Section 3: US Involvement in WWI CHAPTER 13 World War I and the Russian Revolution Section 1: Setting the Stage for War Section 2: World War I: A New Kind of War Section 3: US Involvement in WWI Section 4: The Russian Revolution Section 5: The Terms of Peace

Bell Ringer – Day 3 Setting the Stage for War Should the United States get involved in protecting other countries from attack? Why or Why Not?

I. Entry of the United States Section 3 I. Entry of the United States Most Americans had agreed with President Woodrow Wilson’s declaration in 1914 that the United States should be neutral and that the war was strictly a European affair. America was isolationist. “Why should I get involved in someone else’s problems?”

B. The US supplied food, raw materials, B. The US supplied food, raw materials, and munitions (weapons/ammunition) to France and Great Britain.   In order to keep supplies from reaching their enemies, each country enforced a naval blockade of the other.

C. In 1915 German submarines (U-Boats). begin a practice known as C. In 1915 German submarines (U-Boats) begin a practice known as unrestricted submarine warfare.   Germany warned that military, cargo, and passenger ships may be sunk.

D. In May 1915, Germany sank the. British passenger ship Lusitania, D. In May 1915, Germany sank the British passenger ship Lusitania, killing nearly 1,200 civilians (130 Americans) and causing strong protests by the American government. The Lusitania was caring secret war materials to England from New York.

E. Wilson still wanted the US to stay neutral E. Wilson still wanted the US to stay neutral. In 1916 he campaigned for president on promise “He kept us out of war.” In what was a very close election, Wilson’s victory was linked to his promise of further neutrality.

F. In January 1917, the British decoded a F. In January 1917, the British decoded a secret telegram sent from German foreign minister Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico. The telegram proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico. Germany offered to help Mexico regain Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas if it would fight on Germany’s side.

(above) Zimmermann Telegram as Received by the German Ambassador to Mexico, 01/19/1917 (right) decoded words

Zimmermann Telegram: Decoded Message

G. Count down to US involvement. 1. Jan 1917 – Zimmermann telegram 2. Feb 1917 – Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare, again. 3. German U-boats sank four unarmed American merchant vessels. 4. March 1917 - Russian revolution President Wilson addressed Congress, saying, “…the world must be made safe for democracy.” On April 6, 1917, Congress voted to declare war on Germany.

H. The entry of the US changed the War. Though large numbers of American troops did not arrive until 1918, the Allies (France and Britain) were given a powerful psychological boost as well as money and supplies.

The Home Front: Impact of War World War I became a total war that required a complete mobilization of people and resources.   It demanded the total commitment of the countries involved, soldiers and civilians alike.

Propaganda in the War Government created Committee on Public Information Goal—to sell the war to America posters, movies, songs Anti-Germanism on the rise

Convincing the American People Propaganda Posters How do you think these posters helped to convince the American people that the war was a good idea?

The “Mad Brute”

U.S. Mobilizes for War Selective Service Act is passed in Congress- men between 21 and 30 can be drafted Oftentimes conscientious objectors were sentenced to prison, but others were given noncombatant roles in the military in order to protect their individual rights of religious freedom.

How are Germans portrayed in this poster?

Governments set up planned. economies, which included economic Governments set up planned economies, which included economic controls, food and material rationing, regulated transportation, and controls on imports and exports.

Women assumed new roles during World War I, and they kept the US economy going by taking over jobs previously held only by men.  

Government Excess & Threats to the Civil Liberties of Americans 1. Espionage Act – 1917 - for persons who tried to incite rebellion in the armed forces or obstruct the operations of the draft. - made it a crime for a person to mail or print information that inspired dissent against the American war effort or promoted its enemies.

2. Sedition Act – 1918 - it was a crime to speak against the purchase of war bonds or willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the US Govt., the US Constitution, or the US armed forces.

3. Schenck v. United States – 1919 - in ordinary times the mailing of the leaflets would have been protected by the 1st Amendment. - BUT; every act of speech must be judged according to the circumstances in which it was spoken. - If an act of speech posed a clear and present danger, then Congress had the power to restrain such speech. In the US, people’s civil liberties may be legally restricted during times of increased national security.