People:
General John J. Pershing was the commander of American Forces in Europe. He first arrived with minimal amount of troops, but after about a year, greatly increased amounts of US troops started to arrive in Europe. Around this time, the German offensive also began to stall and then was completely stopped. Germany tried launching more offensives but kept failing and weakening. Pershing was tasked with turning millions of untrained men into an effective fighting force. His skill helped the Allies win the war.
Bernard Baruch was a Wall Street investment broker who reported directly to the President. He was head of the War Industries Board which eventually became the Council of National Defense. This organization regulated all industries engaged in the war effort. American industry leaders realized that they had to cooperate in order to defeat the central powers.
General John J. Pershing was the commander of American Forces in Europe. He first arrived with minimal amount of troops, but after about a year, greatly increased amounts of US troops started to arrive in Europe. Around this time, the German offensive also began to stall and then was completely stopped. Germany tried launching more offensives but kept failing and weakening. Pershing was tasked with turning millions of untrained men into an effective fighting force. His skill helped the Allies win the war.
Bernard Baruch was a Wall Street investment broker who reported directly to the President. He was head of the War Industries Board which eventually became the Council of National Defense. This organization regulated all industries engaged in the war effort. American industry leaders realized that they had to cooperate in order to defeat the central powers.
Events:
January 1917- The Zimmermann note was intercepted by the British who gave it to American authorities. The note, from Germany to Mexico, proposed an alliance stating that if the US declared war on Germany, Mexico should declare war on the US. Germany promised Mexico the land that they lost to the US, if the Central Powers won the war. This was a major cause and reason to why the US got involved in the war and declared war on Germany.
May 7, 1915- A German U-boat sinks the British passenger line, Lusitania, off the coast of Ireland. Americans protested to this saying that an unarmed ship should not be sunk without first being warned and provided with safety for its passengers. germany promised not to sink anymore passenger ships. Shortly after, GErmany violated this rule by sinking an unarmed French passenger ship.
January 1917- The Zimmermann note was intercepted by the British who gave it to American authorities. The note, from Germany to Mexico, proposed an alliance stating that if the US declared war on Germany, Mexico should declare war on the US. Germany promised Mexico the land that they lost to the US, if the Central Powers won the war. This was a major cause and reason to why the US got involved in the war and declared war on Germany.
May 7, 1915- A German U-boat sinks the British passenger line, Lusitania, off the coast of Ireland. Americans protested to this saying that an unarmed ship should not be sunk without first being warned and provided with safety for its passengers. germany promised not to sink anymore passenger ships. Shortly after, GErmany violated this rule by sinking an unarmed French passenger ship.
Science and Technology:
One new technology that was utilized by the Germans, was the U-boat. These submarine like boats were able to completely submerge underwater and use technologies like sonar and radar to locate targets. These ships were very difficult to detect and destroy which makes them a very deadly naval force. Throughout all of WW1, U-boats destroyed more than 11 million tons of Allied shipping and killed nearly 14,000 people.
World War One introduced many more military advances in technology. Some examples are machine guns, chlorine gas, airplanes, barbed wire, and modern artillery. Machine guns allowed many shots to be fired consecutively without having to stop and reload. Chlorine gas was very hard to escape from and if it came into contact with skin, violent burns would appear. Airplanes and artillery allowed bombs to be dropped all over the battlefield. Barbed wire made it hard to effectively relocate and have effective mobility.
One new technology that was utilized by the Germans, was the U-boat. These submarine like boats were able to completely submerge underwater and use technologies like sonar and radar to locate targets. These ships were very difficult to detect and destroy which makes them a very deadly naval force. Throughout all of WW1, U-boats destroyed more than 11 million tons of Allied shipping and killed nearly 14,000 people.
World War One introduced many more military advances in technology. Some examples are machine guns, chlorine gas, airplanes, barbed wire, and modern artillery. Machine guns allowed many shots to be fired consecutively without having to stop and reload. Chlorine gas was very hard to escape from and if it came into contact with skin, violent burns would appear. Airplanes and artillery allowed bombs to be dropped all over the battlefield. Barbed wire made it hard to effectively relocate and have effective mobility.
Arts and Entertainment:
During WW1, a new form of political art was utilized. This new form of political art is called Propaganda. It used strong artistic depictions that emphasized the wrongdoings of the Germans. This was used to try to encourage support for the war, and also recruit more soldiers to the cause of stopping and defeating the Germans. Many of these advertisements were posters with drawings or paintings that were supposed to win America's' hearts. Many of these posters also had phrases that were used to win support.
