Download chapter 23 - White Plains Public Schools

CHAPTER 23
AMERICA AND THE GREAT WAR
Chapter Summary
Following two and a half years of pro-Allied "neutrality," the United States entered World War I because
of economic and cultural factors, as well as German submarine warfare. The armies and civilians of
Europe had already suffered mightily by the time the United States finally entered. American forces,
initially at sea and then on land, proved the margin of victory for the Allies. To mount its total effort, the
United States turned to an array of unprecedented measures: sharply graduated taxes, conscription for a
foreign war, bureaucratic management of the economy, and a massive propaganda and anti-sedition
campaign. Women entered the work force in record numbers and the hopes of African Americans were
raised by military service and war-related jobs in the North. President Woodrow Wilson formulated
American war aims in his famous Fourteen Points, but he was unable to convince either Europe or the
United States to accept them fully as the basis for peace. By 1920, the American people, tired from nearly
three decades of turmoil, had repudiated Wilson's precious League of Nations in favor of an illusion called
"normalcy."
Objectives
A thorough study of Chapter 23 should enable the student to understand
1.
The background factors and immediate sequence of events that caused the United States to
declare war on Germany in 1917.
2.
The contributions of the American military to Allied victory in World War I.
3.
The extent of government control of the economy during World War I.
4.
Propaganda and the extent of war hysteria in the United States during World War I.
5.
The role technology played in the war and the new technologies developed during the conflict.
6.
The announced American objectives in fighting the war and Woodrow Wilson's successes and
failures at Versailles.
7.
The circumstances that led the United States to reject the Treaty of Versailles.
8.
The economic problems the United States faced immediately after the war.
9.
The reasons for the Red Scare and the resurgence of racial unrest in postwar America.
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Main Themes
1.
How the United States, which had leaned toward the Allies since the outbreak of World War I,
was eventually drawn into full participation in the war.
2.
That the American intervention on land and sea provided the balance of victory for the
beleaguered Allied forces.
3.
How the Wilson administration financed the war, managed the economy, and encouraged
public support of the war effort.
4.
That Woodrow Wilson tried to apply his lofty war aims to the realities of world politics and
that he substantially failed.
5.
That the American war effort had profound economic, social, and racial significance.
Points for Discussion
1.
Was American involvement in World War I inevitable? What forces worked to maintain
neutrality? What forces propelled the country away from neutrality and into full belligerency?
(See Document number 1 in the Study Guide.)
2.
Discuss the military and economic impact of America's entry into World War I on the Allied
side. What impact did military involvement have on the American domestic economy during
and immediately after the war?
3.
Describe the suffering that the Great War visited on Europe. Why is it said that the United
States emerged from the war as "the only real victor"?
4.
Government sought to unify public opinion in support of American involvement in World War
I. Describe its efforts and analyze the consequences. (See Document number 2 in the Study
Guide.)
5.
What "surprises" did America face as the reality of "war without stint" unfolded? How did the
American people respond to them? What long-term legacies came from these responses?
6.
Despite his tumultuous reception by the peoples of Europe and the generally favorable
response he received on his tour in the western United States, Wilson faced troublesome
opposition from both European statesmen and United States Senators. Why did he encounter
such intransigence? Did he respond in a rational and politically effective way?
7.
Compare Wilson's Fourteen Points with the Treaty of Versailles. Analyze the documents to
determine if they proposed fair and adequate plans for a new world order following World
War I.
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8.
Why did the United States Senate reject the Treaty of Versailles and, thus, membership in the
League of Nations?
9.
Discuss the developments in the United States from 1918 to 1920 which produced a general
sense of disillusionment and led to a desire for "normalcy" with the election of Warren G.
Harding.
10.
In what ways did the American war effort have profound economic, social, and racial
significance for the country?
11.
How did Billy Sunday both reflect and help create a deep and lasting schism in the national
Christian community?
Interpretive Questions Based on Maps and Text
1.
In the 1916 election, why was the electoral vote so close, even though Wilson carried many
more states than Hughes?
2.
What issues, attitudes, and regional traditions accounted for Wilson's victory?
3.
What two nations bore the brunt of the western front fighting within their borders? What
nation suffered the most on the east? How did this affect the peace negotiations?
4.
Why was the ocean war so crucial to bringing the United States into the war?
5.
What geographic and naval advantages did Great Britain have in sea warfare? How did
Germany try to counter these advantages and how successful was it?
6.
What drew African Americans out of the South in the 19101950 period?
7.
How were the recent migrants received in the Northern cities? Where were the greatest
problems and why?
Essay Questions
These essays are based on the map exercises. They are designed to test students' knowledge of the
geography of the area discussed in this chapter and to test their knowledge of its historical development.
Careful reading of the text will help them answer these questions.
1.
To what extent was American involvement in World War I a natural outcome of the imperial
expansion that began in the 1890s? What other factors pulled America into the war?
2.
What internal effects did World War I have on the United States? In the immediate post-war
period, explain the role of women and the impact the 19th amendment to the Constitution had?
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Internet Resources
For Internet quizzes, resources, references to additional books and films, and more, consult the
text's Online Learning Center at www.mhhe.com/brinkley12.
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