Chapter 30 The War to End War, 1917–1918
Jan 29, 2016
Chapter 30The War to End War,
1917–1918
I. War by Act of Germany• Zimmermann note (March 1, 1917)
– Secret message encouraged Mexico to attack U.S.
• The long-dreaded “overt” act in the Atlantic– U-boats sank 4 U.S. merchant ships (March, 1917)
• Russian Revolution toppled cruel regime of tsars– America could now fight foursquare for democracy
• Wilson asked for a declaration of war– Congress agrees (April 6, 1817)
(1917)(1917)
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II. Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned• America abandons isolationism
• Wilson proclaim U.S. glorified war goals– ‘Make world safe for democracy’
• Wilsonian idealism– Modern war unsustainable– Americans could be either isolationists or crusaders
III. Wilson’s Fourteen Potent Points• Wilson - the moral leader of the Allied cause
– On Wilson’s Fourteen Points (April 1918)• (1) No secret treaties• (2) Freedom of the seas• (3) Free trade• (4) Reduction of arms• (5) Adjustment of colonial claims (self determination)
– Capstone point• (14) The League of Nations
IV. Creel Manipulates Minds
• Committee on Public Information– Purpose—to mobilize the people’s mind for war
– Domestic propaganda took varied forms• Speeches, billboards, handbooks, movies
– U.S. relied on passion and voluntary compliance
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V. Enforcing Loyalty and Stifling Dissent• Over 8 million German-Americans
– Some were tarred, feathered, beaten
• Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918– Antiwar/Socialist/Labor leaders arrested
• Schenk v. United States (1919)– The Supreme Court affirmed their legality
• “Clear and present danger” ruling
FreeSpeech
vsNationalSecurity
VI. The Nation’s Factories Go to War
• Wilson backed preparedness measures– Supported economic mobilization– Increased size of Navy and Army
• Fed governments growing economic role– War Industries Board (1917-1918)
• Central role in the economic planning
VII. Workers in Wartime• “Labor Will Win the War”
– War Department’s “work or fight” rule– The National War Labor Board
• Employers / workers cooperated
– Most unions supported the war effort• Industrial Workers of the World (wobblies) did not
• Post war labor unrest– 1919 steel strike – failed & hurt unions for 15 years
• Strikers labeled as ‘communist’• Blacks used as workers (scabs), riots broke out
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VIII. Suffering Until Suffrage• Women heard the call of patriotism opportunity
– Thousands replaced men in factories and fields – War gave new momentum to the suffrage fight
• Wilson endorsed woman suffrage • States started to recognize women's right to vote
• The Nineteenth Amendment (1920)– Gave all American women the right to vote– Women’s post-war role returned to tradition
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What part of the nationWhat part of the nationGave women the rightGave women the right
To vote earlier?To vote earlier?
WHY ?WHY ?
IX. Forging a War Economy• Wilson’s administration’s preference
– Voluntary means to mobilize the economy
• Feds took greater command of U.S.’s resources– Food Administration
• Voluntary compliance, propaganda +25% production
– The Fuel Administration• “heatless Monday,” “lightless nights,” “gasless Sundays”
– The Treasury Department• “Halt the Hun” Liberty Loan drives
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X. Making Plowboys into Doughboys
• America’s early role in the war– Navy goal’s = freedom of the seas
• US military to be raised, trained, & transported– Conscription was the answer
Wilson didn’tWilson didn’tlike the draft,like the draft,
but agreedbut agreed
XI. Fighting in France—Belatedly• Russian Civil War won by Bolsheviks (1917)
• Withdrew from the “capitalistic war” (1918)
• Germany– Transferred ‘eastern front’ troops to ‘western front’
• France– Used American doughboys for replacements– American troops also in Russia, Belgium, Italy
Bolsheviks = Communist(US fought Bolsheviks)(US fought Bolsheviks)
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XII. America Helps Hammer the “Hun”• German drive towards Paris (July 1918)
– Second Battle of the Marine
• American Expeditionary Force – Meuse-Argonne offensive (Sept-Nov, 1918)
•1.2 million American troops engaged (10% causality rate)
11stst major fight major fightfor US troopsfor US troops
Map 30-1 p688
USA&
ALLIES‘WIN’WWI
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Figure 30-1 p690
XIII. The Fourteen Points Disarm Germany
• Berlin was ready to hoist the white flag– Kaiser had to abdicated before negotiations
• The cost exceeded comprehension – 9 million dead, 20 million seriopusly wounded– 30 million people died influenza pandemic (1918-19)
• U.S.’s main contributions to the victory– Foodstuffs, munitions, loans, oil, & manpower– The prospect of endless U.S. troops & resources
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Screw Wilson-Screw Wilson-He doesn’t live hereHe doesn’t live here
He didn’t fight for 5 yearsHe didn’t fight for 5 years
XIV. Wilson Steps Down from Olympus• The American president at his popularity peak
– Seen as the moral leader of the world
• Wilson’s European trip infuriated Republicans– No Republican senator in peace delegation
XV. An Idealist Amid the Imperialists• In Europe, Wilson gets a hero’s welcome• Paris Conference (Jan.1919)
– The Big Four made the treaty
• League Of Nations: Wilson’s ultimate goal– Would become a part of the final peace treaty
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XVI. Hammering Out the Treaty
– Wilson negotiating in Europe• Wilson’s loses battle with France, Italy & Japan
– Wilson’s domestic treaty battle begins• Irreconcilables (39 Republican Senators)
• Announced they wouldn’t support League of Nations
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XVII. The Peace Treaty That Bred a New War• Treaty of Versailles
– Vengeance, not reconciliation
• Wilson was seen as a fallen hero– Compromised to save the League of Nations
• The treaty had tremendous positives– Liberation of millions of minority people
• made ‘self-determination’ a goal
– A ‘fairer’ treaty because Wilson had gone to Paris
XVIII. The Domestic Parade of Prejudice
• Critics showered the Treaty of Versailles– For the Hun-haters the pact was not harsh enough– Liberals thought it too harsh—a gross betrayal
• Isolationists protested League of Nations
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XIX. Wilson’s Tour and Collapse (1919)• Wilson felt optimistic about treaty
– A strong majority of the people favored it– Republican goal was to amend
• Wilson decided to take his case to the country– His pro-treaty tour (September 1919)– Wilson collapsed from physical/nervous exhaustion
• He suffered a stroke
XX. Defeat Through Deadlock• Senator Lodge made 14 treaty changes• Wilson was strong enough to obstruct
– Sent word for all Democrats to vote against changes
• What / Who defeated the Treaty of Versailles– Traditional isolationists and those disillusioned– The Lodge-Wilson personal feud / partisanship– Wilson asked for all or nothing—and got nothing
Senate refuses to ratify Treaty of Versailles
US refuses to joinLeague of Nations
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XXI. The “Solemn Referendum” of 1920• Wilson’s deadlocked treaty solution= 1920
elections• Republicans nominate Warren G. Harding• Democrats nominated James M. Cox
– Democrats attempted a referendum on the League
• 1920 Election returns – Popular vote, Harding=16,143,407 to Cox=9,130,328– Electoral count, Harding=404 to Cox=127– People were eager to go back to “normalcy”
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XXII. The Betrayal of Great Expectations• Rejecting the League was short-sighted
– Eliminated any changes from pre-war Europe
• Senate also spurned the French Security Treaty– France undertook to build a powerful military force– Thus Germany began to rearm (illegally)
• The United States hurt its own cause– Isolationists igonered its new war-born leadership– Rejected responsibilities of a global leader
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