MODULE 6: AMERICA IN THE WORLD WAR Flashcards

1
Q

Despite strong feelings of nationalism citizens held for their own country, many countries had agreements or treaties with one another. How did these agreements fuel World War I?

A

The existence of treaties forced countries and empires into declaring war even when they were not directly threatened.
An example is when Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia, Russia was brought into the conflict due to a treaty in which they had agreed to defend Serbia.

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2
Q

President Wilson promised a different approach to foreign policy than what Roosevelt and Taft had pursued. What was Wilson’s approach?

A

Wilson advocated for a less expansionist approach and pledged to only intervene when morally obligated.
Wilson believed that democracy was the best system and demanded that Mexico hold democratic elections and establish laws based on the moral principles he espoused. He also held that the United States should continue to actively pursue economic markets abroad.

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3
Q

Despite the campaign slogan of “Wilson – He kept us out of the war!”, President Wilson faced ever-mounting pressure to enter the Great War. What reason below helped push the U.S. into World War I?

A

The German use of unrestricted submarine warfare.
The German Navy continued to use submarines to destroy military or merchant ships without warning and without giving the opportunity to surrender.

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4
Q

What did Wilson propose in regard to his approach to foreign policy?

A

Wilson proposed an idealistic foreign policy based on morality, rather than American self-interest, and felt that American interference in another nation’s affairs should occur only when the circumstances rose to the level of a moral imperative.

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5
Q

What secret plan was discovered that further pressured the United States to join World War I?

A

The Zimmerman Telegram

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6
Q

What was the Zimmerman Telegram?

A

The telegram sent from the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico, which was intercepted by the British, invited Mexico to fight alongside Germany. In return, the Germans would help Mexico win back territory lost in the Mexican-American War.

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7
Q

In the early 1900s, many European nations sought to expand their empires by establishing overseas colonies. How did imperialism contribute to World War I?

A

Holding overseas colonies was seen as a status symbol and fed feelings of nationalism.
Powerful countries sought to increase their influence by expanding their empires overseas with colonies leading to increased competition, rivalry, and alliances.

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8
Q

The women’s suffrage movement gained momentum during World War I resulting in the passage of the 19th amendment. How did President Wilson’s own values affect the women’s suffrage movement?

A

Wilson’s desire to keep the world safe democracy encouraged his support of women’s suffrage.
Supporters of equal rights for women pointed to Wilson’s rallying cry of a war “to make the world safe for democracy,” as hypocritical, saying he was sending American boys to die for such principles while simultaneously denying American women their democratic right to vote.

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9
Q

Prior to World War I, the government was largely uninvolved in organized labor. What effect did wartime labor shortages have on government involvement?

A

The federal government became more involved in an effort to deal with the labor shortage.
The wartime need for peaceful and productive industrial relations prompted the federal government to invite organized labor leaders to the negotiating table.

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10
Q

New laws were passed in the years following American involvement in World War I to encourage loyalty and discourage dissidents. Which laws prohibited the use of disloyal language against the United States government?

A

The Sedition Act.

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11
Q

What was the Sedation Act?

A

an act that prohibited any criticism or disloyal language against the federal government and its policies, the U.S. Constitution, the military uniform, or the American flag. More than two thousand persons were charged with violating these laws, and many received prison sentences of up to twenty years.

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12
Q

As men left to fight in the Great War in Europe, employers were left with many open positions. By whom were these positions filled?

A

Women worked the many jobs left open by men who were fighting in Europe but were often fired as the men returned.
More than one million women entered the workforce for the first time as a result of the war, while more than eight million working women found higher-paying jobs. However, after the war ended and men returned home and searched for work, women were fired from their jobs and expected to return home and care for their families.

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13
Q

In an effort to secure enough men of fighting age Congress passed the Selective Service Act in 1917, which required all men aged 21-30 to register for the draft. How could men who fit the requirements be excluded from the draft?

A

be part of a well-recognized religious sect that practices pacifism
When the Selective Service Act of 1917 was passed, it allowed conscientious objectors to register for non-combatant service as long as they were part of a “well-recognized religious sect … whose then existing creed or principles forbid its members to participate in war in any form”.

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14
Q

Worried about national unity in the wake of declaring war, President Wilson initiated a propaganda campaign to quiet dissenters. What message did American propaganda send?

A

The war would make the world safe for democracy.
Hollywood studios and other media outlets cultivated a view of the war that pitted democracy against imperialism and framed America as a crusading nation rescuing Western civilization from medievalism and militarism.

