WWI 1914-1918 Flashcards
German Aggression 1917
German announces they will re-engage in unrestricted submarine warfare They sink 4-5 merchant US ships and they’re being more impacted
Wilson asks for war
April 2nd, 1917. People on east coast are okay with the war because they’re the most impacted. Mid-west doesn’t see the use in fighting, so Wilson puts a progressive message on it that its a crusade for democracy. War declared on 4/6
Wilsons Goals and Propaganda
14 points
No more secret treaties. Open seas and trade, no more tariffs/economic barriers, arms reduction, colonial claims (they’ll just call it mandates), self determination, and league of nations
Wilsons Goals and Propaganda
Committee of Public Information
Leads a committee who gives speeches in town hall meetings, local gatherings, fairs , abuot why they should support the war. See a lot of propaganda
Wilsons Goals and Propaganda
Targets
German Americans are targets. Rename sauerkraut=liberty cabbage, liberty stake. Leads to Espionage Act 1917, targetting German Americans, anti-war groups, unions, socialists. Makes it illegal to criticize the war effort. It’s okay to get rid of freedom in speech in war time is decided in Schneck vs the US 1919.
Organizing for War
Obstacles
-Small army
-little knowledge on how to convert economy to war time
-Fears US gov will take over states rights, economy, limits, and supporting the Robber Barons even though the progressive era was trying to undo that.
Organizing for War
War Industries board
Bernard Baruch lead the board, with the Gov telling them what they need to produce. Board can tell manufacturers what to produce, fix prices. Goes hand in hand with big business, and eliminates small businesses because of these large contracts.
Organizing for War
Volunteerism
Propaganda, and pressure. The food administration supports volunteerism to support the war effort and ration food. They prohibit drinking, so they can use the rye, wheat, etc., for the war effort
Organizing for War
Labor
War Department pushes a work of right rule in 1918. National War labor board encourages employers to keep laborers happy so they don’t strike=increase in wages, less hours. Unions who support war effort memberships increase.
Organizing for War
Money
Liberty loans/bonds= 2/3 of money. if you have money, give it to the gov and they’ll make sure to pay you with interest
Income tax= 1/3 is produced from the 16th amendment. bumps up graduated income tax to 65%.
Draft= Low volunteers. Cannot buy your way out of the draft
Social Change
Great Migration
African Americans moving from the South to the North for jobs. Factories are open because migration is limited because of impossibility of traveling through the Atlantic. Creates racial tension since they’re often used as scabs or union breakers. Creates race riots, like Chicago 1919, 38 killed.
Social Change
Women
Moving to male dominated fields, shifting from traditional jobs. Wilson was dragging his feet in terms of women’s suffrage
Social Change
Prohibition
Passes 18th amendment, for prohibition of alcohol. Uses rye, wheat, for the war effort. Don’t want trenchers getting drunk.
Trench Warfare and Yanks
Unable to deal with the new war machines, so they build trenches. No-man’s land. Very high cost with little gain of land. Flame throwers, submarines, tanks. First mechanized war
US stops German Advance on Paris 1918
1.2 million American soldiers attack from the argon Forest, loosing about 10% in casualties. It was the continued threat of US involvement, when Germany’s resources were almost depleted that they jump into the last year of war. Germans are dying because of the blockade
Armistice, 1918
British don’t remove the blockade despite the fighting being over. Germans continue to starve. Kaiser in Germany is removed from power as per the Allies demand
Peace
Wilson loses support
1918 is an election year, but many are struggling with wartime economy. Fixed prices and limits are hurting people, espeiclaly farmers who’s price of wheat is fixed, so they’re not making as much. Eastern business men are upset about income tax. Laborers aren’t happy with inflation.
Peace
Democrats Lose congressional majority in 1918
Weakens Wilson’s power overseas. The treaty signed has to be approved by our senate. Despite losing support, he doesn’t include the Republicans in the Paris Peace Commission.
Peace
Paris Peace Conference
Clemenceau, George, and Orlando hate Wilson. They chip away at Wilson’s 14 points, until Wilson only wants a league of nations. Transition to a mandate state instead of colonialism. Make Germany sign the War Guilt Clause, stating that it was all Germany’s fault for the war, meaning they had to pay 300 billion dollars.
Peace
Treaty of Versailles-
Opposition
Isolationists hate the league of nation because it involves them in all foreign wars of allies across the ocean. Anti-German groups see the treaty as not harsh enough. republicans upset with Wilson’s grand standing throughout Europe (parades). Didn’t like the idea that if any member of the league got attacked, they would have to fight them too. Doesn’t want to go across the world.
Peace
Treaty of Versailles-
Support
Wilson skips congress and goes to the people like he did with the Tariff. He’ll collapse during a speech, his wife taking over his presidential duties
Peace
Treaty of Versailles-
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
Doesn’t want to be flung off into another country. He attatches the Lodge Amendment (14) to the Treaty. People refuse to let it go so the case is dropped. He re-attaches it and it gets dropped again. This is never going to work because of their stuborness, so they make a new treaty with Germany, no longer included in Treaty of Versailles or League of Nations
