The Great War: World War I, 1914-1918 Source: Nash

I. The Early War Years

Causes of the War Improved technology and industrialization also fostered a new sense of nationalism among the countries of the world A growing rivalry over European trade, colonies, and spheres of influence in Africa and Asia

Causes, continued… The large European powers began an industrial arms race followed by a system of national treaties and alliances that would compel most of the world to declare war at the slightest incident The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in June of 1914 delivered such an incident

New Military Technology The new industrialism meant new advances in the science of warfare Rapid-firing rifles, improved explosives, motorized Gatlin guns, and enormous artillery pieces Airplanes, poison gas and trench warfare strategies

Neutrality Despite President Wilson’s call for American neutrality, nationalism inherent in the numbers of American immigrants tipped the balance in the Allies favor Ultimately, most Americans believed that France and England were fighting to preserve human culture against barbarians

The United States Enters the War

Deciding for War Wilson’s reelection in 1916 seemed to support American neutrality Wilson outlined a plan for “peace without victory” The German leaders thought they could win a world war and rejected Wilson’s attempt at negotiation Interception of the Zimmerman telegram virtually guaranteed the entry of America into the war

A Patriotic Crusade For most Americans, the war was a remote ideal The Committee of Public Information was designed to flood American with nationalistic, anti-German propaganda about the seriousness of the situation The Espionage, Sedition, and Trading With the Enemy Acts limited the freedoms of Americans

The Military Experience

Over There The United States entered the World War in the spring of 1917 after three years of European fighting The U.S. entered the war late and had lost little compared to Britain and France

A Global Pandemic In the fall of 1919 brought the end of the Great War and the beginning of the Spanish Flu epidemic that claimed the lives of over 43,000 American servicemen, 675,000 Americans overall, and 40 million people worldwide in the space of little more than two years

Domestic Impact of the War

Finances and the Federal Government World War I cost the United States over $33 billion in 1918 dollars The Federal government was organized to fight food shortages, promote scientific advancement, and take over operation of the railroads

Suffrage for Women In the fall of 1918, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for support to get the women’s right to vote While many still opposed women suffrage, careful organization and planning by women’s clubs produced demonstrations and arguments that the government could no longer ignore The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920

PLANNING FOR PEACE Woodrow Wilson turned U.S. participation in the war into a religious crusade to change the nature of international relations January 8, 1918, Wilson announced his Fourteen Points, a plan to organize the peace Open covenants of peace Freedom of the seas Equality of trade Self-determination for all peoples A League of Nations to preserve peace

THE VERSAILLES PEACE CONFERENCE Wilson headed the delegation to the peace conference at Versailles Delegation did not include any Republicans despite the fact the Republicans controlled Congress From Austro-Hungarian empire, conference created Austria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Also created Poland, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania France was to occupy the industrial Saar region of Germany for 15 years Italy gained the port of Trieste All these decisions made without the input of small European nations or of Soviet Russia Wilson gave into demand for German reparations, lost much of its oil and coal territory and had to admit war guilt Wilson also accepted a mandate system to deal with former colonies and refused to support a call for racial equality introduced by Japan

THE VERSAILLES PEACE CONFERENCE German people felt betrayed Wilson also did not win approval for freedom of the seas or the abolition of trade barriers Did win approval of the League of Nations Council of five great powers Elected delegates from smaller countries World Court to settle disputes Article X which pledged all members to help preserve other members against external aggression

WILSON’S FAILED DREAM Most Americans supported the concept of the League of Nations in the summer of 1919 though the Senate refused to endorse the treaty During a national tour to win support for the treaty, Wilson collapsed, was rushed back to Washington and suffered a massive stroke Senate killed the league treaty in March 1920