CHAPTER 29WILSON AN PROGRESSIVISM AT HOME AND ABROAD

1912-1916

Taft as President

Busted 90 trusts (more than TR)- Standard Oil & US SteelTaft splits the Party- angers ProgressivesProgressives wanted lower tariffsPayne-Aldridge Tariff- barely lowered the tariff; conservative Republicans tacked on higher tariffs items like on canary seed, hides, sea moss? (angers Progressives) “best bill the Republican Party ever passed”-TaftCreated Bureau of Mines- control mineral resources, rescue lands from exploitation—more of a conservationist that TR Ballenger-Pinchot Controversy- fired Pinchot (TR’S boy)= TR angered1911- Taft initiated a lawsuit against US Steel- involved a merger that TR had personally OK’ed while pres.- angered TR

TR Returns

1910- TR RETURNS TO THE US- upset with Taft, Progressives upset with Taft

Taft supported by ‘Old Guard” Republicans-CONSERVATIVE

TR supported by Progressive wing

National Progressive Republican League formed 1911

Leading candidate for pres. Robert Lafollette 1912- TR actively contacted governors to support his

nomination New Nationalism- TR advocated increase US

government power to remedy economic & social problems.

The Republican Convention 1912 Met in Chicago

TR 100 delegates short of nomination- Progressives questioned legitimacy of 250 Taft delegates

Taft delegates controlled convention== majority

TR supporters =Progressive Republicans walked out to support TR’s third Party candidacy.

Progressives Choose Roosevelt

Chicago 1912- Pro- Roosevelt Progressives met (@2000) ; chose TR as candidate.

Jane Addams placed TR’s name in nomination Progressive Party nickname= “Bull Moose

Party” Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism” -

consolidation of trusts & labor, accompanied by growth of regulatory agencies.

Campaigned for women suffrage Social welfare programs (min. wage laws &

social ins.) Both TR & Wilson- favored more active

government role in economic & social affairs. TR influenced by Herbert Croly- The Promise of

American Life .

Democrats Choose a Candidate

Democrats out of power since 1897 1912-Dems met in Baltimore; chose Dr.

Woodrow Wilson (46 ballots)- militant progressive, president of Princeton (1902)

Gov. of NY (1910) Attacked the trusts in NJ- returned the

government to the people.

“New Freedom”- stronger antitrust laws, banking reform, tariff reductions= “Triple Wall of Privilege”

New Freedom- favored small business, free unregulated & un-monopolized market, shunned social welfare, vigorous enforcement of antitrust laws

Election Campaign of 1912

Taft & TR attacked each other- “dangerous egotist” & “Fat head”

1912 Milwaukee, Wis.- TR shot in the chest by a fanatic (saloon keeper –John Shrank), delivered his speech-then suspended his campaign for 2 weeks. “See it takes more than a bullet to stop a Bull Moose”

* Wilson won the election (435 electoral votes; TR=88 electoral votes, Taft= 8 electoral votes)

Wilson a minority president= only won 41% of popular vote

Taft & Roosevelt polled more votes than Wilson

Eugene V. Debs (Socialist) 6% of popular vote

Progressive Party faded= ran only one viable candidate

Socialists= elected more than 1000 to state & local office

Republicans are a minority

Minority status in Congress for next 6 years

kept out of the White House for 8

years

Taft- taught law for 8 years– then was named Chief Justice of Supreme Court (1921)

Wilson as President

Born in Virginia, raised in Georgia & Carolina’s

1st man from seceded states to reach White House since before the war

Ideas of self determination, faith in the masses came from his Southern upbringing (failed to address segregation)

Fervent piety, stubborn, aloof, sense of moral righteousness

Wilson Attacks the Triple Wall

1913- called Congress into special session-delivered presidential message himself (precedent)

1. Underwood Tariff – reduced rates significantly; contained an income tax component.

16th Amendment (1913)- made income tax constitutional.

1917- income TAX surpassed TARIFFS as main source of US revenue

Wilson Reforms Banking

1908- Congressional investigation led by Rep. Senator Aldrich –recommended a gigantic bank with many branches= a 3rd Bank of the US.

June 1913-Wilson appeared before Congress-endorsed a decentralized bank in gov’t hands

1913- Federal Reserve Act- pres. Appoints a federal reserve board; 12 reserve districts with own central bank.

Issue paper currency (notes)=increased money circulation

Federal Reserve enabled US to weather 1st WW

Wilson Tumbles the Third Wall-Trusts

1914- Wilson went before Congress 1914- Federal Trade Commission

created- crush monopoly by investigating unfair trade practices, unlawful competition, false advertising, mislabeling, bribery & adulteration.

