[Sidenote: =The hero of the World War=]
=232. A War of All the People.= We have been studying in this history
the lives of America's greatest men and women, and the ways they have
served their country. But in the last great part of American history,
the World War, what counted most was the loyalty of every one of the
people to a free government, and their willingness to fight and work
unitedly for its safety. The plain, everyday American is our hero in
this chapter.
The war was so big that if each citizen had not done his bit, Germany
might have conquered. The work of shipping boards and directors of fuel
supply was less important than the work done by ordinary people. Much
was done to win the war in the homes of each boy and girl in the United
States as well as on the battlefields of France. Every member of the
family found things he could do without to help buy more Liberty bonds.
Boy Scouts sold bonds and thrift stamps. Girls worked to get food-card
pledges. Mothers planned the meals carefully to save the wheat, meat,
and sugar that had to be sent across to our army. Brothers and fathers
had to answer the draft call and go to training camps if necessary. Not
only must food and money, gasoline and coal, be saved, but everyone who
could not fight overseas was expected to do some useful work.
[Illustration: A WAR GARDEN POSTER
_In the "Food Will Win the War" campaign posters urged all school
children to make gardens_]
With one hundred million people in the country, we might think it would
not make any difference if we let someone else do our part. But this
was not the spirit of America. For the most part, each person himself
felt that this was _his_ war, fought for _his_ rights and for _his_
aims. And because for the most part each person acted as if success
depended on him, Europe was amazed at America's swiftness in getting
ready to fight.
[Sidenote: =America by tradition aloof=]
The United States did not decide to enter this war until it had been
going on nearly three years, for its people had come from nations
fighting on opposite sides. Besides, war had always been a common
happening in Europe, and the United States had always tried to keep its
hands free. Washington and Jefferson and later Monroe had advised that
we should only be "interested spectators" of quarrels abroad.
[Sidenote: =The powers involved=]
=233. A World at Arms.= The outbreak of the war surprised the world by
its suddenness. The heir to the throne of Austria, Archduke Ferdinand,
was murdered in June, 1914. Austria blamed Serbia for the murder. When
Serbia would not agree to all that was demanded of her, Austria at once
declared war. The largest nations of Europe were united in two groups.
Germany took up Austria's quarrel; Russia, France, and England combined
to oppose Germany. Italy was bound to defend Germany and Austria if
they should be attacked, but now believed they were the attacking
nations, and later came in against them. Bulgaria and Turkey threw in
their lot with Germany and Austria, these four nations forming the
Central Powers, and Japan and Roumania with the Allies, as the nations
opposing them were called.
[Sidenote: =Invasion of Belgium=]
Germany's first act was to rush her troops across the borders of
Belgium, straight toward Paris. Belgium, of course, was too small a
state to stand against the armies of her stronger neighbors. On this
account the great nations of western Europe had agreed never to invade
Belgium, and now England felt bound to go to her defense.
[Sidenote: =Events at sea=]
British, French, and Belgian soldiers, fighting in whatever order they
could, checked the on-coming masses of Germans. The Allies stopped them
at the Battle of the Marne, far within France. On the sea England's
mighty navy quickly put an end to all German shipping. She kept
the German navy from venturing even into the North Sea. But German
submarines could not be so easily blocked up, and slipped out and sunk
Allied vessels.
[Sidenote: =Opinion favors the Allies=]
=234. The American Government Neutral.= When Germany first attacked
Belgium, some people believed that the United States should break off
relations with her at once. Our government declared itself neutral.
President Wilson asked the people to be friendly in their dealings
with all the nations at war. But Germany's headlong haste in declaring
war, and her methods of waging it made most Americans anxious for the
success of the Allies.
[Sidenote: =Germany protests=]
The European countries were too busy fighting to raise all the food
or forge all the guns their armies needed. They were producing these
things on a very great scale, but had to buy vast quantities besides.
The United States was the country best able to supply them. The great
steel factories of the country worked night and day making shells,
tanks, and war material of all kinds. Since England controlled the
seas, everything we made went to the Allies. Germany protested strongly
against our supplying her enemies with the means to fight her. But
America, not being at war, had a right to trade with all countries. To
give up this right would have been to take sides with Germany. American
merchants were willing to manufacture goods for Germany, but she could
not send ships to get them.
