Background to World War I (World War 1 in photos) A. Underlying causes 1. Militarism (arms race). Click on battleship for some footage of a BB firing its guns. 2. Nationalism (increased national pride among great powers and the people these empires rule). 3. Imperialist rivalries. 4. Alliance System A defense against future wars ends up dragging all countries into war. The major Alliances: Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (will drop out) Triple Entente: France, Russia, Great Britain.
B. Steps to War In Europe 1. Balkan Crisis: A struggle between Russia and Austria- Hungary developed over the control of the Balkan states. 2. Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary is assassinated in 1914 by a Serbian nationalist. 3. Declaration of War 1914. Austria-Hungary, using the assassination, issues Serbia an ultimatum demanding that anti-austrian agitation be suppressed. War follows and pulls in other alliance members.
C. The U.S. leading up to War 1. Neutrality and free and open access to the seas. We maintain our right to open navigation of the seas as a Neutral power. 2. Britain blockades Germany (Battleships) then Germany blockades GB (U-Boats).
3. The British passenger liner Lusitania is sunk in 1915, American killed, Wilson warns Germany to cease use of unrestricted u-boat warfare. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare - a submarine can attack any vessel flying a hostile flag or suspected of giving aid to an enemy, without warning or provocation. Prior to WWI, belligerents observed "Prize" or "Cruiser" rules, which stated that the ship couldn't sink a passenger ship, only a merchant vessel of an enemy nation, and that the crew/passengers aboard any vessel must be clear and safe before it was sunk. 4. Arabic sunk, more Americans killed. Germany promises to abandon unrestricted u-boat warfare (Arabic Pledge). Sussex sunk, Germany renews promises (Sussex Pledge). 5. U.S. sends more supplies to Britain and France than to Germany. 1st and 2nd generation immigrants support neutrality, majority want Britain and France to win. 6. British news stirs propaganda against Germany. They control the Atlantic Cable. 7. Preparedness. National Security League promotes expansion of armed forces. 8. Opposition to war. Progressives, Socialists against military buildup. 9. Wilson wins in 1916. Beats Charles Evans Hughes on pledge to stay out of the war. D. Immediate Causes of US Entry in WW I 1. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare causes U.S. to break diplomatic relations with Germany. 2. Zimmerman telegram-march 1, 1917, Germany proposes alliance and offers Mexico help in regaining territory lost during Mexican-American war; intercepted by British. 3. Russian Revolution - overthrow czar and proclaim republic. Wilson deems Russian as an acceptable ideological and moral ally. 4. Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war - April 1917.
World War I Wartime Mobilization of US 1. U.S. ships supplies to Allies (convoy system). 2. War Industries Board, Food Administration, Fuel Administration regulate economy. 3. Liberty Bonds sold to the public to finance the war effort. 4. Committee on Public Information (April of 1917) stirs propaganda (see posters) against Germany. Headed up by George Creel. 5. Selective Service Act of 1917 creates the modern draft system. 6. Espionage Act (June 15, 1917) imprisons persons who incite rebellion or obstruct the draft. 7. Sedition Act (May 16, 1918) prohibits disloyal remarks about the government. 8. Limitations of 1 st amendment - Schenck v. US (1919). Upheld the Espionage Act and established the clear and present danger test regarding restraint of the first amendment.
Fighting the War 1. The opposing sides: Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Allied Powers: France, Russia, Great Britain, and eventually U.S. 2. Major aspects of WWI warfare: machine guns, trench warfare, poison gas (20 min), battleships, submarines, and advent tank, and planes. 3. American Expeditionary Force arrives late in 1917. Allies are reeling under renewed German offensive. 4. Americans stop German advance at Chateau-Thierry 1918. American materials and men fortify weakened Allies, help to break German offensive and spirit. 5. Allies launch Meuse-Argonne offensive and drive Germans back to border. 6. Facing chronic shortages, civil unrest, and a mutinous military, Germany seeks terms. They crumble from within and seek surrender while on enemy soil. 6. Germans sign armistice, surrender arms, give up navy, and evacuate occupied territory Nov., 1918. Fourteen Points, Peace Negotiations, and the Treaty of Versailles 1.Woodrow Wilson wanted a democratic postwar settlement, a peace without victory, that would ensure that this would be the war to end all wars. 2. Wilson appeared before Congress in 1918 to present the principles for which he
claimed the nation was fighting (the Fourteen Points). Main ideas included: freedom of seas; no secret treaties; arms reduction; national self- determination (sovereignty); an association of nations. 3. Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919) concludes WWI. Big Four (photo below W. Wilson, David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, and Vittorio Orlando) dictate terms of peace. Wilson loses the battle for a peace without victory as European powers let vengeance dictate terms. 4. Terms of treaty: Disarmament of Germany & future restrictions on military; Loss of colonies in Asia and Africa; Reparations to Britain and France; Self-determination for territory controlled by Germany, Austria Hungary, and Russia; Charter for a League of Nations; Occupation of Rhineland for 15 years; War Guilt Clause (Germany would take the sole blame for the war). Battle for Ratification of Treaty of Versailles 1. Republicans have majority in Senate. Led by Henry Cabot Lodge, they oppose Wilson. 2. Those opposed to ratification of the treaty specifically fear membership in the league for the following reasons: It would involve the U.S. in wars in direct violation of the constitution (which gives Congress power to declare war); It would interfere with our current tariff and immigration policies; It would allow the British influence us; It would break our traditional isolationist policies. 3. Wilson tours country to get people to support the treaty. He suffers a stroke and then instructs Democrats in the Senate to reject any compromise with Lodge/Republicans. 4. No compromise dooms the treaty & U.S. membership in the League. 5. Senate rejects treaty. U.S. makes separate peace with Germany in 1921.
Overall Effects of WWI 1. The Russian Revolution leads to the creation of the communist state of the Soviet Union. 2. A Red Scare (anti-communist hysteria) sweeps the U.S. 3. Public turns against unions in fear of communist influence and revolution. 4. The U.S. is drawn out of non-entanglement policy, but isolationism still reigns over internationalism. Almost immediately after the war ends, the public sentiment turns against our involvement in the war most believe it was a mistake. 5. The Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States allows wartime laws, The Espionage and Sedition Acts, to be upheld and applied after the war during peacetime. The government now has the ability to limit the freedom of speech component of the 1st amendment (this lasts until 1969). Justice Holmes on the "clear and present danger" test: The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent. 6. A redrawn map of Europe (see below).