Download WSBCTC 1 Additional Reading - The Treaty of Versailles and the

Additional Reading - The Treaty of Versailles and the League of
Nations
Your Digital History textbook mysteriously does not cover the Treaty of
Versailles.
Read this single Web page about it.
Video - A General Review of Military Actions in World War I
Watch this video (6:41) for a general overview of military actions during the
war.
Video - Background on Civil Liberties during Wartime (includes
Espionage and Sedition Acts)
Watch this video (7:10) for a general overview of the conflicts that have
arisen throughout American history between civil liberties and wartime
policy. The World War I-era Espionage and Sedition Acts are covered
between the 4:50 and 5:50 mark. The internment of Japanese Americans
during World War II is also mentioned.
Please note that this video was produced by the Bill of Rights Institute that is
funded by the Koch Family Foundation, a sometimes controversial
organization noted for its libertarian and free-market advocacy. Know your
source sponsors and evaluate if the source presents an agenda. This video
offers, for the most part, an even-handed review.
Slideshow - U.S. and World War I
Watch this slideshow (37 slides) for more in-depth coverage of World War I,
especially the reasons for the United States entering the war. The slideshow
includes a link to an external Website for a World War I-era song, as well as
embedded video and maps.
WSBCTC
1
Why Did the United States Enter
World War I?
An Exploration of Causes
Europe's imperial powers claimed colonies in Africa and Asia
Events in Europe that led to world war
1914 Events That Led to War
● June 28—Archduke assassinated
● July 28—Austria-Hungary declared war on
Serbia
● July 30—Russia began mobilization
● Aug. 1—Germany declared war on Russia
● Aug. 3—Germany declared war on France
● Aug. 4—German troops invade Belgium
● Aug. 4—Great Britain declared war on Germany
● Aug. 4—U.S. declared its neutrality
Phases of the Great War
(1914 to 1918)
● War of Illusion (1914)
● War of Stalemate and Stagnation (1915)
● War of Great Slaughter (1916–1917)
● War of Mutiny, Revolution, Ideas (begins
1917)
War of Illusion
● Nationalism fuels war enthusiasm
● People believed the war would be over in weeks
(to listen to a song reflecting this whose lyrics are on next slide,
Click here Oh! It's a Lovely War!)
● But this was a modern war, a total war
● First use of machine guns and barbed wire,
submarine warfare, aircraft, tanks, and chemical
weapons
Oh! It's a Lovely War!
Chorus
Oh, oh, oh it's a lovely war.
Who wouldn't be a soldier, eh? Oh it's a shame to
take the pay.
As soon as reveille has gone we feel just as heavy as
lead,
but we never get up till the sergeant brings our
breakfast up to bed.
Oh, oh, oh, it's a lovely war.
What do we want with eggs and ham when we've got
plum and apple jam?
Form fours. Right turn. How shall we spend the money
we earn?
Oh, oh, oh it's a lovely war.
War of Stalemate and Stagnation
(1915)
● Neither side can advance as the war is fought
in trenches and over barbed wire
● In 1915 alone French suffered 1.3 million
casualties (330,000 dead)
● Germany 848,000 (170,000 dead)
● Great Britain 313,000 (73,000 dead)
War of Great Slaughter
(1916–1917)
Battle of Verdun (east of Paris)
● Longest battle of the war (Feb. to Dec. 1916) with no
significant change in position
● 1 million French and Germans killed, wounded, or missing
(700,000 dead)
Battle of the Somme (river north of Paris)
● First British major battle
● July 1, 1916, worst day in British military history—20,000
British soldiers dead and 40,000 wounded
● After 4 months, the British advanced 6 miles
Battle of the Somme (created for 2006 anniversary, 3:34, click to play)
War of Mutiny, Revolution,
Ideas
(begins 1917)
● Mutinies in French Army
● March 1917 Tsar overthrown in Russia and
social democratic government in power
● United States enters the war in April because
“the world must be made safe for democracy”
(President Woodrow Wilson)
Why Did the United States Enter
the War?
5 Causes for U.S. Entry
● Shared language and heritage with Great
Britain
● Economic ties stronger with the Allies (G.B.,
France, Russia, Italy, etc.) than with Central
Powers (German and Ottoman Empires,
Austria-Hungary)
United States Exports to Allies versus Central
Powers (in millions of dollars)
2750
1280
754
345
29
2
American Loans during Neutrality from 1914 to
1917
(millions of dollars)
2300
27
5 Causes for U.S. Entry
● Common language and heritage with Allies
● Economic ties favored Allies
● Submarine Warfare (Lusitania)
Submarine Warfare
● British naval blockade on Germany (“Britain rules
the waves and waives the rules.”)
● Germans use sub warfare (U-boats)
● Double standard - US condemned German naval
attacks but not British ones
● Lusitania sunk May 7, 1915 - 1198 people die
including 128 U.S. citizens - Why were neutral
Americans on ship carrying British munitions?
Submarine Warfare
● Lusitania carried foodstuffs and 4.2 million rounds of
ammunition, 1250 shrapnel shell cases, 18 cases
nonexplosive fuses and American passengers to G.B.
