Deck 23: America and the Great War 1914-1920

Question 1

Which statement does NOT characterize the first two years of the Great War?

A) Mass slaughter occurred as new weapons of war were used.
B) Conditions in the battle trenches caused the spread of disease.
C) The Germans consistently pushed the Allies back in battle.
D) Each side dug trenches that extended from Belgium to Switzerland.

Answer 1

The Germans consistently pushed the Allies back in battle.

Question 2

American military intervention in Russia began in:

A) 1917.
B) 1918.
C) 1919.
D) 1920.

Answer 2

1918.

Question 3

Who tended NOT to sympathize with the Allies in the first years of the war?

A) President Wilson and most of his advisers.
B) Irish-Americans who thought an Allied defeat could free Ireland from British rule.
C) Those who felt closer cultural ties with British and French culture.
D) Americans who felt a closer affinity to Western democracy than German authoritarianism.

Answer 3

Irish-Americans who thought an Allied defeat could free Ireland from British rule.

Question 4

The American recession of 1914 ended:

A) due to the wide variety of products purchased by the Allies.
B) soon after Congress declared war on Germany.
C) because the United States continued to openly trade with the Central Powers.
D) after an American victory at the Argonne Forest.

Question 5

Even before direct American involvement, the United States was linked to the Allies' cause:

A) as a result of Russia's hostility to American trade with Britain.
B) due to the presence of U.S. marines on Allied warships.
C) because of the valuable loans that banks had issued to Allied nations.
D) as a result of Germany's refusal to follow the Declaration of London.

Question 6

The 1909 agreement, the Declaration of London, was designed to protect the rights of:

A) nations who were neutral in military conflicts.
B) soldiers taken as prisoners of war.
C) the British navy's presence in the Mediterranean.
D) English citizens who lived in Turkey and Bulgaria.

Question 7

Germany resorted to submarine warfare:

A) after U.S. merchant marine ships had fired upon German destroyers.
B) to illustrate its technological superiority over the Allies.
C) as a way of diverting attention from its military defeats on the Western Front.
D) in its effort to break England's naval blockade on trade with the Central Powers.

Question 8

All of the following statements about the sinking of the Lusitania are true EXCEPT:

A) it led to the immediate American involvement in the Great War.
B) a German submarine sunk the British passenger liner.
C) it is now known that the ship was carrying arms.
D) over 100 Americans were killed.

Question 9

President Wilson's response to the sinking of the Lusitania:

A) was supported by his secretary of state, William Jennings Bryan.
B) led to his support for the Gore-McLemore resolutions.
C) included the president's assertive demand that Germany end its submarine warfare.
D) reflected the nation's rigid commitment to maintain neutrality at all costs.

Question 10

Germany's Sussex pledge specifically required ___________ to obey international laws regarding war.

A) the United States
B) Britain
C) France
D) Russia

Question 11

A policy of war preparedness was advocated by:

A) Theodore Roosevelt.
B) Jane Addams.
C) William Jennings Bryan.
D) the Socialist Party.

Question 12

One effect of German submarine warfare was that:

A) Americans became convinced the Allies had no chance of winning the war.
B) many Americans felt England should surrender.
C) President Wilson called for expansion of the armed forces.
D) the Republican Party intensified its belief in neutrality.

Question 13

What was ironic about Wilson's successful campaign slogan, "He Kept Us Out of War"?

A) Republicans, such as Theodore Roosevelt, were more isolationist than most Democrats.
B) Wilson disliked the slogan's sentiment, but exploited its political popularity.
C) The slogan was originally created by Theodore Roosevelt for use by Wilson's opponent.
D) Americans did not realize troops had already been secretly sent to the Western Front.

Question 14

In winning the election of 1916, Woodrow Wilson benefited from:

A) the endorsement of Theodore Roosevelt.
B) the belief of many voters that the Republicans were a "war party."
C) strong support in the Midwest.
D) the unimportance of the war as a campaign issue.

Question 15

In January 1917, President Wilson outlined a "new world order" in which:

A) the League of Nations should be replaced by the United Nations.
B) the United States would act as mediator of all European conflicts.
C) freedom of the seas should be reevaluated as a vital American policy.
D) self-determination would be the foundation of world relations.

