The Nation at War

1
Chapter 24

• The Nation at War

2
The American War Effort

• Allies on the brink of losing.
• Germans sign peace agreement with Russia. Allows
  Germany to fight one front war.

• Wilson named John J. Pershing as commander
  general for WWI.
• 1917 to fill the ranks Wilson called for
  conscription, Congress passed the Selective
  Service Act.

3
Americans at War

• March 21, 1918 Americans saw their first
  action.
• Series of Battles, Allies defend against German
  offensive, counter-attack and by October 6, 1918,
  Germany had asked for a peace treaty.

• Without the Americans joining the war efforts the
  Allies would of lost. America suffered 48,909
  casualties, 230,000 wounded but disease put the
  number of mortalities higher.

4
The American Home-front

• Wilson needed to ensure public support for the
  war effort. Government propaganda campaign to
  push America towards pro-war. (CPI)
• Vigilantism- Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition
  Act of 1918
• Payment for the war came from the American
  public, in war bonds, increased taxes. Wilsons
  power grew with war.

• Women in the Workplace.
• Home Conservation (oil, food, energy)
• Southern Blacks in Northern Factories
• Government-Business-Labor Alliances
• Discrimination
• Business profits grew, factories expanded, most
  industries focused on war goods, racial tension
  grew. U.S. emerged from the war the strongest
  economic power in the world.

5
The Fight for Peace

• Wilsons 14 Points
• -Did not punish Germany
• -Did not look to the future
• -Did not match the destruction and death caused
  by Central Powers
• -Did not hold the Central Powers financially
  responsible for the war.

• Paris Peace Conference
• Clemenceau, Wilson, George and Orlando. (the big
  four) This is what the other three besides Wilson
  wanted from the conference.
• Peace Conference created Poland and Czech
  Republic
• It divided up German colonies in Africa
• Held Germany responsible financially to Allies
  for 33 Billion
• Wilson got his 14th point the League of Nations.
• Signed on June 28th, 1919.

6
The Fight for Peace

• Due to Party Differences and hostility from the
  midterm elections of 1918, Wilson could not get
  Congress to sign the peace treaty. Wilson suffers
  a stroke and focuses on nothing but getting the
  treaty signed. The Treaty of Versailles (the
  peace treaty) was never signed by the United
  States.

• Election of 1920
• -Wilson chose not to run again.
• Harding (R) won in a landslide.
• Debs (Socialist) candidate could of done better
  if not for the government campaign against
  socialism during WWI. July of 1921 Congress
  passed a treaty ending the war, but they never
  signed Wilsons peace treaty.

7
Conclusion

• Many Americans felt that it was a waste after it
  was all said and done, but WWI served a purpose.
  It established the U.S. as the supreme economic
  power in the world.

• Woodrow Wilson and World War I changed the U.S.
  monumentally. U.S. supporting European Allies,
  Power growth of Presidency during war. Economic
  boom, downfall of Progressivism.