Chapter 30“The War to End War”

Acts of War By Germany Wilson pleaded for a “Peace without victory” (to no avail) Zimmerman note

Written by German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman, it secretly proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico, and if the Central Powers won, Mexico could recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the U.S.

Germany’s declaration of unlimited submarine warfare in the Atlantic

Sinking of 4 unarmed American merchant ships by the Germans**April of 1917 Wilson asked for and was granted a declaration of war against Germany

Wilsonian Idealisms “Peace without victory” “The War to end all wars” “The world must be made safe for

democracy” Wilson’s 14 points

Woodrow Wilson addressing a rally, c.1917

Wilson’s 14 Points

Committee of Public Information Job was to sell war to America Used Propaganda

Pamphlets, posters, leaflets, movie ads, and mail Promoted patriotism George Creel was the head of the CPI

** in the end both Creel and Wilson oversold the public on war. They whipped the country up into a frenzy and Americans expected more than they actually were able to deliver

James Montgomery FlaggCommittee on Public Information,Division of Pictorial PublicityWashington, DC, USA

WW I Propaganda Posters

Anti German Sentiments/Paranoia in the U.S.

The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 showed American fears/paranoia about Germans and other perceived threat

Antiwar Socialists and the members of the radical union Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) were often prosecuted, including Socialist Eugene V. Debs and IWW leader William D. Haywood, who were arrested, convicted, and sent to prison.

War Industries Board Job was to coordinate the war effort at

home Responsible for the changeover from

peacetime to wartime production Bernard Baruch was the leader the WIB

War Industries Board

Bernard Baruch and the War Industries Board

National War Labor Board Congress imposed a rule that made any unemployed man

available to go into the war, which discouraged strikes, and laborers sweated in producing munitions

Samuel Gompers American Federation of Labor (AF of L), which represented skilled laborers, loyally supported the war, and by war’s end, its membership more than doubled to over 3 million.

During the war, African-Americans immigrated to the North to find more jobs, but the appearance of African-Americans in formerly all-White towns did spark violence, such as in Chicago and St. Louis

William Taft was in charge of the NWLB

Women and World War I After men left for the war

women worked in factories. After the war many women left

the workplace and returned to the home.

Set the tone for future women’s opportunities in workforce during WWII

Respect gained by women helped lead to the 20th Amendment – Women’s suffrage

Women joined the military but were not drafted. They were only eligible to serve in non-combat roles

United States Food Administration American had to feed the world during WWI Voluntary meatless Tuesdays and wheatless Wednesdays,

using posters, billboards, and other media to whip up a patriotic spirit which encouraged people to voluntarily sacrifice some of their own goods for the war

“Heatless Mondays,” “lightless nights,” and “gasless Sundays” in accordance with the Fuel Administration, and the farmers increased food production by one-fourth.

Herbert Hoover was chosen to head the Food Administration, since he had organized a hugely successful voluntary food drive for the people of Belgium

Homefront War was financed by war

bonds and increased taxes

Conscription law was passed allowing the Army to grow to 4 million Before war U.S. was 15

in the world size of army

African-Americans served in segregated units

Men who failed to register for the draft risked spending a year in jail. Nine million American men registered in early June.

African-American Fighters Gallant 15th Infantry

Fighters Home with War Crosses. The French liner, La France, arrives with 15th Infantry, the Infantry with African-American fighters who won honors in France.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration

African-Americans and WWI

WWI Fighting After the Bolsheviks seized control of Russia, they withdrew the nation

from the war, freeing up thousands of German troops to fight on the Western Front

German predictions of American tardiness proved to be rather accurate, as America took one year before it sent a force to Europe and also had transportation problems

In the spring of 1918, French Commander Marshal Foch, controversially , led the Allies just before the Germans were about to invade Paris and knock out France, American reinforcements arrived and pushed the Germans back.

The Americans, demanding their own army instead of just supporting the British and French, finally got General John J. Pershing to lead a front

Finally, the Germans were exhausted and ready to surrender, for they were being deserted, the British blockade was starving them, and the Allied blows just kept coming.

Peace Germans enticed by propaganda and

Wilson’s presumed soft stance At 11:00 of the eleventh day of the

eleventh month of 1918, the Germans laid down their arms after overthrowing their Kaiser in hopes that they could get a peace based on the Fourteen Points.

Military Casualties in World War I 1914-1918

Germany 1,935,000 Russia 1,700,000 France 1,368,000 Austria-Hungary 1,200,000 British Empire 942,135 Ottoman Empire 725,000 Italy 680,000 Romania 300,000 United States 116,516 Bulgaria 87,495 Serbia 45,000 Belgium 45,550 Greece 23,098 Portugal 8,145 Montenegro 3,000 Japan 1,344

Peace Overseas men

welcomed home. Parade in honor of returned fighters passing the Public Library, New York City.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration

Wilson’s Downfall At the end of the war, Wilson was at the height of his

popularity, but when he appealed for voters to give a Democratic victory in 1918, American voters instead gave Republicans a narrow majority.

Wilson went to Paris as the only leader of the Allies not commanding a majority at home.

When Wilson decided to go to Europe personally to oversee peace proceedings, Republicans were outraged, thinking that this was all just for flamboyant show.

Republicans were upset because Wilson refused to include Henry Cabot Lodge or any other Republican on his journey.

Paris Peace Conference Big 4

1. Woodrow Wilson - USA

2. Vittorio Orlando – Italy

3. Lloyd George – GB

4. Georges Clemenceau – France

**Wilson’s ultimate goal was a League of Nations

**Lodge, Borah, and Johnson were all Senators against the League

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was forced on Germany under the threat

that if it didn’t sign the treaty, war would resume. Wilson was forced to give up some of his self-determination issues Wilson wanted to limit imperialism Treaty blamed Germany 100% for war. Forced Germany to pay $300 billion in war damages Germany stripped of its military Lost territory Austria-Hungary broken up Created countries of Poland and Czechoslovakia Contained Article X – A general League of Nations

**planted seeds of World War II

European Map After Treaty of Versailles

Opposition to League of Nations

Wilson decided to take a tour to gain support for the treaty, but trailing him were Senators Borah and Johnson who spoke out against the League.

Wilson's 8000 mile tour, 40 speeches in 29 cities in 22 days

Collapsed and suffered a stroke in Colorado

Wilson’s Tour of the Country

Wilson and the Treaty

An ailing Woodrow Wilson, December 28, 1923

Why the League Failed Wilson/Lodge feud Partisanship Traditonalism Isolationism Disillusionment

U.S never entered the League of Nations League had no credibility

Lodge Reservations Lodge now came up with fourteen “reservations” to the Treaty of

Versailles, which sought to safeguard American sovereignty Congress was especially concerned with Article X, which morally

bound the U.S. to aid any member of the League of Nations that was victimized by aggression, for Congress wanted to preserve its war-declaring power

Wilson hated Lodge, and with though he was willing to accept similar Democratic reservations and changes, he would not do so from Lodge, and thus, he ordered his Democratic supporters to vote against the treaty with the Lodge reservations attached.

On November 19, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was defeated by a vote of 55 to 39

Election of 1920 Republicans – Warren Harding

VP was Calvin Coolidge “Return to Normalcy” “No more Wilsonian idealisms” Forget war, imperialism, progressivism

Democrats – James Cox VP was Franklin D. Roosevelt

Socialist – Eugene V. Debs