Philip Hackett
Historical Methods
Professor Zeller
April 9, 2015
Research Project Rough Draft 2 In 1912, a progressive southerner named Woodrow Wilson was elected to be the next President of the United States. Halfway through his first term, Europe erupted into a violent conflict known as World War I. This conflict would pose a major dilemma for the President, whose response would affect not only United States ' future, but that of the entire world. Would the President ask Congress to go to war, or would he promote a stance of neutrality? At first, Wilson championed the support for neutrality. His strong conviction to keeping the United States neutral was a major factor for his re-election in 1916. Even his campaign slogan proudly pronounced that, "He kept us out of war". However, less than a year later, the President would reverse his position and plunge the United States into the war. This is a key point in history to discuss, because Wilson 's decision continues to shape the world today. If the United States had not entered the war, the course of history would be dramatically different. So why did Wilson initially support neutrality and what caused him to renounce it? To answer this question, I will utilize Wilson’s own correspondence and speeches, as well as the analyses outlined in newspapers and scholarly novels. From this, we can discover why the United States was ever involved in the First World War, which started exclusively as a European conflict. Scholars have
The president proceeded with regard to his stance on neutrality. Aware of pacifists like Henry Cabot Lodge in the audience, Wilson appealed to those who had not forgotten his promises of keeping America out of war. He admitted that his assumption that armed neutrality would be adequate in “safeguarding his people from unlawful violence” was in fact impossible and he had failed to “assert our neutral rights with arms, our right to use the seas against unlawful interference, our right to keep our people safe against unlawful violence”
President Wilson had cautioned citizens from taking side in the war in fear of jeopardizing wider US policy, during the time of neutrality. Untied States maintained this neutrality despite increasing pressure on President Wilson after the sinking of the Lusitania. This neutrality would crumble when Germany started to introduce its unrestricted submarine
Whenever war broke out overseas in 1914, many Americans had ties to countries involved. Many of citizens living here were immigrants or children of immigrants who came from Germany, France, or other countries involved in the war. Out of the 92 million citizens living in the states, one-third of them were hyphenated Americans. There was strong support of the Central Powers in the states due to the 8 million German-Americans and the 4 million Irish-Americans who disliked English rule. Yet, many Americans were pro Allies due to the language bond with Great Britain. America wanted to keep to their selves as war broke out in Europe and not get involved. President Woodrow Wilson would announce in 1914 that the Unites States would stay neutral during the war. Wilson would run by the slogan “Keep Us Out of the War” whenever he was running for re-election for presidency. Americas would trade with both parties and bankers could lend money to both sides involved in the war. Trading with Germany would eventually be blockaded and trade with Allies would increase.
President Wilson was a person who believed that there was a peaceful solution for any conflict. When World War I broke out in Europe President Wilson spent several years trying to keep America from entering the war. President Wilson even went as far to offer to be a mediator between the two conflicting sides to help bring the war to an end. In addition President Wilson was heavily criticized by other great American leaders when he declined to build up the U.S. Army to prepare for War. As much as President Wilson tried to fight against the war events such as the Zimmerman Telegraph, Unrestricted Submarine Warfare, and the decisive shift in American pro-war sentiment made American entering the war inevitable.
“Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality”.1 These are the words of President Woodrow Wilson during his “Declaration of Neutrality” on August 19, 1914. Something crazy would happen, the United States would enter The Great War a three years later. A lot of things influenced the United States to finally get to their eventual declaration of war on Germany. The two factors I thought most significant were: the United States’ economic interests favoring Great Britain and Wilson’s insatiable need to have a voice at the peace talks in Europe.
