3. US in WWI (Europe and Homefront)

7/30/2019 3. US in WWI (Europe and Homefront)

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Unit 4 Part 3

US in WWI / Homefront

Mr. Klein

Fall 2012


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U.S. Stays Out of War at First

Remember Monroe Doctrine US has strong Isolationist sentiment

Isolationism:

Reluctance to become involved in alliances,wars, or affairs of European nations.

Maintains policy of Neutrality tradeswith both sides

Wilson wins re-election in 1916:

He kept us out of war


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U.S. Stays Out of War at First

Split feelings about supporting Allies:

GB: Strong cultural ties

FR: Helped us win Revolution

BUT

- RUS: Authoritarian regime (Czar)

Incompatible with US belief indemocracy and freedom


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I. Steps Leading US to War


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Problems on the Seas

1. UK Navy blockades Germany stopsdelivery of all supplies

Called Hunger Blockade by Germans no foodcoming ashore for citizens

2. GER uses u-boats to stop ships frombringing supplies to UK

US had been supplying both sides nowmust choose:

$3 billion in trade with allies

$2 million in trade with central powers


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Problems on the Seas

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare (USW)

GER announces it will sink any Alliedships around GB

Warns hard to tell difference b/t Allied andneutral so neutral ships STAY OUT

Violates international law by not givingwarning before attacking civilian ships


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Problems on the Seas (cont.)

US strongly objects to USW

Warns GER that if US ships sunk or US

citizens killed, harsh consequences willresult


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May 1, 1915 - Lusitania

128 Americans die GER promises to stop USW


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March 24, 1916Sussex

French passenger ship torpedoed w/ US on board US threatens to cut diplomatic relations with GER

GER issues Sussex Pledge warn before attack


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Sussex Pledge Violated

Feb 1, 1917 Germany Announces theywill resume USW

Knows US will join war now

Believes can defeat British and AmericanNavies with U-boats

Believes can win war before US will be ready

to make an impact in FR

Feb 3, 1917 US severs diplomaticrelations with GER


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Zimmerman Note

February 1917:

GB sends US a copy of an intercepted

telegram from GER to Mexico

Telegram asks Mexico to become GERally and make war with US

Terms are that Mexico will reclaim TX,AZ and NM after war


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ZIMMERMAN NOTE


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Russia Leaves War

Revolution of February 1917 throws CzarNicholas II out of power

Provisional democratic govt set up

Removes US opposition to siding with Czar

Russia has taken HORRID casualties

Second (Communist) revolution will followin October

Russia leaves war in Oct 1917

Treaty ofBrest-Litovsk (very unfavorable terms)


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Final Straw for US Neutrality

Germany U-boats sink 3 US shipsbetween March 16-18, 1917

City of Memphis

Illinois

Vigilancia

Aztecalso sunk April 2, 1917

US sets up convoy system for shipping: Send groups of merchant ships escorted by

Naval ships for protection

US declares warApril 6, 1917


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II. US Enters WarThe Great War

The War to End All WarsThe War to Make the World Safe for Democracy


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US Preparedness To Fight

US NOT prepared for war: Total of 200,000 soldiers (many still in training)

Very few guns!

3rd largest Navy in world but 60% of shipsneed repairs and only 10% have enough crew!

No planes or tanks!

Congress Passes Selective Service Act:

Sets up mandatory draft registration for men21-30 (later expanded to 18-41)

4.8 million men in service by end of war


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While Getting Ready:

US sends 14,500 troops to FranceAmerican Expeditionary Force (AEF)

Commanded by Gen. John J. Pershing (Blackjack)


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GeneralJohn J. Pershing

Blackjack


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While Getting Ready:

US sends 14,500 troops to FranceAmerican Expeditionary Force (AEF)

Commanded by Gen. John J. Pershing (Blackjack)

American soldiers called Yanks or Doughboys Will swell to over 2 million by 1918

US also provides immediate help with:

Naval support Supplies

$3 billion in loans


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Mission of AEF:

Pershing does not want US troops undercontrol of Allied (FR and UK) commanders

Wants US forces used forOFFENSIVEactions

Promises 1 million troops by 1918

FR and UK NOT happy want more menIMMEDIATELY but US cannot provide


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2nd Battle of the Marne (Chateau-Theirry)

1st Major battle for US (July 18,1918)

