5. Britain dominates
ON the water.
Germany
dominates
UNDER it.
Britain
controls the
surface of the
ocean.
6. Naval
Arms Race
British blockade of
Germany began in
1914.
Kept MOST supplies
from reaching
Germany
Including food and
manufacturing
materials (Total War!)
Strange maritime
laws = not losing
many boats
Germany’s choices:
Quit the war or
sink everything?
“Unrestricted
Submarine Warfare”
7. Lusitania
(May 7, 1915)
• Germany torpedoes
a British ship
• Germany claimed
ship was carrying
ammunition to
Britain. Published
warning in British
newspaper!!
• It carried 1,248 cases
of 3-inch shells,
4,927 boxes of
cartridges.
• Her manifests were
falsified to hide this
fact, and the British
and American
governments lied
about the cargo.
• 1200 dead,
including 128
Americans
8. • Do you agree or disagree with Wilson’s
point?
• How do you think this speech was
interpreted by Americans? Favorably or
unfavorably? Why?
9. Conspiracy?
J. P. Morgan later testified:
"The war opened during a
period of hard times. ...
Business throughout the
country was depressed, farm
prices were deflated,
unemployment was serious,
the heavy industries were
working far below capacity
and bank clearings were
off." But by 1915, war orders
for the Allies (mostly
England) had stimulated the
economy, and by April 1917
more than $2 billion worth
of goods had been sold to
the Allies.
In 1915, Wilson lifted the ban on private bank loans to
the Allies,
JP Morgan could now begin lending to make great profit
and tie American finance closely to the interest of a
British victory in the war against Germany.
In 1915, can the United States be
considered neutral in the war?
10.
11. GO TO WAR!
Pro-War (“Hawks”)
Insulted by the attack on
the Lusitania.
Bond with British & French
(Teddy Roosevelt)
Protect American interests
& Colonies (Taft/Wilson)
Economic interests with
allies – U.S. Steel makes
$348 million in profit in
1916
STAY OUT OF IT!
Anti-War (“Doves”)
It’s a European
conflict
Bond with Germany
Fear of massive
casualties
Socialist/Pacifist
(Henry Ford)– 20,000
anti-war protestors
at Socialist meeting
in 1917
Reflection:
At this point – should the U.S. enter
the war, or stay out of it? Why?
12. German telegram to
Mexico, offering a deal
Intercepted by British
U.S. outraged
Why did the British make sure
the U.S. got this telegram?
13. "We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted
submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to
keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of
this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or
alliance on the following basis: make war together, make
peace together, generous financial support and an
understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the
lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The
settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the
President of the above most secretly as soon as the
outbreak of war with the United States of America is
certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own
initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the
same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please
call the President's attention to the fact that the ruthless
employment of our submarines now offers the prospect
of compelling England in a few months to make peace."
Signed, ZIMMERMANN.
14. British officials
give the telegram
to U.S. officials on
2/19/17.
American
officials think it’s
fake.
Wilson releases it
to the media on
2/28.
Reflection:
Did you opinion change?
Should the U.S. enter the
war, or stay out of it?
Why?
15.
16. FAKE??? What is the
evidence?
• Arthur Zimmerman, German
Foreign Secretary
• Negotiates “Peace in the East”
in March 1917 – Allows
Vladimir Lenin to go through
Germany in a train full of gold
back into Russia in exchange
for peace. Bolsheviks
overthrow Czar Nicholas.
• Was Mexico a threat?
US/Texas had defeated them
multiple times, most recently
in 1848.
• Why anger the Americans?
• Who benefits the most from
the US entering the war?
• British trickery?
18. Pro-War, Anti-War
• Requiring 1 million soldiers,
only 73,000 sign up in first
month – Draft instituted.
330,000 total draft evaders.
People mutilate themselves to
avoid serving.
• Socialist anti-war movement
– makes gains in municipal
elections
• Espionage Act, June 1917 –
Used against domestic anti-
war dissidents. 900 people
jailed, including Eugene V.
Debs. There were draft-age
youths in his audience, and
his words would "obstruct
the recruiting or enlistment
service.” Sentenced to 10
years, serves 3.
• Pro-war propaganda in the
papers. New York Times
editorial says: "It is the duty
of every good citizen to
communicate to proper
authorities any evidence of
sedition that comes to his
notice."
19. Compare two Sides
Compare the following
speech excerpts:
Woodrow Wilson’s
declaration of war
Eugene Debs anti-war speech
Why did the US enter the
war? Do you think they
should have?
20. Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder. In the
Middle Ages when the feudal lords who inhabited the castles whose towers
may still be seen along the Rhine concluded to enlarge their domains, to
increase their power, their prestige and their wealth they declared war upon
one another. But they themselves did not go to war any more than the
modern feudal lords, the barons of Wall Street go to war. The feudal barons
of the Middle Ages, the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day,
declared all wars. And their miserable serfs fought all the battles.
The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe
that when their masters declared war upon one another, it was their patriotic
duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another’s throats for the profit
and glory of the lords and barons who held them in contempt. And that is
war in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject
class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and
nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and all to
lose—especially their lives. They have always taught and trained you to
believe it to be your patriotic duty to go to war and to have yourselves
slaughtered at their command. But in all the history of the world you, the
people, have never had a voice in declaring war, and strange as it certainly
appears, no war by any nation in any age has ever been declared by the
people.
21.
22. American casualties
Outcome of war for US
business interests
USS Main
Gulf of Tonkin
Lusitania
Pearl Harbor
WMDs
When does it end???
