In my APUSH class, we have just started our first DBQ and I would really appreciate any criticism you have to offer! Keep in mind I wrote this in about an hour…
The Dispossession of American Neutrality
A tragic event unfolded in 1914 that would become “the war to end all wars”. Nearly 35 million, both military and civilian, were killed during this time of sorrow. As Woodrow Wilson was in office regicide was problematic with the Austrian empire as the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated. Other parts of the world began entering the widespread war within days while America was struggling to keep Wilson’s policy of neutrality enact (Doc 1). Wilson’s ideals of neutrality stemmed from those of George Washington set in 1793 in which Washington didn’t want war to tear the nation apart. From 1914 to 1917 America followed a policy of neutrality, but was provoked to fight by German aggression. The United States eventually entered the war due to consequential political, social, and economic affairs.
To begin, America’s policy of neutrality was diminished for a multitude of political reasons. One of the major factors involved an important note called the Zimmerman Telegraph (Doc 8). The german Arthur Zimmerman addressed Mexico, as Germany wanted to appeal Mexico to the thought of fighting against America and in return receiving their land that they lost during the Mexican-American War. Although Mexico didn’t go through with the proposal, Americans became enraged at Germany, and the public opinion turned further towards a pro-war sentiment. Wilson would promote his ideas of neutrality and the benefits it would bring, but eventually the public became too angered by Germany and other central powers to remain neutral. Although many of the public would grow close to war sentiment, there were still anti-war supporters, especially immigrants from locations of Germany or other central powers. Some of these citizens who were against going to war would even plead to Wilson to considering reinforcing neutrality such as the German-born Hugo Munsterberg, who asked Wilson to consider fighting with Germany, as he was a German living under American liberty (Doc 2). In a last desperate attempt to keep the neutrality Wilson states to Congress that, because of Germany’s notwithstanding actions, they will be entering the war as it is simply the last option this far into the war (Doc 7). Although the political factors had a great influence on the outcome of the war, the social factors had an equal, if not greater impact.
America was also forced to break its policy of neutrality for social causes. As the years reached closer to 1917, America aligned with allied (France, Britain, Russia, Italy, and Japan) and central powers (Germany, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary), causing it to further distance itself from certain nations. The United States was also proving to distance itself from the central powers in responding to letters that were targeted towards complaints from other nations, such as that made by William Jennings Bryan as he disapproves requests of the interference in the war with his letter response to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Doc 4). Bryan was less of an expertise in the field of foreign affairs, but still stood by American neutrality until he decided enough was enough and left the position of Secretary of State in 1915, a year after the letter had been issued. Political and social attributes towards America entering World War I may be more commonly talked of, but the many economic reasons are often overlooked.
The American economy’s future stability would rely heavily on the course and outcome of the war, as it helped push america out of neutrality. German U-boats/submarines were commonly found sinking merchant ships. A british ship was sank called the Lusitania, of which held over 100 Americans. The shipwreck was most likely not caused by other powers, but Americans were still felt to believe that Germany caused the incident, of which increased American anger against Germany. The ship was also carrying ammunition for Great Britain, of which was used as a part of the investigation of the possible causes of the sinking (Doc 6). All of this oceanic and economic distress with Germany and other central powers even led to the New York Times warning the American people to beware the area near Germany that, they pledged, could result in degrading damage to American people and their merchants (Doc 5). Also, problems arose with the British, in which they wouldn’t stop harassing American ships and merchants (Doc 3). Economic distress caused by other nations, primarily Germany, would cause America’s policy of neutrality to meet its greatest downfall.
George Washington set precedents of neutrality that would be followed for generations, but as Wilson repeats Washington’s neutrality declarations, history also repeats itself as neutrality diminishes with the prevalent view of war. The Zimmerman Telegraph, German naval aggression, and pro-war advertisements would push the United States out of its neutrality and isolationism into the fervor of war in 1917. In 1914 America was ready to follow Wilson and his anti-war reasoning, but as political, social, and economic agitation began to increase America prepared for war.
Don’t post this here.