Sunday Afternoon, September 1st, 1918
My dear Father,
It is a strange feeling to me but a very real one, that every single letter
that I write home to you or to my little sister may be the last that I
shall write or you read. I do not want you to think that I am
depressed or scared. I am indeed on the contrary, I am very cheerful. But out here, in
odd moments the realization comes to me of how close death is to us. A
week ago I was talking with a man from Preston,
who had been out here for nearly four years, untouched. He was certainly looking forward to going on leave soon, and now he is dead,
killed in a moment during our last advance.
I
say this to you because I hope that you will realize, as I do, the
possibility of the same thing happening to myself. I feel very glad myself
that I can look the fact in the face without fear or regret. Much as I
hope to live through it all for your sakes and my little sisters. I am
quite prepared to give my life as so many have done before me.
I hope that you will not move out of the old house yet. Write and let me know if and when anything happens.
Well I have not much time left and I must end.
Your son,
Max
Friday, January 17, 2014
Letter Back Home
Dear Family,
Hope all of you are well. I have been great, I've been eating well, and everyone is treating me good. When I come home I will have money to support myself so you will no longer have to. I will still be in the war for a few more months. My job is very easy I just take food to some soldiers by me and help support the combat there too. Eventually I will be home. Do not worry to much about me, I'll be back. Thanks for supporting me through life.
Sincerely, your son
Hope all of you are well. I have been great, I've been eating well, and everyone is treating me good. When I come home I will have money to support myself so you will no longer have to. I will still be in the war for a few more months. My job is very easy I just take food to some soldiers by me and help support the combat there too. Eventually I will be home. Do not worry to much about me, I'll be back. Thanks for supporting me through life.
Sincerely, your son
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
WWI Causes
1. Nationalism: It is a deep loyalty to one's nation. Gavrillo Princip from Serbia was the person who triggered WWI. He killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand because he was the leader and Austria-Hungary controlled Serbia at the time. This is an example of extreme nationalism because he was showing loyalty to his own country.
2. Alliance system: It is the formal agreement of support among countries in the event of an attack. This caused WWI because the conflict originally involved between two countries were likely to involve many more countries due to the alliance. For example, Germany was an ally of Austria Hungary and if Austria-Hungary was at war, then Germany would automatically be at war.
3. Imperialism: The building of power by controlling over colonies. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia all scramble for colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Each nation wanted new trade markets and the raw materials of these new regions. They argued over these colonies and this caused them to war.
4. Militarism: The belief in building up a strong armed forces to prepare your country for war. At the time, Britain had the most powerful navy and Germany was trying to expand theirs. This established strong navies and prepared them for war.
The spark of WWI was when Gavrillo Princip Assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Archduke's assassination was the reason for WWI in itself. Once Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia because they had not brought the assassin to justice, the other nations were brought into it because of collective defense alliances.
Zimmerman Note: A diplomatic proposal from the German Empire for Mexico to join the Central Powers, in the event of the United States entering World War I on the side of the allied powers. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence. When Britain revealed the contents to America it outraged the American public opinion and helped generate support for the United States declaration of war on Germany in April 1917.
Sussex Pledge/Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: The Sussex Pledge was a promise made in 1916 by Germany to the United States before their entry into the war. Germany had had been using unrestricted submarine warfare, allowing armed merchant ships to be torpedoed without warning. Despite restriction to this, a French passenger ferry, the Sussex, was torpedoed without warning. The ship was severely damaged and about 50 lives were lost. This made President Woodrow Wilson to declare that if Germany were to continue this practice, the United States would break relations with Germany. Fearing the entry of the United States into World War I, Germany attempted to agree with the United States by issuing the Sussex pledge, which promised a change in Germany’s naval warfare policy.
Lusitania: RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner, which was briefly the world's biggest ship. She was launched in 1907, at a time of fierce competition for the North Atlantic trade. In 1915 she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat, causing the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew, 128 of which were Americans.
2. Alliance system: It is the formal agreement of support among countries in the event of an attack. This caused WWI because the conflict originally involved between two countries were likely to involve many more countries due to the alliance. For example, Germany was an ally of Austria Hungary and if Austria-Hungary was at war, then Germany would automatically be at war.
3. Imperialism: The building of power by controlling over colonies. Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia all scramble for colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Each nation wanted new trade markets and the raw materials of these new regions. They argued over these colonies and this caused them to war.
4. Militarism: The belief in building up a strong armed forces to prepare your country for war. At the time, Britain had the most powerful navy and Germany was trying to expand theirs. This established strong navies and prepared them for war.
The spark of WWI was when Gavrillo Princip Assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Archduke's assassination was the reason for WWI in itself. Once Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia because they had not brought the assassin to justice, the other nations were brought into it because of collective defense alliances.
Zimmerman Note: A diplomatic proposal from the German Empire for Mexico to join the Central Powers, in the event of the United States entering World War I on the side of the allied powers. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence. When Britain revealed the contents to America it outraged the American public opinion and helped generate support for the United States declaration of war on Germany in April 1917.
