The Great War

3 Pages 847 Words

The Great War

As war consumed Europe, Americans hoped that the Atlantic
ocean was enough to seperate them from it and keep them out of the war.
President Wilson said that the US would stay out of it saying it was a
war in which we had nothing to do.
But America could not help but take sides. As immigrants from
Europe gave roots to many Americans, it was hard for them not to be
opinionated about which side to take. The herirage shared by most
Americans and Britain put American public opinion on the sides of the
Allies. Trade between the US and the Central Powers also shrank giving
another reason it was hard to remain neutral. Adding to that was the fact
that exports to the Allies nearly quadrupled and ties between them
became closer.
In 1915 the British passenger liner, the Lusitania was sunk
supposedly by German U-Boats, pissing many people off. Most
Americans considered this grounds for war. Wilson, however, refused to
take extreme measures against Germany but instead sent them several
messages insisting that its government safegaurd the lives of
noncombatants in the warzone. When the Sussex was torpedoed by a
German torpedo Wilson demanded that they give up submarine warfare
or risk war with the US. The Sussex pledge was made out of that where
Germans said they wouldnt sink any more merchant ships without
warning.
Wilson was re-ellected in 1916 and focused on finding a peaceful
solution to the war. He knew the only way to keep America out of this
war was to end it altogether.
Germany announecd on January 31st, 1917, that any vessels in the
waters near G.B., France, and Italy would be sunk without warning. This
was a violation of the Sussex Pledge and caused the US to break off
diplomatic ties with Germany.
America Finally entered the war due to the fact that Germany and
Mexico were going to attack the US. On April 2nd, 1917, Wilson asked
the members of congress to d...