Download Ch. 12 Study Guide - Mrs. Gilbert`s Site

American Cultures
Mr. Gatz/Mrs. Gilbert – Fall 2014
Name _________________________________
Ch. 12 Study Guide
You should be familiar with the vocabulary terms from the vocabulary puzzle
Section 1 – The Road to War
Be able to explain the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand
- Who killed him? Why?
Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip shot and killed Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie (both
from Austria-Hungary) out of revenge because he believed that Austria-Hungary had no right to
take over and rule Bosnia, a former territory of Serbia.
4 Factors that lead to WWI after the death of the Archduke (MAIN):
1. Militarism: The great powers of Europe – Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, and
Russia – all spent large amounts of money (on new weapons and warships) in order
to build up strong armed forces in preparation for war (there was competition
between the different countries)
2. Alliances: The great powers agreed or promised to defend each other in the event of an attack.
Thus, a crisis involving one member could affect all of the nation’s allies
3. Imperialism: A policy in which one nation takes control of the economic or political affairs of
another country or region (Powers of Europe competed for power and land,
which led to conflict and wars, such as the Spanish-American War)
4. Nationalism: Having intense pride in one’s own country and unity, which leads to mistrust and
hatred towards other countries
Know the countries of the:
Allies:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Great Britain
France
Russia (left in 1917)
Serbia
U.S. (after Russia withdraws)
Central Powers:
a. Austria-Hungary
b. Germany
c. Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
d. Bulgaria
What was Germany’s plan for victory and how did it work out?
Germany developed a first-strike strategy (Schlieffen Plan), which was a 2-step plan:
* Part 1: Germany would attack west and quickly defeat France (through the country of Belgium)
* Part 2: After defeating France, Germany would then attack east and defeat Russia
(This plan failed because the war in France bogged down into trench warfare when Great-Britain
came to France’s aid. Together, they were able to stop Germany from advancing – stalemate)
What type of war did the fighting in France become?
The war in France became a stalemate with each side digging into trenches. However, no significant
amount of territory was gained by either side.
What new weapons did WWI soldiers face?
Tanks, German U-Boats, fire-starters, machine guns, rapid-fire artillery, hand grenades, poison gases,
the convoy system, and the use of airplanes as fighters and bombers
Why were Americans happy to remain neutral in the early part of the war?
They were able to trade with the Allies, which boosted our economy, and it wasn’t costing any
American soldiers’ lives.
Section 2 – The U.S declares war
Be familiar with the 6 reasons why the U.S. was drawn into the war
1. Cultural Ties (with Great Britain and France) – Many Americans had immigrated from Great Britain
and France
2. Economic Ties – U.S. was good trading partners with Great Britain and France
3. German Submarine Warfare – Germany used U-boats to sink ships in the Atlantic, both military
and civilian ships.
4. Propaganda – The Germans were portrayed as a monster out to destroy Europe and eventually
the U.S.
5. Russian (Communist) Revolution of 1917 – Czar Nicholas II of Russia was overthrown. Monarchy
was then replaced by republican gov’t (led by Lenin).
This event quickly pulls Russia out of WWI, which
leaves GB and France to fight Germany by themselves
(Germany now only had to fight in the west)
6. Zimmerman Note - Arthur Zimmerman, Germany’s foreign secretary, had secretly attempted to
get Mexico to declare war on the US and would, in return, get (U.S.) territories
of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona
What was the Sussex Pledge and was it effective?
The Sussex Pledge was a promise made by Germany that its U-Boats would warn ships before sinking
them if they were carrying military supplies, and would not to sink civilian ships. Eventually, however,
Germany went back on that promise and started sinking all kinds of vessels without warning
Section 3 – Americans on the European Front
Be familiar with the strength of the U.S. Army at the beginning of the war and what needed
to be done to get it ready for battle.
The US military was quite weak at the beginning of the war. Therefore, they were sent to training
camps around the world to be built up and trained to use a bayonet and a rifle, to dig a trench, put on
a gas mask, and throw a grenade. However, training was minimal in order to rush them over to
Europe, and they had to be transported by convoys, which consisted of a group of unarmed ships
surrounded by a ring of destroyers, torpedo boats, and other armed naval vessels equipped with
hydrophones to track and destroy submarines.
