Bloody Battles in on the Western Front Flashcards
What happened at the Battle of Ypres in 1915?
Britain and Germany lost 200,000 men.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Verdun in 1916?
It was a 6-month battle where Germany and France lost a million men but gained nothing.
What happened at the Battle of the Somme in 1916?
The British sacrificed a million soldiers to gain only 5 miles of territory.
How did the US remain neutral, and why did most Americans want the Allies to win?
The US remained neutral, but most Americans wanted the Allies to win because the Germans seemed to be the aggressors.
What significant event occurred in 1915 involving a British passenger ship?
In 1915, Germans sank the Lusitania, a British passenger ship, killing 128 Americans, most of whom were celebrities. The Germans promised not to attack unarmed or neutral ships afterward.
How did British and French propaganda influence American views?
The Nickelodeons (movies) showed British and French propaganda, portraying Germans as the bad guys.
What were some reasons the US remained neutral?
The US was making good money selling weapons and food to the Allies, and there was a strong sentiment to stay out of Europe’s wars, following Washington’s warning. Additionally, many Americans had negative feelings toward the Allied countries for various reasons.
Which American groups had specific reasons to dislike the Allied countries?
Jewish-Americans hated Russia for their treatment and death in pogroms, German Americans and Austro-Hungarians didn’t want to kill their cousins, and Irish Americans hated the British for centuries of bad treatment.
How did TR (Theodore Roosevelt) react to Wilson’s neutrality stance?
TR attacked Wilson for remaining neutral and started the “Wake Up America” club to train Americans for war.
What was Wilson’s campaign pledge in the 1916 election?
Wilson won reelection in 1916 with the pledge “He Kept Us Out of the War.”
Why did the US become enemies with Germany by 1917?
The US became enemies with Germany due to several reasons: German spy networks were uncovered with plans for sabotage, German U-boats sank all ships heading to England, including US ships, and the Zimmerman Note in which Germany offered an alliance to Mexico to regain Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
What was the impact of Russia and the Bolsheviks surrendering to Germany?
With Russia quitting the war, all Allies became democracies.
Why were US banks and businesses concerned about the outcome of the war?
US banks and businesses had loaned $20 billion to the Allies and would not get it back if Britain and France lost.
When did the US declare war on Germany, and what was the US promise?
The US declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, promising to gain nothing from the war.
What did Wilson claim about the purpose of the war?
Wilson claimed, “The world must be made safe for democracy” and called it “the war to end all wars.”
