a people and a nation eighth edition
TRANSCRIPT
A PEOPLE and ANATION
EIGHTH EDITION
Norton • Katzman • Blight •Chudacoff • Paterson • Tuttle •
Escott • Bailey • Logevall
Chapter 23:Americans in the
Great War,1914–1920
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Ch. 23: Americans in the Great War,1914–1920
• Americans debate foreign policy,1914–17
• New technology increase war’sdestruction
• USA emerge as major world power• War emergency (1917–18) force
dramatic political, economic, socialchanges at home
• Postwar conflict over continuing changesor restoring prewar status quo
• War and 1919 peace disillusion many
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I. Outbreak of the First World War
• Years of European competition overtrade, colonies, allies, armaments
• Germany (Triple Alliance) rival England(Triple Entente) for world leadership
• Many Americans see growing Germanpower as threat (militarism, autocracy)
• Assassination by Serbian nationalisttrigger chain of events in Europe (seeMap 23.1)
• Result = war (Central Powers v. Allies)
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II. Taking Sides
• Wilson proclaim neutrality in war• Full neutrality not possible
1. Ethnic groups in USA take sides2. Wilson & advisers hold pro-Allied views:
see Germany as threat to civilization3. USA-England trade (arms, loans) grow;
USA-German trade drop; Germany see UStrade with England as un-neutral
4. Wilsonianism = ideas Wilson assume willspread if Allies win
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II. Taking Sides (cont.)
• USA will lead nations toward peacefulworld
• World of free trade, capitalism,democracy, open diplomacy, fewer arms,& no empires
• Wilson proclaim US destiny = save world• Ideals benefit USA; mix idealism with
realism• Wilson willing to force ideas on others
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III. Violations of Neutral Rights
• Wilson not want to enter war• USA caught in crossfire between
belligerents• England violate neutral rights by seizing
US cargoes for Germany (take property)• Germany try to stop US trade with
England via submarines (take lives)• Wilson demand Germany comply with
strict interpretation of international law
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IV. Secretary Bryan’s Resignation
• Lusitania sinking (1915) take 1198 lives(128 Americans); contraband (ammo) onship
• Bryan advocate banning Americans onbelligerent ships, but Wilson reject it
• Wilson assert US right to sail on any ships• Bryan resign; some Americans call him
traitor• Germany halt attacks on passenger ships
after Lusitania, but tensions increase(Sussex, 1916)
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V. Peace Advocates;Unrestricted Sub Warfare
• Many groups fear costs/consequences ofwar
• Movement not unified• Feb. 1917, Germany take calculated risk
of full submarine war (defeat Alliesbefore US entry)
• With Zimmerman Telegram, Wilson seeGermany as threat to US security
• Wilson arm US ships withoutcongressional consent
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VI. War Message and WarDeclaration (April, 1917)
• Wilson accuse Germany of violatingneutral and human rights
• War to make “world safe for democracy”• US ideas & interests require German
defeat• By 1917, Wilson assume USA must enter
war to shape peace & postwar world• Wilson get support from preparedness
groups (National Security League)
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VII. The Draft and the Soldier
• Defense Act, Navy Act (1916) start buildup• Selective Service Act (1917) start draft• 4.8 million serve; most draftees in early 20s,
white, single, US-born, poorly educated• 400,000 blacks serve; in segregated units• 90% in labor units; those in combat do well• Du Bois & NAACP support war• Hope for change at home after war
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VII. The Draft and the Soldier (cont.)
• 3 million evade draft• Conscientious objectors face harassment• Pershing insist AEF remain independent
of Allied control, criticize trench warfare• Machine guns, poison gas, etc. kill huge
#s• 1 million casualties at Somme, 1916• Many survivors suffer “shell shock”• US men/materials tip balance & end
stalemate
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VIII. Bolshevik Revolution (1917)
• Challenge Wilson’s vision of world• Lenin attack capitalism; want worker
uprisings• Release secret treaties to embarrass Allies• Wilson respond with 14 Points (1918)• Show Allies as different from Central Powers• #14 call for League of Nations to achieve
US vision of ideal world order• Lenin make peace with Germany (early
1918)
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IX. Americans in Battle
• Germany then launch offense; Allies halt it• Allies then launch counter-offensive• Germany accept armistice (Nov. 1918)• 16.6 million die (6.6 million = civilians)• 21.3 million wounded• US losses = 53,000 combat dead (+ 62,000
dead from disease); 200,000 wounded• War destroy European economy & 4
empires
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X. Mobilizing the Home Front
• US Gov’t intervene as never before ineconomy & society
• Form partnership with big business viadollar-a-year executives on new agencies
• W/ cost-plus contracts (guaranteedprofits) & no antitrust acts, big businessget bigger
• US Gov’t bureaucracy grow to shifteconomy to war-related production
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XI. Business-GovernmentCooperation
• Food Administration try to increase productionand conserve food
• Fuel Administration control coal, ration gas• War Industries Board = largest agency• Make purchases, allocate materials, & set
prices (all on business advice)• WIB order standardization of goods• Economy supply enough men/material to win• Shortages (esp. coal) at home result
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XII. Economic Performance
• USA finance ⅓ of war through taxes• Rest through loans/bonds; US debt rise
from $1 billion (1914) to $25 billion (1919)• War cost $33.5 billion; veteran benefits &
interest on debt triple that figure overtime• Corporate profits swell during war to $7
billion• Labor benefit from full employment• Suffer rising cost of living (food, fuel, etc.)
