America and World War One
- Created by: mel.maharjan
- Created on: 02-11-14 10:42
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- World War One
- American attitudes to the War
- Pro-war
- Many Americans had British families/ancestry
- Americans more in common with British than Germans
- Similar legal system and same language
- Many Americans angry at the Belgium invasion (1914)
- Wilson wanted to influence the peace at the end of the War to ensure his ideas, such as democracy and self determination, were implemented
- US would have little influence if they didn't fight
- Fight in the war to extend America's power
- Anti-war
- Wilson's declaration of neutrality
- The War was a European affair and America shouldn't be concerned
- US public didn't want a war
- Wilson won re-election in 1916 mainly because "he kept us out of war"
- US didn't have a large enough army
- Anti-imperialist arguments
- Large immigrant communities could be further divided by war
- Wilson's declaration of neutrality
- Pro-war
- Why did the US enter the War?
- Long term causes
- Cultural similarities with Britain
- Many Americans had British families/ancestry
- US saw it as a fight for democracy
- Immediate causes
- 1917 - the Zimmerman Telegram
- Suggested an alliance between Mexico and Germany
- Germany suggested Mexico attack America while they were busy fighting in Europe
- When Germany won, Mexico would regain Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico (which they lost to the USA in the 1840s)
- Violated the Monroe Doctrine and was the first direct threat to America at home
- January 1917 - Germans use unrestricted U-boat warfare again
- Germans suffering from British blockade and close to starvation
- Germany needed to break the blockade and stop supplies going to the UK
- 1917 - the Zimmerman Telegram
- Short term causes
- 1915 - Germans declared unrestricted U-boat warfare around British Isles
- Germans sank British liner the 'Lusitania' in May
- 128 American lives lost
- At first, thought it was a peaceful passenger liner but actually carried arms
- Increase in support and sympathy for the Allies
- Two more passenger ships sunk
- The 'Arabic' (1915) and the 'Sussex' (1916)
- Germans sank British liner the 'Lusitania' in May
- 1914 - Belgium invasion
- Economic factors
- US kept selling munitions and food to Britain otherwise jobs in industry and agriculture would be lost
- By 1917 US banks had lent $2.3 bn to the Allies
- Vested interest for Britain to win so that debt could be paid back to them
- 1915 - Germans declared unrestricted U-boat warfare around British Isles
- Long term causes
- The USA in World War One
- Americans boosted morale of the Allies after they were exhausted from fighting in Europe
- America contributed supplies and manpower
- Conscription introduced in May 1917 and 5 million Americans served in the War
- More women entered workforce and power of Federal Government increased
- Espionage (1917) and Sedition (1918) Acts passed allowing fines and imprisonment for 'aiding the enemy' or 'disloyal acts'
- Government arrested over 1,500
- Espionage (1917) and Sedition (1918) Acts passed allowing fines and imprisonment for 'aiding the enemy' or 'disloyal acts'
- American attitudes to the War
- The War was a European affair and America shouldn't be concerned
- Short term causes
- 1915 - Germans declared unrestricted U-boat warfare around British Isles
- Germans sank British liner the 'Lusitania' in May
- 128 American lives lost
- At first, thought it was a peaceful passenger liner but actually carried arms
- Increase in support and sympathy for the Allies
- Two more passenger ships sunk
- The 'Arabic' (1915) and the 'Sussex' (1916)
- Germans sank British liner the 'Lusitania' in May
- 1914 - Belgium invasion
- Economic factors
- US kept selling munitions and food to Britain otherwise jobs in industry and agriculture would be lost
- By 1917 US banks had lent $2.3 bn to the Allies
- Vested interest for Britain to win so that debt could be paid back to them
- 1915 - Germans declared unrestricted U-boat warfare around British Isles
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