Wilson and World War One Part I

Woodrow Wilson Believed America was a “city on a hill” A light to the world Saw himself in a messiah role of sorts Brilliant and charismatic President of Princeton University as well as US President of USA President became most powerful man in America under Wilson

Wilson’s Four Principles Concentration of power by gov. leaders Even though he said accountability was important Congressional Government Accountability stems from democratic process Elections Pragmatism No absolute values or laws Things change depending upon need Society was more important than individual “There is nothing private in America. Everything is public”

“New Freedom” Wilson’s presidential campaign Stricter regulation of business Government control of money supply Income tax utilized Good: Prevented business from abusing the lowly Helped society’s marginalized Bad: More power in the hands of government Government could assert its own morality

Three Struggles Wilson had to win over 3 groups Democratic Party Congress American Public

Democratic Party Division w/in Democratic Party Progressives vs. old line Democrats Wilson sided w/ the stronger side Old line democrats Used patronage Rewarded friends Punished enemies Encouraged loyalty

Congress Made own legislative program Personal appearances at the Capitol Personal conferences w/ congressmen Delivered messages to Congress in person Made Congress sit for longest session in its history at that time Passed his “New Freedom” legislation

American Public Great orator Made people believe they were on a moral crusade Informal press releases to influence public

Wilson as President Created the Federal Reserve Board Composed of 12 regional banks Government can control inflation Federal Trade Commission Act Government given more control over commerce Clayton Antitrust Act Government given more power to break up big business Underwood-Simmons Tax Small income tax Social Welfare Legislation (laws enacted to assist individuals) Federal Farm Loan Act Loans to farmers Adamson Act 8 hour day for interstate railroad workers Child Labor Act Prohibited kids under 14 from working in factories

Supreme Court Wilson appointed Louis D. Brandeis In the tradition of Oliver Wendell Holmes Brandeis believed law and morality were relative It was questionable whether or not the Senate would approve Wilson’s nomination Wilson said that they had to approve or he would not favor them through patronage Nomination confirmed

Part II

The Election of 1916 Wilson (Dem) Charles Evans Hughes (Rep) Slogan: “He kept us out of war” WWI going on in Europe at this time Pointed to the legislation he’d passed Charles Evans Hughes (Rep) Left the Supreme Court to accept nomination Also believed in expanded government power Many expected Hughes to win Republicans were majority party

Why Wilson Won Republicans advocated war Or at least building up America’s military in case Lost many votes of German immigrants Hughes appeared less progressive Lost votes of intellectuals/reformers California incident Hughes did not meet with progressive candidate for CA governor, Hiram Johnson Even though they stayed in same hotel Appeared that Hughes snubbed him Story spread, even though it was Johnson who had intentionally avoided Hughes Hughes most likely didn’t know Johnson was there Hughes criticized Wilson as being collectivist Businesses supported Hughes Idea of Democrats being liberal, Republicans being conservative emerged

The Results Close election Hughes confident he had won when he went to bed Phone call to his house shows this “The President has gone to bed” “When he wakes up, tell him he is not the President” Wilson won by 23 electoral votes

4 MAIN Causes of WWI Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism Arms race Alliances Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary, Serbia Triple Entente Britain, France, Russia Imperialism Countries had taken over others all over the world, and therefore competed w/ one another globally Nationalism Belief that one’s country was superior Led people to be cocky about start of war Expected quick, easy victory in months Parades at outbreak of war “War to End All Wars”

MAIN or MANIA? Assassination Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Assassinated by member of “The Black Hand” Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip (19) shot him Sarajevo, Bosnia

World War I 28 July, 1914 – 11 November, 1918 Allies Central Powers Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Romania Central Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria

Pressure Builds in America Lusitania British passenger liner Torpedoed by a German submarine Secretly carrying war materials from US to Britain 1,198 killed, including 124 Americans Many wanted war Wilson remained neutral, made agreements with Germany Germany turned to unrestricted sub warfare Figured it could win war quickly, even if US entered Wilson ended relations with Germany, did not enter war

America Enters Zimmerman Telegram Laconia German minister in Mexico sent message to GER Encouraged alliance w/ MEX against US Mexico to get NM, TX, and AZ if war was won Intercepted by British, given to Americans Laconia Ship torpedoed by U-boat 2 Americans dead US entered war on APR 4, 1917 Enthusiasm Wilson: US fighting “to make the world safe for democracy”

