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U.S. History
Ch 24
Civil Liberties & National Security:
Introduction to World War I
An Overview of How it All Began…
Tensions ran high in Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s as those nations competed with one another
to better their economies and expand their empires abroad (mainly in Africa). President Wilson had sent an
ambassador to Europe in 1914 to study the situation. He compared the situation in Europe to a barrel of
gunpowder that only needed a spark to explode. On June 28th, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne
of Austria-Hungary was shot and killed by a Serbian. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The European
nations divided themselves into two sides: The Central Powers (consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the
Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria) and the Allies (consisting of Serbia, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy and seven
other countries).
When the war began in Europe, both sides assumed the fighting would be over in a few months. They
were very wrong. When the fighting began European nations saw a surge in patriotism and the problems that they
had been dealing with in their own countries seemed to disappear. Everyone was now only focused on the Great
War. Germany’s primary objective was takeover France. The first battle of the war (the Battle of Marne) took place
when Germany tried to invade Paris, France. The British and French soldiers succeeded in stopping the Germans,
but each side lost 500,000 lives. The killing started very fast and on a large scale. In the first three months of the
war, almost the entire original British army was wiped out.
For three years the battle lines remained virtually stationary. The soldiers were fighting a new kind of
battle called trench warfare. Troops huddled inside unsanitary trenches and fired at the opposing side. Each side
would push forward and gain a few yards, but then the opposing side would push back and they would lose the land
they had gained. In another battle at Verdun, France, moved their line forward a few miles, but lost 600,000 men
in the process!
All is Quiet on the Western Front? Really?
Back home, the British and the German civilians were not told of the tragic loss of life occurring on the
battlefields. As thousands of Germans were being killed in combat, the German Army released statements to the
press saying “All is Quiet on the Western Front.” The British and German governments feared that if their citizens
knew of the horrific battles taking place that they might not support the war (or those governments that had
started the war). Without the support of their own citizens neither the Central Powers nor the Allied Powers would
be able to win the war. London newspapers ran a column entitled “How the Civilian May Help in this Crisis” which
included advice such as “Be Cheerful”, “Don’t repeat foolish gossip” and “Don’t think you know better than the
British Government.”
The American Position…
President Woodrow Wilson had promised that the United States would remain neutral (not take sides) in
the war. While the United States had pledged to remain neutral, America had been supplying the Allied Powers
with weapons and supplies throughout the first three years of the conflict. In 1915, the Lusitania, a British passenger
ship, was sunk by a German submarine (1,198 people died including 124 Americans). The United States claimed
that the Lusitania was carrying innocent cargo (not war supplies). The U.S. stated that the monstrous Germans had
attacked innocent civilians. In actuality, the Lusitania was heavily armed (carrying both heavy artillery shells and
thousands of rounds of ammunition). While the loss of Americans lives was tragic, the U.S. did not enter the war
after the Lusitania sank.
The United States did not enter into combat in WWI until 1917. In April of that year the German
government warned the world that their submarines would attack any ship bringing supplies to the Allied Powers.
The Germans believed that the only way they could defeat the Allies would be to cut off their ability to trade with
other nations. In March, German submarines sank three American cargo ships headed to Europe. On April 2, 1917,
Wilson asked Congress to issue a declaration of war stating,
The world must be made safe for democracy… We desire no conquest…We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind.
We shall be satisfied when these rights have been made secure.
Six senators and 50 representatives (including the first woman in Congress) voted against going to war. A majority
of Congress agreed with the president and the United States officially entered World War I.
Preparing for War at Home…
At the time that Congress declared war, the combined forces of the U.S. Army and Navy was less than
200,000 men. The government estimated that it would need a million soldiers to fight in the war. In the first six
weeks after the war only 73,000 more men had enlisted. As a result, Congress voted overwhelmingly to start up a
military draft. In May of 1917, the Congress passed the Selective Service Act. This act required all males between the
ages of 21 and 30 to sign up for military service. By the end of the following year nearly 3 million American men
had been drafted into service.
Winning Support for the War…
The American government wanted to ensure that its citizens supported the war.
The government believed that if the morale at home was good, then this would increase
the chances of an American victory. President Wilson set up the Committee on Public
Information. The purpose of this committee was to persuade Americans that the war was
right. The committee produced films, posters and pamphlets explaining why Americans
should support the war effort. Much of this pro-war propaganda was also “anti-German”.
This led to an increase in prejudice directed towards German immigrants.
The U.S. government believed it was important to stop any anti-war activities at
home. On June 15th, 1917 Congress passed the Espionage Act. The name of the act
makes it sound like it outlawed spying, however, a part of the law also made it illegal to
protest the war or the military draft. Violating the law could result in heavy fines and up
to 25 years in prison. The Espionage Act made it illegal to criticize the war. Two months
after the law had been passed, Charles Schenck was arrested in Philadelphia for distributing
15,000 pamphlets that condemned the war and the draft law. The pamphlets stated that
the military draft violated the 13th Amendment which outlawed “involuntary servitude”.
Schenck was found guilty, fined and sentenced to 6 months in prison (a short term
compared to other Americans convicted under the Espionage Act).
Schenck took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Espionage Act violated his First
Amendment rights to free speech (Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech or freedom of
the press…). The Supreme Court Justices unanimously ruled against Schenck. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
explained the court’s decision
The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a crowded movie theater and causing
a panic…The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such [a way] as to create a clear and present danger that will
bring about [significant] evils that Congress has a right to prevent.
Most Americans believed that the court was right. Americans believed that protecting free speech was important,
but if that free speech jeopardized the safety of the country, than that “speech” would need to be limited or
prevented. Throughout the course of World War I over 1,500 Americans were imprisoned for violating the
Espionage Act.
Name:
Date:
Core:
U.S. History
Introduction to WWI Reflection Questions
Personal Freedoms v. National Security
Directions: Use the Civil Liberties & National Security: Introduction to World War I handout to answer the
following questions.
Part I. WWI Basics (Be sure that you really know this information for tomorrow – there might be a check for understanding 
1.
In what year did WWI begin? _____________________________
2. What event is often credited with starting WWI? ________________________________________________
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3.
The nations of Europe divided into two sides during WWI:
The __________________________
The ___________________________
Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman
Empire, Bulgaria
Great Britain, France, Italy, Serbia,
Russia & seven other countries
4. True or False. There was little loss of life during WWI. Technological improvements resulted in less
soldiers dying than in previous wars.
I think that the statement is ______________________ (true or false) because in the text it says: ________
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5.
What is trench warfare? _____________________________________________________________________
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6.
Why did the British & German newspapers decide not to report on the massive loss of lives that was
occurring during World War I? ______________________________________________________________
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More on the Back!
7.
What was the Lusitania? ____________________________________________________________________
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Part II. Critical Thinking
8.
In your opinion was the United States neutral in the early years of World War I? Explain your position
using evidence from the text.
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9.
Look at Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes reason for the Supreme Court verdict against Charles Schenck
(upholding the constitutionality of the Espionage Act). Do you agree or disagree with the Court’s
decision? Explain.
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