League of Nations - Jessamine County Schools

Effects of Allied blockade •1914, $70 million in trade with Central powers •1916, trade reduced to $1.3 million Allied trade •Grew from $825 million to $3.2 billion in same time period •WWI transformed the US from a debtor to a creditor nation

•The Germans could not match Great Britain's superior navy. •Germans introduced unrestricted submarine warfare with U-Boats •Germans warned the world they would sink any ship they believed was carrying contraband to Great Britain.

U-Boats Two types •small subs with a crew of 24

•larger subs with a crew of 60 •44 by 1918

•By 1918, Germans had sunk 6,500 allied ships.

•May 7, 1915, the Germans sunk the Lusitania which was British passenger liner. •Germans believed it was carrying contraband (weapons) to the British. •Killed 1,198 civilians including 128 Americans. •U.S. and other countries outraged towards Germany because of “unrestricted submarine warfare”. •US believed the Germans had violated international law of targeting civilians

Lusitania

•After the sinking of the Lusitania, public opinion of most Americans was to go to war with Germany. •Germany promised they would not sink anymore ships unless warning them first and providing safety for civilians.

•BUT, President Wilson was able “keep us out of war” ….

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Sussex Sunk: led to Sussex Pledge in May 1916. Germany promised not to sink war zone anymore ships.

Berlin, January 19, 1917 On the first of February we intend to begin unrestricted submarine warfare. In spite of this, it is our intention to endeavor to keep neutral the United States of America. If this attempt is not successful, we propose an alliance on the following basis with Mexico: That we shall make war together and together make peace. We shall give general financial support, and it is understood that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The details are left to you for settlement....

You are instructed to inform the President of Mexico of the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with

with the United States and suggest that the President of Mexico, on his own initiative, should communicate with Japan suggesting adherence at once to this plan; at the same time, offer to mediate between Germany and Japan. Please call to the attention of the President of Mexico that the employment of ruthless submarine warfare now promises to compel England to make peace in a few months. Zimmerman (Secretary of State)

zimmerman code

zimmerman cartoon

Vladimir Lenin

Czar Nicholas II

Czar Nicholas and the Romanov Family would be overthrown by the Bolsheviks who eventually would start the first Communist state……

CAUSES •Food and fuel shortages •Striking workers •Terrible loses in WWI •Czar was a weak ruler •Marxist (Communist) propaganda spread by Lenin

EFFECTS •Czar overthrown •Russia pulls out of the war •Russia becomes a

Communist country

•Germany sends Zimmerman Note to Mexico

When German submarines sank three American merchant ships in March 1917, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war.

•The right is more precious than peace •war to end all war •The world must be safe for democracy.

•defend human rights •defend our trade •neutrality •freedom of the seas •violation of international law

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The US believed it had the right to trade with the warring nations and they would respect our neutrality…….Didn’t happen! The German submarine warfare and British blockade violated our freedom of the seas and neutrality.

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General John J. Pershing, commanding general of the AEF. Referred to as the Doughboys and Yanks. 2 million in France by Sept. 1918

Council of National Defense  War Industries Board  Bernard Baruch  Food Administration  Herbert Hoover  Railroad Administration  William McAdoo  National War Labor Board  William Howard Taft

War Industries Board •To build weapons for the war, US industry would undergo a massive change. •From a peacetime industry to a war time industry…..

Led by Bernard Baruch, the WIB set prices and determined what goods should be produced by private industry…. US Govt. controlled the economy •Contradiction?

War Industries Board

Food Administration: Herbert Hoover

heads effort to conserve food and boost agricultural output US feeds the world from the farms and

ranches in the Great Plains… ”Bread basket of the World” Liberty and victory gardens Meatless and wheatless days

U. S. Food Administration

National War Garden Commission

U. S. School Garden Army

U. S. Shipping Board

U. S. Fuel Administration

Committee on Public Information

Creel Committee, headed by George Creel, told Americans what the war was about and to publicize the American aims. Propaganda posters to get Americans to support the war effort.

Selective Service Act May 1917, President Wilson and Congress pass into legislation a draft or conscription.

21 to 30 yrs. and later extended to 40 yrs. of age.

1917 – Selective Service Act 

24,000,000 men registered for the draft by the end of 1918.  2,810,296 drafted and served in WWI

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3.7 million men served in WW1 (2,000,000 saw active combat)  Volunteers and draftees

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400,000 African-Americans served in segregated units.

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15,000 Native-Americans served as scouts, messengers, and snipers in non-segregated units.

congress actions

Financing the war: •Sale of war bonds. •Liberty and victory loans raised $21 billion.

•Raised income taxes

congress actions

National Security vs. Civil Liberties

Espionage Act – 1917  forbade actions that obstructed

recruitment or efforts to promote insubordination in the military.  ordered the Postmaster General to remove Leftist materials from the mail.  fines of up to $10,000 and/or up to 20 years in prison.

Espionage & Sedition Act, 1918 •Provided for up to $10,000 in fines and 20 years in prison for interfering with the war effort or using disloyal language. •At least 1,597 persons were arrested, and 41 received prison sentences; newspapers criticizing the government lost mailing privileges. •Congress and President Wilson enacted this law to promote patriotism, nationalism and protect the National Security of the US during WWI.

National Security vs. Civil Liberties Sedition Act – 1918  It was a crime to speak against the purchase of war bonds or willfully utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about this form of US Govt.,

 the US Constitution, or the US armed forces or to willfully urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production of things necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war…with intent of such curtailment to cripple or hinder, the US in the prosecution of the war.

