian ships Germany issued the Sussex Pledge which was a promise to not sink civilian ships without warning and saving lives. Sussex Pledge helped keep U.S. out of war as Germany did not want U.S. to join and strengthen allies.

WILSON’S RE-ELECTION Wilson campaigned on the promise he would not send Americans to war in Europe Once Wilson was re-elected as President he worked for a peace settlement in Europe Any hope of peace in Europe was ended when Germany continued their submarine warfare on innocent civilian ships. Wilson followed through on his threat to Germany and ended relations with Germany

THE ZIMMERMAN NOTE Note from Germany to Mexico offering to become allies if Mexico takes back New Mexico, Texas and Arizona from the U.S. Germany wanted to stir up a war between Mexico and the U.S. to keep the U.S. out of the war in Europe. The note never made it to Mexico because the British intercepted the note, decoded it and sent it to the U.S. American newspapers printed excerpts of the letter, further angering Americans and more Americans now supporting the idea of going to war against Germany

THE U.S. DECLARES WAR Germany again attacked and sunk 3 more American civilian ships Wilson asked congress for a declaration of war against Germany and on April 6, 1917 the U.S. entered the war on the side of the Allies. An army needed to be raised and soldiers recruited

RAISING AN ARMY Congress passes the Selective Service Act which requires all American men from the ages of 21 and 30 to register to be drafted into the military African Americans were segregated into separate divisions and trained separately. Many were against training African American soldiers to use weapons because they feared the black soldiers could pose a threat after the war from their weapons training. Only a few AA regiments were trained with weapons for combat Hispanics also faced discrimination but not on the same level as AA. Many Hispanic soldiers were assigned menial tasks. The Hispanics that did not speak English were put through special programs to help teach them English. Many of these soldiers fought alongside whites in battle.

ARRIVING IN EUROPE Troops arrived in Europe by way of the convoy system Convoy system was a when ships carrying American troops were surrounded by battle ships for protection against enemy attacks. This reduced the number one American ships sunk, troops killed and supplies lost in an attack. When Americans arrived in Europe, Germany and the Central powers were winning the war. The allies desperately needed American troops to help fight as soon as they arrived in Europe. Instead Generals did not want inexperienced troops sent straight into battle and sent his troops to training camps in France.

U.S. TROOPS IN ACTION After a year in Europe, American troops were finally sent into combat. They had to dig trenches for protection and had to do it at night to prevent from being seen by the enemy. Americans entered the war at just the right time to help the French against Germany. The Americans helped the French defend Paris from the Germans and stopped the Germans from advancing into Paris and taking over.

AMERICAN MILITARY WOMEN American women who spoke French were recruited to be switchboard operators to help with communication between the frontline soldiers and American headquarters Women were also nurses, bookkeepers, typists, electricians and telegraphers

ALLIED SET BACKS: RUSSIAN REVOLUTION The communist Bolsheviks took control of Russia and Vladimir Lenin became the leader of Russia Lenin withdrew Russian troops and signed a peace treaty with Germany. Germany could now send more troops to fight against the French and British, pushing them back from progressing forward

THE US IN WORLD WAR I