Thursday, March 19 • Welcome back! • Bellringer: – Evaluate the Germans’ decision to return to unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917. Why did they do it? What were they risking, and what did they hope to gain? Do you think it was a good decision, from their perspective? • Reminder: Bellringers will be due tomorrow!
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Thursday, March 19 Welcome back! Bellringer: – Evaluate the Germans’ decision to return to unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917. Why did they.
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Thursday, March 19
• Welcome back! • Bellringer:– Evaluate the Germans’ decision to return to
unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917. Why did they do it? What were they risking, and what did they hope to gain? Do you think it was a good decision, from their perspective?
• Reminder: Bellringers will be due tomorrow!
America in World War I
• We’ve broken down America’s involvement in World War I into categories:– Getting Americans into action– The men in the field– Traditional and emerging dangers in WWI– Supporting war efforts at home– The impact of WWI on American society– The end of the war
Getting Americans into action• How did the U.S. raise an army to fight in WWI?
• How were these new soldiers trained?
• How did U.S. soldiers help win the war?
• How did the U.S. build its naval force?
• a. c.
• b. d.
• How did the U.S. employ (use) these new ships?
• What cumulative effect did all these things have on America’s readiness to fight the war?
The men in the field• What was the American Expeditionary Force
(AEF)?– The American forces in World War I
• Who was its leader?– John J. Pershing
• Where have we studied him before?– He was sent after Pancho Villa in Mexico
• What effect did Pershing and his forces have on the way the war was being fought?– Reinforced Allied strength and energized the Allies
(optimism, enthusiasm)
The men in the field• Who was Eddie Rickenbacker, and how did he
influence the war?– American fighter pilot– Medal of Honor winner– 26 aerial victories– America’s most successful
fighter ace in the war– Contrast Rickenbacker with
Manfred von Richthofen, a/k/a the “Red Baron,” Germany’s fighter ace
The men in the field• What is a conscientious objector?– Someone who opposes war (military service) on
moral grounds– Was Alvin York a conscientious objector?
what feat is he remembered?– He had struggled with the idea
of fighting but ended up doing so
– Led attack on German machine gun nest; took 32 machine guns, killed 28 German soldiers, captured 132 others
– Won the Medal of Honor
Traditional and emerging dangers• The new weapons in World War I:
Machine guns Could fire more rounds faster
Airplanes Could drop bombs on targets
Anti-aircraft guns Could shoot down airplanes
Poison gas No precision necessary
Tanks Provided some protection from gunfire
Traditional and emerging dangers• What dangers were specific to the trench warfare
that characterized World War I?– Gangrene, “trench foot,” fevers
• What was “shell shock”? – reaction of some WWI soldiers to battle trauma– Reaction to intense bombardment and fighting – Produced a helplessness in soldiers; they appeared
panicked and/or afraid and lost the ability to reason, sleep, walk, or talk
Traditional and emerging dangers• What dangers were specific to the trench warfare
that characterized World War I?– Gangrene, “trench foot,” fevers
• What was “shell shock”? – reaction of some WWI soldiers to battle trauma– Reaction to intense bombardment and fighting – Produced a helplessness in soldiers; they appeared
panicked and/or afraid and lost the ability to reason, sleep, walk, or talk
Traditional and emerging dangers• What do we now understand “shell shock” to be?– Combat stress reaction (CSR)– Can be a precursor to post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
Supporting war efforts at home• How did the government raise money to finance (pay
for) the war?
• How did America manage its food resources?
• What was the War Industries Board, and why was it established?
Supporting war efforts at home• How did the government
raise money to finance (pay for) the war?– Sold Liberty and Victory
bonds, loans made by citizens to the government
Supporting war efforts at home• How did America
manage its food resources?– Set up programs
calling for conservation: Meatless, sweetless, wheatless, sugarless days/nights and “clean-plate” drives
Supporting war efforts at home• What was the War
Industries Board, and why was it established?– Created to encourage
efficiency in production and with resources
Supporting war efforts at home• What changed about working conditions during the
war?– They got tougher. Longer hours, fewer employee
protections: “Work or fight”
• Who was George Creel, and what was his role in the war effort?– Committee on Public Information; Four Minute Men;
propaganda to support the war
• What effect did all these things have on Americans’ support for the war?– They helped Americans focus to support the war effort
Propaganda
• Propaganda: – a form of communication – aimed towards influencing the attitude of the
community toward some cause or position – by presenting only one side of an argument.
• May be partly false and partly true• Usually repeated and dispersed over a wide
variety of media to achieve its goal• Modern examples?
U.S. propaganda in WWI
• The Committee on Public Information: George Creel– Designed to get Americans to support the war– Former muckraker– Advertising and public relations– Got the best writers, artists, musicians, and ad
people of the day to help him sell the war– Booklets and books– Movies
Supporting war efforts at home• What effect did all these things have on
Americans’ support for the war?– They helped Americans focus to support the war
effort
Supporting the war
• What was the re-election slogan for President Wilson in 1916?– “He kept us out of war”
• Since Wilson was re-elected, what can we surmise (assume) about public opinion about World War I?– Americans didn’t want to enter
the war; they liked what Wilson had done to keep them out of it
Impact of WWI on American society• How did the influenza epidemic affect America
and the world?– Killed 30 million to 50 million people worldwide– Killed 675,000 Americans – more than WWI
Impact of WWI on American society
• How did the status of women change during World War I?– Took jobs supporting
the war effort; became more visible in public life
Impact of WWI on American society
• How did the status of women change during World War I?– Took jobs supporting
the war effort; became more visible in public life
Impact of WWI on American society
• What major goal for women was achieved at the end of the war?– The 19th
Amendment was ratified, giving them the right to vote
Impact of WWI on American society• How did the status of African-Americans change
during World War I?
– They participated in the war effort, even fighting in segregated units, but they still faced discrimination and racism
Impact of WWI on American society• What was the Great Migration, and what
factors encouraged it?– A major movement of African-Americans from rural
areas in the South to cities in the North– They were looking for opportunity and equality, but
they found many of the conditions the same
Impact of WWI on American society• What was the Great Migration, and what
factors encouraged it?– A major movement of African-Americans from rural
areas in the South to cities in the North– They were looking for opportunity and equality, but
they found many of the conditions the same
Impact of WWI on American society• How did the war affect Americans’ civil rights
and liberties?– Racism and discrimination against immigrant
communities, especially German immigrants, got worse
– Government clamped down on dissent (disagreement) and speech against its actions
The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What do you think …
• True or false: The First Amendment entitles you to say anything you want in the U.S.
• True or false: The First Amendment entitles the press to write anything it wants in the U.S.
• True or false: The First Amendment entitles you to criticize the U.S. government.
• True or false: The government cannot break or take away the protections provided by the First Amendment.