Woodrow Wilson was the president of the United States of America at the time during WWI. The U.S was content with staying neutral during the first world war and it proved to be extremely beneficial for them as they became rich. The economic surplus that came with being neutral was enough reason for the U.S to stay out of the war. They were eventually pushed into participating in the war and played a key role in the allies victory. The reinforcements from the U.S helped tip the scales in the allies favor in the battle against Germany in the western front. Despite the great impact that the United States made by entering the war, it took many unfavorable events to push them out of neutrality. Some of those events are detailed in the first image
As soon as World War One broke out, Woodrow Wilson, the president at that time immediately declared the United States neutral to maintain the nation’s stability. President Wilson thought the United States should take no part in a war where they were not affected. But, as the war carried on it was evident that a stance of neutrality was just clearly not the case. Even though they were not fighting in World War I, the United States were definitely involved. Whether it be loaning goods to a party of the war or rising turmoil with a belligerent nation, America did take part in the war before their actual entry. Voluntary or involuntary, the United States involved themselves in the war in many ways , most definitely contradicting Wilson’s policy of neutrality.
When war erupted in Europe in 1914, the US adopted a policy of neutrality and seclusion. This policy was favored by a vast majority of Americans, especially those of German and Irish descent. The people of the United States were drawn from many nations, primarily from the nations at war. The deficiency of public unity was the primary concern when America entered the war on April 6, 1917. The Wilson Administration felt they needed to sway public opinion, because American
Woodrow Wilson, a man with questionable motives when speaking in terms of neutrality during World War I. Was Wilson’s neutrality an attempt to spare the us from the woes of war or was he reaping the benefits that came with a neutral title. The question may arise, what possible benefits could a war have, it is rather simple, if you are not one of the parties involved, and you do not put all your eggs in one basket, if all the conditions above line up then you can make a quick buck.
Woodrow Wilson, our 23rd president, became involved in a war that he did not want any part of. Wilson wanted to remain neutral and have peace as in his first term of office. During World War I Wilson’s roles in the war became well known in all countries. Wilson wanted peace more than anything else. In seeking for peace Wilson asked Congress for the U.S. to enter World War I. which may not sound like a peace strategy but Wilson felt it was the only way to stop Germany and gain peace. Wilson wrote his speech for world peace, Fourteen Points, that he was probably most famous for. He attended and played an integral part in The Treaty of Versailles. He was the founder of the League of Nations,
Our country The United States of America, had done it’s best to not get involved in the first world war.World War I, had started in August of 1914.Many of countries were at war for political reasons, dictatorships for and opposing. The twenty-eighth president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson was a very intelligent Virginia native, whom was a prestigious college president of Princeton University. He was knowledgeable and cautious of the world events that where going on in the world. Our twenty-eighth president understood that his decisions could have a change of course for a nation that was currently at peace. President Woodrow Wilson, had attempted to bring
In August 1914, Europe descended into war, without the support of U.S. Wilson refuses to get involve in the European conflict, until German forced Wilson to declare war on the central powers because of German’s declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare. When the war ended in November 11, 1918, Wilson negotiated a covenant for the League of Nation that he believed would sustain a world order. However at home, the congress rejected the League of Nations. Now, Wilson is admired by some scholars while hated by others. Some has praised him for his vision, while others criticized him for his impractical ideal.
After World War I started in Europe in 1914, the U.S wanted to maintain a policy of non-intervention. The U.S wanted to avoid conflict and negotiate peace. Woodrow Wilson was trying to seek out Americans to help the war effort in 1917. Wilson pledged to, “Make the world safe for democracy” (Wilson). Making the world safe for democracy was a noble pursuit to Americans who struggled with all the limited freedoms.
Woodrow Wilson was quite dedicated to maintaining the peace, he stated it was “Europe’s War”. President Wilson wanted Americans to remain neutral in spirit and deed. It was a sticky situation America was helping the allies by supplying war materials through trade; this meant the U.S was more entangled in the war. Ethnicity played a huge role in staying neutral, there were many German Americans in the U.S. who preferred to stay neutral. Irish Catholic community were based in large cities and held major power in the Democratic party were against helping
In the eyes of many Americans, the World War I had nothing to do with the United States. Most Americans preferred remaining out of the conflict. President Woodrow Wilson publicly and formally stated that the United States would follow a strict “Policy of Neutrality” other than providing material assistance to