U4L5 Entering the War Flashcards
Even though President Wilson tried to stay out of war, why did he begin to make a stronger army and navy?
Even as he was trying to make peace, Wilson knew that the United States might be drawn into the war.
During Wilson’s run for re-election who was he up against?
Charles Even Hughes
What was Hughes’s view on the war?
Hughes also favored neutrality
What did Democrats portray Hughes as?
Democrats were able to portray him as a warmonger, or person who tries to stir up war.
Who won the election?
President Wilson
Why did Wilson break off diplomatic relationships with Germany?
In a desperate effort to break the Allied blockade, Germany had already decided to renew submarine warfare. Germany warned neutral nations that after February 1, 1917, its U-boats would have orders to sink any ship nearing Britain. German leaders knew that renewed U-boat attacks would probably bring the United States into the war. They gambled that they would defeat the Allies before American troops could reach Europe. To protest Germany’s action, Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany.
What did Arthur Zimmerman do?
Arthur Zimmermann, Germany’s foreign secretary, had sent a secret note to the German minister in Mexico.
What was the letter that Zimmerman gave Mexico called?
The Zimmermann telegram
What did the Zimmerman telegram tell the German minister in Mexico?
The Zimmermann telegram instructed the minister to urge Mexico to attack the United States if the United States declared war on Germany. In return, Germany would help Mexico win back its “lost provinces” in the American Southwest, which would include all of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
How did the Zimmermann telegram changed America’s view on the war?
The Zimmermann telegram Mande Americans anti-German
What other 2 events pushed the United Stares closer to war?
- German submarines sank several American merchant ships
2. A Revolution in Russia drove Czar Nicholas II from power
What were czars?
Russian emperors
Before the war what did people think about the czars?
Several times in the 1800s and early 1900s, Russians revolted against czarist rule. Their efforts ended in failure.
During the beginning of the World War, how was the relationship between the czars and they’re people?
When the war in Europe began in 1914, Russians united behind the czar.
As the war went on, why did Russian citizen start to rebel again?
As the war brought heavy losses at the front and economic hardship at home, discontent resurfaced. In March 1917, riots protesting the shortage of food turned into a revolution. The czar was forced to step down. Revolutionaries then set up a Provisional Government and called for democratic reforms.
Why did the rebellion in Russia, make it easier for the U.S. to join the Allied cause?
President Wilson welcomed the Russian Revolution. He was a firm believer in democracy, and it was against his principles to be an ally of an absolute ruler. Without the czar, it would be easier for Wilson to support the Allied cause.
When did Wilson and congress sign the declare war?
April 6, 1917
What was the Selective Service Act?
It required all men from ages 21 to 30 to register for the military draft.
How many Native Americans enlisted for the war? How was this different from
past wars?
At first, the armed forces did not allow African Americans in combat. When the government abandoned this policy, more than 2 million African Americans registered for the draft. Nearly 400,000 were accepted for duty. They were formed into segregated “black only” units that were commanded mostly by white officers. Still, African Americans rallied to the war effort.
How many native Americans enlisted for the war?
Many American Indians were not citizens, so they could not be drafted. Large numbers of American Indians enlisted anyway. One family of Winnebago Indians provided 35 volunteers! They served together in the same unit.
What percentage of the soldiers were unable to read?
25%
How was the military different for many of the new soldiers?
It was their first exposure to military authority and discipline. It was the first time most had ventured outside their farms and villages, let alone outside their country. Some had never taken regular baths or eaten regular meals before. Others had never used indoor plumbing.
What did the military teach many young Americans?
It taught millions of young Americans not only how to fight but also how to read, how to eat nutritious meals, and how to care for their daily health needs.
What did the illiteracy rates influence?
reform public education
….
State and local school boards lengthened the school day and required students to spend more years in school. They raised teacher-training standards. More truancy officers patrolled the streets. By 1920, nearly 75 percent of all school-age children were enrolled in school.
