Free Essays on World War I

The United States Enters the War (1914-1917) Summary When war broke out in 1914, America's traditional isolationist tendencies took Hold. President T. Woodrow Wilson charted a neutral course, focusing on the maintenance of the rights of neutral countries on high seas. Sea rights were crucial to the United States because neutrality allowed American businessmen to trade with needy Allies and, to a lesser extent, Germany. By 1916, US trade with the Allies had jumped from US$825 million just two years before to US$3.2 billion. If the American merchant marine was in jeopardy, American business could make no profit. That is probably why the unrestricted submarine warfare practiced by Germany U-boats angered Wilson so much. In late 1915, a German U-boat sunk the merchant ship Lusitania, killing one hundred and twenty Americans. One year later, the Sussex was sunk, similarly without warning, as had been the custom prior to World War I. Americans were outraged at the violation of their rights on the high seas and enmity toward Germany increased considerably. Still, isolation ruled the day. In November 1916, President Wilson was re-elected to a second term under the slogan "He kept us out of war", suggesting the continued appeal of neutrality in the face of German harassment in the Atlantic Ocean. However, during the campaign, Wilson, a Democrat and admitted novice at military affairs, sought to placate the right by standing firm against Berlin, demanding that unrestricted submarine warfare end, or Washington would terminate all diplomatic relations with the German Empire. The United States was just a few steps away from war. Still locked in Monroe Doctrine-style isolation, America was slow to react. However, early 1917 witnessed the proverbial last straw. German Foreign Minister Alfred Zimmermann, in attempt to eliminate America as a direct military threat to the war in Europe, offered Mexico Germany's assistance in recovering the fo... Free Essays on World War I Free Essays on World War I The United States Enters the War (1914-1917) Summary When war broke out in 1914, America's traditional isolationist tendencies took Hold. President T. Woodrow Wilson charted a neutral course, focusing on the maintenance of the rights of neutral countries on high seas. Sea rights were crucial to the United States because neutrality allowed American businessmen to trade with needy Allies and, to a lesser extent, Germany. By 1916, US trade with the Allies had jumped from US$825 million just two years before to US$3.2 billion. If the American merchant marine was in jeopardy, American business could make no profit. That is probably why the unrestricted submarine warfare practiced by Germany U-boats angered Wilson so much. In late 1915, a German U-boat sunk the merchant ship Lusitania, killing one hundred and twenty Americans. One year later, the Sussex was sunk, similarly without warning, as had been the custom prior to World War I. Americans were outraged at the violation of their rights on the high seas and enmity toward Germany increased considerably. Still, isolation ruled the day. In November 1916, President Wilson was re-elected to a second term under the slogan "He kept us out of war", suggesting the continued appeal of neutrality in the face of German harassment in the Atlantic Ocean. However, during the campaign, Wilson, a Democrat and admitted novice at military affairs, sought to placate the right by standing firm against Berlin, demanding that unrestricted submarine warfare end, or Washington would terminate all diplomatic relations with the German Empire. The United States was just a few steps away from war. Still locked in Monroe Doctrine-style isolation, America was slow to react. However, early 1917 witnessed the proverbial last straw. German Foreign Minister Alfred Zimmermann, in attempt to eliminate America as a direct military threat to the war in Europe, offered Mexico Germany's assistance in recovering the fo... Free Essays on World War I World War 1 began in 1914 and ended in 1918. Until about 1939, especially in England, World War 1 was called the Great War because it was the most destructive and widespread war that the world had ever seen before. The First World War was less destructive than World War II to civilian life and property, but in other ways it was worse. This is because the world was not prepared for the outcome of the war, and large amount of effects, and all of the loses that came from the Great War. There were different reactions to the end of the war. The immediate reaction to the end of the conflict was one of relief. Everyone was satisfied that the war was finally over after four long years. All over Europe people were celebrating and having parties in the streets. When the celebrating stopped, thousands of men and women started trying to find the spot where their loved one or loved ones had died. There was a numbness after the war that seemed to put everyone into a kind of paralysis. Then everyone felt a need to justify what took place in the war and they wanted revenge. There was a great amount of people who died in the years between 1914 and 1918. There were also a lot of creative and talented people that were killed in that time too. There are approximately seven hundred and fifty names of poets, playwrights, writers, artists, architects, and composers listed in an anthology by Tim Cross who died as a result of the First World War. The people on that list are only people who had already accomplished something in their fields. Out of the ten million men who died in this war, there could have been a lot more men who could have gone on to do great things in the arts, sciences, medicine, and in politics. There was a lot lost in the war. There were approximately ten million men that died in the war; this did not include the twenty million that were wounded. Out of all the countries, Russia lost the most. There was also a lot of m...