Unit 14 flashcards
Who was in the Triple Entente
France, Great Britian, and Russia
Who was in the Triple Alliance
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Reasons America joined the war
- RMS Lusitania (On May 7, 1915, the British passenger ship RMS Lusitania was attacked on its way from New York City to Liverpool, England. The German Embassy in the United States had warned that this ship would be subject to attack because it was carrying ammunition, an allegation that later proved true. Nonetheless, almost 1,200 civilians died in the attack, including 128 Americans. The attack shocked the world and tested President Wilson’s desire to stay out of what had been a largely European conflict.)
- Despite the reasons for neutrality, Wilson felt increasing pressure to make sure the country was ready in the event the U.S. had to enter the war. He agreed to a preparedness campaign. A preparedness campaign is the steps a country takes to ready itself for war, including collecting weapons and strengthening armed forces. This campaign included the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916, which more than doubled the size of the army to nearly 225,000. The Naval Appropriations Act of 1916 called for the expansion of the U.S. naval fleet, including battleships, destroyers, submarines, and other ships.
- The Zimmermann Telegram
- Another key factor was division in the United States. There were deep ethnic divisions between native-born Americans, mostly from Northern Europe, and more recent immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. For those of Anglo-Saxon descent, the nation’s historic and ongoing relationship with Great Britain was paramount. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Americans considered Great Britain a natural ally and demanded the U.S. go to war in its support.
By March 1918, the Germans had won in the eastern theater, between Russia and Austria-Hungary, and were quickly moving toward Allied lines. How did this affect American troop traiing
In response, the French and British asked United States President Woodrow Wilson to skip extensive training for U.S. troops and instead send them to the Western Front immediately.
(Wilson deployed American troops and designated General John J. Pershing as commander. The American army that fought in France under Pershing’s command was called the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).)
New naval strategies involved the use of
battleships and submarines
how were ariplanes used
Airplanes were used to observe enemy troops and were eventually outfitted with weapons to carry out attacks.
On the ground, armies used
On the ground, armies used large machine guns, tanks, and deadly poison gas attacks.
roles American womene took during the watr
American women took on new roles and assisted in the war effort both at home and abroad. Many women served overseas as nurses in the military and war relief organizations. A small group of women served as bilingual telephone switchboard operators in France.
Once President Wilson was committed to war, he needed to quickly pivot from his position of neutrality. He also needed to convince all Americans to support the war. Wilson created a new government agency called the
Committee on Public Information.
Selective Service Act of 1917
required all men aged 21–30 to register for the draft.
Selective Service Act of 1918
In 1918, the act was expanded to include all men between the ages of 18–45.
conscientious objectors.
A conscientious objector is a person who refuses to serve in the armed forces on moral or religious grounds.
Espionage Act of 1917
The Espionage Act of 1917 prohibited any efforts to aid to the enemy by spying, or espionage, and forbade any attempts to interfere with the U.S. military’s wartime actions.
Sedition Act of 1918
The Sedition Act of 1918, an extension of the Espionage Act, prohibited any public criticism against the federal government and its policies, the U.S. Constitution, the military uniform, or the American flag.
Department of Justice role in the espionage act and sedition act
s. In addition, a larger national organization—the American Protective League—received support from the Department of Justice to investigate suspected traitors. Some members of the American Protective League were known to engage in intimidation, harassment, surveillance, and even violence.
