American Entrance into World War I: 1914: Wilson: neutral in
fact and name. Proclamation of Neutrality Slide 2 The British
Blockade Weapons, other military goods, & food Extended to
neutral ports & mined North Sea Results: 1) US ships bound for
Germany refused to challenge the blockade & seldom reached
their destination 2) Difficult for Germany to import foodstuffs
& chemical fertilizers W/out fertilizers famine by 1917 750,000
died as a result of the blockade Slide 3 The British Blockade &
Extent of minefields deployed by the Allies in the North Sea, 1918.
Slide 4 Mine Warfare Slide 5 German U-Boat Response Germany
responded to the British blockade with a counter-blockade by
U-boats Less successful than the British blockade +/- 75,000 died
to U-boat blockade U-boat deaths more visible & spectacular,
easily exploited by British propaganda Worst example May 7, 1915
U-20 sinks the Lusitania 1,198 killed (128 US) Slide 6 Shaded area
shows "War Zone" announced by Germany on 4 February 1915 Slide 7
Submarine Warfare Slide 8 The Lusitania at end of the first leg of
her maiden voyage, New York City, September 1907. Slide 9 A German
painting showed the Lusitania being torpedoed Slide 10 The second
explosion made passengers believe U-20 had torpedoed Lusitania a
second time. Slide 11 Slide 12 A warning issued by the Imperial
German Embassy in Washington about travelling on Britain's RMS
Lusitania. Slide 13 The track of Lusitania. View of casualties and
survivors in the water and in lifeboats. Slide 14 U-boat sinking a
troopship, painting by Willy Stwer Slide 15 The US Remains Neutral
Wilson rules out a military response July 1915 the Arabic was sunk
(2 US) March 1916 the Sussex was attacked (80 passengers some US
killed/injured) Germany agrees to the Sussex pledge Wont sink
vessels w/out warning if US will pressure Britain to limit its
blockade Slide 16 The 1916 Election Democrats: Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Marshall (VP) He Kept Us Out of the War Republicans: Charles
Evans Hughes Charles Fairbanks (VP) Wanted to uphold US freedom of
the seas but also promised not to be too harsh on Germany Narrow
victory for Wilson Slide 17 Slide 18 The 1916 Election Slide 19
Neutrality Collapses Germany reinstates unrestricted submarine
warfare Hindenburg & Ludendorff decide the U-boat Germanys last
hope for victory Gamble Britain will starve before USA aid is
significant These actions will lead to a US declaration of war on
April 6 th 1917 Slide 20 Timeline of Events January 31 st 1917:
Kaiser renews unrestricted submarine warfare March 1917: Zimmermann
telegram March 1917: March Revolution in Russia; Czar removed now a
war against autocracy March 1917: 3 US ships torpedoed 6 April
1917: US Declaration of War Slide 21 President Woodrow Wilson
asking Congress to declare war on Germany, 2 April 1917 Slide 22
American Entrance into World War I: Reasons 1) German Unrestricted
Submarine Warfare: U-Boat debate; the Lusitania 2) Allied
Propaganda: US receptive Kinship w/ Britain; Friends w/ France 3)
Hostility Toward Germany: a) invasion of neutral Belgium b) waged
unrestricted submarine warfare c) 1917 Zimmermann Note Slide 23
German U-boat U 14 Slide 24 U-20 and sister ships in harbor at
Kiel. Slide 25 Shaded area shows "War Zone" announced by Germany on
February 4, 1915 The shaded areas show the unrestricted submarine
warfare zone announced by Germany on 1 February 1917 Slide 26 Slide
27 German shelling of the Cathedral of Notre Dame at Rheims early
in World War I Slide 28 Slide 29 The Zimmermann Telegram as it was
sent from Washington to Mexico Decrypted and translated Slide 30
Map showing Mexican territory in 1917 (dark green), territory
promised to Mexico in the Zimmermann telegram (light green), and
original Mexican territory (red line). Slide 31 American Entrance
into World War I: Reasons 4) American Economic Interests: UK
blockade; US Allies extensive loans; want to get paid back 5)
American Idealism: A better world would emerge desire to end
autocracy World safe for democracy. 6) American Security: A German
victory - dominant in Europe viewed as a threat to the US Slide 32
Special Note on Wilson USA enters the war as an associated power
not an ally of Britain & France Reflects Wilsons determination
to distance US from Old World ambitions Crusade for democracy &
freedom, not a sordid struggle for land & colonies Slide 33
American Military Mobilization April 1917 US had limited military
power 200,000 men; few officers w/ combat experience US air corps
had 55 planes & 130 pilots May 1917 Selective Service Act
passed 10,000,000 men registered w/out riots 2,000,000 reached
Europe before the armistice (3/4 saw combat) Slide 34 American
Military Mobilization Women: not drafted; the navy accepted them
for non-combat purposes 13,000 served (nurses, secretaries, etc.)
African Americans: double their proportion in the general
population Segregated units & excluded from the navy &
marines; mostly non-combat roles Some black officers The 369 th
Infantry Regiment saw continuous duty on the front Slide 35
American Success in Combat Building the Bridge to France Had relied
mostly on foreign ships Begins to expand its merchant fleet 1)
Exempted of deferred shipyard workers from the draft 2) Govt.
emphasized the importance of shipyard workers (public relations) 3)
New construction technique fabrication 4) Existing ships converted
to transatlantic war use Slide 36 American Success in Combat
Breaking the Blockade Rear Adm. William S. Sims persuaded the
British that the best way to defeat the U-boat threat was with the
convoy system Merchant vessels would travel in a large group with a
guard of circling DD & CA By midsummer 1917 shipping losses cut
in half US Navy mined & patrolled the North Sea Slide 37 Slide
38 American Success in Combat Fighting in Europe General John J.
Pershing (AEF) US initially served mostly as replacements Pershing
insisted the US should fight as a separate army Believed in
aggressive combat felt the Allies had become too defensive Wanted
the US to have a strong voice @ the peace table most likely to
happen if the AEF remained distinctive & separate After April
1918 US soldiers fought independently under Marshall Foch Slide 39
General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing Slide 40 American Success
in Combat German Success: March 3, 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
March 21, 1918 Operation Michael begins Tide Turns Due to US
Participation Battle of Cantigny - US helps stop the new German
offensive Chateau-Thierry & Belleau Wood played a major role in
throwing back German attacks US helps win the Second Battle of the
Marne Sept. 1918 US mounted offensives at Saint- Mihiel and in the
Meuse-Argonne area Slide 41 Slide 42 This map of the Western Front
shows the three main offensives of the American Expeditionary
Force. The areas in color were areas newly conquered by the Germans
from March, 1918 to July, 1918. Slide 43 Significance to US
Entrance: (1) turned the tide of battle in favor of Allies (2)
broke sharply w/ Americas traditional isolationism; foreign
entanglements (3) marks Americas emergence as a world power and
eventual world lea (3) marks Americas emergence as a world power
and eventual world leader Slide 44 Allied & Central Powers
(WWI)
