Lesson 23: Americans in World War I
Originally, the United States didn't get involved in the Great War, or World War I as it is now called. It wasn't their war and was taking place a continent away. There was also a lot of disagreement between Americans as to which side to join (if the United States were to join the war). There were many German-Americans who believed the United States should support Germany, while others believed the United States should support France and Great Britain. Since no one really wanted to go to war, the United States decided that they would stay neutral.
During the Presidential Election of 1916, joining the fighting in Europe would become a topic for debate. Watch this video about the election of 1916: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZED-TcSPyPo
Wilson didn't want to go to war in Europe, but there were several events that pushed the American public's desire to join the fight.
1. Trade with Europe - Throughout the beginning years of the war, the United States had freely traded with European countries. This meant that the United States was making a lot of money off of the war, selling Band-Aids, food and blankets. In order to remain neutral, the United States couldn't sell things to help fight, such as guns or ammunition. The European nations, however, did not really like this. Each country would have preferred that the United States had chosen their side and only traded with them so that their adversaries would not have the same advantages of the trade. Germany had different problems with this. In order to get to Germany, ships would have to pass Great Britain and France, which meant it was less likely the goods would get to Germany. They didn't do anything about it for the first year and a half of the war, however, until Germany suspected that the United States was selling (or giving) ammunition to the British.
2. Submarine Warfare - One of the military developments new to World War I was the U-boat (a predecessor to the submarine as we know it today). Germany announced to the world that they would be stopping ships crossing the Atlantic to Europe. If the ships contained food, clothing and other non-military goods, it would be allowed to continue on to the mainland. If guns or ammunition were found on the ship, all members of the ship would be evacuated and the ship would be blown up.
3. Armed Merchant Ships - As a retaliation to Germany's announcing they would be boarding ships, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for permission to arm merchant ships. This meant that a merchant ship would be surrounded by a naval guard to ensure their safe passage across the Atlantic. Germany got worried about this, since they really didn't want to fight with the United States, but they also didn't want the United States supplying Britain and France with ammunition.
4. Lusitania - The Lusitania was a British passenger ship. The Germans believed it was smuggling ammunition to the British from the United States. Germany put an advertisement in the New York Times warning Americans against boarding the Lusitania. When the Lusitania was nearing England, it was shot by a German U-boat. The ship would have been fine, had it not been carrying ammunition. Over 1,000 passengers died, including over 100 Americans. This enraged the American public.
5. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare - Read about this here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-unleash-u-boats
6. Zimmerman Note: Read about the Zimmerman telegram here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/zimmermann-telegram-published-in-united-states
7. Russian Revolution - By 1917, the American people were wanting to go to war, but Woodrow Wilson had a small problem. He used "moral diplomacy", as explained in an earlier lesson. Through moral diplomacy, he could not bring himself to be allied with a country without a republican or democratic government. Russia had a tsar (king) and the people had few rights. The Russian Revolution, however, would change this. Wilson saw the Russian Revolution as a movement towards a democracy. The Russians pulled out of the war, not being able to support an offensive and overthrow their government at the same time. This left an open spot for the United States to fill in the Triple Alliance.
8. On April 2, 1917, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany. He said that the United States should get involved in the war because it would make the world safe for democracy. This was to be a war to end all wars.
During the Presidential Election of 1916, joining the fighting in Europe would become a topic for debate. Watch this video about the election of 1916: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZED-TcSPyPo
Wilson didn't want to go to war in Europe, but there were several events that pushed the American public's desire to join the fight.
1. Trade with Europe - Throughout the beginning years of the war, the United States had freely traded with European countries. This meant that the United States was making a lot of money off of the war, selling Band-Aids, food and blankets. In order to remain neutral, the United States couldn't sell things to help fight, such as guns or ammunition. The European nations, however, did not really like this. Each country would have preferred that the United States had chosen their side and only traded with them so that their adversaries would not have the same advantages of the trade. Germany had different problems with this. In order to get to Germany, ships would have to pass Great Britain and France, which meant it was less likely the goods would get to Germany. They didn't do anything about it for the first year and a half of the war, however, until Germany suspected that the United States was selling (or giving) ammunition to the British.
