Post on 15-Jan-2016
transcript
World War INew Technologies, New
Challenges
Causes of War Nationalism = feeling that a specific nation,
language, or culture is superior to all others Had become a source of unification
Imperialism As nations competed for overseas territories,
attitudes became uneasy
Militarism = A policy of aggressive military preparedness
New Alliances Balance of Power = strength of rival
alliances is equal
Triple Alliance = Germany, Austria Hungary, Italy (1879)….Eventually = Central Powers
Triple Entente = Britain, France, Russia (1893)…..Eventually Allied Powers
The Spark Austria Hungary = many nationalities
The Slavs wanted to break free to create a united Slavic empire
Austria Hungary felt threatened
Serbia = angry, so members of Serbia’s Black Hand (a secret group who used violence to achieve their goals) assassinated Austria Hungary’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia Then, the dominoes began to fall!
The War
Trench Warfare
Strategy of defending a position by fighting from the protection of deep ditches
Simple holes to complex systems with rooms for sleeping and eating
Cold, wet, dirty Health problems – disease spread rapidly No-man’s-land = area between opposing
trenches
Trench Warfare
New Technology
Machine guns fired 400 to 600 rounds of ammo per minute
Huge guns launched artillery shells, exploded into deadly metal fragments (shrapnel)
Gases Poison gas, mustard gas Destroyed men’s lungs, killed them slowly Gas masks – effective when used
constantly
New Technology Continued… Tanks
Hard to destroy Cause very heavy damage
Planes Used airplanes to gather info, shoot
down enemy planes, fire on trenches Planes and tanks = British and French
Submarines/U-Boats = Germans
New Technologies
Trench Mortar
Gas Masks and Water-Cooled British Vickers Machine Gun
German Machineengewehr 08
(Maxim).
A US Navy 7" gun on a Caterpillar tractor mount in WWI:German Plane WWI
G
E
R
M
A
N
S
U
BS
British Tank WWI
Wilson Pursues Neutrality
Why American Opinion = European War Isolationist Foreign Policy
America’s Attitude Most sided with allies More and more immigrants came to
U.S. sympathizing with Central Powers
Wilson Pursues Neutrality Cont.
Trade U.S did not stop trading with
warring European nations U.S. Ships carried most supplies, including war supplies to Allies
American banks invested heavily in European war bonds
Campaigning for Peace
Wilson wants re-election 1916 Pledged to keep country neutral and
work for peace Ran against Charles Evans Hughes Wilson won by little
Peace without victory Angered British
Wanted to gain something from war
America’s Push into War
Promoting WWI Involvement
Propaganda Used to influence American public
opinion of war Represented Germans as inhumane
and cruel German propaganda pictured Wilson
as falsely claiming neutrality while actively favoring Allies.
British Propaganda
Americans Under Fire
Germans violated rules of neutrality in Atlantic
Attacking merchant ships without search Lusitania = British passenger Liner – May
1915, U Boat sank killing 1200 people, 128 Americans
“Violation not only of international law, but of the fundamental decencies of civilization.”
-Wilson
Lusitania loading…….sailing…….sinking
Americans Under Fire Cont.
Sussex – March 24, 1916 Torpedoed by Germany U.S. threatened to end diplomatic relations
Sussex Pledge Germany’s response “We promise not to sink merchant vessels
w/out warning and w/out saving human lives.”
The Last Straw
Germans violated Sussex Pledge February, 1917
Zimmerman Note German foreign minister = alliance
between Germany and Mexico
Wilson’s war declaration = April 6, 1917 “The world must be made safe for
democracy.”
Rallying the Public
Committee on Public Information (CPI) Increase public support for war effort Rallies, parades, posters, pamphlets Movie stars
Entertained troops Promoted liberty bonds Films – The Kaiser: The Beast of Berlin
Four-minute-men = gave short, patriotic speeches in theaters, churches, schools
CPI Continued…
Espionage Act 1917 Severe penalties for aiding the enemy
Sedition Act 1918 Severe penalties for aiding the enemy,
refusing military duty, or speaking disloyally about U.S. govt., constitution, or flag
Result of CPI 73,000 soldiers joined the 98,000 already
enlisted – not enough to fight a modern war
Various WWI Roles
The Draft May 18, 1917 = Selective Service
Act required men 21-30 to register for draft
3 million draftees serve Negative attitudes Training camps
African Americans
Filled non-combat roles Pressure from NAACP = combat units
and one officer training camp Segregated units headed by whites Hypocritical
Women’s War Effort Abroad
25,000 female volunteers served in France Nurses, signalers, typists,
interpreters, Hello Girls handled military telephone service, Red Cross
Not allowed in combat, but many worked at front lines Nurses, ambulance drivers
Women’s Domestic War Effort
Filled important industrial jobs Some worked for peace
Mary McDowell & Jane Addams
Organizing for War Needed $ and supplies
Congress increased some taxes, imposed tax on business profits, war bonds
Liberty bonds – sale provided allies with loans for food and war supplies
Raised >$20 billion
War Industries Board Oversaw production and distribution of
goods manufactured by war industry “No steel, copper, cement, rubber, or
other basic materials could be used without our approval.” -Bernard Beruch
Feeding the Troops Lever Food & Fuel Control Act of 1917 helped
govt. gain greater control of war efforts Wilson established $ and production controls
over food and fuel
Food Administration – Hoover Created to increase food supply for troops by
expanding agricultural production and decreasing domestic consumption
“Meatless Mondays” “Wheatless Wednesdays” Victory Gardens
Labor and the War
Benefits = Increase wages and favorable labor environment
Why American products = essential to Allies
War created serious labor shortages
Immigration nearly stopped during war
So… Remaining Workers pushed for increased
wages and better conditions Unions Strikes actually worked…why?
April 1918, Wilson created National War Labor Board
Settled disputes between workers and management to prevent strikes
Minimum wage, maximum-hour standards, fair pay for females
Closure (You don’t have write this)
Despite efforts to remain neutral, America gets pushed into a war for which they were not necessarily prepared. In response, America rallied around the cause and organizations were created to strengthen America’s ability to be a major competitor in a major war. This Great War served as a turning point for America and warfare itself. How do you think the Great War changed America? Warfare? Other countries involved?
Questions- Please copy these down and use your notes to
answer them!1. What limitations did new technologies
provide troops?2. What forces pushed Wilson to stay neutral?3. What forces pushed Wilson into war?4. In what ways did America react to the war
domestically? How were those reactions supported?
5. How necessary were the war-related organizations?
6. In what ways did the Great War open doors for more people? Why were the doors opened?
7. How did the labor industry benefit from the war?