american history section 4
Discuss some of the changes that occurred inside the United States as result of the Senate's declaration of war.
--Money was raised through higher taxes and the sale of war bonds to pay for the war effort --FOOD and FUEL in particular were rationed --A lot of anti-German propaganda was produced --There was a severe labor shortage, so unionized workers were paid and treated well --Many women entered the work force, often performing male-dominated jobs --Private citizens formed societies to be on the lookout for German spies --In an expression of anti-German sentiment, German stopped being taught in schools, German books were removed from libraries, sauerkraut was renamed "liberty cabbage", etc.
Though prior to April 1917 the U.S. was officially neutral, it didn't always act neutral. Give 2 examples of actions taken by the U.S. that benefitted the Allies.
1. American manufacturers sold millions of dollars of war materials to the Allies 2. American banks loaned millions of dollars to the Allies
President Wilson did two things after the Germans violated the Sussex Pledge and resumed unrestricted u-boat warfare in February 1917. What were they?
1. He cut diplomatic relations with Germany 2. He ordered the arming of American merchant ships
Give 3 reasons why the majority of Americans came to favor the Allied Powers in the war.
1. Strong historical and cultural ties to Britain, as well as a common language 2. A sense of indebtedness to France for its help during the American Revolution 3. Anti-German propaganda, especially that produced by the British, which depicted the Germans as bloodthirsty savages
List 4 new weapons that were used in the war.
1. machine guns 2. airplanes 3. tanks 4. poison gas
Approximately how many people died in WWI?
10 million
At what hour, on what day of what month, and in what year did the guns of WWI finally stop firing?
11:00am, November 11, 1918
Gavrilo Princip--
A member of the radical Serbian nationalist group the Black Hand, which was committed to carrying out acts of terrorism against Austria-Hungary. Princip assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his fat wife Sophie (who wasn't really fat).
Austria-Hungary--
As Turkey's control over the Balkans diminished, Austria-Hungary saw an opportunity to spread its influence in the region. This increasingly brought it into conflict with Serbia. After Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, Austria-Hungary asked for support from its main ally Germany, then declared war on Serbia.
Who were the Central Powers as of 1914?
Austria-Hungary and Germany
Why did the sinking of the British passenger ship the Lusitania in May 1915 turn American public opinion increasingly against Germany?
Because 128 Americans were killed in the sinking.
Trench Warfare--
Beginning in about September 1914, both the Central Powers and the Allied Powers began digging into trenches on the Western Front (region of eastern France where the main action took place). The trenches served as protection from such modern weapons as machine guns. The two sides would shell each other's trenches, and periodically they would come up out of their trenches and advance on the enemy. This was called "going over the top".
Bosnia--
Bosnia was a small state in the Balkans that bordered both Serbia and Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia in 1908, an act that outraged many Serbians, who believed Bosnia should be under their control. It was in the Bosnian capitol of Sarajevo that the Austro-Hungarian archduke, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by the radical Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip in June 1914.
The Balkans--
Considered the "powder keg" of Europe in the early 20th century, the Balkans is a volatile region of southern Europe consisting of countries like Serbia, Albania, and Bulgaria. The region has long been torn by ethnic and religious conflict, as well as territorial disputes. The problems in this region ultimately caused the outbreak of WWI.
Who were the Allied Powers as of 1914?
France, Russia, Britain
France, Britain, Italy, and the United States all had different goals for the Paris Peace Conference. What were they?
France: make Germany pay (financially) for war damages; severely punish and weaken Germany so it would cease to be a threat Britain: make Germany pay for war damages; preserve and even expand its EMPIRE Italy: gain territory in the defeated Austro-Hungarian Empire United States: spread democracy and prevent future wars
Who was in overall command of American forces in France?
