20. The First World War
I. Problems of neutrality – Wilson says be neutral in thought/deed
A. Submarines – British navy blockades German ports, u-boats only way to fight back
1. Lusitania – part cruise ship, part munitions transport
2. At first Germany gives Sussex Pledge, don’t shoot without warning, but then…
B. Economic ties – America was in a recession – JP Morgan and bankers loan money
1. Military orders from France and Britain huge
C. Psychological and ethnic ties – align with British – control propaganda/Kaiser embodies autocrat
1. Germany’s strike on neutral Belgium – makes Germans look like Huns
2. Wilson an anglophile
3. 11 million w/ ties to Germany/Austria-Hungary – recent immigrants
II. Preparedness and pacifism – Teddy Roosevelt pushes for war – cries of America to stay out
A. Russia turns communist and drops out, now America can fight for “democracy”
B. 1915 – Council of National Defense – look into how to mobilize for war/launched shipbuilding
C. Most labor unions support war, except for IWW “Wobblies)
III. Mobilization
A. Fighting the war – army ranked 15th – Americans feared gov’t intervention
1. Doughboys – conscription – no draft dodgers to buy selves out – 18-45 register
2. Work or fight
3. America’s biggest contribution through food/munitions – only two big battles
B. Financing the war – no forced rationing- propaganda – Herbert Hoover controls food admin.
1. Voluntary – farm production increased
2. Victory Loan Drives “Halt the Hun” – 1/5 of all money, $21 billion
a) Extreme peer pressure to buy war bonds
3. Rest of money from taxes
C. War boards – gov’t tries to takes over production
1. Bernard Baruch – War Industries Board – not effective – companies want laissez faire
D. Propaganda, public opinion, civil liberties
1. George Creel – Committee of Public Information – sell America on war and war aims
a) Four-minute men to give speeches, posters, billboards, booklets, movies
b) World expects too much – inspired with passion to want to buy bonds/participate
2. German-Americans targeted – blamed for diarrhea, sickness, spying – some tarred
a) Espionage Act – Sedition Act – anything against America can be jailed
(1) Targeted anti-war socialists, and union leaders (IWWW)
(2) Pardons given once war over, but civil liberties still broken
IV. Wilson's Fourteen Points – Wilson idealist – “make the world safe for democracy” – goal to prevent war
A. No treaties, freedom of seas, reduce military
B. Self-determination – let peoples decide their fate
C. Create League of Nations to settle international disputes
D. Treaty of Versailles – Idealist Wilson vs. Imperialist Europeans who want revenge
1. Punishes Germany – unrealistic reparations, demilitarize, accept full blame
E. Ratification fight – League of Nations – Senate can’t lose war declaration power
1. America’s history of avoiding entangling alliances
a) Senate – Henry Cabot Lodge – afraid of Article X – must fight in war
2. Strong German sentiment in Mid-West makes Wilson’s tour unsuccessful
3. America’s refusal makes League powerless and America looks pathetic not agreeing to what they proposed
V. Postwar demobilization – America wants to return to normalcy – keep economy going, go America
A. Red scare – Russian communism spreading – Crusade against left-wingers – anti-Americans
1. Palmer Raids – Mitchell Palmer arrest anyone considered radical
B. Labor strife – gov’t goes back to laissez faire – helping corps. – unions look red/communist
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