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15
Q

Despite a large number of men shipping off to Europe to fight in the Great War, many remained in the United States and worked on the home front. How were workers’ wages in America affected by the war?

A

They did not see as many economic gains as business owners.
Individual purchasing power actually declined during the war due to the substantially higher cost of living. Business profits, in contrast, increased by nearly a third during the war.

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16
Q

Some Black soldiers who were assigned to the French Army found themselves with a great deal more freedom than what was afforded to them by the American Army. What changed as a result of how Black soldiers were treated in France?

A

Black Americans returned ready to fight in America for the same equal treatment they experienced in France.
French soldiers were generally kind and friendly toward Black Americans. When Black soldiers began to return from France, however, they were met with hostility, anger, and violence. Many Black Americans were not willing to accept post-war racism, triggering a dramatic change in Black communities.

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17
Q

In an effort to ensure that there was enough food to feed both soldiers and civilians, the government passed the Lever Food and Fuel Control Act. What did this Act lead to?

A

The Food Administration encouraged volunteer rationing of food on the home front.
“Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays,” encouraged volunteer rationing by invoking patriotism with the slogan “food will win the war”, with the hope of rationing food for military use.

18
Q

In 1919, both the Eighteenth Amendment, prohibiting alcohol, and the Nineteenth Amendment, giving women the right to vote, were ratified by congress. How did the war affect support for the 18th and 19th amendments?

A

Organizers garnered support for both amendments by making the topics a matter of patriotism.
he 18th amendment was bolstered by the strong anti-German sentiment as it was largely German-descended immigrants who ran breweries. Additionally, the public cry to ration food and grain made prohibition even more patriotic. Supporters of the 19th amendment said Wilson’s rallying cry of a war “to make the world safe for democracy”, was hypocritical as he sent American men to die for such principles while denying American women their democratic right to vote.

19
Q

Sarah wants to do her part to support the war effort but is unable to train as a nurse. What can Sarah do instead?

A

Sarah can buy a liberty bond to support the war.
The Liberty Loan Act allowed the federal government to sell liberty bonds to the American public, extolling citizens to “do their part” to help the war effort.

20
Q

World War I created a labor shortage in America as many young men shipped off to war. How did the labor shortage allow for employees to improve their working conditions?

A

They agreed not to strike in exchange for being able to organize and use collective bargaining.
The federal government promoted the adoption of an eight-hour workday, a living wage for all workers, and union membership.

21
Q

Many Black people moved to different regions of the United States during and immediately following World War I. What kind of reaction were these newly relocated Black Americans met with?

A

Black families were prohibited from settling in certain neighborhoods.

22
Q

The 18th amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol within the United States. How did the American public react to the 18th amendment?

A

Since it did not take effect until after the war had ended, there was widespread opposition.
Almost immediately following the war, the general public began to oppose and violate the law, making it very difficult to enforce.

23
Q

The American First campaign encouraged all Americans, regardless of their country of birth, to think of themselves as Americans first. How was Hans, a German immigrant, affected by this campaign?

A

Hans stopped speaking German for fear of reprisal.
Anti-German sentiment was rampant resulting in some schools banning the teaching of the German language, symphonies refusing to perform music written by German composers, and German Americans being persecuted and their businesses shunned, whether or not they voiced any objection to the war.

24
Q

In 1917, American troops arrived in Europe, ready to reinforce the wearied Allied troops who had been fighting for years. In what area did the fresh American troops make the biggest impact?

A

American troops in France were able to force German troops into a full retreat.
After a series of Allied successes across France from 1917 to 1918, defeat was inevitable for Germany and they were in full retreat.

25
Q

When, in 1919, several letter bombs were found, many Americans became convinced that all radicals must be stopped. How did the United States government respond to the fears of the people?

A

The Palmer Raids began in an effort to arrest those with communist ties.
Palmer raids resulted in the arrests of four thousand alleged American radicals who were detained for weeks in overcrowded cells.

26
Q

At the Paris Peace Conference, other nations agreed to the final terms of the Treaty of Versailles, but the United States required a two-thirds vote from Congress before the treaty could be ratified. What hurdles did the treaty face in the U.S. Senate?

A

Objections from senators who worried about the role of the U.S. under collective security.
Isolationists feared that the requirement of collective security would require extensive American intervention, meanwhile, interventionists argued that it would impede the United States from using her rightfully attained military power to secure and protect America’s international interests.