● U.S. and Germany reach uneasy truce (Sussex Pledge)
in 1915
● But on Feb. 1, 1917, Germany announced return to
unrestricted submarine warfare
● Thus on Feb. 3, 1917, U.S. ended diplomatic relations
with Germany
1916 Domestic Politics
● Wilson requested and Congress approved bills
to increase US military
● Wilson continued neutrality policy and
attempted peace overtures
● 1916 Wilson re-elected with winning slogan of
“He Kept Us Out of War”
● Jan. 1917 Wilson issued "peace without
victory" speech (League of Nations)
5 Causes for U.S. Entry
● Common language and heritage
● Economic ties
● Submarine Warfare (Lusitania)
● Zimmermann Telegram - a direct threat to US
territory when Germany offered Mexico an alliance
that could result in the return to Mexico of lands
lost in 1848 at the Mexican-American War's end.
Zimmermann Telegram
Feb. 24, 1917—cable sent by German Foreign
Minister to Mexico:
WE INTEND TO BEGIN UNRESTRICTED
SUBMARINE WARFARE ON THE FIRST OF
FEBRUARY. WE SHALL ENDEAVOR IN SPITE
OF THIS TO KEEP THE UNITED STATES
NEUTRAL. IN THE EVENT OF THIS NOT
SUCCEEDING, WE MAKE MEXICO A
PROPOSAL OF ALLIANCE ON THE
FOLLOWING BASIS:
Zimmermann Telegram
MAKE WAR TOGETHER, MAKE PEACE
TOGETHER, GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT
AND AN UNDERSTANDING ON OUR PART
THAT MEXICO IS TO RECONQUER THE LOST
TERRITORY IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND
ARIZONA…. PLEASE CALL THE [MEXICAN]
PRESIDENT’S ATTENTION TO THE FACT
THAT THE RUTHLESS EMPLOYMENT OF OUR
SUBMARINES NOW OFFERS THE PROSPECT
OF COMPELLING ENGLAND IN A FEW
MONTHS TO MAKE PEACE.
5 Causes for U.S. Entry
● Common language and heritage
● Economic ties
● Submarine Warfare (Lusitania)
● Zimmermann Telegram
● Overthrow of Tsar - “the world must be made safe for
democracy” (President Woodrow Wilson) - when the
Russian Revolution overthrew the Tsar in early 1917,
Wilson would argue that the Allies were the side of
democracy
American Entry
● U.S. began arming its merchant vessels in March
● U.S. ships sunk by U-boats
● As a result, on April 2, 1917, Wilson addressed
Congress and asked for a declaration of war
● By April 6, both houses of Congress endorsed
Wilson’s request and the US entered the war.
World War I
U.S. Efforts and the War's Costs
American War Effort
● When U.S. entered war, less than 200,000 men were in
the army, but in June 1917 draft began: 2.8 million
drafted and 2 million volunteer.
● Massive industrial mobilization in U.S. to supply
Allied forces.
● American Expeditionary force (AEF) does not reach
the front until early 1918.
● American troops and supplies result in the armistice on
November 11, 1918.
World War I Costs
● Death tolls in Europe (including civilians): almost 1.7
million French; almost 2.5 million in the German
Empire; and over 3 million in the Russian Empire.
● American war deaths 112,432 with more than half
from disease.
● U.S. war effort costs $26 billion during the war.
● U.S. federal debt $1 billion in 1915 jumps to $20
million after war.
The U.S. emerges from war as the strongest
economic power in the world.
● In 1914, the U.S. was a debtor nation, owing foreign
investors $3 billion.
● By 1919, the rest of the world owed the U.S. Foreign
governments owed more than $10 billion and foreign
citizens nearly $3 billion.
Thus, World War I shifted the world's economic
power dramatically toward the United States.
World War I
The Peace Treaty and the War's
Aftermath
Compare this map of Europe and the Middle East in 1914
with this map of the same area in 1924.
Peace Process
● Delegates from 27 countries met near Paris (Versailles) in 1918.
● American President Woodrow Wilson arrived with a plan called "The
Fourteen Points": (1)to allow nation's self-determination; (2) to abide by
principles such as free trade and no secret treaties; (3) to establish
a League of Nations to resolve future disputes between nations and thus
prevent war.
● The other Allies arrived intent on punishing Germany, securing
economic reparations [$33 billion from Germany], and continuing
their overseas empires (and thus not allowing self-determination for
those colonies).
● All of the Allies worried about the continuing conflict in Russia. The U.
S., Britain, and France sent troops to fight the Bolsheviks and thus
prevent communist control of Russia,. Those efforts failed and by 1922
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) absorbed the former
Russian Empire.
Versailles Treaty
● The Big Four of the leaders of the US, Great Britain, France and
Italy made most of the decisions.
● Germany was forced to admit guilt for the war and pay
reparations.
● German colonies were handed over to the Allies.
● President Wilson gained approval only for the League of
Nations, BUT opposition at home resulted in the US Senate
never ratifying the treaty and to the US never joining the League.
● The harsh punishment of German is widely considered to have
contributed to the rise of Nazis and Adolph Hitler in Germany
and thus to the Holocaust and World War II.
Slideshow prepared in Google Docs.
©Susan Vetter 2011