America´s Involvement in Foreign Affairs and War

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.

By the time President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany and its allies, the World War I had already been raging for four years (Doenecke, 2010, p. 1). Prior to this declaration of war, America had tried to remain neutral, while Germany, Autria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria waged war against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Rumania, and Japan. Many of these belligerents joined the war at various times during this four year period, so the war continued to expand during this four year period. Wilson and a significant percentage (49%) of the American public had wanted to stay out of this conflict as possible when it first started (Doenecke, 2010, p. 20), but a series of events forced America's hand.

In the summer of 1914 World War I began in Europe between the Allied and Central powers. Although the war was seen as unavoidable in Europe it came as a surprise to the American people. When word reached America of the outbreak of war, President Wilson urged the United States government and the American people to hold a neutral attitude on the war in Europe(1). For the most part President Wilson’s initial stance on neutrality was strongly supported by the majority of the country. In the early stages of World War I President Wilson approached both the Central and Allied leaders and offered to be a mediator between the two sides. “The Central Powers replied that victory was certain, and the Allies required the dismemberment of their enemies' empires. No desire for

President Woodrow Wilson had secured the political clout to establish foreign policy after World War I. However, the Europeans, especially the two major powers in Europe, England and France had the right to be circumspect of several aspects of Wilson’s plan. The German Delegation utilized President Wilson’s analogy that, “no single fact caused the war, but that in last analysis the whole European system is in a deeper sense responsible for the war…” (Comments of the German Delegation, 1919). European leaders could have taken offense to Wilson’s plan. President Wilson’s represented a nation that was protected by thousands of miles of oceans, and during the war the United States suffered no loss of infrastructure and economically their markets made money during the war. However, that was not the case for the European political leaders. They truly had an ax to grind against Germany. France with closer proximity to Germany than England elected to be protective and leery of Germany’s intentions after the war. Germany on the other hand was distraught over the terms laid before them by the Europeans at the Paris Peace Conference. The Germans believed they were being singled out, and that through the attrition of their sovereign territory they were losing vast economic resources and their ability to establish self-determination and self-preservation.

I believe the two most important factors leading up to this were the United States’ economic interests favoring Great Britain and Wilson’s insatiable need to have a voice at the peace talks in Europe. The United States had just invested too much in Britain winning that it couldn’t risk losing its investment if Britain lost the war. They had to enter to insure the victory and to insure that their money would not be lost. Also, the most important reason why the United States entered World War I was that Wilson wanted to be a part of the peace talks and he couldn’t achieve that goal unless he entered the war. This fact was made clear after years of trying to facilitate peace with no avail. Also, the American public added much pressure when the Germans started their unrestricted submarine. Woodrow Wilson forever changed the face of history and U.S. foreign policy. Without his decision to go into World War I, the U.S. may never have gotten involved in World War II and we may very well all might be speaking German today. Wilson’s ego and lust for peace might have saved

On April 6 of 1917 America officially entered WWI as an ally power after much vouching of their neutrality. Up to that point many government officials preached to America the great strategy of neutrality especially the president of the time Wilson. At the beginning of WWI in 1914 America did stick to practiced isolationists point of view but as the war progressed and German aggression increased the American extent of neutrality decreased leading to their eventual entrance into the war. Germany blamed much of Britain’s

     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

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

However, President Woodrow Wilson was not pro-war from the start. When the war began in 1914, it was the logical decision for Wilson to keep the United States neutral. A majority of Americans had either emigrated from Europe or had family members that had done so. Therefore, most of these people were partial to Britain and France’s (the Allied Powers) cause. In this case, it was the wise decision for Wilson to not take sides in the war, so as not to alienate a large number of Americans which would cause an abundance of tension and division between the people of the U.S. Also, it was the best interest of the United States to remain neutral so one they could continue trading with all of the European market.

Beginning from the birth of the United States, a policy of neutrality and a will to stay out of foreign affairs is evident. So when archduke Ferdinand was assassinated the United States wanted to try its best to reap the benefits of the situation while avoiding joining in the conflict that would come to be known as World War 1. However, in 1917 the United States declared war on Germany despite this longstanding tradition and joined the conflict. One of the leading causes of this decision was the aggression of the German naval policy. When Great Britain set up a naval blockade to cease trade with Germany, Germany declared their U-boats would attack ships traversing those waters. This aggressive policy led to a hindrance on American trade as well as an endangerment of American citizens causing them to side against Germany. An additional factor that influenced the United States to side against the Germans In World War 1 was Allied propaganda. Since the United States was cut off from the Germans and the others of the triple alliance this was the only propaganda that they had encountered. President Woodrow Wilson’s ideology also played a factor in joining the war. Woodrow Wilson claimed that entering the war

Europe erupted into a global war in 1914 following the assassination of the Austrian-Hungarian archduke and the buildup of militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. The United States entered the war in 1917, despite their original foreign policy of neutrality when the war broke out. Woodrow Wilson and Congress decided to declare war on Germany and join the war due to unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmerman note. Many Americans believed the United States should have stayed neutral as to not impact trade with European countries and to not divide the nation of immigrants into two sides. While unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Note posed a threat to America’s foreign policy and overall caused their entry to

America had a strict policy of neutrality set by Wilson and did not want to interfere in conflict that didn’t concern the Country as a whole. Wilson did not want to waste American lives on a war that did not concern America.

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson wanted to declare war against Germany. Wilson had very specific views for what he saw was beneficial for the country. He wanted to “vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the life of the world.” and “make the world safe for democracy.” Wilson wanted the country’s views to be well known across the world as he had the agenda of making Americans “the champions of the rights of mankind.”

World War I began in 1914 and was a shock to the U.S but the United States chose to stay neutral up until 1917. President Wilson wanted to stay out of European conflict. The war was helping U.S. industries in 1915 because of the demand of ammunition United States Western Allies had. For two and a half years he made no preparations for the war and kept the military small. The U.S. came up with a policy of non-interventionism that tried to negotiate peace and elude conflict. Being neutral was supported among the German Americans, Irish Americans, and

Americans began to question their own imperialistic values within. At the same time, they were questioning the imperialism abroad and how, if at all it would affect them directly. Initially, the United States remained unconcerned and involved keeping their distance. A national foreign policy of neutrality reflected America’s inward looking focus on construction and management of its new powerful industrial economy but in large part with foreign capital . However, as conflict progressed in Europe, it became apparent that the threat to America’s interest was conceivably imminent and in need of immediate intervention and oversight. President Wilson believed an imminent German victory would drastically and dangerously alter the balance of power in Europe . The United States decided the time had come to intercede and for the better of their country.