Chapter 21 Notes

Big Stick
a) Roosevelt and Civilization
Believed in the value and importance of using American power in the world
Believed that an important distinction existed between the civilized and
uncivilized nations of the world
b) Protecting the open door in Asia
1904 // Japanese staged a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur in
southern Manchuria
c) Panama Canal
Linked the Atlantic and the Pacific
Route was not at sea level but was shorter than the one in Nicaragua
Dispatched john hay to negotiate an agreement with Colombian diplomats in
Washington that would allow construction to begin without delay.
When Colombia refused to ratify agreement, US supported and
financed a revolution in Panama

II The Road to War

a) The Collapse of the European Peace
Europe divided into alliances
Triple Entente of Great Britain, France, and Russia
Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
After June 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbians,
Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia who called on Russian help
b) Wilsons Neutrality
1914 // Wilson urged neutrality but many Americans sympathized with certain
nations (German and Irish immigrants Central, but most people GB
alliance)
Strong US-GB economic ties and blockade of Central powers led the US to
continue trade with BG, but shunned trade with Central nations
Germany began using submarine warfare in 1915 to combat GB naval
domnation
1915 // sinking Lusitania and 1916 Sussex sinking led Wilson to call on
Germans to recognize rights of neutrals
Germans relented and stopped attacking merchant ships to shop US
entrance into war
c) Preparedness vs. Pacifism
Wilson did not intervene for either side because of reelection and domestic
division

 Economic and military reparations debated by pacifists and interventionists.

However, by 1916 military armament largely under way
Wilson won extremely close in 1916 because of association with ability to
keep the US independent, though Democrats barely held on to Congressional
majorities
d) A War for Democracy
After election, Wilson wanted country unified and justified if to enter war
should fight to create a new progressive world order and not for material gains
January 1917 // Germany began offensive and continuation of unrestricted
submarine warfare to defeat Allies before the US entrance
February // Zimmerman Telegram urged Mexico to join with Germany
March // Russian Revolution toppled czar for a republican government
April // US officially declared war on side of Allies
III War Without Stint
a) Entering the War
Immediately with US entrance, Allied navy able to dramatically reduce
sinking in troop and supply convoys
1819 withdrawal of Russian forces after the Bolshevik Revolution (Lenin) led
Germans to put resources on the Western Front Allies needed US ground
troops
b) The American Expeditionary Force
US army too small to supply needed troops
April 1917 // Wilson urged passage of Selective Service Act to draft soldiers
into American Expeditionary Force
AEF was diverse women served as auxiliaries in non-combat roles and
African American soldiers served in segregated units or had menial roles
c) The Military Struggle
US ground forces insignificant until Spring 1918
AEF under General John Pershing maintained command structure
independent from other Allies
US forced a tripped stalemate and balance of power to Allies
June 1918 // helped repel German offensive and Chateau-Thierry
September // US forced fighting into Argonne Forest and pushed Germans
back/cut off supply routes
11/11/1918 Great War ended with Allies on the German border
d) New Technology of Warfare
New military weapons and tactics more deadly
Ex. Tanks, machine guns, trenches, and chemical weapons

 Logistics and materials transport gained increased importance rise of planes,

dreadnought battleships, and submarines
Casualties extremely high for war and even victors were overwhelmed by the
sheer magnitude of deaths
British 1 million
Germany 2 million
IV The War and American Society
a) Organizing the Economy for war
US appropriated $32 billion for war and to raise money they sold Liberty
Bonds to public and put new graduated taxes on income/inheritance
To organize economy, Wilson created Council of National Defense, but
emphasis on Civilian Advisory Commission tasked with mobilizing at a local
level
CND members urged scientific management and centralization, proposed
dividing economy based on function and not geography
War Industries Board oversaw purchase of military supplies, organized
factories, set prices, and distributed needed materials
b) Labor and the War
National War Labor Board pressured industry for concession to works but
workers forced to forgo strikes
Right before war, Ludlow Massacre when striking miners were killed
c) Economic and Social Results of the War
Economic boom during period for European demand and later US need
Industrial production expanded, opportunities for female and minorities
because of men and war
War saw Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of African-Americans
from rural South to northern industrial cities
Southern poverty, racism, and appeal of Northern factory jobs/freedom

led to movement
Growing black communities near white neighborhoods sometimes

resulted in race riots

Women took higher-paying industrial jobs that were unavailable in peace time
V The Search for Social Unity
a) The Peace Movement
Public sentiment divided over US involvement in war peace movement
supported by German Americans, Irish who opposed GB, religious pacifists,
intellectuals, and leftist groups