Nickname for the U.S. Soldiers: The Allies (Britain and France) called them “Doughboys”
The Impact of the U.S. soldiers entering the battle:
Though not well-trained, U.S. troops learned quickly in battle and, with their strength, good health,
and energy, they had a significant impact on the war because they helped the French save Paris from
being captured by the Germans, stopped Germany’s advances, and led a counter-attack that helped
end the war.
What demands did the Allies place on Germany in order to surrender?
The Allies demanded “unconditional” surrender – Germany would have no say, nor could they make
any demands in the peace process. The Allies also demanded that Germany pay $33 billion in
reparations (payment for economic injury suffered during a war) - an amount far beyond its ability to
pay.
Casualties of the war:
- Battle deaths = 50,000 American soldiers and 8 million total European soldiers and sailors died
(best estimate). Also, the sick and wounded outnumbered the dead. Millions of
civilians were killed or wounded as well
- Influenza = There were many more deaths from Influenza than from battle (over 30 mill.
world-wide)
Section 4 – Americans on the Home Front
How was the war financed?
1) Increased taxes
2) The sale of Liberty Bonds to the American people (raised over $20 bill. – ¼ the cost)
What did the government do to help the economy gear up for and work during the war?
The government established new federal agencies to oversee the changes to a wartime economy
- War Production Board – decided which companies would make which military items (also how raw
materials would be distributed)
- War Labor Relations Board – Oversaw labor unions, wages, and working hours
- Food Administration – Oversaw the program of the (voluntary) rationing of food
What were Americans’ feelings toward immigrants during the war?
They were very suspicious and distrustful of non-English speaking immigrants, especially Germans and
German-American people (discrimination occurred). Literacy testing for citizenship was implemented
- The nativism movement began again.
What changes took place for women and minorities?
Women and African-Americans were able to find work in the factories for 2 reasons:
1) More workers were needed (the able-bodied men were fighting in the war)
2) There was a lack of immigrant workers because of the dangers of crossing the Atlantic in a ship
from Europe during the war.
African-American soldiers were drafted, but few were given active military roles (Most were given
menial tasks).
How did average Americans help support the cause of the war at home?
1) They bought Liberty bonds (loaned money to the Gov’t.)
2) They voluntarily cut back on food and other items that were needed in Europe
3) They planted “Victory Gardens” in which they raised their own food (thus allowing more food to be
shipped over to Europe
Section 5 – Global Peacemaker
Be able to explain the peace process after the war
The Allies met together to determine the terms of the Armistice (treaty ending the war). Wilson
wanted a treaty that would bring peace to the world, not punishment to the guilty. So, he produced
a plan for the League of Nations, an organization in which the world’s nations would join together to
ensure security and peace for all its members. However, the U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of
Versailles and refused to join the League of Nations. Nevertheless, Germany signed the Treaty of
Versailles (with provisions made). Later, Congress voted to disregard the Treaty of Versailles and
declared the war officially over.
- What recommendation did President Wilson give to the other Allies?
Wilson wanted a treaty that would bring peace to the world, not punishment to the guilty. His goal
was to establish a permanent agency where countries could work together to settle disputes
peacefully and guarantee international stability. Specifically, he did not want the Allies to punish
Germany in the treaty by making them give up land or to have to pay War Reparations (money to
the Allies for damage and loss of life)
- What was the League of Nations and what was its goal?
The League of Nations was a Global Peace Keeping organization that used the concept of “mutual
aid” by having the world’s nations join together to ensure security and peace for all its members.
Members of the League would regard an attack on one country as an attack on all.
- What was the significance of War Guilt and War Reparations?
The War Guilt Clause in the Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for WWI and tried to force them to
make war reparation payments (restitution for the damage and loss of life caused) - Germany would
have to pay $33 billion to the Allied countries for the economic injury suffered during the war.
Germany felt humiliated by this.
- What was Congress’s opinion of the treaty and the League of Nations?
Congress rejected both because they especially did not like the fact that under the League of
Nations Charter, the U.S. could be called in to help in a military conflict, taking away the authority of
Congress to declare war. Congress didn’t like the U.S. being in submission to any other power.