World War I  

Events leading to World War I

Beginning of War – Wilson waged peace without victory

            1915 – 1917  Friction increased

German Warfare

            New Weapon                       U-boat             No defense

GB influenced U.S. war message by cutting transcontinental Cable. May 7, 1915. U-boat sank Lusitanian this British ocean liner thought to carry weapons for allies. 128 Americans did.

One year later, Germany sunk the Sussex, an ocean liner, which carried civilians. 

Sussex Pledge – German U-boats warned before attacking.

Feb. 1, 1917  Germany resumed attacking.

The Zimmerman note:  Wilson wanted congress to allow merchant ships to be armed.

War senators carried a filibuster while this happened.  The Zimmerman note said the Germans would help Mexico get back lands lost.

After the Zimmerman note the

            Russian Revolution

1917 Early                1.8 million killed 2.4 million prisoner 2.8 million sick

The Czar was overthrown.  Germany Deep in Russia.  When the czar fell U.S. more likely to enter war. October 1917 Communist takeover April 2 clears way for U.S. entry to WWI

Section 3

Selective Service Act May 1917

You have to register. 24 million registered American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

To fight U-boats. Convoy system in April. 430 ships sank.

Pushing keep troops from Allies African Americans known as Harlem Hell Fighters assigned to France the entire regiment won French highest Combat medal. Croix de Guerre

German Russian Peace Germans focus on Western Front.  The AEF along with French, defeat and force Germany to retreat.

Using the Tank

The allies were able to fight a different type of battle tactic the using tanks and the airplane last major battle of world war one St. Mihiel September 1918.

The fighting with airplanes British empire Major Edward Mannock         73 

 united states  Capt. Eddie V. Rickenbacker 26

Germany Manfred von Richthofen 80 

Conscientious objector refused to fight because of religious beliefs.

Alvin York refused to sign up for the military and then he did

He captured 132 soldiers while killing 25 machine gunners. On October 8 1918

He received the Congressional Medal of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre

The armistice the cease fire came on November 11, 1918.

Wanting to make a statement of the importance of the event the armistice stated that the fighting would cease on the 11^th minute of the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month Today we celebrate veteran’s day then

Physical and mental scars would remain forever, the letters you wrote yesterday were echoes of the following letter. Written by 21 year old Corporal Elmer Sherwood

Hundreds of bodies of our brave boys lie on Hill 212. Captured with such a great loss of blood. We will never be able to explain war to our loved ones back home even if we live and return

50,000 American soldiers died on the battle fields, just a drop in the bucket compared to the lost of life experienced by the European nations.

              How to finance the war liberty bonds were sold to support the allied idea of Secretary of Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo it raised more than 20 billion dollars allowed Americans to loan more than 10 billion to the allies war effort.   Boy scouts and girl scouts collected a large part of these funds

Wilson established a WAR INDUSTRIES board, this over saw the change of industry production to war production of needed materials this board had a great deal of power telling companies what to make when to make it and how much to make 

A war trade board regulated the overseas trade punished firms thought to have traded with the enemy

A war labor board controlled strikes and other labor related problems

Price controls and rationing

Daylight saving time was first established during World War I

Government regulated more of the economic life of America pleasing the progressives

There were problems with the loyalties of the American people starting in 1917 pro American films were being produced and shown at movie houses depicting the liberty bonds, rationing and other ways of supporting the allied war effort in Europe.

The Americans became more fearfully of foreigners mostly Germans, recent immigrants to America.

After the sinking of the Lusitanian a German embassy employee left a briefcase on the subway and its contents  papers that would weaken the pro allied support in America

Much like the way the government increased the security and awareness after the world trade center bombings.

100% Americanism congress passed law requiring literacy test for all immigrants.

Hatred of Germans increased called them the “Huns” German performers were not allowed to give concerts, German measles became liberty measles, hamburgers became liberty sandwiches

Covering the fear of the foreigners,  congress passed the Espionage Act which made it illegal to interfere with the draft, in addition an amendment to this act was a new Sedition Act no speech or actions that encouraged rebellion criticizing the government could get you ten years in jail

The war also took a toll on the young generation in America college aged men in school ot the work and labor force was drafted to fight in the war which caused a shortage of employees.

This shortage created a movement of Americans known as the great migration, the movement of African Americans from the south to the industrialized north in search of work and employment.  Women also filled positions, which had been held by men in the past.

The war effort also caused changes in society one of these changes was the 18^th amendment the prohibition of sales, production, and transportation of liquor  the grain needed to make the alcohol was needed more to feed the Americans as well as the people of Europe  the  women also supported this amendment which they wanted to limit for the past 100 years.  The period of the next few years included the introduction of the Mafia or crime bosses in the 1920’s.