2. Submarine Warfare - One of the military developments new to World War I was the U-boat (a predecessor to the submarine as we know it today). Germany announced to the world that they would be stopping ships crossing the Atlantic to Europe. If the ships contained food, clothing and other non-military goods, it would be allowed to continue on to the mainland. If guns or ammunition were found on the ship, all members of the ship would be evacuated and the ship would be blown up.
3. Armed Merchant Ships - As a retaliation to Germany's announcing they would be boarding ships, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for permission to arm merchant ships. This meant that a merchant ship would be surrounded by a naval guard to ensure their safe passage across the Atlantic. Germany got worried about this, since they really didn't want to fight with the United States, but they also didn't want the United States supplying Britain and France with ammunition.
4. Lusitania - The Lusitania was a British passenger ship. The Germans believed it was smuggling ammunition to the British from the United States. Germany put an advertisement in the New York Times warning Americans against boarding the Lusitania. When the Lusitania was nearing England, it was shot by a German U-boat. The ship would have been fine, had it not been carrying ammunition. Over 1,000 passengers died, including over 100 Americans. This enraged the American public.
5. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare - Read about this here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-unleash-u-boats
6. Zimmerman Note: Read about the Zimmerman telegram here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/zimmermann-telegram-published-in-united-states
7. Russian Revolution - By 1917, the American people were wanting to go to war, but Woodrow Wilson had a small problem. He used "moral diplomacy", as explained in an earlier lesson. Through moral diplomacy, he could not bring himself to be allied with a country without a republican or democratic government. Russia had a tsar (king) and the people had few rights. The Russian Revolution, however, would change this. Wilson saw the Russian Revolution as a movement towards a democracy. The Russians pulled out of the war, not being able to support an offensive and overthrow their government at the same time. This left an open spot for the United States to fill in the Triple Alliance.
8. On April 2, 1917, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany. He said that the United States should get involved in the war because it would make the world safe for democracy. This was to be a war to end all wars.
American Involvement
Although it can be said that the Americans helped turn the war so that Germany couldn't expand, most of the European countries were not serious about American soldiers, and for good reason. The United States did not have standing army, meaning there weren't really any trained soldiers. The first set of soldiers the United States sent to Europe were called dough boys. They were called this because they had no training. Many of them had never shot a gun before. They didn't know anything about being a soldier and were easily scared, since they had never experienced the intense sounds of a battlefield before. The dough boys were, by Great Britain's insistence and to Wilson's dismay, integrated into British units. This was actually a good thing because they were able to have support and learn what being a soldier really was. After these first troops, the United States never again sent untrained soldiers into battle.
On May 18, 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed. Read about it here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-selective-service-act
The war was not pretty. Watch this video until 3:58 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUCaqptNqKM
On May 18, 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed. Read about it here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-selective-service-act
The war was not pretty. Watch this video until 3:58 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUCaqptNqKM
Assignment #8
1. What was World War I called during the war?
2. Besides Woodrow Wilson, name two politicians who influenced the presidential election of 1916.
3. Why was Woodrow Wilson excited when Russia started their revolution?
4. Was it really logical for the United States to expect fighting nations to allow them to trade with both sides? Explain.
5. Were the Germans justified in sinking the Lusitania? Explain.
6. What is a dough boy?
7. Explain the Selective Service.
8. Name two inventions developed during WWI.
9. Why did the Zimmerman note make Wilson upset?
2. Besides Woodrow Wilson, name two politicians who influenced the presidential election of 1916.
3. Why was Woodrow Wilson excited when Russia started their revolution?
4. Was it really logical for the United States to expect fighting nations to allow them to trade with both sides? Explain.
5. Were the Germans justified in sinking the Lusitania? Explain.
6. What is a dough boy?
7. Explain the Selective Service.
8. Name two inventions developed during WWI.
9. Why did the Zimmerman note make Wilson upset?