1914- Clayton Anti-Trust Act- strengthened Sherman anti-trust; listed specific illegal practices: price discrimination, interlocking directorates

Gave Labor Unions the right to exist & strike legally= “Magna Carta” OF labor

Wilsonian Progressivism High Tide

Federal Farm Loan Act (1916) The Warehouse Act (1916) Workingman’s Compensation Act (1916)-

assistance for civil-service employees with disabilities.

The La Follette Seaman’s Act (1915)- The Adamson Act- est. 8 hour workday for

employees on RR on interstate trains with overtime pay.

Nominate Louis Brandeis-Supreme Court Failed to address better treatment for

blacks- increased segregation in federal bureaucracy!

Wilson Foreign Policy

Hated imperialism, “Big Stick” diplomacy, & “Dollar Diplomacy”

1912- got Congress to REPEALED the Panama Canal Tolls Act (1912)- had exempted US coastal shipping from tolls.

The Jones Act (1916)- granted the Philippines territorial status & eventual independence (July 4, 1946).

Wilson Intervention 1914-1915- dispatched US Marines to Haiti

to protect US lives & property during a revolt; stayed 19 years= Haiti was an American protectorate.

1916- signed a treaty with Haiti- US supervision of police & finances.

Wilson Foreign Policy

Used Marines in Dominican Republic to stop riots-US controlled for 8 years.

1917- Wilson purchased Virgin Islands from Denmark= Caribbean was becoming a Yankee Preserve

Mexico 1913- US investors had pumped @ billion

dollars into Mexico– Mexican people remained poor & landless= revolted!!

1913- murdered Mexican president & installed Gen. Victoriano Huerta= mass Mexican migration to the US= 1900-1930 about 1 million Mexicans came to the US.

Wilson & Mexico

Revolutionaries threatened US property & lives in Mexico.

US citizens including (William Randolph Hearst ) & others demanded US action.

Wilson refused to recognize the government of Huerta

1914- Wilson supplied Huerta’s enemies (Venustiano Carranza & Pancho Villa) with weapons.

April 1914 (Tampico Incident)- Mexican government arrested a few US sailors then released & apologized.

Wilson asked Congress for permission to go to war

Wilson sent the navy & captured Vera Cruz The “ABC” Powers negotiated a settlement July 1914- Huerta gov’t collapsed- Carranza

succeeded him

Wilson v. Poncho Villa

Poncho Villa became the chief rival to Carranza (Wilson’s guy)

Villa & men –killed 16 American mining engineers in Northern Mexico Jan. 1916

Feb. 1916-Villa & men crossed into Columbus, NM & killed 19 Americans

Wilson sent US troops led Gen. John J. Pershing to capture Villa- clashed with Carranza forces & Villa forces--- never captured Villa

Jan. 1917- US troops pulled out of Mexico because of looming WWI

Pershing Pursues Villa

World War I

World War I1st World War in history

•Great War or War to End all War

•Not called WWI until after WWII

•Total war•Involved 60 nations and 6

continents

Cost of War•$400 billion

•$10 million dollars an hour16 million deaths

•First war of the Industrial Revolution……

New Weapons vs old tactics of fighting

world map

Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

“No Man’s Land”

“No Man’s Land”

The ZeppelinThe Zeppelin

FlameThrowers

FlameThrowers

GrenadeLaunchersGrenade

Launchers

Poison Gas

Poison Gas

Machine Gun

Machine Gun

Franz Ferdinand Kaiser Wilhem President Wilson Czar Nicholas Gen. John J. Pershing

Sen. Henry Lodge Sergeant Alvin York Eddie Baron Manfred Valadir Leninn Rickenbacker von Richthofen

Central PowersAllied Powers

Causes of World War I in Europe Imperialism

Nationalism

Militarism

European Alliances

Nationalism•Countries proud of their

heritage and culture•Similar to patriotism

•Ethnic groups of similar heritage wanted to free their oppressed brethren and unite their people into one country

•The Balkans (an area dominated by Austria Hungary) wanted it’s

independence= nationalism

The Balkans Powder Keg

1st Balkan War (1912-1913)- Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro united against Ottomans & ousted them.

Serbia emerges as dominant Slavic power

Aggressive Nationalism Aggressive Nationalism

alliances1

• Austrian-Hungarian Empire controlled

several ethic groups.• Serbian nationalists wanted to untie Serbs

who lived in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire with Serbia.• This led to the

assassination of the Archduke Franz

Ferdinand.