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XIII. Labor Shortage
• Draft, expanded production, & drop inimmigration create labor crisis
• US Gov’t recruit workers from Midwest &South to northeastern factories, help withhousing
• New opportunities for women & blacks• Total # of female workers not grow much• Key change = shift in occupations• Some enter traditionally male factory jobs
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XIII. Labor Shortage (cont.)
• Most = single, white, & in clerical jobs• Black women move into openings in
domestic service & textile factories• 1,000s volunteer as military nurses/clerks
or work for Red Cross/Salvation Army• Also support mobilization programs• Female support for war help achieve
suffrage (19th Amendment, 1920)
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XIII. Labor Shortage (cont.)
• Labor shortage accelerate blackmigration from rural south to northerncities
• 500,000 move (1916–1919)• Young, single males seek opportunity• National War Labor Board discourage
strikes and urge management to workwith unions
• AFL cooperate with US Gov’t in war effort• Not able to stop some workers from
striking
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XIV. Committee on PublicInformation (CPI)
• Wilson try to silence any who question war• Result = massive violation of civil liberties• CPI seek mind mobilization with propaganda• Demonize Germany• Urge self-censorship & spy on neighbors• Vigilantes harass German-Americans• State/local governments, businesses, &
colleges fire dissenters, ban German culture
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XV. Espionage & Sedition Acts
• Espionage Act (1917) ban treasonous(loosely defined) material from mail
• Sedition Act (1918) ban criticism of USGov’t
• US Gov’t crush IWW, imprison Debs• Supreme Court uphold 2 Acts• During war, US Gov’t can restrict First
Amendment
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XVI. Red Scare; Labor Strikes (1919)
• Wartime suppression evolve into postwarrepression of leftists/unions/immigrants
• 4 million workers strike for betterpay/hours
• Opponents label them “Red” to discreditthem
• No radical conspiracy• New American Legion demand conformity
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XVII. Palmer Raids; Wilson’s Anti-Bolshevism
• Attorney General harass alleged radicals• State/local governments, vigilantes copy him• His assistant, Hoover, arrest 4,000 people
(1920) without search warrants; deny themcouncil
• Palmer’s excesses slowly offend public• To topple Soviets, Wilson send in troops
(1918)• Arm opponents, impose embargo, refuse
recognition, & ban USSR from diplomacy
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XVIII. Racial Unrest
• Despite participation in war, blacks stillsuffer discrimination & violence
• KKK revive; lynching continue• Race riots occur (Chicago, 1919) as
northern whites resist “Negro invasion”• Continuing racism disillusion Du Bois• Growing militancy among black veterans
& African Americans in northern cities
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XIX. Peace Conference & Obstaclesto Wilson’s Plan
• Wilson ignore Republican majority inCongress
• Allies seek harsh peace and spoils of war• Wilson not follow or achieve 14 Points in
Paris• Wilson accept huge reparations/war guilt on
Germany• Allies gain colonies (mandates) from losers• British: Iraq, Palestine; French: Syria,
Lebanon• Create anti-Soviet nations in Eastern Europe
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XX. League of Nations & Article 10
• League = Wilson’s top goal in Paris• Centerpiece for new world order• All nations have a vote in Assembly• Major powers control League via Council• Article 10 call for collective security• Joint action to preserve status
quo/prevent war• Wilson exempt Monroe Doctrine &
domestic matters from League action
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XXI. Critics of the Treaty
• Some balk at Wilson’s concessions (14Points)
• Conservatives fear Article 10 will limit USaction, stop US expansion, pull USA into war
• Lodge propose reservations, esp. Article 10• Wilson lambaste critics• Collapse with stroke; refuse to compromise• Senate reject treaty (1919-1920)• With reservations, treaty would have passed
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XXII. An Unsafe World
• Would USA swap traditional unilateralismfor collection action? Core issue for critics
• Want freedom of action in imperialistworld
• US economic & military power grow• Postwar international system not stable• Nationalists want independence• New East European nations weak• Germany, USSR want revenge &
expansion
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Summary: Discuss Links to theWorld & Legacy
• Influenza pandemic as link of USA with world?• Start in USA, spread to Europe, then world• Kill between 25-40 million (675,000 in USA)• War & new transportation spread disease• ACLU as legacy of WWI debate over free
speech?• Wilson’s repression push Baldwin, Eastman,
etc. to defend free speech as vital to democracy