LECTURE 4AMERICA IN THE GREAT WAR

THE EUROPEAN THEATERThe formation of secret alliancesEntente Cordiale (Allies) England, France,

RussiaCentral Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany,

Italy, TurkeyArchduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in

Sarayevo, July 1914

BACKGROUND OF THE WARTripling of Europe’s populationRise of nationalismRise of militarismDivision of the world among colonial nationsSecret alliances

1914-1916Mutual war declarationsNorth Sea becomes a war zoneInvasion of Belgium1915: U-boats, (submarines) sink the

LusitaniaUnrestricted submarine warfareEuropean ”funny war,” war of attrition

EUROPEAN FRONT1914 German advance stopped at MarneStalemate, trench warfareA continuous immovable front from Flanders

to Switzerland, 25,000 miles of trenchesPoison gas (Ypern), tanks,German siege of Verdun, battle of the Somme1917: Russian Revolution, Brest Litovsk

Peace Treaty

AMERICAN RESPONSEA strained neutralityIdentification with France, EnglandSympathy for BelgiumGerman militarism, authoritarianism vs.

American democracyPro-British high officials (Col. Edward House,

Robert Lansing)

WOODROW WILSONDemocratStrong WASP backgroundPrinceton University president, historian,

political scientistPro-BritishWins election of 1916

CAUSES OF U.S.ENTRYFatigue of allies, defection of RussiaSuccessful anti-German propagandaFreedom of the seas doctrineDesire to be at peace tableWilson’s war message: The world must be

made safe for democracy

Anti-German propaganda

MOBILIZATION FOR WARTotal mobilization of the economyWilson’s war dictatorshipExercising power through committeesFood AdministrationFuel AdministrationWar Industries Board

TOTAL MOBILIZATION FOR WARMobilizing societyCommittee on Public Information-propaganda

machineAnti-German hysteria, attack against radicalsEspionage and Sedition Act of 1917Schenck v. U.S., US Supreme Court upholds ”clear and present danger”

NATIVISMForced Americanization-superpatriotic

national unityAmerican Protective LeaguePersecution of Socialists, union members,

social reformers, pacifists, consciencious objectors

THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCEThe DoughboysThe Selective Service Act 24 million

registered, 3 million draftedVolunteers (adventure, advance in life,

impress women)Segregated military unitsIntelligence testing, temperance, chastity

ADVANCES IN EUROPEGeneral John J. Pershing AEF commanderFresh infusion of blood to tired allies1918: battles at Chateau Thierry, Belleau

Wood, and Saint Mihiel900,000 American troops in the Meuse-

Argonne campaign

WILSON’S PEACE PLANFourteen PointsOpen diplomacyFreedom of the SeasNational self-determination for Central

EuropeDisarmamentAssociation of nations to prevent war

WINNING THE WAR, LOSING THE PEACE1918 Nov. 11 Armistice1918-1920 Paris peace talksSkepticism of Fourteen PointsWilson fails as a peace makerAllies punish Germany: reparations, loss of

coloniesFailure of League of Nations, U.S. does not

join

LEGACY OF WORLD WAR ONEU.S. becomes an economic superpowerAmericans experience centralized economyDivisions within American society-pacifists v. interventionist, nativist v.

immigrant, dry v. wetAmerica becomes more cosmopolitan and

urban