Question 16

One effect of President Wilson's order for American ships to shoot submarines on sight was:

A) the perception that he was not sincere in his efforts for preparedness.
B) Germany's sudden decision to sign the Sussex Pledge.
C) Eugene Debs's endorsement of American military involvement.
D) the emergence of huge antiwar rallies in the United States.

Question 17

In the Zimmerman Note, Germany promised:

A) that Mexico could regain lost territory in America if it joined the Central Powers.
B) to refrain from submarine warfare, but then proceeded to sink several American ships.
C) negotiate for peace with England, but not with France or Russia.
D) to follow all statutes of the anti-piracy law of 1819.

Question 18

What happened only two weeks before America's declaration of war against Germany?

A) President Wilson was re-nominated for a second term.
B) American citizens were killed when the Lusitania was sunk.
C) German submarines sank four American freighters.
D) The War Industries Board was approved by Congress.

Question 19

The Secretary of War under Wilson was:

A) Newton Baker.
B) Henry Cabot Lodge.
C) Robert LaFollette.
D) Claude Kitchin.

Question 20

The War Industries Board was established to organize all of the following EXCEPT:

A) the coordination of military purchasing.
B) the establishment of industrial priorities during the war.
C) the allocation of scarce materials and the standardization of production.
D) the criteria for drafting soldiers.

Question 21

The head of the War Industries Board was:

A) Claude Kitchen.
B) Henry Cabot Lodge.
C) Robert LaFollette.
D) Bernard Baruch.

Question 22

One effect of the War Industries Board's success was:

A) the rallying of progressives behind the virtues of commerce.
B) antitrust laws were more stringently followed.
C) big business recognized the advantages of government economic planning.
D) a leveling of profits among America's largest and smallest industries.

Question 23

Regarding the Railroad Administration, many progressives expressed the belief that:

A) the R.A. should remain a vital part of the peacetime economy.
B) the R.A. provided too much competition within the rail industry.
C) the R.A. succeeded in reducing rail costs for consumers.
D) the R.A. showed too much favor to the interests of big business.

Question 24

The Food Administration:

A) succeeded at raising farm incomes.
B) was unpopular with most of the American public.
C) did not address the need for female workers.
D) was ineffective at organizing food supplies.

Question 25

The National War Labor Board accomplished all of the following goals EXCEPT:

A) improving work conditions.
B) keeping wages ahead of inflation.
C) guaranteeing labor the right to collective bargaining.
D) establishing eight-hour days for war-contract laborers.

Question 26

One important effect of the collective importance of wartime agencies was:

A) it reduced the profits of America's largest corporations.
B) it set a valuable precedent for government activism in the economy.
C) it started a downturn in the number of workers in unions.
D) it caused a recession in the agricultural economy.

Question 27

Which statement about the female workforce during the war is NOT true?

A) Women gained clerical work, but did not work in war-production industries.
B) More women worked during the war than before the war.
C) Women sometimes became bricklayers, teamsters, and streetcar conductors.
D) Despite gains, gender segregation was still a social issue in the workplace.

Question 28

The women's suffrage movement in America ________________ during World War I.

A) suspended operations
B) was unable to make headway
C) made major gains
D) achieved full voting equality

Question 29

All of the following were true about conditions for blacks on the home front EXCEPT:

A) new job vacancies opened for black women in domestic and clerical employment.
B) job opportunities spurred a large migration of blacks from the South to the North.
C) blacks still faced a great deal of racial discrimination in the North.
D) blacks were not allowed to get employment in shipyards or steel mills.

Question 30

A riot that killed 39 Americans in East St. Louis, Illinois:

A) began when angry whites attacked blacks who sought jobs.
B) showed the severity of police brutality in the North.
C) reflected a lack of support for an extended war effort.
D) began as an antiwar rally.

Question 31

The Committee on Public Information:

A) informed the public about corruption in the war industries.
B) encouraged the free discussion of the government's war policies.
C) regulated trade among the states during the war.
D) served as the foundation of the government's pro-war propaganda.

Question 32

Government propaganda promoted all of the following themes EXCEPT:

A) portraying the Germans as brutal murderers.
B) discouraging prejudice against German-Americans and antiwar activists.
C) promoting the war as a crusade to save democracy.
D) emphasizing national unity and conformity of opinion.