Style of Warfare Trench warfare Naval Warfare Arial Warfare Slow and costly Battle of the Somme 1,100,000 casualties over 7 miles Months long Trenches and machine guns Old war strategies with new weaponry Tanks and barbed wire Naval Warfare British used traditional blockade of Germany Searched goods going from neutral countries into Germany Germans used submarine warfare U-boats Torpedoed suspicious vessels instead of searching them Only way to compete with Britain’s Navy Arial Warfare Planes Sopwith Camel Bricks and bullets Chemical Warfare Mustard Gas

Part III

War Drags On Our Lady of Fatima appeared, begging for peace in the world Compromise possible, but war continued Secret treaty between England/France and Italy They were to get land for joining the allies Confidence in total victory w/ US help US could have helped negotiate peace from their position, but didn’t explore that option

Emperor Charles Austria-Hungary Came to power in 1916 Desired peace, but already in war Concerned with welfare of his people Gave freedoms/rights to different nationalities within his empire Acted as a protector for his people Asked for peace, but no one listened

Fourteen Points A statement by Wilson which he wanted to be the basis for peace negotiations Point 1: Open peace, no secret treaties Upset allies Point 2: Absolute freedom of seas Hurt British naval power Point 5: Free and impartial adjustment of colonies Upset imperial nations Point 10: Self-determination for the peoples of Austria-Hungary Stemmed from belief that Charles needed to be elected to be rightfully in power Charles said that the people near Italy in his territory didn’t want to be Italian, but that Wilson had allowed that His point was rejected Austria-Hungary to be split up according to the various nationalities

US and the War Effort US not militarily prepared for the war Draft Munitions factory Need to train troops and officers Significant US involvement not until 1918 American Expeditionary Force General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing

America and the War’s Final Push Germans launched surprise attack Pushed within 37 miles of Paris Americans arrived Ran into retreating French “Retreat? We just got here!” Forced German retreat Americans helped win a major victory in the Battle of Belleau Wood Stopped another German offensive at the Second Battle of the Marne US on the attack Meuse-Argonne Offensive (SEPT 26, 1918) Airpower plays a significant factor

Armistice An armistice ended WWI Officially signed at 5AM War ended at 11AM on November 11 1918 Celebrated even today Veterans’ Day Poppy Day

Versailles Peace Conference French Palace of Versailles Major Figures Georges Clemenceau France’s Prime Minister (PM) Wanted to punish/weaken Germany, giving France the most strength in continental Europe David Lloyd-George England’s PM Realized long-term danger of harsh punishments English people wanted GER punished, so he pushed for it in order to stay in office Woodrow Wilson Wanted to create international organization which could bring peace to the world through democracy

Compromise at the Conference Wilson wanted to create “League of Nations” Believed it could establish brotherhood of man Wilson opposed harsh punishments FRA threatened to oppose League, so Wilson gave in time and time again “Self-determination” the guiding principle in re-drawing the map Created countries based on language Czechoslovakia (Czechs and Slovaks), Yugoslavia Austria’s South Tyrol given to Italy Because ancient map had shown that the land once belonged to Italy Romania received Hungarian land due to secret treaty Ukraine not allowed to be free of Communist Russia Germany and Austria not united even though they had a common language “but this would mean the establishment of a great central Roman Catholic nation”

The Treaty is Signed Germans told to accept treaty as it was, or else the war would be resumed They begged for revisions Clemenceau refused to allow them Wilson listened to Germany’s objections Versailles Treaty signed as was, June 28th German Kaiser overthrown Power vacuum Lead in part to rise of Nazi Germany

Voting for the “League” in America Senate had to vote to approve League of Nations Senate was Republican and isolationist Henry Cabot Lodge Senate Majority Leader Isolationist and anti-Wilson Said America would never accept the treaty as it was Wilson said he would make no changes Wilson couldn’t get Senate behind it Decided to take it straight to American people Hoping they would get their Senators to back the League

To the People Nationwide tour Wilson had a stroke in Colorado 21 days, 29 cities, 37 speeches “League of Nations is the only thing that can prevent recurrence of this tragedy” Wilson had a stroke in Colorado Paralyzed his left side Wanted to finish tour Wife wouldn’t allow it Bed ridden Wife virtually ran country

The Vote Wilson’s advisors told him to make last second changes to get people to support the League of Nations Wilson refused Treaty was defeated by the Senate They signed a different treaty to end the war Did not allow the US to join the League of Nations Republicans went on to win election of 1920 Warren G. Harding