Emergence on the World Stage 1912-1920

Question 1

Workers during WW1

Answer 1

Government agencies, such as the War Labour Policies Board, were set up to facilitate industrial relations and effective working arrangements.
Wages doubled in the steel industry because it gave greater influence and acceptance to unions.

Question 2

Women during WW1

Answer 2

Women were not mobilised into war production.
Their role was mainly seen as encouraging people to buy war bonds and sending comforts to the troops abroad.
Only 6,000 women were engaged in aircraft manufacture.

Question 3

Agriculture during WW1

Answer 3

Food production increased from 12.3 million to 18.6 million tons per year and farmers’ income grew by 30% between 1915 and 1918.

Question 4

Railroads during WW1

Answer 4

The railroads were run as a single centralised system to co-ordinate and simplify this vital transport system for the movement of goods and troops. For example, standardised accounting practices, raised wages for employees and increased passenger rates.

Question 5

War Industries Board during WW1

Answer 5

Wilson created it in July 1917 to co-ordinate the tasks of finance and supplies.

Question 6

Economy during WW1

Answer 6

Th economy was prepared for the conflict.

Two-thirds of the war cost was raised by loans such as Liberty and Victory Loans.

Question 7

African Americans’ suppression during WW1

Answer 7

The government authorised the Bureau of Investigation of the Justice Department, and military intelligence, to track down pro-German feelings among AA.

Question 8

Wilson’s intension in the League of Nations

Answer 8

An international organisation for peacekeeping and mutual co-operation in which all signatories of the treaties should join.
To maintain orderly relations between countries, based in part of what had gone wrong and led to war.

Question 9

Congress’ refusal in joining the League of Nations

Answer 9

The Senate voted against this direct US involvement in the affairs of Europe, as the USA reverted to a policy of isolationism.

Question 10

Wilson’s intension in the League of Nations

Answer 10

An international organisation for peacekeeping and mutual co-operation in which all signatories of the treaties should join.

Question 11

Reason for US entry to WW1

•Unrestricted submarine warfare

Answer 11

Several US ships were sunk by German U-boats.

Wilson realised that only belligerents could possibly have any influence in negotiating the post-war settlement.

Question 12

Reason for US entry to WW1

•Unrestricted submarine warfare

Answer 12

Several US ships were sunk by German U-boats.

Question 13

Reason for US entry to WW1

•Unrestricted submarine warfare

Answer 13

Several US ships were sunk by German U-boats.

Wilson had little choice, the USA had been provoked until its credibility was threatened.

Question 14

Reason for US entry to WW1

•Failure of peace initatives

Answer 14

No one seemed interested in Wilson’s efforts to broker peace

Question 15

Reason for US entry to WW1

•Failure of peace initatives

Answer 15

No one seemed interested in Wilson’s efforts to broker peace.
For example, Wilson had sent his envoy twice to Europe in 1915 and 1916 to negotiate a truce but neither side responded very enthusiastically.

Question 16

Reason for US entry to WW1

• Zimmerman Telegraph

Answer 16

It afforded Wilson a further pretext to war.

Question 17

Reason for US entry to WW1

• Economic pressure

Answer 17

US exports doubled as a percentage of the GNP between 1914 and 1916, and 70% of them went to Europe.

• Powerful and wealthy interests could continue to enjoy huge profits
• Exports to the Allies brought the USA out of Depression in 1914

Question 18

Reason for US entry to WW1

(Counter-point) for economic pressure

Answer 18

The US economy was so healthy by 1916 that none of the belligerents had the competency to compete. It would not have made a significant difference to US prosperity even if the Allied trade had been severed.

Question 19

Peace Treaties after WW1

• Fourteen Points

Answer 19

1) Open diplomacy in order to maintain orderly relations between countries, based in part of what had gone wrong and led to war.
2) Self-determination, with borders being redrawn according to the wishes of local populations.

Question 20

Peace Treaties after WW1

• Paris Peace Conference

Answer 20

Most decisions were made by the ‘Big Three’
Wilson’s idea of a lasting peace settlement based on fairness and moral principles did not receive a sympathetic audience.
Wilson’s priority was to gain acceptance of the League of Nations.

Question 21

Economy by 1920

Strengths

Answer 21

1) Money poured into the USA for food, raw materials and munitions from the ‘Big Three’, which led to the growth of US industry and agriculture.
2) US manufacturers and farmers took over European overseas markets and further expanded. For example, the USA took over from Germany as the leading producer for fertilisers and chemicals.
3) The USA had not been directly affected by the ravages of war as had most of Europe.

Question 22

Economy by 1920

Weaknesses

Answer 22

Small farmers struggled to compete with larger agricultural enterprises and competition from Canada.

Question 23

Reason for US Neutrality 1914-1917

• Public Opinion & view of causes of war

Answer 23

1) The war in Europe had nothing to do with them
2) Wars were wrong and achieved little
In 1914, 1,500 women marched in New York protesting against the war.

Question 24

Reason for US Neutrality 1914-1917

• Wilsonianism

Answer 24

Wilson was guided by a sense of Christian morality, which found war abhorrent.
Declaration of Neutrality in 1914 Wilson offered to mediate.

Question 25

Tension concerning Neutrality 1914-1917

• Trade

Answer 25

By 1914, US was a major trading nations.
It exported $549 million worth of goods to Britain and had a trading surplus of over $300 million.
Continuation would bring prosperity to the US, as all sides needed to buy US goods due to the demands of war.
Loss of trade could see a $60 to $100 million deficit in government spending over income.

Question 26

Tension concerning Neutrality 1914-1917

• Pro-British feeling

Answer 26

Wilson natural preferences for British culture and customs

Question 27

Tension concerning Neutrality 1914-1917

• Anti- German feeling

Answer 27

The USA had had confrontations with Germany in Samoa in 1889 and Wilson worried about Germany’s growing interests in Latin American, especially Mexico.

Question 28

Tension concerning Neutrality 1914-1917

• Lusitania

Answer 28

In 1915, with 128 Americans among the 1,200 dead.

Wilson issued a strong protest, demanding that Germany abandon the policy.

Question 29

Tension concerning Neutrality 1914-1917

• Unrestricted submarine warfare

Answer 29

In 1915, Germany declared British waters a war zone and reserved the right to sink any ships en route to Britain.

Question 30

Describe the US society by 1920

Answer 30

Diverse and multicultural due to immigrants joined in search of the ‘American dream’.
Immigration aggravated the racial tension that existed in America despite the end of slavery

Question 31

African Americans by 1920

Answer 31

They were very much second-class citizens due to discrimination, segregation and intimidation.

Question 32

Native Americans by 1920

Answer 32

The role of president remained limited because Congress championed a laissez faire society, upholding the principle of individual liberty, with minimal government control.

Question 33

The mood in the USA by 1920 in foreign policy

Answer 33

Less involvement, especially in Europe, and for a return to isolation, albeit being involved in the First World War

Question 34

How much did the Allies borrow by 1918?

Answer 34

The Allies had, by the end of hostilities in 1918, borrowed nearly $7 billion from the USA, which after the war they would need to pay

Question 35

How much did the Allies need to pay by the time of the peace settlement?

Answer 35

By the time of the peace settlement, Allied war debts to the USA amounted to $10.5 billion