Unit Six: World War I

In this unit we and explain the causes of World War I, how it was fought, the key people and events of the war,
why the US declared war in 1917, how the war ended and making the peace. The students will also describe the
economic, social, political effects of the War..

Key People to be identified:

John J. Pershing Alvin York President Woodrow Wilson Henry Cabot Lodge

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Key Events and Documents to be identified:

Assassination of Archduke Sinking of Lusitania Sussex Pledge Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Battle of the Argonne Forest Selective Service Act Espionage Act 14 Point Plan

Treaty of Versailles Schenck vs US (1919)

Key Concepts:

Neutrality Uboats American Expeditionary Force (AEF) League of Nations

Paris Peace Conference Reparations Nationalism Alliance System

Militarism Imperialism Trench Warfare Western Front

Medal of Honor Total War

Key Questions:

1. What were the causes of World War I?

2. Describe the reasons for the US entering the war.
3. How had warfare changed in WWI?
4. Compare the 14 Point Plan to the Treaty of Versailles.

TEKS Covered: 2A, 2B, 2D, 4A, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G, 15D, 19B, 26F

World War I
There were four main causes of World War I: Nationalism, Economic (Imperialist) rivalry, Alliance
System, and Militarism. These led to the worst war in human history up to the 20 th century.

Nationalism was extreme patriotism and loyalty to one’s home nation. Nationalism is belief that your
nation is somehow superior or more important than other nations. This led to great competition
between nations.

Economic rivalries developed between the imperialist nations of Europe. Each wanted to create huge
empires to expand trade by creating new markets, gain natural resources, and cheap labor for industry.

The Alliance System would directly cause the conflagration of World War I. Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and Italy had formed the Triple Entente known as the Central Powers, while France, Russia, England had
formed the Allies. Every European nation was worried about the balance of power in Europe and sought
to make certain that they had allies if war were to break out. Once it did, all the nations were at war
within days.

Each nation was also involved in Militarism. Each continued to compete in building the biggest most
powerful armies and navies.

The spark of the war was when a Serbian nationalist assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary threatened to invade Serbia if they didn’t surrender immediately
(ultimatum). Serbia was allies with Russia. When Austria-Hungary invaded, Russia declared war on
them. Germany, Austria-Hungary’s ally, declared war on Russia. France and England then declared war
on Germany and Austria-Hungary, and Italy declared war on Russia, England, and France. World War
One had begun.

Germany marched through neutral Belgium and attempted to drive into France to take Paris. They were
stopped about fifteen miles shy of their goal. New and improved weapons, like the machine gun,
created a new form of warfare. Each side dug trenches, set up machine guns, and put land mines in the
“No-Man’s Land” between the trenches.

Britain attempted to blockade Germany. Germany used it’s Uboats (submarines) to break the British
blockade. The Uboats would sink any ships they believed were trying to bring supplies to Britain or
France, including American ships.

All the nations began using poison gas (mustard gas) to kill lots of troops quickly. They also introduced
tanks and early versions of planes. Each side tried to mobilize all its resources turning the conflict into a
total war. The Western Front was in France, while the Eastern Front was in Poland and Russia. Many
other nations became involved in the war, but the US attempted to remain neutral.
US Enters the War
From 1914 to 1916, the United States followed a policy of neutrality and isolationism. The US had not
been involved in any European War since the War with England in 1812. Woodrow Wilson won
reelection in 1916 using the slogan “He kept us out of the war.” However, the US had closer ties to the
Allied powers of England and France than with Germany and Austria-Hungary. They all shared a similar
democratic political system. Americans were shocked at Germany’s invasion of Belgium. American
newspapers ran stories and pictures depicting German atrocities against civilians.

Germany was concerned about the support of war materials that the US was sending and selling to the
Allied powers, and was afraid that the US might enter the war. German Foreign Minister Zimmermann
sent a coded letter to Mexico promising to return all lands the US took from Mexico, if Mexico would
declare war on the US if the US declared war on Germany. The Zimmermann letter became public and
was printed throughout the US. Many Americans demanded war, but the government tried to remain
neutral, though the US continued to send supplies to the Allied powers.

The British blockaded Germany and the German navy was too weak to destroy the British navy, so
Germany began using Uboats (submarines) to attack merchant ships delivering goods to France and
Great Britain. This led to the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a sister ship of the Titanic and
was a beautiful British passenger ship. Unknown to her passengers, much of the cargo below deck was
made up of munitions for the British war effort. A German submarine sank the Lusitania killing more
than 1,000 passengers including 128 Americans. The Germans then attacked a French ferry called the
Sussex. President Wilson threatened to break off relations with Germany if they did not stop attacking
ocean liners without warning or providing help for the passengers. The Germans promised to stop and
make what became known as the Sussex Pledge.