GER launches large offensive on 7/15/1918

Trying to crush Allies before US fully mobilized

50 miles from Paris US leads counter-offensive at Chateau-Thierry

Surprise attack (no advance artillery barrage)

Despite being outnumbered, US refuses toretreat and breaks German lines

US loses of troops that fight

First big gain of year by Allies on Western Front


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67,000 American Casualties


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Memorial at Chateau-Thierry

Th U lik l W H


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The Unlikely War Hero:

Cher AmiDear Friend

Th L t B tt li


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The Lost Battalion:

Cher AmiDear Friend

Meuse-Argonne Offensive September 1918


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Lost Battalion

550 US soldiers make up center of assaultforce near Argonne Forest (France)

Units on both sides stopped by Germans

Center of force surrounded by enemy troops

6 days with no resupply or reinforcement

Crawl through enemy fire to get stream water

Eat leaves, roots, etc.


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Lost Battalion

Begins being hit by friendly artillery fire

No Radios all runners captured or killed

Try to send messages by carrier pigeon butGermans were shooting them all down

Down to ONE final pigeon (Cher Ami)

Send one last message:

We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Ourown artillery is dropping a barrage directly on

us. For heaven's sake, stop it!

Th U lik l W H


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The Unlikely War Hero:

Shot down stunned but

takes flight again: Shot through breast Blinded in one eye

Bleeding profusely Leg hanging by atendon

Delivers message and

artillery stops

Doctors save his life butnot his leg

Awarded Croix de Guerre


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Lost Battalion

Once bombardment stops Germans attackin force

Despite 70% of soldiers being killed, trapped

soldiers repel German assault

190 soldiers rescued

Meuse-Argonne Assault successful andGermans sent into retreat


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ARMISTICE

On Nov 6, 1918 GER asks for cease fire to

negotiate terms of peace

Kaiser Wilhelm has abdicated

Wilson has publically outlined his Fourteen

Points for peace Germans felt its terms fair More on Fourteen Points later

Armistice signed 11/11/1918 at 11:00 pm

KNOW THIS DATE!!


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III. US Homefront


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Three Main Issues

1. Mobilizing Industry

2. Financing the War

3. Controlling Public Opinion


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A. Mobilizing Industry

US and Allies need TONS of supplies,equipment, ammunition, etc.

Congress gives Wilson broad powers to

control economy

Creates:

War Industries Board Food Administration

Fuel Administration


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1. War Industries Board

Very broad powers:

How to distribute of rawmaterials

Tells manufacturerswhat they must produce

Sets prices

Succeeded in

effectively supplyingwar

What economic system

does this resemble? Bernard Baruch


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a. Ensuring Factories Keep Running

4.8 million men out of workforce (military)

Women and African-Americans fill jobs

normally reserved for white men


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b. Organized Labor in the War Effort

Samuel Gompers assures govt that AF of Lwill not strike during war

Eugene Debs uses war as chance to advance

anti-capitalist, anti-war opinions of SocialistParty:

IWW becomes prime target for Government

investigations and arrests of political radicals

Citizens take to vigilante justice intimidating,whipping and lynching IWW members


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2. Fuel Administration

Goals:

Increase fuelproduction (esp. coal)

Reduce non-industrialconsumption

Implements daylightsavings time

Encourages the publicto observe gasless

days


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3. Food Administration

Goal:

Conserve meat, wheatsugar and fats for troops

Increase production

Headed by HerbertHoover

Why Hoover?

Herbert Hoover


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Hoover is international

celebrity for aid to Belgium: In 1914, Belgium is starving

(imported of food)

Now food cut off by GermanArmy and GB naval blockade

7 million lives at risk

Hoover has international

shipping experience (worksin mining)

Heads Commission for

Relief in Belgium Herbert Hoover


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CRB:

Like a pseudo-govt ofprivate charity:

Had own flag

Negotiated treaties withwarring nations

Budget of nearly $1 billion(all privately donated)

Responsible for feeding9.5 million civilians inBelgium and occupiedFrance

Herbert Hoover


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CRB experience leadsHoover to believe inVoluntary measures

Chooses NOT to rationor use price controls

Voluntary Conservation:

Meatless Mondays Wheatless Wednesdays

Victory Gardens

Herbert Hoover


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Hoover would also headAmerican ReliefAssociation (ARA) afterWWI

Spearhead food reliefefforts in Russia

Herbert Hoover savedmore lives than anyperson who has everlived.