•In 1917 the United States was at War with Germany. WWI •Charles Schenck, a member of the Socialist Party, handed out leaflets condemning the war and urging young men to resist the military draft. •He was arrested and convicted for violating the Espionage and Sedition Act of 1917. •Schenk took his case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that his constitutional right to freedom of speech had been violated.

Issue Can “free speech” be censored or restricted during war time?

SC ruling: Disagreed with Schenk

Majority opinion BUT, every act of speech must be judged according to the circumstances in which it was spoken. The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic. "Words can be weapons . . .The question in every case is whether the words used in such circumstances are of such nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has the right to prevent."

•Under normal circumstances, his actions would have been protected by 1st amendment •The country was at war, Schenck's freedom of speech was not protected.

•SC ruling meant there were limits to freedom of speech in war time. •From the ruling, the Court established the "clear and present danger" principle to decide whether or not certain kinds of speech are protected.

Government Excess & Threats to the Civil Liberties of Americans 4. Abrams v. US – 1919 - majority ruling --> cited Holmes’ “Clear and present danger” doctrine. - Holmes & Brandeis dissented:

The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market, denying that a “silly leaflet” published by an “unknown man” constituted such a danger.

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19th Amendment: Women’s Suffrage (1920) Women won the right to vote….Called the “Susan B. Anthony” amendment.

•German offensive in the summer of 1918 battle fronts to capture Paris, France and win the war. •With the help of the U.S., the French and British were able to stop the German advance. •Germans surrender and sign an armistice on Nov. 11, 1918 to end the war.

President Wilson’s 14 Points were his ideas to “end all war”. These are a summary of his ideas for world peace. Are they realistic or

based on idealism?

•Open diplomacy or no secret treaties. •Freedom of the seas. •Free trade. •Countries reduce colonies and weapons

•International control of colonies…..

•Formation of new countries with selfgovernment as a goal. (Democracy) •A “league of nations” to guarantee peace among nations. (Collective Security)

Wilson’s Foreign Policy 

Wilson was obsessed with establishing a new world order.

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He believed the US should promote democracy around the world in order to insure peace.

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Believed that all nations could work together to end war

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AND, a country’s foreign policy decisions should be based on honesty and unselfishness…

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Events around the world, however, kept him from ever realizing his dream.

President Wilson’s 14 Points were his ideas to “end all war”. These are a summary of his ideas for world peace. Are they realistic or

based on idealism?

•Open diplomacy or no secret treaties. •Freedom of the seas. •Free trade. •Countries reduce colonies and weapons

•International control of colonies…..

•Formation of new countries with selfgovernment as a goal. (Democracy) •MOST IMPORTANT: A “league of nations” to guarantee peace among nations. (Collective Security)

One of Wilson’s ideas, the formation of a League of Nations. The League of Nations was designed to bring the nations of the world together to ensure peace and security. Collective Security of larger nations to keep world peace.

troop buildup

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•When President Wilson went to Paris, France, he was welcomed like he was a God. •Countries were convinced that his 14 points could “end all war”. •But, the hatred of the Allied nations led to the Treaty of

Versailles to be a “Treaty of Revenge” against Germany.

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Wilson Forced to Compromise •Although Wilson claimed that he was not interested in the spoils, or rewards, of war, his Allied colleagues were interested in making the Central Powers pay for war damages. •Wilson was forced to compromise on his 14 Points so he could negotiate for the League of Nations. David Lloyd George Vitorio Orlando Great Britain Italy

George Clemeneau Woodrow Wilson France U.S.

•Open diplomacy or no secret treaties.

Not included

•Freedom of the seas.

Not included

•Removal of tariff and other economic barriers or free trade.

Not included

•Reduction of land and weapons •International control of colonies, with selfgovernment as the goal. •Self-determination of ethnic groups to decide in which country they wish to live. •A “general association of nations” to guarantee peace and the independence of all nations.

Germany disarmed and forced to pay reparations of $53 billion Germany loses colonies; were given to Allied victors. New countries form democracies based on ethnic groups

League of Nations

Organization of larger nations to maintain world peace

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•Wilson believed he could “end all war” with his 14 points for world peace. •But, Allied countries had their own self-interest and agendas in mind. •Wilson had to compromise most of his 14 points to get his “league of nations” •Wilson warned Allies not to be to harsh on Germany because it could lead to future problems. •Germany forced to accept responsibility for the war- “warguilt clause

New Countries Czechoslovakia Austria Hungary Yugoslavia Poland Lithuania Finland Latvia Estonia Turkey Iraq

•President of Princeton •Democrat •Believed in the League of Nations as the only way to end all war •Would only accept his ideas and not Congress’s

•Graduate of Harvard •Republican •Believed League of Nations would take away Congress’s power to declare war •Made additions to the League of Nations, Wilson would not accept them

ARTICLE 10 The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League. In case of any such aggression or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression, the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled.

Problems Senator Lodge Had With LON •Power of Congress to declare war •Get US involved in a war with no self-interest •How would it effect the Monroe Doctrine Policy? •Will the LON guarantee a just and lasting peace? •Goes against our policy of no “foreign alliances”

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•Was Wilson’s League of Nations and his belief in “ending all war” based on idealism or reality?

•Could the world eliminate war?

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•Without the assistance of the of the United States the League of Nations was doomed to failure.

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• Return to a peacetime industry and economy • War boosted American economy and industry. • United States became a world power, largest creditor and wealthy nation.

• Soldiers were hero’s but found that jobs were scarce. • African American soldiers, despite their service returned to find continued discrimination.

• The Lost Generation of men who were killed in WWI. • US returned to neutrality and isolation. • Did not accept the responsibility of a world power that President Wilson believed the US should take on.