1. If you’ve kept up on your homework –this lecture should mostly be Review

2. What changed between 1914 and 1917 that caused US to enter war?
Woodrow Wilson
-- Became president in 1912
1914: United States is neutral
-- Neutral: not take a side in a conflict or disagreement
"The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days...We must be impartial in thought, as well as action" - Wilson Aug. 19, 1914

3. Lusitania Sinks!
May 7, German u-boat sunk a British cruise ship "Lusitania“ 1,957 people on board 1,200 people died (128 Americans)
US claimed Lusitania carried innocent cargo and the torpedoing was a monstrous German atrocity. Actually, the Lusitania was heavily armed: 1248 cases of shells 4927 boxes of cartridges 2000 more small-arms ammunition

4. Wake Up, America! Americans outraged at the death of Americans
Pressure on Wilson to declare war on Germany Wilson refused, urged restraint US citizens should be able to travel safely at sea Future sinking are "deliberately unfriendly"
"Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is warfare against mankind...
Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved. The world must be made safe for democracy.”
---Woodrow Wilson April 2, 1917

5. US Enters the War April 2-6, 1917 – War declared on Germany Causes:
Germany's continued u-boat attacks
Zimmerman Telegram German telegram sent to Mexico gov't, fueled anti-German feelings
Russian Revolution
Overthrow the czar (ultimate ruler) and hope to install democracy Easier for Wilson to support Allies

6. Significance of:
Selective Service Act: required young men to register for the draft
Herbert Hoover: Wilson's Food Administration head, boost food production to feed troops/Allies
Liberty Bonds: bonds that helped raise money for the war Loan to gov't Redeem money plus interest at future date

7. Recognizing Propaganda
US gov't published during WWI
Posters use strong language, exaggerated images
Purpose: buy bonds to help American stay free from German influence
Up to Dec. 10, the US made the following loans to the allied nations:
Great Britain $1,780,000,000 France 1,070,000,000 Italy ,000 Russia ,000 Belgium ,000 Serbia Romania 3, Total $3,541,200,000

8. After the U.S. declared war on Germany, many Americans still held strong anti-war feelings. To persuade Americans to support the decision and to mobilize for action, the government used propaganda.
Military service as heroic
England, France, and US depicted as civilized. Germany shown as a mad brute.
First appears in WWI

9. The U.S. sees the horror of war
1. US gives struggling French and British troops aid
2. Americans enter the war when: Allies lost millions of soldiers trench troops exhausted/ill civilians near starvation
3. Russia withdraws from war - Bolsheviks take power in 1917
4. Russia and Germany sign peace treaty March Russia gives up lots of land to Germany - Germany now focus on Western Front

10. THE FLU! Spanish Flu / La Gripe
Two waves of flu kill more people than did the war ~20-40 million people

11. ACTIVITY:
1. Create your own propaganda poster that reflects the a specific point of view.
2. On the back of your poster, analyze your propaganda. Use complete sentences. 1 paragraph (Claim, support (what element did you use), comm (how does that propaganda element serve your poster’s intention?), support, comm, conclusion)
Demonization – Portraying the enemy as purely evil, menacing, murderous, and aggressive. This tool becomes more powerful when the enemy can be blamed for committing atrocities against women, children, or other noncombatants. Emotional Appeals –Playing on people’s emotions to promote the war effort (fear) Propagandists create their work based on the premise that the more frightened a person is by a communication, the more likely he or she is to take action. Patriotic Appeals - Using patriotic language or symbols to appeal to people’s national pride. Half-Truths or Lies - Blaming the enemy for complete responsibility for the war and portraying one’s own country as a victim of aggression is a common propaganda tool. Catchy Slogans - “Remember the Maine!” and “Remember the Alamo!” have been very successful in motivating Americans to strongly support the use of arms against the enemy. Evocative Visual Symbols - Using symbols that appeal to people’s emotions— like flags, statues, mothers and children, and enemy uniforms—to promote the war effort. Humor or Caricatures – Capturing the viewer’s attention through the use of humor to promote the war effort. The enemy is almost always the butt of the jokes used by propagandists.