Historian Bertrand Patenaude Herbert Hoover

B Financing the War


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B. Financing the War

War will be EXPENSIVE

By end, calculated to cost $1 million perHOUR

Govt Adopts two-pronged approach:

War Revenue Act of 1917

Raises individual and corporate taxes

Top individual rate from 15% to 77% Sell Liberty Bonds

Voluntary loans by citizens to govt for war costs

Repaid after war with interest


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B Financing the War


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B. Financing the War

In the end, Bond drive very successful

66% of war financing comes from LibertyBond sales (about $20 billion)

33% comes from taxes (about $10 billion)

Approximately $30 billion spent on war

C Controlling Public Opinion


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C. Controlling Public Opinion

Wilson creates Committee on PublicInformation to sell war to public viapropaganda

Laws passed limiting anti-govt or anti-warspeech

1 Committee on Public Information


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1. Committee on Public Information

Govt propaganda

agency

Headed by GeorgeCreel

Attempted to createpatriotism and pro-war

sentiment Demonized enemy



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Tools used by CPI:

Posters


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Tools used by CPI:

Posters

Films


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Tools used by CPI:

Posters

Films

Four Minute Men


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Tools used by CPI:

Posters

Films

Four Minute Men Voluntary censorship of press

Removal of all things German (music,

paintings, foods) from public life Frankfurters = Hot Dogs

Hamburgers = Liberty Sandwiches

Sauerkraut = Liberty Cabbage



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Co ttee o ub c o at o

Created flurry of anti-immigrant sentiment

Liberty Leagues in most communities:

Encouraged volunteers to spy on neighborswith foreign (esp. German) last names andreport suspicious speech or activities toJustice Dept.

Pressured all immigrants to outwardlydemonstrate loyalty to avoid suspicion

2. Laws Limiting Speech


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g pEspionage Act of 1917:

Illegal to interfere with the war effort orwith military recruitment

Eugene Debs jailed for violation

Sedition Act of 1918: Actually an expansion of Espionage Act

Illegal to use disloyal, critical or abusive

language about the govt, flag, or armedforces.

What about First Amendment????


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The Human Toll of WWI

CountryTotal

Mobilized Killed WoundedPrisoners and

MissingTotal

CasualtiesCasualties as% of Forces


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ForcesMissing Casualties % of Forces

ALLIED AND ASSOCIATED POWERS

Russia 12,000,000 1,700,000 4,950,000 2,500,000 9,150,000 76.3

British Empire 8,904,467 908,371 2,090,212 191,652 3,190,235 35.8

France 8,410,000 1,357,800 4,266,000 537,000 6,160,800 73.3

Italy 5,615,000 650,000 947,000 600,000 2,197,000 39.1

United States 4,800,000 116,516 204,002 4,500 323,018 7.1

Japan 800,000 300 907 3 1,210 0.2

Romania 750,000 335,706 120,000 80,000 535,706 71.4

Serbia 707,343 45,000 133,148 152,958 331,106 46.8

Belgium 267,000 13,716 44,686 34,659 93,061 34.9

Greece 230,000 5,000 21,000 1,000 27,000 11.7

Portugal 100,000 7,222 13,751 12,318 33,291 33.3

Montenegro 50,000 3,000 10,000 7,000 20,000 40.0

TOTAL 42,188,810 5,142,631 12,800,706 4,121,090 22,062,427 52.3


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CountryTotal Mobilized

ForcesKilled Wounded

Prisoners andMissing

TotalCasualties

Casualties as% of Forces

Central Powers

Germany 11,000,000 1,773,700 4,216,058 1,152,800 7,142,558 64.9

Austria-Hungary 7,800,000 1,200,000 3,620,000 2,200,000 7,020,000 90.0

Turkey 2,850,000 325,000 400,000 250,000 975,000 34.2

Bulgaria 1,200,000 87,500 152,390 27,029 266,919 22.2

TOTAL 22,850,000 3,386,200 8,388,448 3,629,829 15,404,477 67.4

GRANDTOTAL

65,038,810 8,528,831 21,189,154 7,750,919 37,466,904 57.5

Documents

3. US in WWI (Europe and Homefront)