Question 33

The main use of the Espionage Act was to:

A) harass and arrest leaders of the antiwar movement.
B) fund a massive intelligence operation in Europe.
C) arrest German-American spies.
D) promote unpopular industrial regulations.

Question 34

Eugene Debs was arrested and imprisoned for:

A) selling military secrets to the Central Powers.
B) refusing to join the army after he was drafted.
C) criticizing the government for limiting free speech.
D) publicly expressing support for the Central Powers.

Question 35

The Espionage and Sedition Acts were used against all of the following groups EXCEPT:

A) leaders of the Socialist Party.
B) the International Workers of the World.
C) the Nonpartisan League.
D) the American Protective League.

Question 36

The American Protective League was designed to do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) work for the reelection of President Wilson due to his wartime leadership.
B) discourage the use of German words as part of American English.
C) encourage Americans to spy on people who they believed were disloyal.
D) require citizens to purchase Liberty Bonds.

Question 37

In the West, the main target of business interests during World War I was:

A) the International Workers of the World.
B) the American Federation of Labor.
C) suffragists.
D) the Nonpartisan League.

Question 38

Which statement about the American military in World War I is NOT true?

A) The American army proved to be a major factor in the Allies' victory.
B) Most American combat troops fought in coalition with French troops.
C) African Americans were not allowed to join either the army or navy.
D) American troops benefited from not being wearied by fighting early in the war.

Question 39

The leader of the American Expeditionary Force was:

A) Hiram Johnson.
B) Douglas MacArthur.
C) John Pershing.
D) George Creel.

Question 40

American troops played a key role in all of the following battles EXCEPT:

A) Rheims.
B) Chateau-Thierry.
C) Argonne Forest.
D) Somme River.

Question 41

In July, 1918, President Wilson agreed to send 15,000 troops to:

A) Norway.
B) Japan.
C) Turkey.
D) Russia.

Question 42

Which statement about the Battle of Argonne Forest is true?

A) It was one of the few times the Germans took the trenches of the A.E.F.
B) The Russians dropped out of the war after their defeat at Argonne Forest.
C) The massive Allied assault led to the most decisive victory in the war.
D) The Allies won the battle and suffered very few casualties.

Question 43

Major aspects of President Wilson's Fourteen Points included all of the following EXCEPT:

A) the promotion of regulated international trade.
B) open diplomacy instead of secret treaties.
C) shifting old national borders.
D) the reduction of armaments.

Question 44

The Treaty of Versailles places sole responsibility for the start of World War I on:

A) Bosnia.
B) Austria.
C) Germany.
D) Russia.

Question 45

In which area did the Treaty of Versailles differ most from Wilson's Fourteen Points?

A) the creation of the League of Nations
B) its willingness to redraw European borders
C) its commitment to ending secret alliances
D) the reparations imposed on Germany

Question 46

Of the following, which gained territory as a result of World War I?

A) Germany
B) Russia
C) Turkey
D) France

Question 47

Which of the following does NOT describe Russia in 1914?

A) autocratic rule
B) primarily one ethnic group
C) primarily agricultural
D) poor

Question 48

In November 1917, the Provisional Government in Russia was overthrown and the ______________ came to power.

A) Social Revolutionaries
B) Mensheviks
C) Bolsheviks
D) Liberals

Question 49

The Irreconcilables opposed participation in the League of Nations because they:

A) wanted to continue a system of secret alliances.
B) would not join any organization that included Germany.
C) wanted no interference with American immigration laws.
D) felt it would strengthen the power of imperialist nations.

Question 50

Which statement about American reaction to the Treaty of Versailles is true?

A) Senator Henry Cabot Lodge was the strongest supporter of the treaty in Congress.
B) Opposition to the treaty came from a wide range of Americans.
C) Irish-Americans celebrated the treaty's designation of independence for Ireland.
D) The Democratic Party provided the strongest opposition against the treaty.

Question 51

The only nation not to approve the Versailles Treaty was:

A) the United States.
B) Germany.
C) France.
D) Great Britain.