Militarism was also a new idea that emerged during this time. This was the glorification of the military. Many Americans took up this new spirit in support of the war. Many media influences and propaganda were used to encourage this new idea and spirit. This concept eventually sparked an arms race where competing countries tried to acquire the most weapons and military technologies.
During WW1, a new form of political art was utilized. This new form of political art is called Propaganda. It used strong artistic depictions that emphasized the wrongdoings of the Germans. This was used to try to encourage support for the war, and also recruit more soldiers to the cause of stopping and defeating the Germans. Many of these advertisements were posters with drawings or paintings that were supposed to win America's' hearts. Many of these posters also had phrases that were used to win support.
Militarism was also a new idea that emerged during this time. This was the glorification of the military. Many Americans took up this new spirit in support of the war. Many media influences and propaganda were used to encourage this new idea and spirit. This concept eventually sparked an arms race where competing countries tried to acquire the most weapons and military technologies.
Lifestyle/Leisure:
During this time a Great Migration was encouraged. This was where African Americans living in the South were encouraged to travel north and work in war factories. The industries in the North gave better paying jobs than in the South and was less prone to racism.
During September 1918, a deadly form of influenza appeared. The flu killed millions world-wide. The great influenza pandemic, happening right after WW1, gave a sense of doom and despair to the world. Since it's a virus, it couldn't be cured, but it could be partially contained and controlled, but millions had already died by that time.
During this time a Great Migration was encouraged. This was where African Americans living in the South were encouraged to travel north and work in war factories. The industries in the North gave better paying jobs than in the South and was less prone to racism.
During September 1918, a deadly form of influenza appeared. The flu killed millions world-wide. The great influenza pandemic, happening right after WW1, gave a sense of doom and despair to the world. Since it's a virus, it couldn't be cured, but it could be partially contained and controlled, but millions had already died by that time.
Politics:
After the war ended, President Woodrow Wilson gave a massive speech called " Peace Without Victory." In this speech he laid out his new foreign policy concept known as the Fourteen Points. These points proposed peace inspired by noble ideals, not greed and vengeance. His Fourteen Points also designed out a plan to create a League of Nations to secure "mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike."
The country also was conflicted and split into three major groups about foreign policy. These groups were, the isolationists, the internationalists, and the interventionists. The isolationists believed that the US should isolate itself from all foreign conflicts. The Internationalists believed that the US should actively work for peace but not enter the war. The interventionists believed that the US should intervene in the war on the side of the Allies to protect US interests and fulfill US obligations.
After the war ended, President Woodrow Wilson gave a massive speech called " Peace Without Victory." In this speech he laid out his new foreign policy concept known as the Fourteen Points. These points proposed peace inspired by noble ideals, not greed and vengeance. His Fourteen Points also designed out a plan to create a League of Nations to secure "mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike."
The country also was conflicted and split into three major groups about foreign policy. These groups were, the isolationists, the internationalists, and the interventionists. The isolationists believed that the US should isolate itself from all foreign conflicts. The Internationalists believed that the US should actively work for peace but not enter the war. The interventionists believed that the US should intervene in the war on the side of the Allies to protect US interests and fulfill US obligations.
Economy:
After the war, the US become the largest creditor nation in the world. This means that other countries owed the US more money than the US owed them. The war shifted the economic center of the world. Before the war, it was in London, but after the war, it was in New York City. The US got labeled as " The Quiet Giant."
In order have an effective war presence, a nation must have a strong war economy. The Council of National Defense was used to oversee wartime production. They did this by creating smaller committees and federal administrative agencies to oversee different phases of the war effort. The War Industries Board was eventually formed independent from the original council. They oversaw and determined what products industries would make, where those products would went, and how much they would cost.
After the war, the US become the largest creditor nation in the world. This means that other countries owed the US more money than the US owed them. The war shifted the economic center of the world. Before the war, it was in London, but after the war, it was in New York City. The US got labeled as " The Quiet Giant."
In order have an effective war presence, a nation must have a strong war economy. The Council of National Defense was used to oversee wartime production. They did this by creating smaller committees and federal administrative agencies to oversee different phases of the war effort. The War Industries Board was eventually formed independent from the original council. They oversaw and determined what products industries would make, where those products would went, and how much they would cost.