U.S.

and World War I

 Causes of WWI – MANIA!
• Militarism - policy of building up a strong military to prepare for war, military
used as a tool for diplomacy

• Alliances – agreements between nations to provide aid and protect on another

• Nationalism – extreme pride in one’s country, national interests should be

placed above international affairs

• Imperialism – when one country takes over another country economically and
politically.

• Assassination – of Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand

 Alliances
• There were 2 major alliances in Europe before
WW1. Alliances were made to protect each
nation from attack

• The Triple Alliance – Germany, Italy, Austria

Hungry

• The Triple Entente – Russia, France, Britain

 The Spark
• Archduke Franz
Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie are
assassinated by Gavrilo
Princip.

• He was a member of
the Serbian nationalist
group – the black hand.
 The Domino Effect
• Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death
and declared war on Serbia.

• Germany pledged their support for Austria –

Hungary

• Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

• Germany declares war on Russia.

• France pledges their support for Russia.

• Germany declares war on France.

• Germany invades Belgium on the way to France.

• Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on

Germany.
 Who was fighting?
Allied Powers Central Powers
• Britain & its colonies • Germany
• France & its colonies • Austria-Hungry
• Russia • Ottoman Empire
• Italy • Bulgaria
• United States
• Many more
 Stalemate
• Outdated military tactics and new technology quickly turn the war
into a stalemate

• Trenches were dug in France to protect soldiers and solidify gains.

The area between the Central Powers and Allied Powers was known
as no mans land.
 New Technology
• New Technology was used to turn WW1 into a
modern war.
– Tanks, Planes, Submarines, Poison Gas, Machine
Guns all see use in the war.
 U.S. Neutrality
• U.S. remains neutral until 1917
• Practicing (foreign) policy of Isolationism

Reason:
1. Europe’s war
2. Economic reasons
- trade
- financial backing

3. Immigrant sympathizers
 U.S. getting drawn into WWI
• Germany counter-attack to GB’s blockaded with
• the U-boats (sinking without warning)

• May 7, 1915 U-boat sank the Lusitania

- German’s defense - was carrying ammunition
• March 1916 Germany torpedoes the Sussex liner

• Sussex Pledge – agreement - Germany would stop attacking

ships if U.S. could get G.B. to lift blockade

• Election of 1916: Wilson wins on campaign promise to keep

the U.S. out of war
 Neutrality Ends
Immediate Causes:
• Violation of Sussex - Germany announces the U-boats will
sink ships again - no warning

• Rev. in Russia- attempting democratic gov’t

now an acceptable ally

• Zimmermann Note (telegram from Germany to Mexico)

suggesting an alliance between them and promising to help
them recover the territories of TX,
NM, & AZ

* 1917 – U.S. had no option but to enter the war

 Big IDEAS for the
U.S. entrance

• Financial - to ensure Allies victory and

repayment of debts to the U.S.

• Threat - to prevent the Germans harming

U.S. shipping and protect U.S. territory
The "I WANT
YOU" Army
recruiting poster
from World War I
became the most
recognized image
of Uncle Sam, a
character first made
popular by Thomas
Nast and other 19th
century political
cartoonists. The
poster was painted
by James
Montgomery Flagg
in 1916-1917.
Flagg reportedly
used his own face
as the model for
Uncle Sam’s stern
visage.

www.klasek.com/90th/1917_timeline.html
 Home Front Production
• shifting in the production of goods
• must make war & consumer goods

pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=is...
 Selective Service Act
• a draft
• eventually 24 million draftees
• ages of 21-23
(some lied about their age)
• Those excused
- married men
- those with dependents
- medical reasons
Citation: Records of the Selective Service System (World War I)
 Women and WWI
• filled all types of roles/jobs in society
i.e.
• driving cabs and delivery trucks
• bricklayers
• cooks
• railroad workers
• dock workers and shipbuilder
• Roles in society gave them the final
ammunition needed for the 19th amendment
• women filled industry jobs

https://www.allposters.co.jp/RedirectLocale.a...
 War Industries Board (WIB)
• encourage mass production techniques
• to increase efficiency & eliminate waste
- production increased by 20%
- i.e. corsets
tall leather boots
hemlines

laracorsets.com
By Howard
Christy.
Used in
WW I
recruiting
campaigns.
 Supporting the War
• Propaganda
~ persuasive technique used to influence
opinions
~ A campaign to help people feel justified
in the sacrifices they were making.