Saravejo

Imperialism

•France, Great Britain, Germany and Russia were establishing

colonies in Africa and Asia•economic and political control

over other countries……•these countries were in competition for colonies

Cartoon-European grab bag

European nations competing for colonies around the world…..Imperialism

Cartoon-European grab bag

Cartoon-European grab bag

Militarism•European nations began

an arms race as they competed for colonies around the world……

Soldiers Mobilized

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

France Germany Russia Britain

Mil

lio

ns

Militarism & Arms RaceMilitarism & Arms Race

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1914

94 130 154 268 289 398

Total Defense Expenditures for the Great Powers [Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, British and Russia] in

millions of dollars.

1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures

France 10%

Britain 13%

Russia 39%

Germany 73%

By 1906, President Roosevelt had built the US Navy into the 3rd largest naval fleet in the world….

The Great White Fleet

MobilizationMobilization

Home by Christmas! No major war in 50 years! Nationalism!

Alliances•European nations began forming

military alliances with one another to maintain a balance of

power ……..Triple Alliance Triple EntenteCentral Powers Allied PowersGermany Great Britain Austria-Hungary Empire France, Russia

Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire later… Italy, Japan, & USA

alliances1

1. June 28Assassination at Sarajevo

2. July 28Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia

3. July 30Russia began mobilization

4. August 1Germany declared war on Russia

alliances2

5. August 3Germany declared war on France

6. August 3Great Britain declared war on Germany

7. August 6Russia and Austria/Hungary at war.

8. August 12Great Britain declared war on Austria/Hungary

Europe is at WAR!!

battle fronts

• German invasion in August of 1914, through Belgium to

conquer France.• Gave French and British

militaries enough time to mobilize their army

• Belgium puts up a strong fight.

• 1st Battle of the Marne River, France and Great Britain stop

Germany from capturing Paris.

• France, England and Germany involve itself in

trench warfare from 1914 to 1918

• German invasion in August of 1914, through Belgium to

conquer France.• Gave French and British

militaries enough time to mobilize their army

• Belgium puts up a strong fight.

• 1st Battle of the Marne River, France and Great Britain stop

Germany from capturing Paris.

• France, England and Germany involve itself in

trench warfare from 1914 to 1918

battle fronts

Stalemate By September 1914, the war had

reached a stalemate, a situation in which neither side is able to gain an advantage.

When a French and British force stopped a German advance near Paris, both sides holed up in trenches separated by an empty “no man’s land.” Small gains in land resulted in huge numbers of human casualties.

Both sides continued to add new allies, hoping to gain an advantage.

Modern Warfare Neither soldiers nor officers were

prepared for the new, highly efficient killing machines used in WW I.

Machine guns, hand grenades, artillery shells, and poison gas killed thousands of soldiers who left their trenches to attack the enemy.

As morale fell, the lines between soldiers and civilians began to blur. The armies began to burn fields, kill livestock, and poison wells.

•Panama Canal was completed in August of 1914 just a week before WWI began

in Europe.•Woodrow Wilson became President in

1912.•President Wilson declared US

Neutrality

The effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon what American citizens say and do. Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all

concerned.

The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and

inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy. Some will wish one nation, others another, to succeed in the

momentous struggle.

I venture, therefore, my fellow countrymen, the United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days

that are to try men's souls. wilson neutrality1

notes2

•US believed • It had the right to trade

with the warring nations • Warring nations must

respect our neutrality • in the freedom of the seas

• German submarine warfare and British blockade violated our neutrality

I Dare you to come, 1917……The Kaiser defies American rights, national honor, freedom of the seas and international law……….

The US believed it had the right to trade with the warring nations and they would respect our neutrality…….Didn’t

happen! The German submarine warfare and British blockade violated our freedom of the seas and neutrality.

sandwich man

World War I Begins

Summer 1914- a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne (Archduke Franz Ferdinand).

Vienna issued an ultimatum to Serbia- Serbia, backed by Russia (both Slavic speaking nations) refused the ultimatum

Germany invaded France (through neutral Belgium) ; goal: knock France out of the war quickly then repel Russia (Schlieffen Plan)

Britain-felt threatened & joined France & Russia (Allies)

& later Japan & Italy. Central Powers - Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Ottoman Empire & later Turkey & Belgium

The Assassination

Gavrilo PrincipMember of the Black Hand

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

American Neutrality

Pres. Wilson- proclaimed US neutrality; warned Americans to be “ neutral in thought as well as deed”.

