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The United States Enters The First World War Notes

The united states entered the first world war in 1917. Both sides used propaganda to try to influence public opinion. The united states had a tough time remaining uninvolved.

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53 views3 pages

The United States Enters The First World War Notes

The united states entered the first world war in 1917. Both sides used propaganda to try to influence public opinion. The united states had a tough time remaining uninvolved.

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The United States Enters the First World War

Background:
Competing Alliances
1. Triple Alliance- Austria-Hungary, German, Italy
-began in 1882
2. Triple Entente- France, Great Britain, Russia (1907)
-played important part in turning the assassination into a war
Assassination
June 28th, 1914- Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was
assassinated in Sarajevo
Killer: Gavrilo Princip; a Serbian nationalist
Mobilization and Invasion of Belgium
Central Powers: Austria-Hungary and Germany
Anticipated a swift victory
Marched through Belgium to France; August 3rd invasion
200,000 Belgium troops could not stop Germany, but did slow them down as
other allies mobilized
Eastern and Western battlefronts- opposing armies dug trenches from which to
fire on enemy lines (most extensive warfare took place in France)
American Neutrality
Proclamation of Neutrality
Wilson thought the Allies could win without US involvement
Americans had a tough time remaining uninvolved
Propaganda
Both sides used propaganda to try to influence public opinion
Most major American papers backed the Allies
Immigrant paper- supported central powers
Allied propaganda- had greatest impact
Germans were portrayed as the aggressors
New German weapons- submarine and poison gas
Economic Ties
Ties to the allies made strict neutrality impossible
Military orders from the allies created an economic boom
Trade with allies grew: $500 million in 1914; $3.5 billion in 1917
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
1914-1915 German submarines began attacking Allied ships
International law required ships to warn that it was about to sink an enemy vessel
(submarines couldnt do this)
1915- Germans- Ships risked attack in war zone around Britain

May 1915- Lusitania- British passenger ship; torpedoed and sunk- 1200 dead, 128
Americans
Pressure for Preparedness
Sussex Pledge- Germany promised with certain conditions to sink no more merchant
ships without warning
Roosevelt criticized Wilson for not preparing for war (resisted building up military)
1916- could not ignore possible war- doubled size of army and larger navy
Election of 1916
Nation favored peace
Republicans nominee: Charles Evan Hughes
Labeled as war candidate by democrats
Democrat nominee: Woodrow Wilson
Portrayed as the man who would keep the US out of war
Wilson won the close election
Renewed Effort at Mediation
1917- Germany unleashed its submarines to sink all ships in the warzone
Zimmerman telegram: Germany was trying to lure Mexico and Japan to its side
Mexico may gain land back from the US
April 6, 1917- US declared war on Germany
American Participation
By June 5th, 1917- almost 10 million men between the ages 21-31 had registered for war
American Mobilization
America was caught short on supplies
Needed to make adjustments to prepare
Wartime Agencies
1. War Industries Board (WIB)
Spur production and coordinate war industries
Similar efforts brought order to the shipping and railroad industries
Led by Bernard Baruch- prepared industry
2. Food Administration
Increasing American food production became a top priority
The country came together to raise food
Victory Gardens promoted by Hoover
Wheat, pork, and sugar became a top priority
3. Committee on Public Information (CPI)
150,000 citizen lectures
Said the war was fought for freedom and democracy
Helped spur the sale of liberty bonds
American Preparation

2 million soldiers were sent to France


Slow mobilization: fewer than 300,000 fighting troops within a year
The US used convoys to get ships safely to Europe

The American Expeditionary Force


AEF- American troops involved in WWI- led by General John J. Pershing
Wanted to keep US troops together
Russia drops out of war- 1917

Battle of Belleau Woods: US troops distinguished themselves; stopped the Germans, drove them
back, broke through the line
Battle of the Argonne Forest- Massive US counterattack; Allies pressed on to victory- Nov. 11th,
1918; American troops and supplies helped turn the tide of the battle
Wilsons Fourteen Points
(Wilsons Proposal for peace in WWI)
1st five points- open treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade arms reduction, and important
adjustments of colonial claims
Points 6-13- National self-determination and realignment of borders
Point 14- an establishment of an international organization to settle disputes between
nations and prevent future wars
Peace-Making
Big Four
Leaders of the US, Great Britain, France, Italy
Dominated the peace negotiations at Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles & The League of Nations
European leaders wanted the treaty to be more selfish and vengeful
Wilson wanted the treaty to be more just and noble
Victors received land in secret treaties
The US Senate and the Treaty
The US did not accept the Versailles Treaty
The US most strongly opposed setting up the League of Nations and never joins

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