=235. Disputes with England and Germany.= Our government had a just
cause of complaint against England. Her acts were not always strictly
lawful. She stopped our ships on the high seas and searched them,
destroying mail which she thought was intended for Germany. When the
United States objected, she promised to make good all losses.
[Illustration: THE LUSITANIA]
[Sidenote: =The Lusitania=]
Germany, on the other hand, not only destroyed American goods but
American lives. One of the two largest passenger ships ever built, the
_Lusitania_, was sunk by a German submarine on May 7, 1915. Over one
hundred Americans went down. Again there was a great cry that Germany
should be punished. But President Wilson made every possible effort
for peace. He gave Germany a chance to prove that she did not mean to
continue such lawlessness. Finally Germany promised to take Americans
off the ships to be sunk. In spite of her pledge Germany failed to
change her methods. New notes protesting and more ships sunk was the
order of things for almost two years.
[Sidenote: =A peace-loving nation=]
President Wilson was severely criticized for this "warfare of notes."
But many people were not yet convinced that this was different from
other European wars. Otherwise Congress, which like the President is
the servant of the people, might have declared war sooner. The country
was peace-loving, and far away from roaring guns and ruined towns of
Europe. In a way it is to the credit of the American people that they
were slow to believe in the world-wide plots of the Kaiser, and the
reported cruelty of his soldiers.
[Sidenote: =United support of war essential=]
=236. The Need of a United Nation.= President Wilson sought to be a
true public servant, by listening to the opinions of people throughout
the land. He did not try to lead the nation into war while the feelings
of the people were still divided. A divided people could have done
little in this gigantic war.
His training made him able to understand the temper of the American
people well. He was a student of history, and the author of well-known
books on the American government.
[Sidenote: =Wilson's boyhood=]
President Wilson's boyhood was much like that of any other boy. In his
classes he was neither brilliant nor slow. He took part in all regular
school sports, and at Davidson College once saved the day for his team
in baseball. Later at Princeton and Johns Hopkins, two of the most
famous eastern universities, he studied history and economics. At the
age of twenty-three he began a book called _Congressional Government_,
which shows his command of words and thorough knowledge of his subject.
[Sidenote: =Governor of New Jersey=]
He had tried practicing law, but did not make a success of it and
decided to be a teacher. In this he is like many other Americans who
have failed in their first undertaking, and have later been successful
in a different line. He taught first at Bryn Mawr, a woman's college
near Philadelphia, then at Wesleyan, the old Methodist university,
then at Princeton. "Princeton, Trenton, Washington"--Wilson's career
has been jokingly summed up, for he was in turn chosen president of
Princeton, governor of New Jersey, whose capital Trenton is, and
President of the United States. On the whole, his record at Princeton
and Trenton, and as President during his first term, was that of a
liberal and fearless chief. The elections of 1916 came at a critical
time and President Wilson was reëlected partly because "he kept us
out of war." Banners with this motto on them were largely used in the
campaign. The American nation did not have that "warlike spirit" of
loving war for war's sake which the Kaiser boasted of in his people.
[Illustration: WOODROW WILSON]
[Sidenote: =A Mexican Crisis=]
In 1913 Mexico had been so upset that it looked as though the United
States might be drawn into a clash with her. President Wilson avoided
this except when our soldiers landed at Vera Cruz for a short time.
Later General John J. Pershing was sent down to Mexico to punish Villa
and his outlaw bands. He killed many of Villa's followers, but the wily
old fox himself escaped.
[Sidenote: =Germany's lawless acts=]
After the _Lusitania_ was sunk, the submarine warfare grew more
widespread and reckless month by month. In January, 1917, Germany
openly declared that in the future she would not limit this warfare
by any rules whatever. She aimed to cut off all supplies from Great
Britain and to starve her people. She gave America one little port
among the British Isles where the United States might send her
passengers and commerce. Secret agents of the Central Powers had been
blowing up factories in the United States, and purchasing newspapers
to defend the German cause. Their treacherous acts had already caused
President Wilson to dismiss the German ambassador.
Germany's statement that hereafter her submarines would know no law at
last proved to all the nation that America could not honorably remain
out of the war.