U.S. Neutrality in World War I

488 Words1 Page

When World War I broke out in Europe, Woodrow Wilson announced that the United States would stay out of European affairs and remain neutral. Wilson was aware that the United States had no interest in the matters that did not directly affect the interests of America citizens. He hoped that the United States would remain neutral and continue to trade with warring nations. The American view of neutrality meant we were entitled to safely and freely trade with either side at war as long as it was out in the open seas.
The United States hoped to stay out of the way because war was viewed as wasteful, irrational, and immoral. There was no reason for the U.S. to intervene with European affairs. In addition, Wilson was aware of the huge immigrant populations whom have come to the United States just recently from those nations currently at war. Many immigrants, such as the Irish, would not support the war because of their previous hatred toward Great Britain.
Great Britain controlled a big portion of the sea during this time and was the first to set up a blockade between the United States and Germany. The United States protested but Britain continued to force American ships to be searched for food, medical supplies, and steel before reaching Germany. Although the United States was against the blockade, it had very little impact on the U.S. economy. With Great Britain going to war, the United States produced enough war-related exports to pull them out of its prewar recession. Although Wilson claimed neutrality, he held sympathetic feelings toward Great Britain. After all, the Americans shared language and culture to the English in contrast to Germany who ruled their nation in a more militaristic manner. Because Wilson did nothing in response to Great Britain’s violation of American neutrality, Germany saw this as an indication of siding with the English.
Germany getting desperate with no trade with the U.S., their economy was frantically crumbling. In retaliation, Germany violated the international warfare law by attacking with submarines without warning. Wilson’s response: Germany must stop the blockade or face the consequences. Wilson agrees to reach a deal with Germany after they publish a statement to negotiate even though both France and Great Britain have proclaimed that this war would end with total victory over Germany. Wilson is trapped by his own ultimatum.

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of David Kennedy's Over Here

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Kennedy points out that “according to the census of 1910, one of every three Americans in that year had either been born abroad or had at least one parent born abroad. Of those 32 million persons from families with close foreign ties, more than ten million derived from the Central Powers.” Many immigrants still supported their Old Country; German agents had committed acts of sabotage to prevent the delivery of war materials to the Allies during the American neutrality period, 1914-1917, causing Wilson to expel German representatives from the country. Wilson (and others) believed American disloyalty was prevalent within the immigrant population, and in 1915 and 1916 launched attacks “against so-called hyphenated Americans. “There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit,” Wilson told the Congress in his third annual message, “born under other flags but welcomed under our generous naturalization laws to the full freedom and opportunity of America,

    Read More

  • America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience by Robert H. Zieger

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    Both sides accepted the United States’ aid but they also sought to cut-off each other’s supply chain. While the Allies barricaded Germany’s ports with the British Navy, Germany began attacking merchant ships using their submarines, or U-boats. While Wilson was angered by the British tactics he was even more infuriated by the German’s. This would be the ultimate end of U.S. neutrality as Wilson would sternly address Germany’s actions and not Britain’s.

    Read More

  • Mobilizing a Nation: America’s Entry Into World War I

    2037 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mobilizing a Nation: America’s Entry Into World War I. Works Cited Missing Woodrow Wilson delivered his now-famous War Message to Congress on April 4, 1917. Four days later, Congress declared war and the United States became a formal partner in the war to end all wars. As the Wilson administration discovered, however, declaring war and making war were two very different propositions. The former required only an abstract statement of ideals and justifications and a two-thirds Congressional majority; the latter required the massive mobilization of virtually every sector of American society - military, industrial, and economic, as well as public opinion.

    Read More

  • Theodore Roosevelt vs Woodrow Wilson

    876 Words  | 2 Pages

    On the other side, Wilson was determined to revise the imperialist practices of earlier administrations, promising independence to the Philippines and making Puerto Ricans American citizens. But Wilson's own policies could sometimes be high-handed. His administration intervened militarily more often in Latin America than any of his predecessors. In the European war, American neutrality ended when the Germans refused to suspend submarine warfare after 120 Americans were killed aboard the British liner Lusitania and a secret German offer of a military alliance with Mexico against the United States was uncovered. In 1917, Congress voted overwhelmingly to declare war on Germany.

    Read More

  • Woodrow Wilson's Lie In World War I

    519 Words  | 2 Pages

    World War I was won partly by America’s involvement, and at a low cost of life. America became involved in WWI in order to gain allies and for economic reasons. America allied with the winning countries of the war, so they owed America debt for helping them with the war. German U-boats sank the Lusitania, an American ship that had nearly 1000 men on it that was crossing the Atlantic. America did not want Germany interfering with their trade, so they joined the war. In this case, it was ok for Woodrow Wilson to lie to the people about getting involved in the war, because he won the war at a low cost of lives and great payout. By not telling the people, mass panic is avoided.

    Read More

  • Impact of US involvement in World War I

    721 Words  | 2 Pages

    World War I, a military conflict, began as a local European war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia in 1914. It was transformed into a general European struggle by declaration of war against Russia, and eventually became a global war involving 32 nations. Twenty- eight of these nations, known as the Allies and the Associated Powers, and including Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and the United States, opposed the coalition known as the Central Powers, consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria. World War I, was not only a dispute among nations, but also affected thousands of people from all over the world, including African Americans, women, and even business and economic changes. African Americans endured a great amount of racism during the war, especially from the military.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis of Woodrow Wilson's War Address to Congress

    1930 Words  | 4 Pages

    not only convince the Congress that American belligerency in the final stages of the war would indefinitely shorten it and provide him with the opportunity. to organize the peace for Europe as well as the rest of the world (Ferrell 2). but to sway the American people’s opinion of non-isolationism, to warn. Germany’s government that “America would ultimately wield a powerful sword to deny them victory” (Parsons 2), to compel German citizens to. relinquish the submarine attacks and negotiate peace and terms.