Sussex Pledge/Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: The Sussex Pledge was a promise made in 1916 by Germany to the United States before their entry into the war. Germany had had been using unrestricted submarine warfare, allowing armed merchant ships to be torpedoed without warning. Despite restriction to this, a French passenger ferry, the Sussex, was torpedoed without warning. The ship was severely damaged and about 50 lives were lost. This made President Woodrow Wilson to declare that if Germany were to continue this practice, the United States would break relations with Germany. Fearing the entry of the United States into World War I, Germany attempted to agree with the United States by issuing the Sussex pledge, which promised a change in Germany’s naval warfare policy.
Lusitania: RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner, which was briefly the world's biggest ship. She was launched in 1907, at a time of fierce competition for the North Atlantic trade. In 1915 she was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat, causing the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew, 128 of which were Americans.
4 Main Causes of the WW1
Militarism: The belief in building up a strong armed forces to prepare your country for war.
Alliance System: Countries agreed to support one another in case of an attack. Two alliances would emerge: Triple Entente (good) and Triple Alliance (bad)
Triple Entente: France, Russia, Great Britain, and eventually the US.
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
Imperialism: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia all scrambles for colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacfic. Each nation wanted new trade markets and the raw materials of these new regions.
Nationalism: Pride or decotion to one's country. Nationalism encouraged unity, and also would put nation against nation.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Assassinated by a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand. This was the Immediate cause of WW1.
Sussex Pledge: In 1916 a promise was made by Germany to the US that a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare was allowed only for armed merchant ships but not passenger ships to be torpedoed without warning. Primary rules were: Passenger ships would not be targeted, Merchant ships would not be suck until the presence of weapons have been established, if necessary by a search of the ship, and Merchant ships would not be sunk without provision for the safety of passengers and crew. This later made US declare war on Germany because of the Zimmerman Telegram.
Lusitania: 1915 Big British ship that carried people and goods across the Atlantic between US and Great Britain was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk. Of the 1,959 people on board it killed 1,198, including 128 Americans. Thus the Americans were enraged.
Zimmermann Note: German minister Arthur Zimmermann send a coded message to Germany's ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhardt, in January 1917. The British managed to intercept the coded message and were able to decipher it.
Within the message, Zimmermann revealed Germany's plan to restart unrestricted submarine warfare as well as offered Mexico territory from the US if Mexico were to declare war on the US.
The British shared the message with the American public which made them outraged. WW1 was suppose to be contained to Europe, which seemed too far away, but now the US felt the war was being brought to their land.
Unrestricted Sub Warfare:
Alliance System: Countries agreed to support one another in case of an attack. Two alliances would emerge: Triple Entente (good) and Triple Alliance (bad)
Triple Entente: France, Russia, Great Britain, and eventually the US.
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
Imperialism: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia all scrambles for colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacfic. Each nation wanted new trade markets and the raw materials of these new regions.
Nationalism: Pride or decotion to one's country. Nationalism encouraged unity, and also would put nation against nation.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Assassinated by a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand. This was the Immediate cause of WW1.
Sussex Pledge: In 1916 a promise was made by Germany to the US that a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare was allowed only for armed merchant ships but not passenger ships to be torpedoed without warning. Primary rules were: Passenger ships would not be targeted, Merchant ships would not be suck until the presence of weapons have been established, if necessary by a search of the ship, and Merchant ships would not be sunk without provision for the safety of passengers and crew. This later made US declare war on Germany because of the Zimmerman Telegram.
Lusitania: 1915 Big British ship that carried people and goods across the Atlantic between US and Great Britain was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk. Of the 1,959 people on board it killed 1,198, including 128 Americans. Thus the Americans were enraged.
Zimmermann Note: German minister Arthur Zimmermann send a coded message to Germany's ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhardt, in January 1917. The British managed to intercept the coded message and were able to decipher it.
Within the message, Zimmermann revealed Germany's plan to restart unrestricted submarine warfare as well as offered Mexico territory from the US if Mexico were to declare war on the US.
The British shared the message with the American public which made them outraged. WW1 was suppose to be contained to Europe, which seemed too far away, but now the US felt the war was being brought to their land.
Unrestricted Sub Warfare:
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
True Endurance -- Shackleton's Artic Adventure
The advertisement for "men wanted for hazardous journey... ...safe return doubtful" may or may not have been published, it very much characterizes the nature of the men that engaged in what is today considered the greatest story of persistence and survival in the history of polar exploration. The Shackleton exploration sailed on September 27, 1914. As the ship sailed south, it encountered early sea ice. And even though it was summer in the southern hemisphere, the Endurance was captured by ice in January 1915. When Shackleton realized that they would not escape, he ordered his men to prepare for the long winter.
Shackleton's men weathered the brutal winter in their ship, frozen in an ice floe. The ice, and the ship drifted for 100's of miles. As spring approached, the shifting ice continued to squeeze the ship. In October of 1915, the ship was crushed, and the crew moved to the ice camp. Their goal was to eventually sail to a nearby island where sometimes whalers visited. During the long days of the Arctic summer, Shackleton enforced order and discipline. Scientific data collection continued, as seen in the amazing photographs they took. Food was carefully rationed, and even their 70 beloved dogs were eventually eaten. But all the men had survived for the first year. Eventually the ice broke up, and in April, 1916 they completed a perilous several day journey through narrow channels in the crushing ice. 
