The War to End War

1917-1918

Wilson and Neutrality

• January 1917: Germany announces unrestricted submarine warfare

• This proclamation voided the earlier agreement between Wilson and Germany

• Germany hoped that the US would remain neutral and stop supplying Britain before entering war

• Wilson broke diplomatic relations with Germany

War by Act of Germany

• Wilson asked congress for authority to arm US merchant ships

• Senators filibuster • Zimmerman Telegram: Germany asks

Mexico to invade US, promising AZ, NM and TX

• German submarines sank 4 US merchant ships in early March 1917

• Revolution in Russia• April 1917, Declaration of war

Wilson Idealism Enthroned

• Many still not convinced that war was necessary

• Decision not unanimous in Congress• “America could be isolationists or

crusaders, but nothing in between”• Twin goals of war:

– “War to End War”– “To make the world safe for democracy”

Wilson’s 14 Points

• Wilson became known as the moral leader of allied cause

• 14 points given in January 1918: hoped to keep Russia in war (didn’t work)– 1. Proposal to abolish secret treaties– 2. Freedom of the seas– 3. Removal of economic barriers among

nations– 4. Reduction of armament burdens– 5. Adjustment of colonial claims in the interest

of the colonizers and native people– 6. League of Nations- collective security

Committee of Public Information

• Headed by George Creel, journalist• 75,000 propaganda speakers • Posters• Leaflets and pamphlets• Movies• Relied on aroused passion and

voluntary compliance

Loyalty

• Everything blamed on Germans– Sauerkraut= liberty cabbage– Hamburger= liberty steak

• Espionage Act (1917)• Sedition Act (1918)• Targeted anti-war activists• Eugene Debs arrested in 1918• Schenck v. US- Supreme Court ruled that

1st amendment could be revoked when it posed a danger to the nation

Wartime Workforce

• “work or fight”: unemployed males would be drafted

• National Labor Board: chaired by William Taft, pushed for high wages and 8 hour work days, but not the right to unionize

• American Federation of Labor supported war efforts, did not threaten to strike

• Industrial Workers of the World did protest during war, and were beaten and arrested

Wartime workforce

• Coal mining, manufacturing and transportation saw wage increases after war

• Steel Strike of 1919: – Industry leaders refused to recognize

union– brought in African American workers– bloody protests left many dead– Strike collapsed, setback to unions

African Americans in the Workplace

• Many southern AA moved north during war looking for jobs

• Sometimes met with racist violence• 1917 riot in in Missouri left 49 dead• Violence in Chicago (1919)

Women during War

• Some suffragist were pacifists, demonstrated against war

• Many women supported war• Wilson supported suffrage• 19th amendment (1920)• Women went to work in many war

industries• Many women gave up jobs once men

came home

Wartime Economy

• Herbert Hoover selected to lead Food Administration (had led relief effort of Belgium)

• Hoover used propaganda to encourage voluntarily saving food for exports

• Victory gardens, sheep on White House lawn

• War helped prohibition: 18th amendment (1919)

• Farm production increased as did food exports

Wartime Economy

• Americans encouraged to conserve fuel

• Treasury Dept. raised $21 billion in bonds

• Many were pressured into bonds to prove their patriotism

• Federal gov. took control of railroads• Seized enemy merchant ships

Army

• Conscription• No exemptions, except in crucial

industries• Army grew from 100,000 pre-war

soldiers to over 4 million• Women allowed in military for 1st

time• AA served in segregated battalions

Fighting in Europe

• Russia withdraws troops in 1918• Germany now could concentrate on

fighting in western Europe• US troops begin to arrive in France a year

after war declared• US soldiers also fight in Belgium, Italy,

Russia• US invaded Russia to protect munitions• Expedition into Siberia to rescue Czech

troops

Fighting

• Germany pressing west toward Paris• Americans key in second Battle of the

Marne (July 1918)• General John Pershing led 1.2 million US

soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne campaign featured heavy fighting with high casualties near the Argonne Forest

• Alvin York (from an antiwar family) killed 20 Germans and captured 132 single-handedly

Final Days

• German allies were deserting them • British blockade creating food

shortages• Propaganda leaflets were spreading

across the German front

Peace

• Germany turned to Wilson and his 14 points

• Wilson required that the Kaiser be removed before peace could be obtained

• Kaiser fled to the Netherlands• 11,11,11• Main US contributions had been food,

supplies, money and oil

Wilson a Hero Abroad

• Wilson a hero throughout Europe for ending war

• Wilson sat at the head of the mightiest nation on earth

Peace at Home

• Republicans gain a majority in Congress in 1918

• No president had ever traveled to Europe, but Wilson went after war

• Refused to bring any Republican Senators

Idealism vs. Imperialism

• Crowds welcomed Wilson, but leaders worried

• Paris Conference featured “Big 4” (US, GB, Italy and France)

• Europe worried about communist spillover from Russia

• Territories of conquered would be overseen by League of Nations

The Treaty of Versailles

• Republican opposition at home empowered European leaders against Wilson

• France demanded part of Germany (administered by League for 15 years)

• GB and US agree to aid France in future• Italy demanded part of Yugoslavia• Japan demanded German islands in Pacific• Japan also demanded part of China, which

was to be returned at a later date

The Treaty Leads to Trouble

• Germany forced to accept treaty void of 14 points

• Wilson had to compromise• Isolationists in US despised Treaty• Some felt that it wasn’t harsh

enough on Germany• Others felt it went to far

American Deadlock

• Republicans sought to change treaty • Wilson undertook a nationwide tour to gain

support for the treaty• Wilson had a long history of illness, and in

Sep. 1919 he collapsed in Colorado• A stroke partially paralyzed Wilson back in

DC• Wilson did not meet with his cabinet for 7

months

American Deadlock

• Congress upset over the requirement that US would come to the aid of other attacked nations

• Amended “republican" treaty rejected, twice

• Treaty never approved by Congress

Election of 1920

• Republicans nominate Warren Harding

• Harding makes mixed statements about Treaty

• Newly enfranchised women help Harding carry the victory

• Without US support the treaty was doomed to fail in Europe

• US goes back to isolationism