US History since 1865

1
US History since 1865

• World War I

2
The Origins of World War I

• i. Summer 1914, Archduke of Austria Hungary
  was assassinated in Sarajevo ii. Central Powers
  (Austria Hungary and Germany) and Allied Powers
  (Great Britain, France and Russia) began fighting
  iii. Japan, eager to seek German concession in
  China, declared war on the Central Powers

3
U.S. drawn into the War

• i. shocked and grateful ii. 32 million
  hyphenated Americans with 8 million of German
  descent and 4 million of Irish descent iii. deep
  sympathy with England and France iv. freedom of
  the seas, trade with belligerents loans to
  allied countries v. German submarine attack
  British propaganda vi. sinking of the Lucitania
  on May 7, 1915, loss of 128 American lives (WW
  There is such a thing as a man being too proud to
  fight there is such a thing as a nation being so
  right that it does not need to convince others by
  force that it is right

4
War preparation began

• National Defense Act passed in 1916, expanding
  the army from 90,000 to 175,000 and permitting
  gradual enlargement to 223,000
• 2 income tax and a maximum of 13 surtax on
  incomes over 2 million
• taxes on estate, gross receipts on munitions
  makers and corporate capital

5
Declaring war

• Election of 1916 WW vowed never to send American
  boys to Europe but began to mediate, aiming to
  achieve peace without victory because only a
  peace among equals could endure
• breaking relations with Germany in February 1917
• Zimmermann Telegram made known in March 1917
  more American ships sank by German submarines
• war declared on April 6, 1917

6
U.S. Role in the War

• first troops (14,500) did not arrive until June
  1917
• by late 1918 there were 1.2 million US troops in
  Europe decisive
• 117,000 casualties, including 26,000 killed

7
Domestic Mobilization for War

• the state entered all forbidden zones, broke all
  taboos and more regulation than most Progressives
  had ever dreamed of
• Selective Service Act (May 1917), all men aged 21
  to 39 be drafted later changed to 18 through 45
• The War Industry Board allocation of raw
  materials production quotas construction plans
  and price fixing

8
Domestic Mobilization for War (II)

• The National War Labor Board and the War Labor
  Policies Board conciliation and mediation
  between labor and management collective
  bargaining and policy initiation on wages,
  working conditions, hours
• Committee on Public Information run by George
  Creel expression not repression, propaganda, not
  censorship
• The Espionage and Sedition Act (1917) "Once
  leading this people into war, they will forget
  there even was such a thing as tolerance. "  One
  patriotic film producer drew a 10 year sentence
  for making a film on the American revolution.

9
The War to End All Wars

• US in this war desiring no conquest, seeking no
  indemnities and demanding no compensation ii.
  Fourteen Points
• open diplomacy
• freedom of the seas
• removal of all trade barriers
• reduction of armaments
• impartial adjustment of colonial claims
• self determination for all nationalities
• league of nations, etc.

10
The ending of the war

• Wilson went to Paris and stayed there from
  January to July 1919 treaty signed on June 28,
  1919
• European allies had no appetite for idealism
  only for territories, ports and reparations "God
  gave us the Ten Commandments and we broke them. 
  Wilson gave us 14 Points, we will see."
• WW making compromise to preserve the idea of the
  League of Nations
• Rearrangement of territories did not follow the
  principle of self-determination
• Jiaodong peninsular given to Japan
• Germany forced to confess war guilt and pay the
  entire cost of the war at 33 billion

11
The Collapse of Wilson's Noble Plan
i. strong opposition against the treaty by
Western farmers and Eastern businessmen ii.
Republican party angry and gained a majority
during the mid-term election iii. Wilson
traveled 8,000 miles in 22 days to appeal to the
American people had a stroke following his
return to Washington iv. Senate divided into
three camps with supporters, Reservationists (led
by Henry Cabot Lodge) and Irreconcilables (headed
by William Borah) v. Wilson "I would rather
fail in a cause that will eventually triumph than
triumph in a cause that will ultimately fail."
12
The Senate rejects Wilsons plan

• Senate vote was 49 yeas and 35 nays, falling
  short of a two thirds majority
• treaty hastily drafted crude and loose
• no provision for withdrawal
• a violation of Washington's Farewell Address
• Congress had the sole right to declare war, not
  League of Nations
• immigration a domestic issue, US not ready to
  accept Japanese, Chinese and Hindu labor