Causes of U. S. involvement German atrocities and Allied Propaganda

WWI

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  German atrocities and Allied Propaganda; German invasion of Belgium and treatment of their people
  
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  U.S. closer to Britain and France; language, political system
  
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  U.S. had little or no contact with triple Alliance; only heard one side of story
  
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  Triple Alliance- Germany Austria-Hungary, and Italy; Triple Entente- Britain, France, and Russia
  
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  Sinking of Lusitania – May 7, 1915 more than 1000 passengers killed- 128 Americans, 94 children
  
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  Germany declares unlimited submarine warfare 1917- German leaders thought they could defeat Britain and France before U.S. could enter and be effective
  
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  Zimmerman Telegram- march 1917; Arthur Zimmerman German Foreign minister sends telegraph to Mexico telling them to join Germany and they will get Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona back after war
  
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  Germany sinks several U.S. unarmed merchant ships-March 1917
  
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  Wilson Addresses congress and obtains declaration of War
  
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  April 1917- U.S. enters war
  

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  Mobilization- keep American troops together AEF (American Expeditionary force) under command of General Pershing
  
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  Selective Service Act- conscription (the draft); 10 million men registered; 3 million men were drafted; another 2 million volunteered
  
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  Committee of Public Information- created posters, printed pamphlets; propaganda- one-sided information designed to persuade listeners
  
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  Espionage Act 1917; Censorship of mail; punish those who interfere with the draft
  
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  Sedition Act; prohibited use of disloyal language; Supreme court in Schenck v. U.S. ruled that free speech could be restricted whenever a clear and present danger was evident.
  
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  War Industries Board- coordinated Americas wartime manufacturing
  
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  Food Administration- production and distribution of food; headed by Herbert Hoover
  
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  Railroad Administration- Gov’t took over the railroads
  
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  War Labor Board- mediated disputes between owners and workers
  
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  War Bonds also known as Liberty Bonds- patriotic act to buy bonds
  
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  War cost over $30 Billion
  

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  Tanks- were not very effective but provided information for future use
  
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  Airplanes- new invention; often used for reconnaissance; sometimes dogfights; did not play big role
  
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  Submarines- used in WW1 very effective by Germans; U-boats
  
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  Convoy system- used to protect ships in Atlantic- had naval and air escorts
  
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  Larger ships with longer range guns
  
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  Trench Warfare- due to new machine guns- trenches provide protection
  
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  Machine guns
  
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  Flamethrowers- innovative design to be carried by one person- neutralize large amounts of soldiers in trenches
  
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  Depth charges- to destroy submarines
  

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  Women:
  
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  January 1917 Jeanette Rankin became first woman in congress
  
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  Sold war bonds, served as nurses overseas,
  
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  took men’s jobs in factories
  
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  German Americans:
  
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  Faced prejudice in America; ¼ population was from German descent
  
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  American Indians:
  
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  About 6,000 volunteered; another 6,000 were drafted; they were integrated into white units
  
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  Citizenship Act 1919- Indians who served in armed forces could become U.S. citizens
  
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  Jewish Americans:
  
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  Faced prejudice- Formed Anti-Defamation League to oppose anti-Semitism and religious prejudice
  
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  Although they represented only 3% of total population- they made up 5% of the Army
  
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  American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee raised over $63 million in relief funds
  
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  African Americans:
  
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  July 1917 New York 15,000 marched to protest Jim Crow laws and lynchings in the south
  
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  Not integrated with other units
  
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  First two Americans to receive French Croix De Guerre for heroism were African Americans- Henry Johnson & Needham Roberts
  
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  Great Migration- Thousands of African Americans left south to move north for jobs in factories and Midwest for jobs on farms
  
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  Asian Americans:
  
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  1917- about 180,000 living in America- 3 major groups- Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos
  
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  Those who served could become naturalized citizens
  
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  Immigration Act of 1917- barred ant further Japanese or Chinese immigration
  

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  U.S. enters war April 1917
  
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  German submarines aggressively attack allied ships
  
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  Convoy system helps significantly reduce shipping losses
  
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  Russia drops out of war November 1917- Bolshevik Revolution (Lenin becomes leader)
  
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  Germany concentrates all their efforts on the western front- launch massive offensive March 1918- unable to reach Paris
  
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  American troops begin arriving June 1918- 10,000 a day
  
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  Germans surrender November 1918
  

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  Treaty Harsh on Germany
  
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  Germany lost territory to France and Poland, and lost all of its colonies
  
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  Germany lost its navy; army reduced to size of police force
  
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  Germans forced to sign “war guilt” clause accepting blame for starting war- had to pay massive reparations to allies
  
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  Austria-Hungary divided into smaller national states
  
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  Turkey became a republic; Ottoman empire lost most of its territories
  
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  U.S. rejects Treaty of Versailles and does not join League of Nations- signed separate peace treaty with Germany 1921
  
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  League of Nations; An organization of nations that would defend each other against aggressors- Wilson returned home from Versailles and needed 2/3 of senate to ratify the treaty. 1918 Republicans gained control of senate; They rejected the treaty
  

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  Other
  
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  Entangled Alliances- prior to WW1:
  
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  Tripple Alliance- Austria-Hungary, Germany, & Italy
  
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  Tripple Entente- Britain, France, & Russia
  
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  Big Four- Woodrow Wilson(U.S.), David Lloyd George (Britain), Vittorio Emanuele Orlando(Italy) & Georges Clemenceau (France)
  
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  Central Powers- Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, & Ottoman Empire
  
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  Allied Powers- Serbia, Russia, France, U.S., Britain, Italy, & Belgium