Winning the War Chapter 11 Section 3
Waging Total War All the nation’s resources directed toward the war effort Economy Raised taxes Rationing (food, clothes, fuel, etc.) Forbidding strikes Fixing prices Culture Conscription (“the draft”) Forced civilian labor Propaganda Censorship
Total War Economic Warfare Result: Britain formed blockade in North Sea Confiscated all goods, not just contraband, contrary to international law Result: “Turnip Winter” of 1916-1917 Retaliation
Total War 1915 – Germany declared it would use U-boats to sink all ships carrying goods to Britain May – Sinking of the Lusitania 1,200 passengers killed, 128 Americans Germans said it was carrying weapons Fallout America threatened to cut of relations
Total War Germany agreed to restrict submarine warfare U-boat would surface, give warning, and allow neutral passengers to escape in lifeboats
Total War Propoganda Censorship Complete casualty figures, discouraging news Some art, literature, film, historical writings France and Germany urged civilians to loan money to government Allies circulated tales of atrocities
Total War Women Women had to give up jobs after war Kept economies going at home Took over factory jobs Grew food Women’s Land Army-during food shortages in Britain Nurses Women had to give up jobs after war Proved women could handle dangerous and demanding jobs Britain, Germany, and the U.S. gave women right to vote after the war.
Morale Collapses Britain nearly bankrupt Germany sending 15yr olds to the front War fatigue Soldiers in France mutinied, Italians deserted, people were calling for peace
Revolution in Russia Stories of incompetent generals and corruption eroded public confidence March 1917 – Bread Riots in St. Petersburg Became revolution that unseated Tsar Welcomed even among Allies who hoped it would bring democracy and strength
Revolution in Russia Lenin came to power with promise of pulling out of war Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) ended Russia’s participation in the war
The U.S. Declares War Germany, in hopes of ending war quickly, resume unrestricted submarine warfare President Wilson angry Zimmermann Telegram British intercept German telegram to Mexico Proposes Germany would help Mexico “reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona” in return for support against the U.S.
Declaring War April 6, 1917 Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany “to make the world safe for democracy.” Within a year 2 million soldiers were ready to join the fight in Europe Gave Allies a morale boost We provided much needed financial aid
The 14 Points January 1918 (almost 10 months before war would end) Wilson issued a list for resolving this and future wars Fourteen Points included: Freedom of the seas Free trade Arms reduction No secret treaties Self-determination for Eastern Europe (especially Balkans) The creation of a “general association of nations” Becomes the basis for the League of Nations and later the United Nations
Victory at Last Germans launch huge offensive in March of 1918, hoping to win before U.S. enters war. Counterattack pushes Germans out of France September—Germany knows it can’t win November—Kaiser flees to Netherlands Germany and other Central Powers seek an armistice War ends November 11, 11 a.m., 1918.