1. Warm Up: Quote Analysis
“You will be home before the first leaves all from the trees”
– Keiser Wilhelm II to the German Troops
What does this quote say about the initial thoughts of the looming war?

2. Americans in world war i
Unit 9: Lesson 9
Americans in world war i

3. Americans in World War I
LESSON 9
Americans in World War I
Big Idea
American troops helped the Allies achieve victory in World War I.
Main Ideas
American soldiers started to arrive in Europe in 1917.
The Americans helped the Allies win the war.
Germany agreed to an armistice after suffering heavy losses.
The costs of war included millions of human lives as well as financial burdens.
President Woodrow Wilson and European leaders met to work out a peace agreement.
The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles.
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

4. American Soldiers Arrive
Main Idea 1
American soldiers started to arrive in Europe in 1917.
Americans joined the fight in Europe in 1917 as a force separate from the other Allied units.
U.S. troops were known as the American Expeditionary Force.
Led by General John J. Pershing
Thoroughly trained for combat before reaching front lines
Included regular army and National Guard troops, volunteers, and draftees
continued…
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

5. New Government Russia Leaves the War Revolution in Russia
November 1917: a group of Russians known as the Bolsheviks overthrew the Russian government.
Bolsheviks were Communists– people who favor the equal distribution of wealth and the end of all forms of private property.
New Government
Led by Vladimir Lenin
Knew the war had reached a desperate point
Around 8 million Russians had already been killed.
Soldiers were deserting.
Food riots raged in cities.
March 1918: Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers, taking itself out of World War I.

6. Winning the War Main Idea 2
The Americans helped the Allies win the war.
With Russia gone, Germany planned to smash the stalemate.
American soldiers arrived on the front.
Germans made an advance, but were unprepared for the fresh, well-trained American forces and were driven back.
July 1918– German forces launch final offensive
Attempted to cross the Marne River
Terrible losses forced them to stop.
American troops helped force a major turning point in the war.
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

7. Armistice
Main Idea 3
Germany agreed to an armistice after suffering heavy losses.
The Allies drove toward victory after the failed German advance.
More than 1 million U.S. troops in France
Began winning victories against German forces
Austria-Hungary reached a peace accord with the Allies on November 3, 1918
By November 1918, American soldiers were making rapid advance toward Germany.
continued…

8. Casualties Financial Losses The Costs of War
Main Idea 4
The costs of war included millions of human lives as well as financial burdens.
Casualties
Allied: 5 million soldiers dead
American: 116,000 soldiers dead; 200,000 soldiers wounded
Central Powers: 3.5 million soldiers dead
Russia and Germany had the highest death tolls.
Financial Losses
• $30 billion in property destroyed
Factories and farms throughout Europe in ruins
• Allies: $145 billion spent
• Central Powers: $63 billion spent
• European nations deeply in debt
continued…
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

9. The Peace Agreement Main Idea 5
President Woodrow Wilson and European leaders met to work out a peace agreement.
President Woodrow Wilson developed plans for a postwar peace agreement.
Known as the Fourteen Points
Called for the creation of League of Nations, an international assembly of nations.
European leaders disagreed with Wilson’s vision.
Wanted to punish Germany for its role in the war
Wanted to prevent Germany from ever again becoming a world power
Key Goals of the Fourteen Points
End secret alliances
Encourage free shipping
Remove barriers to trade
Reduce armies and navies
Resolve colonial claims
Support the right of people to choose their own government
Settle border disputes
Establish the League of Nations

10. Paris Peace Conference
American and European leaders met at the Paris Peace Conference, held at the palace of Versailles, near Paris.
No representatives from Russia or the Central Powers attended.
Allied leaders demanded that Germany
Accept complete blame for the war
Make reparations, or payments for war damages
Give up large parts of its territory
Wilson reluctantly agreed to this peace agreement, the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles
German reparations of $33 billion
Established the League of Nations
Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia became independent nations.
Poland was restored as a nation
Central Powers turned over their colonies to the League of Nations and dismembered.

11. Treaty of Versailles Rejected
Main Idea 6
The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles.
U.S. Constitution states that treaties must be ratified by at least two- thirds of the Senate.
Wilson presented the treaty to the Senate.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge wanted the winners to set the terms of the peace and demanded changes.
Republicans were worried about the League of Nations’ power to use military force.
On November 19, 1919, the Senate voted and the Treaty of Versailles was defeated.
The United States signed separate peace treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

12. Exit Ticket
What was the result of World War 1?