World War I: Pod Activity by Bryce Borne

Post 1: Why did the U.S. enter WWI?

isabellapolk — 2024-02-21 14:58:03 UTC

In 1915, Germany used U-boats to sink a British ship called the Lusitania. Because many U.S. citizens were on this ship, this upset Americans and threatened the neutral relationship between the U.S. and Germany. America contracted the Sussex Treaty to keep the peace, which asked Germany to tell the U.S. before sinking ships. This treaty kept the peace for some time, but soon, Germany released a statement saying they would sink anything they wanted to, violating the Sussex treaty. In addition, Germany sent a telegram to Mexico called the Zimmerman telegram, which was intercepted by the British and given to the U.S. In the telegram, Germany asked Mexico to be their ally if the U.S. entered the war and offered to help them regain the lands previously conquered by the U.S., like Arizona and California. This prompted Woodrow Wilson, the president at the time, to join the war to uphold moral diplomatic principles. In addition, Wilson wanted the United States to be associated with peace at the end of the war because he believed World War I would be "the war to end all wars."

Post 4: Post-War Isolationism

isabellapolk — 2024-02-21 15:27:27 UTC

Wilson developed 14 points after World War I to settle post-war foreign relations and punish Germany. Because the U.S. did not enter the War until three years after the start of the war, many European nations like England and France felt that it was arrogant and out-of-line for the U.S. to suggest the 14-point policy. European Nations on both sides began to resent the U.S. for behaving so arrogantly. Wilson suggested that the Allied powers collaborate on a global scale called the League of Nations. Because foreign affairs had to be decided by Congress, Wilson had to return to the U.S. and attempt to convince the general public that joining the League of Nations was a good idea. During his campaign to gather support for his idea, Wilson had a stroke that left him incapacitated. Unfortunately, the United States was excluded from the League of Nations because it could not gather adequate public support. In addition, the U.S. general public resented the government for getting involved in the war since it was a foreign war that did not involve the United States. These reasons caused the U.S. to develop an isolationist attitude after the war and focus on bettering the U.S. rather than getting involved in foreign affairs.

Post 3: Mobilizing

lilybagnetto — 2024-02-21 15:32:29 UTC

The United States was completely unprepared for the war and had to switch to a wartime lifestyle. The Selective Service Act was a draft that organized soldiers to fight in World War I and was led by General Pershing. This act helped mobilize the United States to fight in the war. The total war effort helped mobilize the United States as well. Anyone and everyone in the United States would help and support the war. The United States had to transition to a wartime economy quickly. The War Industries Board helped produce war goods and set production priorities for the war. The U.S. Food Administration helped Americans to get food during the war effort. This was led by Herbert Hoover, who encouraged Americans to do this. Overall, these topics greatly helped mobilize the United States into the war.

Post 2: Social Impact of WWI

bryceborne — 2024-02-22 00:49:29 UTC

Citizens were socially impacted by many different life changes. First, the Great Migration started in 1910, when many African Americans came to northern cities. This affected their lives because they moved from rural southern areas to northern cities, with many economic differences. The migration started due to many job opportunities in factories because white men were being drafted. The involvement of women in wartime factories was crucial. Women filled tasks normally filled by men and contributed to the war effort by manufacturing supplies and weapons. Many worked as nurses, tending to the injured. While men were at war, their contributions kept things on the home front running smoothly. This was a big step toward women's suffrage and staying in the workforce. Lastly, Race riots during World War I were violent conflicts between different racial or ethnic groups in various cities across the United States. Tensions over competition for housing, jobs, and status in society frequently served as a reason for these riots. People's lives at the time were significantly impacted by the riots. They intensified violence against minority populations, segregation, racial tensions, and prejudice.

Post 5: Significance of Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points

bryceborne — 2024-02-22 00:52:16 UTC

After World War I, Woodrow Wilson's 14 principles provided a structure for international peace and aimed to prevent more wars. Promoting democracy and fairness was the goal. "Open diplomacy," he said, implies that there will not be any more secret deals between nations. Wilson also argued for "disarmament," which claims that nations should reduce weapons to prevent war. Finally, he stressed collective security and self-determination through the League of Nations. Wilson thought that this would be the end of all conflicts, as these examples proved. In addition to rejecting Wilson's proposed peace treaty, Congress also rejected Wilson's 14 points, which included joining the League of Nations.