US & World War I Notes

Background

1. When war broke out in Europe in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared U.S. neutrality, reflecting both isolationist traditions and economic pragmatism.
2. Yet, between 1914 and 1917, neutrality proved increasingly difficult to maintain. Economic interests, submarine warfare, and ideological factors gradually drew the U.S. into the First World War.
3. The conflict marked a decisive moment: the United States emerged as a global power, while Wilson’s postwar vision tested the limits of American internationalism.

Neutrality and Early Involvement (1914–1916)

1. The U.S. initially pursued a policy of neutrality, supplying both sides with goods while officially avoiding entanglement.
2. American banks and industries soon became heavily invested in the Allied Powers, especially Britain and France, through loans and trade in weapons, food, and raw materials.
3. The U.S. economy prospered, but neutrality increasingly tilted toward the Allies as British naval blockades restricted trade with Germany.
4. Public opinion favored peace but was divided: many Americans of German and Irish descent opposed involvement, while others were swayed by reports of German aggression in Belgium and unrestricted submarine warfare.

Reasons for U.S. Entry into the War (1917)

1. By 1917, neutrality was unsustainable. Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare, sinking American merchant ships.
2. The Zimmermann Telegram (January 1917) was a secret German proposal offering Mexico U.S. territory in exchange for joining the war.
3. Economic motives also played a role: protecting billions of dollars in U.S. loans and trade with the Allies became essential.
4. Wilson framed intervention as a moral mission: to make the world “safe for democracy.”
5. The U.S. formally declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, entering the conflict as an Associated Power, not a formal ally, to preserve independence in policymaking.