WW1 Flashcards
Who was apart of the Triple Alliance(Central Powers)?
Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
Who was apart of the Triple Entente?
Britain, France and Russia
What was the immediate cause for the start of WW1?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
When did WW1 start?
August 1914
Why did America try to remain neutral during WW1?
Their policy of isolationism of which is the policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other countries
What did Germany do to cause America to join WW1?
-Germany began sinking US merchant ships trading with Britain to try to win by starving them
-May 7 1915 the British luxury ocean linear Lusitania was destroyed by a German U-Boat killing 1198 out of 1959 people of which 128 were American
What was the Zimmerman telegram?
It was a secret message from Germany to Mexico promising that if war broke out it would help recover Mexico’s lost territory in the USA, i.e. Texas, New Mexico and Arizona
What did Woodrow Wilson believe would happen if the US provided support to the allies?
That America would play an important role in shaping settlement at the end of the war by ensuring a ‘future peace’ and a world safe for democracy (League of Nations)
What economic impact did WW1 have on the US?
-Traded with Britain throughout the war exporting food, raw materials and munitions
-Picked up markets Europe couldn’t produce for
-Took over Germany as the leading producer of fertilizer, dyes and chemical products
-Advancements in technology and new materials helped the USA become a world leader
What industry impact did WW1 have on the US?
-Could mobilise workers to increase production with union support
-New forces of labour: women and African Americans
-New technology and inventions lead to increase in production
What influences many Americans views on the US’s involvement in WW1?
They were often influenced by their individual country of origin
When did Woodrow Wilson declare war on Germany and what did he state?
-April 1917
-‘the world must be made safe for democracy’
What force was sent to France, when did they arrive and who were they under?
-The American Expeditionary Forces
-June 1917
-Commander-in-Chief John J Pershing
What did Government agencies take over during WW1 while the soldiers were fighting?
The management of railways, food production, fuel and employment from private enterprise, and experts were appointed to run these agencies
What was done and what was encouraged in order to further contribute to the war effort?
-Taxes on individuals and corporations rose substantially
-Americans were urged to buy Liberty Saving Bonds also known as Liberty loans
What was the CPI and when was it formed?
-The Committee on Public Information
-April 1917
What advertising techniques did the CPI develop and what was the goal?
-Distribution of pamphlets, posters, film, and newspaper advertisement
-To shape public opinion, foster patriotism and support the war
What did The Sedition Act of 1918 make illegal?
Made it an offence to speak critically of the federal government
What was the IWW (also known as the Wobblies) and when was it founded?
-International Workers of the World
-1905
-Group of socialists who believed that workers should be organised by industries and instead of seeking agreement with employers, should take direct action such as strikes to achieve their aims
What did some women’s suffragists believe war would ensure and what did they do?
-Wartime service would ensure them the vote
-Selling war bonds, working in war production and taking on male jobs
When was the Nineteenth Amendment passed and what did it do?
-1920
-Barred states from using gender as a qualification for the suffrage and gave American women the right to vote
What did women reformers believe prohibition would protect?
Women from domestic violence at the hands of drunken husbands and from poverty when the family wages were spent on alcohol
When did 18 American states introduce prohibition and when/ what Act permitted prohibition under the Eighteenth Amendment?
-1914
-The Volstead Act 1920
What was the Great Migration?
The mass movement of African Americans from the agricultural South to the industrial cities in the north-east