• promote patriotism
• it manufactured hate
By Norman
Lindsey.
“?” was one
of six
posters
designed
for the last
Australian
recruiting
campaign.
 Fuel Administration
• monitored coal supplies, rationed gasoline &
heating oil
• adopted to help conserve for the war

i.e.
• gasless Sunday
• heatless Monday
• lightless nights
~ daylight-savings
time used

www.rainfall.com/posters/WWI/195.htm
 Food Administration
• established to conserve food (voluntary)
• Herbert Hoover - director
• each day special emphasis
i.e.
- wheatless Mon. and Wed.
- meatless Tues.
- porkless Thurs. and Sat.
- sweetless Fri
(calling it Hooverizing)

• victory gardens
- planted at people’s homes
- on city buildings and
in allies
staff.imsa.edu/.../jiang_3_7/conservation.htm
 Financing the War
• U.S. spent 33 billion
• raised 1/3 with taxes
(higher income taxes)

• higher excise tax on

luxury goods
• Liberty Loans
- war bonds
 Attack on Civil Liberties
• worst attacks directed at German - Americans
i.e.
• lost their jobs
• would not play music by German composers
• Schools stopped teaching German language
• German books were removed from libraries
 Civil Liberties cont…
Government ‘s Role
• Sedition Act (p. 598)
no disloyalties to the U.S. gov., its symbols, or the war,
• Espionage Act
punish those found helping the enemy

• Trading with the Enemy Act

postmaster could censor publications exchanged

* What did all of these violate?

 Wilson’s Fourteen Points
• Jan. 1918

• Wilson presented to Congress

- Causes of war
- boundaries
- plan for peace /League of Nations
(international peace organization)
 Peace Conference
• Allied leaders / Council of Ten
• new Russian leaders did not attend
• Purpose: decide end of war issues
• Wilson presented his 14 pts.
- wanted peace organization

• Clash between Wilson’s ideas & Allies

rewards/punishments
- Allies wanted territory & Germany punished
 Treaty of Versailles
• agreement to end the war
• between Allies & Central Powers
• League of Nations included
- U.S. Congress did not support
- made it a WEAK organization
 Terms of the Treaty
• Germany had to accept full responsibility for war.
• Germany had to surrender all land back to its
surrounding nations.
• Germany would reduce its military and give up all
warships.
• Germany would transfer all colonies to a mandate
where the Allies could watch them.
• Germany must pay reparations for the entire cost of
the war to the Allies.
• Territory divided (Ottoman, A-H, Russia)
• League of Nations established
 U.S. Congress would not support plan
Reasons…
• Economic reasons
• Did not fit policy of Isolationism
• Did not want to be responsible for
world peace

* Why did Congress believe the League violated

Isolationism?
 War Impact
On the U.S.
• Industrial production increased
• became richest country in the world
• achieved a high standard of living
• citizens became materialistic
• women more opportunities/recognition
• rejecting the Treaty/League of Nations
• U.S. shifts back to a policy of Isolation
 War Impact
On Europe:
• All economies were bad
• Land was destroyed
• German develop a depression in 1923
• German $ became almost worthless
• Germans were looking for someone to
blame
On Middle East:
• Territory divided among Allies
 Casualties
• Total troops mobilized by all countries in WW1
– 65,038,810

• Total troops dead from all countries in WW1

– 8,556,315

• Total troops wounded from all countries in WW1

– 21,219,452

• Total missing or POWs

– 7,750,945