Green WW1 Flashcards
Isolation
A policy that the USA followed which meant that they preferred to stay out of international affairs.
Why did the USA follow the policy of isolation
When WW1 started the USA were a very powerful country because of their industry and population.
They did not think that there was a point in getting involved in European fights, especially as the fighting was going on a long way away from them and they had no reason to fight in it.
Why did the USA enter the war? (1)
- From Feb 1917 the Germans started to sink US ships that were trading with Britain. Which meant that all ships in the war zone would be sunk even if they were neutral.
Why did the USA enter the war? (2)
- The president suspected that the Germans were preparing for war with the US anyway. A secret message from the US to Germany was decided saying Germany would help Mexico regain their territory if war did break out between them and the US.
Why did the USA enter the war? (3)
President Wilson believed that if they helped the Allies to win the War, America could shape settlements and ensure future peace and ‘make the world safe for democracy’
What role did the US troops play?
The us troops were very important in the War. Their fresh and eager spoofers helped to drive the Germans back and lead them to surrender in November.
What was the cost of the war?
The us soldiers dropped to 1.7 million after 120,999 were killed/ died of disease and 200,000 were wounded.
What was the role of the US navy?
The US navy helped the allies to reduce their loss of tonnes of shipping (900,000—-200,000)
and the Germans were unable to starve Britain to defeat.
What was life like a home for black soldiers? What was the role of black soldiers?
They were kept in all black units and used for mostly labouring duties.
Life at home for black soldiers and was very unfair and racist.
In many southern states blacks and whites were kept separated and not allowed to use the same restaurants and theatres
Black mobs were often hung for crimes without having a fair trail (lynching)
What was the impact of the war on the US home front?
- the government struggled with money which resulted in stopping strikes and having to increase taxes to pay for the war
Lots of anti- German propaganda was produced; encouraging people to hate the Germans
The public were also encouraged to save food, organising things like ‘meatless Tuesdays’ and ‘Wheatless Monday’s’ there was lots of propaganda claiming that ‘food will win the war’
How were Americans persuaded to support the war?
Mainly through propaganda
There were countless strong posters in America which help d to convince them citizens that they were fighting for a cause and to hate the Germans instead of the government
They were also persuaded by the government to lend money to help support the war, through propaganda showing buildings like Statue of Liberty in flames.
Economic effect of the war on America
European countries borrowed huge sums of money from America and American bankers and businessmen invested in Europe at the end of the war, making large sums of money when European economies recovered in the 1920s.
Europe was desperate for supplies during the war and purchased many from the USA
During the war, countries could not keep up their levels of exports, American companies took over these European overseas markets.
Benefited America, didn’t join war until later and therefore had lots of money. The USA used the flood of money that poured in from Europe to fund growth is US industry and agriculture.
Social effects of the war
120,000 American soldiers were killed or died of disease at the front. Another 200,000 were injured. This was devestating for Americans and could have impacted companies as some men were unable to return to their previous jobs.
American propaganda campaigns spread a social hatred throughout the country and caused them to see Germans as disloyal and evil.
Black soldiers were treated badly at the front, reinforcing the fact that they were seen as inferior back in the USA.