Question 52

Postwar society in America was plagued by all of the following problems EXCEPT:

A) rising unemployment and inflation.
B) a virulent flu epidemic that killed many Americans.
C) housing shortages.
D) a recession caused by huge wage increases.

Question 53

One effect of three large labor strikes in 1919 was:

A) the alliance of the A.F.L. with the C.I.O.
B) the government requiring collective bargaining.
C) labor's recognition that they could easily win strikes.
D) a public backlash against unions.

Question 54

When the Boston police went on strike, Massachusetts governor Calvin Coolidge:

A) gave the police a raise.
B) agreed to officially recognize a policemen's union.
C) fired the striking police.
D) had the national guard imprison the strikers.

Question 55

The Red Scare was caused by all of the following factors EXCEPT:

A) Lenin's open threats of toppling the U.S. empire.
B) racists promoting nativist policies against immigrants.
C) anti-unionists using the issue to break unions.
D) sensationalistic journalism.

Question 56

Attorney General Palmer's credibility was permanently harmed when:

A) he switched his loyalties to the Republican Party.
B) he pardoned Eugene Debs.
C) Congress passed laws that encouraged larger immigration from central Europe.
D) his prediction of an attempted communist takeover did not come true.

Question 57

In the 1920 presidential election, Warren Harding called for:

A) America's immediate entry into the League of Nations.
B) a strong policy of government activism.
C) a return to active Progressivism.
D) a return to "normalcy."

Question 58

Warren Harding's easy victory in the election of 1920 was largely due to:

A) the nation's dissatisfaction with Wilson and the Democrats.
B) the public's rising support for the labor movement.
C) his sharp intelligence and noble spirit.
D) his strong commitment to social justice.

Question 59

Which event happened first?

A) The Lusitania was sunk.
B) The Zimmerman Note was intercepted.
C) President Wilson was reelected.
D) American troops were sent to the Western Front.

Question 60

Which headline would have appeared in 1920?

A) "Beaten Germans Announce Surrender of Central Powers"
B) "Harding New President After Landslide Victory"
C) "Debs Jailed for Speaking Out Against Government"
D) "Hoover Named Chief of Food Administration"

Question 61

Which event happened last?

A) President Wilson announced his Fourteen Points.
B) Women were given the right to vote in a constitutional amendment.
C) Congress passed the Espionage Act.
D) World War breaks out in Europe.

Question 62

Which event did NOT happen in 1917?

A) U.S. declared war on Germany.
B) Espionage Act was passed.
C) Germany began submarine warfare.
D) Bolshevik Revolution occurred in Russia.

Question 63

Which of the following events happened in 1916?

A) Sussex Pledge
B) February Revolution in Russia
C) Sedition Act passed
D) American Expeditionary Force arrives in France

Question 64

Which of the following events happened in 1918?

A) Espionage Act passed
B) establishment of military draft
C) Paris Peace Conference
D) Eugene Debs imprisoned

Question 65

Describe the opposing views that existed regarding preparedness.

Question 66

In what ways was the "neutrality" of the United States in World War I misleading?

Question 67

At the Paris Peace Conference, what major differences of opinion existed between Woodrow Wilson, Georges Clemenceau, and Lloyd George?

Question 68

What were the causes of a downturn in the labor movement after 1919?

Question 69

What factors contributed to Warren Harding's easy victory in the election of 1920?

Question 70

Analyze American foreign policy regarding World War I in the period from 1914 to April, 1917. What do you feel were the main causes of America's eventual involvement in the war?

Question 71

In what ways did the government effectively silence the brief emergence of dissent against American involvement in World War I? What examples reveal the level of aggression used against those who were suspected of disloyalty?

Question 72

Discuss the arguments for and against American ratification of the Treaty of Versailles. If you lived in that era, would you have supported ratification? Why or why not?

Question 73

Describe the amazing range of success and failure experienced by Woodrow Wilson in the period from
1912-1920.

Question 74

What were the consequences and long-range effects of the Committee of Public Information, the Food Administration, and the War Industries Board?

Question 75

Assume that it is April, 1917 and write a speech regarding American involvement in World War I from the vantage point of one of the following people: Woodrow Wilson, Eugene Debs, William Jennings Bryan, or Theodore Roosevelt.