General John J. Pershing
The Schlieffen Plan--
German commanders developed this plan long before WWI began. It was intended to prevent the Germans from fighting a war on two fronts---against the French in the west, and the Russians in the east. The plan called for Germany to attack and defeat France first by invading France through neutral Belgium rather than across France's heavily defended border with Germany. Counting on Belgium to remain neutral, the Germans would quickly advance into France and catch the French unprepared. They would seize control of Paris and force the French to surrender, leave an occupying force there, then swing eastward to deal with Russia. The plan was supposed to work like a revolving door, but Belgium resisted the German invasion, slowing the German army down and allowing the French and British armies time to mobilize. Germany's insistence on following the Schlieffen Plan and invading Belgium would have dramatic and long-lasting consequences.
Who was Austria-Hungary's main ally?
Germany
What were the two major power blocks that had developed in Europe by the early 20th century?
Germany and Austria-Hungary, who would come to be known as the CENTRAL POWERS, and France, Russia, and Britain, who would come to be known as the ALLIED POWERS.
How did Germany feel that it was treated under the provisions of the Versailles Treaty?
Germany felt that it was being unfairly blamed for the entire war, that it was being made a scapegoat.
Why was Germany viewed by many other European powers as a growing threat by the early 20th century?
Germany had become the 2nd leading industrial power in the world, and it had a fierce military tradition. By the late 19th and early 20th century, Germany was aggressively seeking overseas colonies, building up its military (especially its navy), and seeking to take its place among the major powers of Europe.
What had begun happening in Germany by the fall of 1918?
In Germany, people were literally beginning to starve as a result of the British blockade and the demands of the war. Violence began to erupt in the streets of Berlin and other German cities as protesters demanded an end to the war. The German government was on the verge of collapse. There was mutiny in the German military, as more and more soldiers refused to fight in a hopeless cause.
Arms Race--
In the last part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, the major powers of Europe dramatically increased military spending and produced large arsenals of increasingly powerful weapons.
Who joined the Allied Powers in 1915? Who joined in 1917?
Italy joined in 1915; the U.S. joined in 1917
What did NINE of Wilson's Fourteen Points deal with?
Nine of the Fourteen Points dealt with SELF-DETERMINATION, the right of people to choose their own form of government.
Who joined the Central Powers in 1915?
Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
What are reparations?
Payments made by the losers of a war to the winners for war damages
Who was Serbia's main ally?
Russia
What was the main source of conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia?
Serbia was seeking to establish greater control over the Balkans as the power of the Ottoman Empire declined. At the same time, Austria-Hungary, which bordered the Balkans, saw an opportunity in the decline of the Ottoman Empire to expand its influence into the Balkan region. Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia in 1908 brought it and Serbia into open conflict with one another.
What is shell shock? Describe some of its symptoms.
Shell shock is basically the same as Combat Fatigue and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The condition was called shell shock in WWI because many soldiers' nerves were shattered under long-term bombardment. It was a psychological withdrawal from the horrors of combat. Some of the symptoms were ticks and tremors, uncontrollable shaking, loss of speech, and loss of the ability to walk.
Another of the war's biggest battles was the Battle of the Somme, which started on July 1, 1916. Explain how the Battle of the Somme and the battle of Verdun are related.
Suffering huge losses at Verdun, the French feared that they might be near collapse. They called upon their British allies to launch a major offensive against the Germans to draw German troops away from Verdun and give them some relief.
What leaders were present at the Paris Peace Conference?
THE BIG FOUR: Woodrow Wilson: President of The United States David Lloyd George: Prime Minister of Britain George Clemenceau: French Premier Vittorio Orlando: Prime Minister of Italy
What was the only major offensive of the war in which U.S. troops were involved?
The Battle of the Argonne Forest
What was going on in Russia at approximately the same time that the United States was preparing to declare war on Germany?
The Bolshevik Revolution. The lives of Russian peasants, which were already very difficult, were made even worse by the war, which brought about severe shortages. Russia also suffered huge losses in the war (over 1.5 million dead), and all this misery and sacrifice led to the overthrow of Czar Nicholas by the Bolsheviks, who introduced communism to Russia.
The Ottoman Empire--
The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) had controlled the Balkans since the 1400s, but by the turn of the 20th century it was in decline and losing its grip on the region. Turkey joined the Central Powers in 1915.