Though their new camp was secure on land, Shackleton knew that they could not survive another winter. Gathering 5 more men, Shackleton set sail on a daring journey in rough antarctic seas. With only primitive instruments, they would sail 800 miles for South Georgia Island. If they missed, they would certainly die. They carried only one month's worth of food -- Shackleton said that if the journey lasted that long they would be dead. 50 mph winds, and massive waves battered the 22.5 foot boat as they set out on what would be considered the greatest feat of sailing in history.
The adventure was far from over. After a few days rest, Shackleton took two other men and travelled for 2 days without sleep over un-mapped mountains and glaciers with only the most primitive tools. But they arrived at the whaling station, and quickly rescued the remaining 3 men of his small band.
The rescue of the men trapped on elephant island would take longer. As the British government was involved in the war, they were unwilling, or unable to help. After many false starts, he finally borrowed a boat from the Chilean Government. Sailing in August, the heart of the Antarctic winter, a miraculous clearing of ice allowed Shackleton to finally save his men. All of his men.
Unsurprisingly, Shackleton's men almost all enlisted to fight in WWI. 2 died in battle, 1 died of Typhus, and many were wounded in battle. The courage and strength of these men is inspiring.
http://discerninghistory.com/2013/05/shackletons-ad-men-wanted-for-hazerdous-journey/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition
Triple Entente / Allies
The triple entente was the alliance linking Russia, France and the United Kingdom after the signing of the Anglo-Russian entente on August 31, 1907. The alliance of the three powers was a very powerful counterweight to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.Italy eventually ended its alliance with the Central Powers and entered the war on the side of the Entente in 1915. Belgium, Japan, Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and the Czechoslovak legions were also secondary members of the Entente. There were also smaller alliances happening between individual countries all over Europe. The Treaty of London, signed in 1867 long before the Entente, agreed that Britain would protect Belgium's right to be neutral in a European conflict. Italy had signed a secret treaty with France agreeing that they would not attack each other. Russia had signed an agreement promising to protect Serbia. The complicated and unstable system of alliances and conflicting secret treaties crashed down in July 1914.
Rather than discussing plans and settling disputes, most countries in Europe sought peace through military superiority. No one would attack the country with the largest army, because they knew they could not win. The Entente was created to balance the growing power of Germany by being more powerful itself. The United States declared war on Germany in 1917 on the grounds that Germany violated U.S. neutrality by attacking innocent merchant ships and also because of the Zimmermann Telegram sent to Mexico. The U.S. entered the war as an "associated power", rather than a formal ally of France and the United Kingdom, in order to avoid "foreign entanglements". Although the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria had no relations with the United States, neither declared war.
Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/causes2_01.shtml and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I
Spanish Influenza Outbreak
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| Emergency Hospitals |
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| Play Ball! |
Stories Abound of the horrors of the disease.
- 4 women were playing bridge: By the next day 3 were dead of the disease.
- A woman's fever got so high her hair tuned white -- but at least she lived.
- Steam Shovels were being used to dig mass graves
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| Day to Day life |
It may have originated in China, or perhaps America; In the early 1900's the study of disease was primitive, and virus' like those that caused the flu were too small to see with contemporary technology.
It was called the Spanish Flu because one of the noted early outbreaks was in Spain. Whatever it's origin, the flu's brutal nature and worldwide status filled people with dread. Irrational ideas abounded; it could be prayed away or it was German Gas warfare. While these may have been silly ideas, this is not a silly thought:
Had the epidemic not ended, it's pace of infection, and high fatality rate were such that many felt that the population of the world was at risk. It's effects were monumental. Why it is so poorly remembered is as mysterious as it's origins.
Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/influenza/
http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/
Red Scare and Palmer Raids by Brandon Plaut
Source: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/hist409/red.html
Alexander Mitchell Palmer was born May 4, 1872 in Moosehead, Luzerne County, Pa. The Palmer family was native to Monroe County, having descended from Obadiah Palmer, a Quaker and early settler who worked for the Stroud Family.
Palmer Raids were between 1918-1921. A great deal of social conflict happened during 1919, prohibition, woman suffrage, and the Chicago race riot. Bombings went off in Summer of June 2, 1919 in eight different cities that destroyed many homes. Palmer's men suspected self professed Communists responsible for a wide range of social ills including the bombings. Without warning or warrants Palmer and his men smashed union offices and the headquarters' of Communist and Socialist organizations. The Red Scare, the most famous act in December 1919, Palmer's agents seized 249 resident aliens which were placed on a ship, the Buford, bound for the Soviet Union. The "Red Scare" reflected how there was anxiety about free speech that had to do with the war years. There were two documents about two men who didn't get their rights. One, a Connecticut clothing salesmen was sentenced to six month in jail for simply saying Lenin was smart. Also, a Chicago sailor shot another man just for failing to rise during the national anthem. The Red Scare shows how quickly legal rights can succumb to hysterical rhetoric and also public fear. Several thousand immigrants were arrested and several hundreds were deported.
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