World War I, seen as the greatest war, caused a problem for American neutrality. No matter how much America wanted to stay out of the conflict in Europe, Germany seemed to be pulling America in like a black hole. America entered World War I for several reasons that angered the public and government. The Lusitania, the Zimmerman Telegram, and the Sussex pledge helped the Allies gain a new member due to Germany being a handful.
The first big commotion for the coming of war, the Lusitania’s sinking, created unrest. On ……….., German U-Boats, or submarines, attacked and sunk the British ship the Lusitania (“The Lusitania Sinking in Light of Flight 7). This ship that was sunk in the Irish seas was said to be carrying munitions to support the war efforts against Germany (Cayton, et al.). The attack was a huge surprise, thinking that cruise ships weren’t made for war. This excuse was better than their attempt to refuse any involvement in the attack (“The Lusitania Sinking in Light of Flight 7”). Neither of these excuses was satisfactory for the American public (Cayton, et al.). It was such a big deal for Americans because 128 Americans died out there (“The Lusitania Sinking in Light of Flight 7”). When the newspapers exaggerated the story, the public was outraged at the incident (“International Relations, 20th Century”). President Wilson was also angry about the incident and responded aggressively (Oppenheim). When “Wilson’s aggressive response to the deaths of American citizens when a German U-boat sank the British passenger liner Lusitania,” people saw how bad this could affect the country (Oppenheim). He didn’t want to get too aggressive because he wanted to avoid war (American Entry into World War I”). This was a big re...
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...eason to go to war?
Works Cited
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While the naval war is usually known for only little attention in histories of World War I, the Royal Navy's blockade of Germany played a dangerous role in the War. The U.S. Navy linking with the Royal Navy played a significant role in overcoming the German U-boats in the North Atlantic. The Germany Navy while technically effective disastrously diminished the German war effort. Germany's building of a High Seas Fleet was one of the causes that public view on Britain turned against Germany and that Britain come unto the War. Yet, the small U-boat fleet, showed a key competition to the British. In the early war, U-boats drowned three British cruisers, shocking the people of both England and Germany. The U-boat campaign was a major reason that public opinion in America turned against Germany and that America entered the War. Despite the huge investment, the German Navy accomplished nothing in return to counter balance the cost for Germany.
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.
On April 2nd 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States of America, ??went before Congress and called for a declaration of war. Both the House and the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of going to war with Germany.?# This was an act that led to much resistance among the American people. Not four months earlier the American people re-elected President Wilson, partly because of his success in keeping the United States out of this European war. However, a series of events, such as the Germans continuing submarine warfare and the attacks on five American ships, led President Wilson to sever diplomatic relations with Germany and send the United States into what would be labeled as World War I. As a result of the war the
World War 1 was a war that lasted from 1914 to 1918 and was a war that involved and was molded around alliances. This war in Europe would eventually turn into a global war that would involve 32 countries. United States involvement was crucial to the outcome of World War 1 and made a serious impact in our country. Both positive and negative effects were felt by Americans during and even long after the war. Mixed feelings were felt from many Americans for entering the war that would affect society.
In the beginning of the war the United States, lead by President Woodrow Wilson, took the clear stance of neutrality. Yet there has been long standing debates as to why the United States entered World War 1 after claiming neutrality for so long. Some argue that it was directly affected by the discovery of the Zimmermann Telegram in January of 1917. While others debate it was an extensive string of events that lead to a declaration of war against Germany in April of the same year, yet the debates find a common ground on the lack of true neutrality on the part of the United States.
Especially when Wilson, in his speech in 1917 about the sinking, said “I advise that the Congress declare the recent actions of the Imperial German Government to be, in fact, nothing less than war against the Government and people of the United States.” gave the people the impression that this is why America entered the war.
America’s entrance into World War I is seemingly peculiar in that it was perhaps the first instance in which the United States militarily intervened in any situation outside of the context of continental American politics. Therefore, a change in foreign policy is quite evident, and in fact, historical fact. Thus, when one is to analyze the circumstances surrounding America’s involvement in the “Great War”, it would be of the most importance for one to examine the reasoning behind this aforesaid shift in policy. There are mainly two factors which appear to have precipitated this shift: an increase in economic ties with European nations, and an adjustment to the manner whereby the United States determined how it may interact with foreign powers. When inspecting these elements, one should also question the extent to which they may uphold, or possibly betray, traditional American values--if at all. Essentially, an increase in the strength of, and the American value placed upon, trade with European economies, and an apparent shift in how Americans viewed themselves in context to global affairs, seem to have been the primary forces which may have initiated a change in foreign policy around the year of 1917; with both of which resulting in a potential deviation from traditional American values.
The German’s unrestricted submarine warfare was the main reason for the U.S. to enter war. Wilson had tremendous support from Americans. The Germans had to be stopped. The attacks came without warning killing many innocent people (Winter and Baggett, 1996). The Germans sank numerous ships including our own. The most famous ship sunk was the Lusitiania. Aboard that ship 128 Americans were killed (http://www.angelfire.com/in3/wilson/wilson.html). The Lusitania was torpedoed without any notice. The Lusitania sunk in 18 minutes killing a total of 1198 people (http://www.poltechnic.org/faculty/gfeldmeth/chart.ww1.html).
Grayzel, Susan R. The First World War: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. Print.
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"The First World War: 1914-1918." Canadian Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. (Secondary Website)
In conclusion, when World War I began in 1914, the United States declared neutrality; however, in 1917 they broke neutrality and declared war. The question for many is, why did the US wait so long and what eventually made the US get involved in this global conflict? The reasons for the United State’s neutrality were George Washington’s Farewell Address, the Monroe Doctrine and the strong belief of pacifism on the war around the United States. After the events of the unrestricted submarine warfare, and the Zimmerman telegram, the United States broke its neutrality. In 1917 Woodrow Wilson said “The world must be safe for democracy.” This quote meant that in order to maintain democracy around the world, all threats to democracy must be ceased. During World War I Germany was a threat to democracy so the United States broke its neutrality and stopped it.
There were a couple things that lead to the shift of the American position regarding the our entrance into World War 1. Some things that made America want to join the war were the Zimmerman Telegraph and the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. Over time you can see how the Americas views or President Wilson's views changed about us entering the War. Using politics and conflicts as a theme we will see who has the power and what the roles of the people were.
In World War I France and Britain gained a lot of new land and resources when Germany suffered the most. The outcome in Eastern Europe led to communism and the United States joined World War I because of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1916 (Thompson). The sinking of the Lusitania killed 128 Americans (Ellis, Esler 468). The adults that have g...
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.