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United States Enters World War 1

By 1917 the conflict we call The First World War had been raging for over two years, drawing in troops from Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and

Australia, although the main battles were in Europe.

• At first, the United States tried to remain neutral  and isolated from the war. But, as World War I dragged on this became increasingly difficult to do so. The Immediate cause of the U.S. involvement  grew out of the naval war between Germany and Great Britain. 

• Britain  had used its superior naval power to blockade Germany. The blockade kept war and other military materials from reaching Germany. Germany had retaliated by setting up its own naval blockade. Germany enforced its blockade with the use of unrestricted submarine warfare which included the sinking of passenger liners.   

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• On May 7, 1915 the British ship Lusitania was sunk by a German  U‐Boat. There were about 1,100 civilian casualties, including 100 Americans. 

Department of State,  Washington, May 13, 1915 To Ambassador Gerard:In view of recent acts of the German authorities in violation of American rights on the high seas which culminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania on May 7, 1915, by which over 100 American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the Government of the United States and the Imperial German Government should come to a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted. 

The Government of the United States, therefore, desires to call the attention of the Imperial German Government … the objection to their present method of attack against the trade of their enemies … in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness, reason, justice, and humanity.... The Government and the people of the United States look to the Imperial German Government for just, prompt, and enlightened action in this vital matter…..Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan 

The United States Government Responds

Do you think this letter was a sufficient response to the sinking of the Lusitania?

What event is this poster based on?

Is this an effective propaganda poster?  Why?

1916 Presidential Election• Wilson still refused to go to war but did give one last warning to the Germans called the Sussex Pledge

• Sussex Pledge – Germany agreed to certain conditions and US would keep out of war

• Wilson ran for reelection on a platform of being the peacetime president who kept the US out of war

• He won by a narrow margin 

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In 1917, the focus of the war shifted to the high seas. That year, the Germans intensified the submarine warfare that had raged in the Atlantic Ocean. The only time that the British and German navy engaged in a direct battle neither side won a conclusive victory.. 

In January 1917, To break the stalemate the German naval officers convinced the emperor to resume unrestricted U‐Boat warfare. They thought they could starve the British into submission within 6 months. This policy would draw the United States into the conflict.

The 'Zimmerman Telegram' –often called the Zimmerman Note - was a memo sent from the German Foreign Minister

Arthur Zimmerman to the German Ambassador to

Mexico through a supposedly secure channel devoted to

peace negotiations. It informed the ambassador that Germany

would be resuming its policy of Unrestricted Submarine

Warfare (USW) and proposed an alliance. If Mexico would join in a war against the US, they would be rewarded with

financial support and re-conquered land in New

Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.

The Zimmerman Note

Why do you think this was such a threat to the U.S.

Why would the Germans propose such an

alliance?

Why would the telegram be published in U.S.

newspapers?

How would the U.S. public react?

The German high command knew renewed

USW would probably cause the US to declare war on them, but they gambled on shutting

Britain down before an American army could arrive in force. The

alliance with Mexico and Japan, as proposed in the

Zimmerman Telegram, was intended to create a new Pacific and Central American Front, greatly distracting the US and aiding the German war

effort.

British intelligence intercepted the telegram

and, recognizing the effect it would have on

US public opinion, released it to America

on February 24th 1917. It was released to the world press on March

1st.

The U.S. generally felt kinship with Great Britain

(common language, culture, history)

the US public - still concerned at Mexico's

intentions following trouble between the two - was aghast. A vast majority

reacted to both the Note, and weeks of growing anger

at USW, by backing war against Germany. When the

American Congress approved Wilson's decision to declare war on April 6th,

there was just 1 vote against.

The United States

United States – Maintained a policy of noninvolvement, yet economically were benefiting by selling goods.

Sinking of the Lusitania – German submarine warfare affected Americans.

Zimmerman Letter – Germany sent a letter to Mexico encouraging them to fight the U.S.  The letter was intercepted.  

The United States entered the war against Germany in 1917.

Create a title for this Political Cartoon

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• Large numbers of American troops arrived in Europe 1918 and this gave the Allied powers a great psychological boost as well as a major source of money and war goods. This America’s involvement became  more important after the Russian Bolsheviks and Lenin, signed a separate peace with Germany on March 3, 1918. In this treaty he gave up eastern Poland, Ukraine, Finland,  and the Baltic provinces.  

Russia Leaves The War1918 – Russia gets out of the war.  They sign the Treaty of Brest‐Litovsk with Germany.  This gives the Germans territories in 

western Russia in exchange for peace.

Terms of the Treaty of Brest‐Litovsk

• Riga, Lithuania, Livonia, Estonia, a portion of white Russia and area around the Baltic sea was given to Germany

• All Turkish land seized by Russia was to be returned

• Poland and Finland were granted independence

• Russia had to pay 6 million marks in reparations

Russia lost...

• one third of it's population

• one third of it's fertile land

• 54% of it's industry

• 75% of its coal mines

• 73% of it's iron supplies

• 85% of it's sugar production

FRANCE

St. Mihiel

Argonne Forest

PARIS

The American Presence

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Battle of the Argonne Forest

Last Night of the War, 10-11 Nov 1918

An Armistice is DeclaredGermany put their all into an attack on March 21st 1918. For several months the offensive pushed the Allies back, but in July the Germans were stopped at the Second Battle of the Marne. The Allied counter‐offensive began in August and in what became known as the Last Hundred Days, they pushed the Germans back. Germany sought an armistice which 

came into effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

The Treaty of Versailles

Objective:   

• To understand the events and process of the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles.

• What impact did American politics have on the treaty process?

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Jan. 18, 1919 ‐ Peace Conference opens in Paris

Feb. 14, 1919 ‐Wilson submits Draft 

Covenant for a League of Nations

What did Wilson believe to be the answer to the world’s problems?  

Would it work?

Wilson’s Idealism

The Goals of France

1. According to this cartoon, what was Clemenceau’s main concern? Why?

2. Why do you think Clemenceau was nicknamed “The Tiger?”

The Treaty of Versailles

Lasting‐Peace Peace‐Revenge

Germany pays reparations, Poland is created, Creation of the League of Nations, War‐Guilt clause, Alsace‐Lorraine to France, Germany forbidden to join League, France controls Rhineland, Arms limitation, Polish corridor established, no secret alliances 

Germany lost territory

Arms LimitationCreation of the League of Nations 

Polish Corridor established

France controls Rhineland

Poland is createdWar‐Guilt clause‐ Blame

Germany pays Reparations

Germany lost Territory

Germany forbidden to join League

No secret alliances

Alsace‐Lorraine to France

New Map of Europe!

1. Which major empires lost the most land? Why?

2. What problems could occur due to the structure of the European landscape?

What is the major concern in dealing with 

Foreign Affairs?

How does this cartoon represent the political atmosphere of post a World War I United 

States?

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What will Wilson do in order to gain support for the League of Nations?

Wilson’s Mission Wilson’s Journey

Sep. 25, 1919 ‐Wilson collapses in Pueblo, Col.; returns to D.C.; suffers stroke Oct. 2; ill for 7 months

Results

What does this Political Cartoon accuse the United 

States of doing?

July 2, 1921 ‐ Congress ends war by joint resolution

The Congress does not approve to membership in the League of Nations.

The Title of the cartoon is “We told you it wouldn’t 

work!”

Why didn’t the League of Nations work and could anything have made it 

successful? 

The Treaty of Versailles