America in World War I
Essay Preview: America in World War I
Report this essay
The summer of 1914 marked the beginning of political upheaval in Europe as the continent would virtually transform itself into a battlefield. The “Great War” can trace its origins to that summer as Serbian nationalists assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, prompting a declaration of war between the two countries. Soon Europe would split into factions, either aligning themselves with Serbia (Allied Powers) or Austria (Central Powers). The war would quickly turn into a stalemate, with both factions looking to the Americans for support. It would only be a matter of time before the U.S. would break its “neutral” stance and intervene “over there”.
Throughout the early stages of the war, public opinion in the U.S. varied on involvement in Europe. Many Americans thought the U.S. had no business interfering in European politics and should stick to its traditional “isolationist” policies. However the large number of immigrants, who wanted desperately to support their families in the old country, countered these views. It was not long before the government finally gave into European pleas and President Wilson issued orders that loaned much needed money and supplies to both sides. The majority of these loans or “bonds” went to the Allied powers of England and France as opposed to a small portion that were sent to the Germans and Austrians. This support to the Central powers would cease with the start of submarine warfare upon Allied vessels in the Atlantic. The Germans specifically targeted supply ships that passed between the U.S. and Britain, hoping to disrupt wartime trade. The first and most arguably famous of these attacks was the sinking of the “Lusitania”. The sinking of this British passenger ship, that happened to be carrying American citizens and munitions, created an outrage in the states. In response to this outrage on U-boat attacks, Germany issued an official apology and promised to bring consideration to American property in the Sussex pledge. The Sussex pledge was able to delay American actions against the Central powers until 1917 in which the Zimmerman Telegram was unveiled. This telegram was from German officials to the Mexican government, proposing a deal in which the Mexicans would declare war on the U.S. if they (U.S.) intervened in Europe. This reinforced already strong anti-German sentiments and left President Wilson with no choice but to declare war on the Central powers. The U.S. would immediately began enlisting men and mobilizing the workforce, effectively preparing to join their Allies in Europe. Through the U.S. would arrive late in the war, they were considered the “nail in the coffin” as the Central powers were not able to compete with the additional men and supplies.