World War 1
The next step in the maneuvering of the United States into the war came when the Cunard Lines, owner of the ocean liner, the Lusitania, turned the ship over to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. It now became a ship of the English Navy and was under the control of the English government. When the Lusitania was sunk, many Americans were pissed. They were not very happy with this. There were actually americans on board the lusitania, which is a reason why they were so upset. World War was a very bloody war that resulted in the death of thousands of American's.
Fought mostly by soldiers in trenches, World War I saw an estimated 10 million military deaths and another 20 million wounded. While many hoped that World War I would be "the war to end all wars," in actuality, the concluding peace treaty set the stage for World War II. |
From 1914 to 1917, soldiers on each side of the line fought from their trenches. They fired artillery onto the enemy's position and lobbed grenades. However, each time military leaders ordered a full-fledged attack, the soldiers were forced to leave the "safety" of their trenches.The only way to overtake the other side's trench was for the soldiers to cross "No Man's Land," the area between the trenches, on foot. Out in the open, thousands of soldiers raced across this barren land in the hopes of reaching the other side. Often, most were hewn down by machine-gun fire and artillery before they even got close.
Because of the nature of trench warfare, millions of young men were slaughtered in the battles of World War I. The war quickly became one of attrition, which meant that with so many soldiers being killed daily, eventually the side with the most men would win the war. By 1917, the Allies were starting to run low on young men. Due to this, the United States of America joins the war, and Russia gets out of the war.The Versailles Treaty, signed on June 28, 1919, was the peace settlement between Germany and the Allied Powers that officially ended World War I. However, the conditions in the treaty were so harsh on Germany that many believe the Versailles Treaty laid the groundwork for the eventual rise of Nazis in Germany. This groundwork also supported the idea and the beginning of World War 2. |
The Economy during the 1920’s
The 1920’s was known to be the most interesting era. Typically the decades of the 1920’s tend to get overlooked. There was a lot of economic growth. This chart show 1919-1930. You can see how the economy had went up. There was a minor depression between 1920-1921 but as shown you can see how fast it had risen. There was a lot of new ownership with cars, household appliances, and housing. The employment rate went up drastically. This image shows how much work there was in the 1920s through 1930. The wages doesn’t look like much but during that time period it was great. In 1925 wages dropped 10 cents which is kind of a big deal. Now and days wages can’t go down. Unskilled males received on average 35 percent more than females during the twenties. Not much has changed from now woman are still treated worse than men meaning men still get paid more.
The 14 points
The 14 points was a peace plan. They were 1.Open covenants of peace 2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas 3.The removal 4.Adequate guarantees 5.a free and opened minded colonial claims 6. The evacuation of all Russian territory 7.Belgium, the whole world will agree 8.All French territory should be freed 9.A readjustment of the frontiers of Italy should be effected along clearly 10.The peoples of Austria-Hungary, whose place among the nations we wish to see safeguarded 11.Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated 12.The Turkish portions of the present Ottoman Empire should be assured a secure sovereignty 13.An independent Polish state should be erected which should include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations 14.. A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike. When Wilson left office he never had convinced the US the do it.
The League Of Nations
It was part of Wilson's 14 point plan. the League of nations was an international organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. This league took place after WW1. The League of Nation’s task was simple – to ensure that war never broke out again. Many people looked at this league as kind of a comfort. As many strong point this league had it also had many weaknesses. America had refused to join it. Germany,and Russia wasn’t allowed to join it. The league had no financial stability. The biggest accomplishment of the league was that they did get to inform the nations of the problems and let it be known that they needed to be taken care of immediately One of the most dramatic effects of the war was the expansion of governmental powers and responsibilities in Britain, France, the United States, and the Dominions of the British Empire. In order to harness all the power of their societies, new government ministries and powers were created. New taxes were levied and laws enacted, all designed to bolster the war effort; many of which have lasted to this day. Similarly, the war strained the abilities of the formerly large and bureaucratized governments such as in Austria–Hungary and Germany; however, any analysis of the long-term effects were clouded by the defeat of these governments.