Review information:
Wilson’s Foreign
policy:
What was Wilson’s view as opposed to Taft and Roosevelt?
Wilson disliked the assertive policies of Taft and Roosevelt. He advocated moral diplomacy (a policy that made the US the conscience of the world). He hoped to spread democracy, condemn colonialism, and promote peace.
Bryan (Secretary of State) suggested that the world solve problems with “cooling off” treaties. Every international conflict would be solved by a third party and the countries would remain peaceful while the conflict was resolved.
How did Wilson interact with Japan?
In California legislators passed a law that prohibited non-citizens from owning land. Japanese immigrants were affected the most. Wilson ignored the racist overtones of the law. When the Japanese government began to protest Wilson sent Bryan to change the policy, but they did nothing. Wilson also protested the Japanese demands on China following the beginning of World War I. Japan eased off of its 21 points (pretty much making China a protectorate) and remained bitter towards the US.
How did Wilson deal with Latin America?
Wilson hoped to promote democracy and ensure the security of the Panama Canal in Latin America. Wilson answered upheavals in Haiti and the Dominican Republic with troops. Haiti was also pressured by the US to become a protectorate. Wilson’s plans to aid Latin American nations and prepare them for democracy inspired hatred rather than friendship.
How did the US become involved in the Mexican Civil War?
In 1911 General Huerta seized power in Mexico and favored the wealthy landowners. Venustiano Carranza led the resistance to the Mexican regime. When Huerta declared himself military dictator of the regime, then Wilson banned arms shipment to Mexico. When some US sailors were arrested in Mexico, Wilson reacted quickly despite an apology and took the Port of Vera Cruz.
Carranza defeated Huerta, but a
man named Fransisco Pancho Villa revolted against Carranza and the US (after
the US recognized Carranza’s govt.).
Wilson sent General John Pershing down to find Pancho, but the 10,000
men trekking 300 miles into Mexico caused unrest in the Mexican Government.
Causes of the War:
Imperialism: European powers competed with each other for raw materials and colonies.
Nationalism: Some nations wanted back lands that had natives of their land mostly living there (France and Russia). Other nations wanted to gain national independence from countries that had engulfed their culture (Czechs, Poles).
Militarism: Imperialist nations had sparked an arms race to defend their holdings and possibly gain or regain territory.
Alliances: The Triple Entente – Britain, France, Russia.
Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy.
Beginning of the War:
Archduke Francis Ferdinand (Austria-Hungary) is assassinated and Serbia is held Responsible. Austria-Hungary made demands on Serbia that were rejected and sent in troops. Russia, sharing a common heritage with the Serbs (nationalism) and opposing further Austrian expansion (imperialism), declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germany, supporting its neighbor nation (nationalism, alliances) declared war on Russia. Germany also knew about the alliance of Russia and France, so they declared war on France. In order to get to France, Germany invaded Belgium to get to France (Belgium was allied with Britain), so Britain declared war on Germany.
Choosing sides:
August 1914 –
Central powers – Germany and Austria-Hungary, later Turkey and Bulgaria.
Allies – Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, later joined by Italy and Japan.
Wilson:
Wilson believed that Germany was a “lawless” nation and threatened our strength in Latin America. He wanted the Allies to win without American involvement.
Ties and sentiment:
Many Americans supported the British and French due to language ties and the history of support from the French. Yet there were also many German Americans and Irish Americans (disliked the British) that supported the Central powers. The Germans were often viewed as the aggressors due to the fact that most of the battles took place on Allied soil and that the submarine attacks and poison gas were considered brutal.
War demands supplies, and supply is what the US did while they were neutral. Trade increased with the Allies from 500 million in 1914 to 3.5 billion in 1917. The British blockaded the US from trading with Germany and bought the German bound goods in order to make up for the US losses.
|
British sales |
825 million - 1914 |
3.2 billion - 1916 |
|
German sales |
169 million - 1914 |
1.2 million - 1916 |
|
British loans |
2 billion |
|
|
German loans |
27 million |
|
The Germans considered this supply line to the Allies a “less than neutral” action by the US. The Germans declared shipping in British waters a war zone and warned that any ships that entered would be sunk without warning. A German torpedo sank the Louistania and killed 128 Americans.
The two candidates were Wilson and Hughes. Wilson was portrayed by the Democrats as a man that would keep the nation out of war “He kept us out of war.” Hughes on the other hand was portrayed as a “war hawk.”
The race was very close and Wilson just barely pulled through with 49.4 percent of the vote (Hughes 46.2).
Were we prepared:
100,000 troops and enough ammo for only two days….
Zimmerman Telegram:
Between 1914 and the spring of 1917, the European
nations engaged in a conflict that became known as World War I. While armies
moved across the face of Europe, the United States remained neutral. In 1916
Woodrow Wilson was elected President for a second term, largely because of the
slogan "He kept us out of war." Events in early 1917 would change
that hope. In frustration over the effective British naval blockade, in
February Germany broke its pledge to limit submarine warfare. In response to
the breaking of the Sussex pledge, the United States severed diplomatic
relations with Germany.
In January of
1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister
Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt, offering
United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. This
message helped draw the United States into the war and thus changed the course
of history. The telegram had such an impact on American opinion that, according
to David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers, "No other single
cryptanalysis has had such enormous consequences." It is his opinion that
"never before or since has so much turned upon the solution of a secret
message." In an effort to protect their intelligence from detection and to
capitalize on growing anti-German sentiment in the United States, the British
waited until February 24 to present the telegram to Woodrow Wilson. The
American press published news of the telegram on March 1. On April 6, 1917, the
United States Congress formally declared war on Germany and its allies.
The Home Front
1. Raising an
Army pg. 553
2. Wartime Industry pg. 554
3. Workers During the War pg. 555
4. Producing Food pg. 555
5. Public Opinion pg. 556
Conditions of the War
Video
Worksheet.
Wilson first suggested the 14 points (an idealist approach).
The first five points called for open treaties. Freedom of the seas, free trade, arms reductions, and impartial adjustment of colonial claims. Points six through thirteen deal with national self determination and the realignment of borders. The Fourteenth point set up an international peace organization.
The 1918 elections helped to cause opposition for the peace plan. Wilson angered th Republicans because the saw approval of his plan as a Democratic issue. He had lost the support of the Republicans. Wilson also decided he would go to Paris himself.
The Treaty of Versailles
Clemenceau - French Premiere
David Lloyd George - Britan
Vittorio Orlando - Italy
Wilson - US
The Treaty of Versailles focused on three main points: Colonies, The Military,
And Reparations. France, Great Britain,
and Japan received German colonies. The
German military was forced to remain at 100,000 soldiers. Lastly the Germans were to pay full
reparations to the Allies for the war, despite the poverty of the defeated
country.
The foreign countries had suffered greatly and wanted to protect their own
interests and punish Germany. They also mad e Germany take full blame for
the war. They wanted Germany to pay reparations. Wilson was made to
forfeit every one of his ideals aside from the League Of Nations. The treaty
was defeated at home.