However, suffering from near-starvation by the British blockade, desperate German leaders announced
they would sink all ships in the blockaded areas. This declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare
violated the principle of “freedom of the seas” (the right of neutral nations like the United States to ship
non-military goods to nations at war). When German submarines then attacked American merchant
vessels, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany.

The Home Front

When the US declared war, President Wilson was given sweeping powers by Congress. He created
several new agencies to regulate the economy during the war. Railroads were put under the direct
government control and Congress passed the Selective Service Act allowing for the draft of soldiers.
Over two million Americans would fight in Europe by the summer of 1918 and many of the factory jobs
at home were being done by women. The cost of the war was about 30 billion dollars and this was paid
for by higher taxes and the sale of war bonds (loans to the government). Before the war ended, US
industry had created a half-million new rifles, 3.5 billion bullets, and 20 million artillery shells.

One of the biggest problems facing America was a shortage of food and supplies. Herbert Hoover, as
head of the US Food Administration, pushed for Americans to conserve as much as possible and to
increase our food production. Thousands of Americans went to work on farms and the US food
production increased by 25%. Everyone was asked to save leftovers for future meals. “Meatless
Tuesdays” and “Porkless Thursdays” were introduced to help conserve food.

During the war, civil liberties and freedom of speech were threatened to meet wartime needs. The
Espionage Act of 1917 made it a crime to even criticize the war effort. Many German-Americans
became victims of hate-inspired hysteria. Many high schools and universities banned the teaching of
the German language. Eggs and garbage were thrown at German-American’s homes. A few German
Americans were physically beaten and one man was lynched by a drunken mob. Congress later passed
the Sedition Act aimed against possible spying and sabotage activities. The hysteria was a waste of time
and energy as most German Americans were loyal citizens and thousands of them had enlisted to fight
in the war effort.

Charles Schenck was an American member of the Socialist Party who believed that drafting men was an
unfair use of government authority. During WWI, he was convicted of distributing literature that
encouraged men to resist the draft. He claimed he had a first amendment right to freedom of speech.
In Schenck vs the US, the Supreme Court ruled that there were limits to free speech, such as “shouting
fire in a crowded theater “ to cause a panic. The First Amendment did not protect words that create a
“clear and present danger.”

The End of the War

Once the American Expeditionary Force pushed the Germans back from the Argonne Forest, the
Germans realized they needed to surrender to end the war. The War ended on November 11 th, at 11
a.m. 1918. President Wilson wanted to make the world “safe for democracy.” In January 1918, Wilson
delivered his Fourteen Points Plan in a speech to Congress. The Fourteen Points stated that each major
European nationality, like the Poles, should be given its own country and government. This was called
self-determination. It was to help break up the Austrian-Empire and to serve the causes of Nationalism,
hoping that each group would then become a peaceful member of the world’s nations. This would
create many new nations like Poland, Austria, Hungary, etc. It called for an increase in international
cooperation and for freedom of the seas for all nations to trade. It called for a reduction in armaments
(militarism), and an end to secret diplomacy (Alliance system). He believed the most important part of
his plan was the creation of a League of Nations. This new organization of nations would mediate
international disputes and act against aggressor nations.

The American Congress, led by Henry Cabot Lodge, was against the plan as they believed it would tie
America to European problems and hold America hostage to European wars and politics. As a result, the
US would not join the League of Nations.
Wilson travelled to Paris for the Paris Peace Conference and was upset that the leaders of France and
Britain wanted to punish Germany for starting the war and wanted Germany to pay war reparations (pay
back the cost of the war). They wanted to weaken Germany so that it may never threaten them again.
The European leaders failed to follow Wilson’s Fourteen Point Plan except for the League of Nations.
Instead they created the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty harshly punished Germany, called for billions in
war reparations, limited the size of Germany’s army and navy, took land from Germany, broke up
Austria-Hungary forever, and provided for a League of Nations. Germany was forced to sign the Treaty,
though Wilson said, “All we have done is set the stage for the next great war.”

The US Congress refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles, refused to join the League of Nations, and
instead made a separate treaty with Germany.

After the war, the world suffered a pandemic flu virus that killed more Americans than had died in the
War. A postwar recession hit the US economy as women and minorities were laid off, to be replaced by
higher wage earning white males. As African Americans vied with returning soldiers for jobs, race riots
broke out in 1919 throughout the country. Soon, though, the 1920s American economy would boom
with new inventions, more mass production, and higher incomes.