lusitania and zimmerman conspiracies
TRANSCRIPT
Why do you think America entered WW1? Why on the British and French side instead of the German?
Agenda: Monday, May 4th
While I stamp journals, discuss this question with your neighbors and prepare to share with the class:
Sinking of the Lusitania and the Zimmerman Telegram
Mr. Robin Presents: Conspiracies of History
The Lusitania
Naval Arms Race
Britain dominates ON the water.
Germany dominates UNDER it.
Britain controls the surface of the ocean.
Naval Arms Race
British blockade of Germany began in 1914.
Kept MOST supplies from reaching GermanyIncluding food and manufacturing materials (Total War!)Strange maritime laws = not losing many boats
Germany’s choices:Quit the war or sink everything?“Unrestricted Submarine Warfare”
Lusitania (May 7, 1915)
• Germany torpedoes a British ship
• Germany claimed ship was carrying ammunition to Britain. Published warning in British newspaper!!
• It carried 1,248 cases of 3-inch shells, 4,927 boxes of cartridges.
• Her manifests were falsified to hide this fact, and the British and American governments lied about the cargo.
• 1200 dead, including 128 Americans
Discussing Wilson’s Response
• Do you agree or disagree with Wilson’s point?
• How do you think this speech was interpreted by Americans? Favorably or unfavorably? Why?
Conspiracy?
J. P. Morgan later testified: "The war opened during a period of hard times. ... Business throughout the country was depressed, farm prices were deflated, unemployment was serious, the heavy industries were working far below capacity and bank clearings were off." But by 1915, war orders for the Allies (mostly England) had stimulated the economy, and by April 1917 more than $2 billion worth of goods had been sold to the Allies.
In 1915, Wilson lifted the ban on private bank loans to the Allies,
JP Morgan could now begin lending to make great profit and tie American finance closely to the interest of a British victory in the war against Germany.
In 1915, can the United States be considered neutral in the war?
American Dilemma
GO TO WAR!
Pro-War (“Hawks”) Insulted by the attack on
the Lusitania. Bond with British &
French (Teddy Roosevelt) Protect American
interests & Colonies (Taft/Wilson)
Economic interests with allies – U.S. Steel makes $348 million in profit in 1916
STAY OUT OF IT!
Anti-War (“Doves”) It’s a European
conflict Bond with Germany Fear of massive
casualties Socialist/Pacifist
(Henry Ford)– 20,000 anti-war protestors at Socialist meeting in 1917
Reflection:At this point – should the U.S. enter the war, or stay
out of it? Why?
Zimmerman Telegram (1917)
German telegram to Mexico, offering a deal
Intercepted by British
U.S. outragedWhy did the British
make sure the U.S. got this telegram?
"We intend to begin on the first of February
unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall
endeavor in spite of this to keep the United
States of America neutral. In the event of this
not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or
alliance on the following basis: make war
together, make peace together, generous
financial support and an understanding on our
part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost
territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
The settlement in detail is left to you. You will
inform the President of the above most
secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with
the United States of America is certain and
add the suggestion that he should, on his own
initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence
and at the same time mediate between Japan
and ourselves. Please call the President's
attention to the fact that the ruthless
employment of our submarines now offers the
prospect of compelling England in a few
months to make peace." Signed,
ZIMMERMANN.
U.S. Receives the Message
British officials give the telegram to U.S. officials on 2/19/17.
American officials think it’s fake.
Wilson releases it to the media on 2/28.
Reflection: Did you opinion
change? Should the U.S. enter
the war, or stay out of it?
Why?
The Zimmerman Telegram
FAKE??? What is the evidence?
• Arthur Zimmerman, German Foreign Secretary
• Negotiates “Peace in the East” in March 1917 – Allows Vladimir Lenin to go through Germany in a train full of gold back into Russia in exchange for peace. Bolsheviks overthrow Czar Nicholas.
• Was Mexico a threat? US/Texas had defeated them multiple times, most recently in 1848.
• Why anger the Americans?
• Who benefits the most from the US entering the war?
• British trickery?
April 12, 1917
Congress declares war
U.S. w/ Allies
Pro-War, Anti-War
• Requiring 1 million soldiers, only 73,000 sign up in first month – Draft instituted. 330,000 total draft evaders. People mutilate themselves to avoid serving.
• Socialist anti-war movement – makes gains in municipal elections
• Espionage Act, June 1917 – Used against domestic anti-war dissidents. 900 people jailed, including Eugene V. Debs. There were draft-age youths in his audience, and his words would "obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service.” Sentenced to 10 years, serves 3.
• Pro-war propaganda in the papers. New York Times editorial says: "It is the duty of every good citizen to communicate to proper authorities any evidence of sedition that comes to his notice."
Compare two Sides
Compare the following speech excerpts:
Woodrow Wilson’s declaration of war
Eugene Debs anti-war speech
Why did the US enter the war? Do you think they should have?
Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder. In the Middle Ages when the feudal lords who inhabited the castles whose towers may still be seen along the Rhine concluded to enlarge their domains, to increase their power, their prestige and their wealth they declared war upon one another. But they themselves did not go to war any more than the modern feudal lords, the barons of Wall Street go to war. The feudal barons of the Middle Ages, the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day, declared all wars. And their miserable serfs fought all the battles.
The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe that when their masters declared war upon one another, it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another’s throats for the profit and glory of the lords and barons who held them in contempt. And that is war in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and all to lose—especially their lives. They have always taught and trained you to believe it to be your patriotic duty to go to war and to have yourselves slaughtered at their command. But in all the history of the world you, the people, have never had a voice in declaring war, and strange as it certainly appears, no war by any nation in any age has ever been declared by the people.
America Enters the War
American casualties
Outcome of war for US business interests
USS MainGulf of TonkinLusitaniaPearl HarborWMDsWhen does it end???