27
Q

President Wilson hoped to establish the League of Nations to promote his vision of a new world order of developing a moral foreign policy for the entire world. What would be the function of the League of Nations?

A

To diffuse conflicts before they became wars by facilitating talks and negotiations.

28
Q

What was the League of Nations

A

The League of Nations was President Wilson’s idea for an international body that would help diffuse conflicts before they became wars by facilitating talks and negotiations, and pledging collective security in case of aggression.

29
Q

John lost his only son to World War I and was eager to see a change in the White House during the election of 1920. What about Warren G. Harding’s campaign platform most appealed to John?

A

Harding promised to not interfere in international affairs.
Harding stated, “It would be a sorry day for this republic if we allowed our activities in seeking for peace in the Old World to blind us to the essentials of peace at home. If I could choose but one, I had rather have industrial and social peace at home, than command the international peace of all the world.”

30
Q

In 1920, the Democratic Party faced many problems when trying to select a candidate to run against Warren G Harding. What issues did the Democrats face when selecting a candidate?

A

Fighting among democrats threatened to split the party vote.
Political in-fighting among Wilson’s cabinet, most notably between A. Mitchell Palmer and William McAdoo, threatened to split the party convention.

31
Q

President Wilson’s Fourteen Points for a postwar world included self-determination, the right of groups of people to determine their own terms of independence. How did self-determination actually unfold at the Paris Peace Conference?

A

Great Britain, France, Japan, and Italy expanded their colonial holdings by claiming territory in Africa and Asia.
The danger of revolutions elsewhere spurred these allies to use the treaty negotiations to expand their territories and secure their strategic interests, rather than strive towards world peace.

32
Q

In order for the United States to become an official member of the League of Nations, the Treaty of Versailles had to be ratified by the senate. Why did some United States senators vote against joining the League of Nations?

A

Some believed the U.S. would be unable to protect their international interests.
Interventionists argued that it would impede the United States from using its rightfully attained military power to secure and protect America’s international interests since other nations could intervene against the U.S.

33
Q

Both Black and White men fought and died for the United States in World War I. How did this experience affect race relations in the post-war United States?

A

Race riots erupted across America.
Numerous race riots took place in many cities as White soldiers returned to find Black workers in their former jobs and Black soldiers returned with a renewed sense of justice and strength.

34
Q

When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, the Allied forces were close to exhaustion. How did the involvement of the United States change the tide of the war?

A

The U.S. was able to supply fresh troops in France to help push back exhausted German troops.
Two million men of the American Expeditionary Forces had joined British and French armies in a series of successful counter-offensives that pushed the disintegrating German lines back across France putting the Germans in full retreat by the end of July 1918.

35
Q

By 1920, Americans were tired of the Great War dominating their lives and looked forward to a time of normalcy. Why did Warren G. Harding appeal to so many Americans?

A

He backed low taxes, immigration restriction, and noninterference in world affairs.
Despite not being an energetic candidate, Harding offered the people what they wanted, which was to be left alone to live their lives and not become entangled in international problems.

36
Q

From the perspectives of Lenin and Trotsky, President Wilson’s actions appeared to serve the interests of ________ rather than promoting his ideals for democracy and union of nations.

A

imperialists and capitalists

37
Q

In addition to a desire to prevent future wars, which of the following might have motivated President Woodrow Wilson as he composed his Fourteen Points?

A

A concern over the threat of Bolshevism.
The president was concerned about a spread of Bolshevism to other parts of Europe and in America after the successful communist revolution in Russia.

38
Q

President Woodrow Wilson’s call for “peace without victory” reflected his belief that

A

peace must be founded on the equality of rights of nations, great and small.
President Wilson advocated for the equality of rights of all nations, regardless of their size or whether they were on the winning or losing side of the war.

39
Q

Joseph, who is a 25-year-old male, is required to register with the selective service in 1918 but he refuses, stating he is a conscientious objector. What was a valid reason Joseph could give to be granted conscientious objector status?

A

Joseph is a practicing Quaker.
Joseph has a moral objection to war.

40
Q

An individual inspired by President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points most likely would agree with

A

free trade and national self-determination.

41
Q

The 18th and 19th amendments were passed in 1919, as the war was coming to a close. How did the war affect support of both amendments?

A

Both amendments were supported by Wilson’s push to make the world safe for democracy.

42
Q

Otto is a German immigrant who owns a German restaurant in Cincinnati with his wife, Marie, they both support the war. How are Otto and Marie affected by the American First propaganda campaign?

A

Customers boycott their restaurant and they are forced to close.