CHAPTER 5: America and The Great War 1914-1920
The Alliance System, the Great Powers, and the Precursor to War
1. The Triple Entente (later the Allies) – Britain, France and Russia
2. The Central Powers – Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire
Within the balance of power, the nations of Europe challenged one another for economic, military and imperial advantage.
Under Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany sought to establish itself as the dominant power in Europe. To support this goal, emphasis was placed on the application of contemporary science and technology within industry to build powerful war weapons, developing a powerful army, and particularly, a powerful navy to challenge the Royal Navy. In 1905 the Schlieffen Plan was devised by the German general Alfred von Schlieffen to avoid the dilemma of a two-front war against France and Russia. This plan required that Germany attack France first through Belgium and secure a quick victory before wheeling to the east to meet the slower armies of the Russians on the Eastern Front. The Schlieffen Plan was put into operation on Aug. 2, 1914 at the outbreak of war.
Direct Cause of World War One
• Assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist, Princip Gavrilo.
• Austria called for an ultimatum to Serbia to denounce the activities of the Serbian independence group. Serbia recognized this as provocation and mobilized their army in response.
The Alliances Kick In
• Austria declares war when demands are not met.
• Germany mobilizes as an ally of Austria-Hungary.
• Russia mobilizes to defend Serbia against Germany and Austria-Hungary.
• France mobilizes as an ally of Russia against Germany and Austria-Hungary.
• Britain enters the war alongside France and Russia. Not that Britain’s entry was a foregone conclusion but rather not wanting to see a German dominated Europe.
Industrial Warfare and Total War
WW I was the world’s first modern war. It used new technology to create weapons of mass destruction: high velocity artillery; poison gas; tanks; planes; flame throwers; grenades; machine guns; and rail mounted long length cannons. These weapons were used against civilians as well as military units. This was total war. The concept of total war would require all countries to mobilize all of its resources – manpower, money, natural resources and imperial possessions. This war eventually became a war of attrition as both sides became stalemated in the trench warfare of the Western Front. Each side began to use up its resources until one side would quit.
Strategies Used
• Submarine warfare.
• Blockades
• Offensive warfare – trench warfare which resulted in stalemate and millions of casualties on both sides that led to a slaughter on an unprecedented scale.
In 1914 the great empires of Europe, France, England, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Germany became embroiled in a war that enveloped the European continent, North Africa, and the Middle East. In three short years it was to involve the United States. This war came to be known as the Great War. But by the time of another world wide war in 1939, the Great War became known as World War I. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson was re-elected president on the campaign slogan, “He Kept Us Out Of War”. Against the backdrop of the Great War, President Wilson made attempts to keep the United States out of Europe’s war by adopting a policy of neutrality. However, international ties in commerce and business couldn’t keep the nation out of the Great War for long.
Initially, the logic of neutrality made sense in that:
1. In President Wilson’s view, neutrality was profitable. Wilson defended the right of neutral nations to trade with warring countries. American industries depended on overseas trade.
2. Industrialized warfare with the development of poison gas, machine guns, submarines, high velocity artillery and its accompanying killing powers made Americans determined not to enter the war.
3. With massive immigration to the United States, between 1900-1914, many foreign born Americans had blood ties to all of the powers at war in Europe.
However, there were limits to Wilson’s neutrality views:
1. Americans who were critical of the British Empire did not want to see Europe under the control of an aristocratic German Kaiser.
2. Economic interests tied the U.S. heavily to the Allies; England, France, Russia, and Italy.
3. Certain powerful American business interests on the east coast tried to prepare America for war.
4. Progressives split themselves over the war. Radical Progressives, such as Eugene V. Debs, opposed joining it over matters of principle. Moderates, such as Jane Addams and black labor leader A. Philip Randolph, opposed the war because they felt it would put domestic reform aside.
The events that eventually brought the United States were:
1. The sinking of the Lusitania, a British ocean liner sunk by a German submarine killing 128 Americans and a thousand more.
2. Unrestricted submarine warfare policy by Germany, resulting in the sinking of American merchant vessels even though the U.S. was not at war with Germany.
3. The Zimmerman Telegram, uncovered by the American press, revealed Germany’s plan to have Mexico join with Germany in the war against the United States.
President Wilson declares war on Germany April, 1917