Central Powers & Allies wooed the US Britain had the upper hand for America’s

assistance: cultural ties, linguistic, & economic ties.

The British controlled the flow of info that the US received (controlled & eventually cut transatlantic cable).

British Propaganda- portrayed German atrocities Central Powers hoped US immigrants (11 million

with ties to Central Powers) would sway the US.

American Neutrality

Most Americans were anti-German Kaiser Wilhelm II – viewed as arrogant & ruthless

(invasion of neutral Belgium). 1915- German spy- left briefcase on NY train=

increased US animosity towards Germany. Most Americans-especially in the western states

wanted to remain neutral.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

American Economy & the War

1914- as war broke out in Europe, the US economy went into recession.

French & British war orders (for US war materials) pulled the US out of recession= US prosperity.

US bankers (JPMorgan & Co.) advanced the Allies $2.3 Billion during US neutrality.

Germany was free to trade with the US but British blockades & geography prevented it.

US Economy & War

The British controlled sea lanes & mined the North Sea (gateway to German ports).

Britain forced US ships to off the high sea & into British ports (trade between the US & Germany stopped).

Feb. 1915- Germany announced a sub war area around the British Isles.

Submarine-so new to warfare that international law did not know how to administer it.

•The Germans could not match Great Britain's

superior navy.•Germans introduced

unrestricted submarine warfare with U-Boats

•Germans warned the world they would sink any ship

they believed was carrying contraband to Great

Britain.

U-Boats

• By 1918, Germans had sunk 6,500 allied ships.

Two types• small subs with a crew

of 24 • larger subs with a crew

of 60• 44 by 1918

Effects of Allied blockade

• 1914, $70 million in trade with Central powers

• 1916, trade reduced to $1.3 million

Allied trade • Grew from $825 million to

$3.2 billion in same time period

• WWI transformed the US from a debtor to a

creditor nation

Lusitania ad

German U-Boats- Push America Over the Edge?

German subs (U-Boats) – declared they would not try to sink neutral shipping- but warned that mistakes could occur.

Wilson continued to claim neutral trade rights (risky!)= warned Germany would be held to “strict accountability” for attacks on US vessels or citizens.

1915- U-Boats sank 90 ships in the war zone around the British Isles.

May 7, 1915- a U-Boat sank a British passenger ship Lusitania (1,198 people killed- 128 Americans).

The Lusitania was carrying 4,200 cases of small arms ammunition.

Lusitania

war zone

German U-Boat

The Sinking of the Lusitania

America Stays Neutral

Americans were shocked & angered at the mass murder in the Lusitania incident

Wilson & much of the US still wanted to avoid war– Wilson sent strongly worded notes to the Germans (Sec. of State Bryan resigned).

August 1915- British liner Arabic was sunk by U-Boat (2 American lives lost)= Germany agreed to sink no more unarmed & unresisting passenger ships without warning.

March 1915- French passenger ship Sussex was sunk by a U-Boat- an angered Wilson warned Germany to sink no more merchant ships without warning or else!

Sussex Sunk: led to Sussex Pledge in March

1916. Germany promised not to sink

anymore ships.war zone

X

**The Sussex Pledge

Germany agreed to sink no more passenger ships without warning= the “Sussex Pledge”.

Germany attached “strings” to the pledge (US had to persuade the Allies to modify the illegal blockade around Germany).

Wilson could not guarantee- but accepted the Sussex Pledge.

The Election of 1916

Republicans & “Bull Moose” Progressives met in Chicago- Progressives nominated TR

TR refused to run (did not want to split the Republican vote)= death of Progressive Party!

“Old Guard” Republicans nominated Charles Evan Hughes (former Gov. of NY)-

Republican Platform – condemned Democratic tariff, attacks on trusts, & Wilson’s “wishy-washy” nature (Mexico & Germany)

Hughes campaigned around the country- TR gave speeches comparing Hughes to Wilson

(“whiskered Wilson”)

Democrats Nominate Wilson Again

Met in St. Louis- nominated Wilson for another term

Wilson ignored Hughes – “don’t try to murder someone who is committing suicide”

Campaign Slogan: “He Kept Us Out of the War”

Election of 1916--Outcome

Wilson wins a close election (277 to 254)

Westerners & Mid-westerners pushed Wilson over the top (liked Progressive reforms & anti-war policies)

Wilson won the working class vote & Bull Moose Progressive vote (bolted the Republican party)

Wilson had not specifically promised to keep the US out of war- the promise was implicit.

Electoral Map 1916 Election