 Peace support also from womens movement maternal pacifism

b) Selling the War and Suppressing Dissent
Once American intervened, most of the country became patriotic and
supportive of troops
Religious revivalism also became source of support for war
Government concerned about minority in opposition to war, believed

that victory was possible only through united public opnion

Committee on Public Information under George Creel distributed pro-

war propaganda portrayals of savage Germans

Espionage Act of 1917 // gave government the power to punish spies

and obstructers of war effort respond to reports of disloyalty

Sabotage Act and Sedition Act of 1918 made any public expression of

opposition illegal targeted socialist groups

VI The Search for New World Order
a) The Fourteen Points
Wilsons Fourteen Points addressed three areas
Self-determination and new boundaries
New international governance laws including freedom of the seas, end

to secret treaties, free trade, and determination of colonial claims

League of nations to implement points and resolve future

disagreements
b) Early Obstacles
Wilson hoped popular support would help garner Allies support for 14 points
Most Allies so decimated by war and so bitter against Germany that they did
not want to be generous
GB Prime Minister Lloyd George and French Premier Georges

Clemenceau determined to gain compensation

Wilson and Democrats lost control of Congress to Republican
majorities in 1918 election domestic economic issues and

Republican opposition weakened his position

c) The Paris Peace Conference
Big Four nations to negotiate treaty
Great Britain
France
Italy
US
Wilson idealism met by effort by other nations to improve own concerns
about eastern Europe and communism

Economic and strategic demands suffered from conflict with cultural

nationalism
Wilson originally rejected reparations from Central Powers, but Allies forced
him to accept idea in order to keep Germany weak and unable to threaten
Europe
Allies accepted covenant of League of Nations to meet to resolve disputes
and protect peace
Wilson believed problems with treaty could be fixed by the League
d) The Ratification Battle
Americans used to isolation questioned international commitment Wilson
refused to compromise or modify League too much
When Treaty of Versailles introduced by Wilson to Senate in 1919
Opposition led by Republican Irreconcilables who wanted isolation, but also
by personal hatred of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge for Wilson
Wanted to delay so public approval would subside, and make the treaty
issue for the 1920 election
e) Wilsons Ordeal
Began traveling country to gain public support for the treaty
Traveling and speaking tour exacerbated his already bad health and he
suffered a stroke that rendered him incapable for weeks
Condition made his views of the world in moral terms and loathing for
compromise stronger
When Treaty was sent to Senator for approval with reservations
(amendments) attached, Wilson urged Democrats to vote against it
both amended treaty and original failed with reach 2/3 majority to be
ratified
VII A Society in Turmoil
a) Industry and Labor
After war, government began cancelling contracts
War boom continued for short while because of foreign demands and
deficit spending
1920 // bubble burst GDP decreased and inflation and unemployment rose
Postwar environment 1919 // management sought to rescind worker rights that
they had been forced to grant during the war use of union strikes increased
to combat these moves
Boston Police Strike
Steel Workers Strike (failure)

b) The Demands of African-Americans

Returned blacks from war wanted social rewards and rights for service
Black factory workers from war wanted to retain economic gains they had
made
Racial tension increased as returned whites displaced black workers
contributed to large 1919 Chicago race riots
Marcus Garveys ideas of Black Nationalism gained popularity among blacks
advocated embracing heritage and return to Africa. reject white
assimilation
c) The Red Scare
Industrial problems, racial violence, dissent, creation of Communist
International in 1919 by Soviets to spread revolution, and bombings in US by
radicals fueled middle class fears of instability and radicalism
Growing movement to fight radicalism and embrace 100 Percent
Americanism red scare
Antiradicals saw any instability or protest as radical threat
Jan 1920 // Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer conducted nationwide
raids in radical crackdown
1920 // Sacco & Vanzetti murder trial showed American bias towards
perceived radicals (they had been immigrant anarchists) ; they were executed
in 1927
d) The Retreat from Idealism
Passage of 19th Amendment in 1920 (women suffrage) marked end of reform
era due to economic problems, labor unrest, and antiradicalism that all led to
sense of disillusionment
1920 // Presidential election pitted idealists Democrat James Cox (VP
Franklin Roosevelt) against conservative Republican Warred Harding who
promised return to normalcy Harding won by a large margin
Election a repudiation of League of Nation and postwar order of democratic
ideals