4 of 9

Write now Article Tools

"He kept us out of War" was the slogan that helped Woodrow Wilson win a second term as President while a great World War raged all around. "Between the Napoleonic Wars in 1805 and the outbreak of the Spanish American War in 1898, the American people enjoyed a large degree of freedom from concerns of the outside world." Early into Wilson's second term, that all changed. The U.S. entered into the global conflict playing an important part in the allied victory, and, at the same time, altering its own soul forever.

During the period of time when Africa was being carved up and served to various Imperialist powers of the world, the United States was tiptoeing around global conflict, waving the Monroe Doctrine in defense, modifying diplomacy techniques to fit the needs of the day, and relying on being a relatively large distance away from other world powers to maintain a neutral status. Still, the world was continually closing in.

Technological improvements, especially in communications and transportation, had shortened the distance between world neighbors just as the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand lit a conflagration that engulfed most of the world and required the dousing with many thousands of human lives to extinguish. This was the world of 1914 and the war it created.

World War I became the first modern war. Horses were on the way out replaced with horrific machines of death, toxic gasses, trench warfare and total involvement. On one side of the conflict were the Central Powers lead by Germany and Austria-Hungary. In opposition were the Allied powers lead by Great Britain and France.

For most of the war, the Central Powers had been split between the Eastern Front with Russia, and the Western Front with France. Additionally, Central Power's "U-Boats" patrolled the shipping lanes wreaking havoc on Allied supply lines. The U.S., at a greater distance away, had continued to try to supply Allied forces with war needs, especially foodstuffs in the form of wheat. The devastation in Europe at the time left little area to be used for farming.

Thus, the U.S. greatly assisted Allied war efforts even before entering the war, but the Sussex Incident, the sinking of the Lusitania, and the Zimmerman Telegraph proved to be provocation that a proud nation could not ignore. The U.S. joined with Allied forces and entered the war. The entry was none too soon.

On the Eastern Front, the Bolsheviks had taken over Russian and signed a treaty with Germany. Now all Central Power forces

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about The legacy of Woodrow Wilson?
We want to hear your view. Write now!