    Read More

  • World War 1 Dbq

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    President Wilson addressed congress in 1917 to seek declaration of war against Germany in order to make "the world safe for democracy". Although, Wilson's words indicate that democracy was a crucial factor for American entry into War World I, the notion of American ideals of democracy were challenged by American women's demand to vote.

    Read More

  • Interventionist or Isolationist?

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    In World War I, we should have maintained our isolationist policy if possible. The main reason we became involved was because the new expansionist mood of the Axis Powers threatened the global empire we were apparently building. And, the war interfered with our prosperous trade system with the other countries. As Henry Ford put it, “Do you want to know the cause of the war? It is capitalism, greed, the dirty hunger for dollars.” And, in the end, I don’s think we could have stayed out of the war if we wanted to. The world at the time was a tangled web of alliances that meant a local conflict could start a massive war. The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife was the spark that ignited that web. Even after the start of World War I, the United States was content to sell food and munitions to the countries involved in the conflict. It wasn’t until Germany began to attack the ships taking those trade items to Europe that the U.S. started to get mad. They had been trying to pursue a policy of neutrality and semi-isolationism, but now they were being dragged into a conflict they had nothing to do with. The United States had nothing to gain but the money from trade. Therefore, we payed a price of many lives for little to no gain.

    Read More

  • James Monroe Failures

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    Once again, Monroe’s position now caused him to focus on relations with Britain and France. At this time, these two countries were feuding, which of course affected U.S. trade and shipping with these countries. The U.S. especially wanted them to respect their trading prospects because of the United States’ neutrality. Ultimately, the U.S. declared war on Britain in June 1812. Many Americans, especially New Englanders, thought the war interrupted them from buying from European markets. However, both Madison and Monroe thought that the U.S. needed to resist the British’s attacking by force of arms

    Read More

  • Declaration For War In 1917

    1391 Words  | 3 Pages

    All this had started back in February of 1915 when Germany had stated its War Zone Policy. They said that neutral ships may enter the war zone at their own risk. President Wilson’s reaction to this was that the United States will take action if American lives or property are destroyed. In May of 1915, the Germans had torpedoed and sunk a British ship, The Lusitania. On that ship were 128 Americans, that had been killed. Instead of declaring war, which I had wanted, President Wilson sends out demands to the Germans. He demands a formal apology from Germany, money damages to the families of American victims that boarded the Lusitania, and he had made a remark that said, “ The U.S. Government shall demand that the German Government pledge to follow international law with regard to the use of their submarines. Any future violation of international law shall be regarded as a deliberately unfriendly action against the United States.” After this, President Wilson asks for an increase in military spending, but the Congress had refused. The Germans abide by this for 10 months. After these 10 months, in March 1916, the Germans had sunk another ship, the French fairy boat, The Sussex. 5 Americans were killed in this sinking. Instead of declaring war, like I had wanted again, or even breaking diplomatic ties, President Wilson threatened to break diplomatic ties with Germany. The Germans issue the Sussex Pledge. In this, they promise not to sink passenger ships and merchant ships without warning and without saving human lives. They abide by this pledge for 10 months. After that, Ger...

    Read More

  • The Role of National Interest in World War I

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    National interest was a key factor in the explosive beginning of World War One. By looking at the Naval Arms Race, the People’s Revolt in Austria-Hungary and European alliances, it can be shown that national interest was a significant factor in contributing to World War One. The ultra nationalistic views of many countries overruled their ability to act in a just and logical manner. It was in the years following the formation of the Triple Alliance in which the desire and craving for power grew, and created insincere relationships and unrealistic portrayals of other countries intentions.

    Read More

  • Wilson's 14 Points vs. the Treaty of Versailles

    1243 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many of his points were carried out in the Treaty of Versailles, although not all of them were successful or followed completely. Wilson's fourth point in his plan was the reduction of national armaments. He stated that there should be "adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments [would] be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety." In the Treaty of Versailles, it was stated that the German army was to be limited to 100,000 and that Germany was not allowed to draft its citizens or to have an air force. Also, Germany was no longer allowed to operate submarines because of the unrestricted submarine warfare that they had displayed during the war, and their naval ships were limited in size and in the amount that they were permitted to own.

    Read More

  • U.S. Neutrality in World War One

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    The United States remained neutral in World War One because they saw it in their best interest. At the time the war began, the U.S. industry was struggling. Staying out of the war was a way to boost the industry in America by utilizing trade with both the Ally and Central Powers. The U.S. also had no real reason to join the war. They had close ties with both sides. Some problems, however, would arise that would question the U.S. decision to remain neutral and sway their opinions to one side of the war.

    Read More

  • U.S. Involvement in World War I

    1639 Words  | 4 Pages

    This would cause the U.S. to get involved in the war because they were unfairly attacked. Germany is adding insult to injury by bashing them basically, saying that they could not dodge war. “To say the German submarine attack on a United States ship was the main reason for the United States involvement in the war would be ridiculous” (9). This was their belief, they had the right to attack America and that they would love to fight.

    Read More

More about U.S. Neutrality in World War I

Open Document