What did Russia do in March 1918, and what opportunity did Germany see in it?
The Russians signed a peace treaty with Germany and withdrew from the war. Germany could now send the almost 250,000 soldiers who'd been fighting against the Russians to fight the British and the French. They saw an opportunity to overwhelm and crush the British and French BEFORE the United States could really get involved in the fighting.
What was the Zimmermann Note, and what did the U.S. Senate do approximately one month after publication of the Zimmermann Note in American newspapers?
The Zimmermann Note was a cable sent by the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico proposing an alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States. As part of this alliance, Germany pledged to help Mexico regain the lost territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The cable was intercepted by British intelligence and turned over to the Americans. About one month after the contents of the message were printed in American newspapers, the Senate voted for a declaration of war against Germany.
Franz Ferdinand--
The archduke (future king) of Austria-Hungary whose assassination by a radical Serbian nationalist in June 1914 triggered WWI.
What was the main purpose of the League of Nations?
The main purpose of the League of Nations was to prevent offensive wars.
Serbia--
The strongest and most aggressive Balkan state. Serbia wanted to gain control over the Balkans by uniting all Slavic people in the region under their rule. Serbia had fought to drive Turkey out of the region and by the early 20th century was increasingly coming into conflict with Austria-Hungary, which was looking exert more influence in the Balkans. Serbia's major ally was Russia.
What were the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act? Why were even some supporters of the war opposed to these acts?
These acts, passed by Congress in 1917 and 1918, outlawed acts of treason and made it a crime to "utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal or abusive language" criticizing the government, the flag, or the military." Many Americans, even some who supported the war, believed these acts violated the First Amendment.
How did Germany respond when the British navy blockaded the North Sea to choke off supplies to Germany? What part did this play in America's eventual entry into the war?
They declared the waters around Britain a war zone and patrolled them with u-boats. They began attacking ships with supplies bound for Britain. As German u-boats increasingly attacked ships with Americans onboard (like the Lusitania) and threatened American ships, hostilities increased between the two countries. President Wilson ultimately cut diplomatic relations with Germany over these attacks and ordered that American merchant vessels be armed.
When Germany approached the Allies about a ceasefire, what demands did the Allies make?
They demanded that the Germans evacuate Alsace-Lorraine, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg and surrender an enormous amount of military equipment.
No-Man's-Land--
This was the strip of land between the trenches of the two opposing armies. It was strewn with barbed wire and land mines and littered with corpses. In some places, no-man's-land was no more than 30-40 yards wide.
What's the main reason that U.S. participation in the League of Nations did not pass the U.S. Senate?
Under the treaty obligations of the League, each member nation would be committed to come to the defense of another member nation in case of attack. Many U.S. senators believed this would inevitably draw the U.S. into another war.
The biggest and longest battle of the war was the battle of Verdun. Explain why the Germans attacked Verdun, and what their objective was in the battle.`
Verdun, a fortress town in eastern France not far from the German border, was the scene of historic battles going all the way back to the Roman Empire and was an important symbol of French national pride, a bit like the Alamo to Texans or Gettysburg to Americans. The Germans attacked Verdun because they knew the French would defend it at all costs. Their objective was to "bleed the French army white." The battle is generally considered the worst battle of attrition in history.
What was President Wilson's Fourteen Points?
Wilson's Fourteen Points was a program for world peace.
After the war, some Americans came to believe that U.S. participation in the war had been a mistake. Why?
With American weapons manufacturers selling mostly to the Allies and not to the Germans, and with American banks making huge loans to the Allies and not to the Germans, many felt the U.S. had not truly acted like a NEUTRAL country and had provoked the Germans into attacking us. Some even felt that American weapons makers had pushed the U.S. toward war because it could make them rich. Some also felt that our natural bias toward the British and French had caused us to be overly influenced by their propaganda about the Germans. By the mid 1920s, it had also become obvious that the war had not made the world more democratic and stable, so many Americans believed we should not have gotten involved.