World War I
History M25 - Krister Swanson - Moorpark
College
The European Crisis
- late 1800’s worldwide imperialism à
- alliances (Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente) & arms buildup
(Industrialism)
- Assassination of Archduke triggers war: Russia backs up Serbia, Germany
backs up A-H & attacks France (Russia’s ally)
"Over There"
Schlieffen plan stalls
trench warfare ensues (new weapons + old tactics)
Major offensives fail, 3 year stalemate
Millions of casualties in first industrialized war
American Neutrality
- neutrality "…in thought and in action"
- increasing economic involvement
- many important ?s:
- April, 1917: The United States Enters the War (Lusitania & Zimmerman
Telegram)
The Crusade for Democracy
- The Call to Arms (Selective Service, AEF) mobilization takes some time
- The Progressive Stake in the War (government agencies take over industry,
food production, etc,)
- Women, War, and the Battle for Suffrage
- Rally around the Flag, or Else (Espionage & Sedition Acts limit dissent)
Life at Home
- Gov’t agencies formed to manage resources
- War bonds sold to raise $$$
- WIB mobilizes industry
- WLB handles labor relations
- Hoover manages food production
- Assembly line speeds production
War Changes Society
- African Americans move to northern cities for jobs (Great Migration)
- Mexicans migrate to the southwest (Revolution in Mexico)
- Women make gains in the workplace and in politics
War is Met With Dissent
- Pacifists against all wars
- Socialists (IWW) label war a capitalist evil
- German immigrants refuse to fight countrymen, Irish won’t help British
Gov’t Responds to dissent
- Espionage Act prohibited sending "treasonous" materials, interfering with
recruitment, disclosing information related to defense ($10k & 20 years)
- Sedition Act prohibited "disloyal" utterances - criticizing the government
(punish for anything gov’t doesn’t agree with)
- SC rules freedoms aren’t absolute
- Committee for Public Information spreads propaganda
United States Swings Tide
- Russia collapses, Germany gains in west (June & July of 1918)
- Our troops help with defending Paris & counter-offensives
- Battles of Belleau Wood & the Argonne Forest
- Germany surrenders 11/11 in the 11th hour (Treaty of Versailles)
- Massive casualties & destruction
A Compromised Peace
- Wilson’s Fourteen Points – progressive peace, aim to end future conflicts
- League of Nations
- The Paris Peace Conference – GB & France demand reparations, no peace
without victory
- The Fight for the Treaty – Wilson campaigns for League but fails
Democracy at Risk
- Economic Hardship and Labor Upheaval
- The Red Scare
- Postwar Politics and the Election of 1920