Intensive Review of the Historical Validity and Impacts of the WWI on the United States History - Research Paper Example

Introduction The 1914-1919 war marked a significant turning point in international and global history. The war reduced the world influence of the Europe, while having destroyed a number of European empires and monarchies and undermined the strength of the rest left. WWI also enabled new nations to develop economically. Diverting cultural and political impacts and financial resources far away from European countries, the WWI encouraged countries in different locations of the globe, like the United States of America, to doubt and compete with international and global authority in Europe. The paper aims at providing an intensive review of the historical validity and impacts of the WWI on United States history. Discussion The First World War occurred between 1914 and 1919 and was an intensively bloody war with massive life losses and minimal ground lost. Mainly fighters in trenches fought the war, and it led to approximated ten million or more militants dead and approximately 21 million more wounded. While various nations hoped that the war would be crucial to put a stop to all other wars, in the real sense, the culminating peace agreement set the pace for the Second World War (Dutton 98). The First World War destroyed various empires and weakened others. For instance, the Russian Revolution of 1917 following the regime of Czarist collapse, which ended in the seizure of the authority by Bolsheviks. With the overthrow of the military group in 1918, the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman kingdoms declined, whereas Germany substituted the administration of Kaiser with the nation of Weimar. New nation states including Poland, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia emerged from formers empires (Protess, Callaway and Vernon 234). Consequently, victory for the allies of the Europe nations came at an increased price. They owed more than $12 billion to the U.S, which was endorsed from a former net defaulter to a higher status (net creditor). In addition, New York City substituted London as the international economic headquarter. Additionally, the European allies experienced high demands for self-rule mainly from their colonies. Similarly, European allies lost control over sufficient economic and military resources to shape global affairs as before. Near the culmination of the WW1, Japan and USA joined the leading nations at the 1919 Unity charter, in Paris, together with other nations such as France, UK and Italy, with the president of the USA, Woodrow Wilson taking a central role. The president formed the League of Nations a fundamental part of the Versailles Treaty with Germany (Gracia 104). The U.S and the allies, failed to acknowledge the government of Bolsheviks in Russia, and consequently, exempted the Soviet Union from Paris. In addition, Wilson strived for maintenance of unity and cooperation that would preserve industrialist and democratic countries. Reinforcing the principle of self-determination at national level, Wilson summoned the post war (aftermath) league of nations to offer a collective security to all its members. Further, he expected the national league, under the leadership of Americans, to protect the political independence and territorial integrity of its members, against external hostility, and, therefore, preserve the peace (Keene 248). Americans reacted against Woodrow Wilson’s firm wartime leadership, for instance, the elections in 1918 reduced Democrats to the inferior (minority) in congress. Moreover, after the crisis, with the removal of policies and rules by wartime organizations, the U.S suffered intensive economic upturn, inflation, and labor go-slows. The Expeditionary Forces of America returned from France and rapidly demoralized. In addition, the Congress, with the 1920 National Defense Act, reduced the American army to almost its pre-war level. Rapid disbursement and restructuring led to social strife in the U.S in early 1918 and 1921. Irrespective of the wartime loyalty, numerous Americans such as black American were mainly the critical victims of local lynching and urban or city race demonstration, with activists and other social democrats, whether American born natives or immigrants, were primary focus of the unselective Red Scare (Dutton 100). President Wilson was somehow responsible for the post war effects, due to his negative feeling concerning new immigrants, labor strikes, and black people, and his international emphasizes, resulting in a denial of post war reconstruction benefits at home. Wilson contributed immensely to the Red Scare by favoring for the League of Nations as an obstacle against Bolshevism. However, under the leadership of Henry Cabot Lodge, the Republican excludes the U.S out of the Wilsons nation’s league by objecting the Versailles Treaty. The effect of the First World War on the United States was dramatic, in that it gave the United States and U.S industries some successes including economic victory over the European competitors, as well as the consequences like economic and social challenges, isolationism and immigration challenges. Even though, the United States of American was not careful on taking sides, which later affects Europe, and other countries, which could have, force America into war, the United States of America had made her decision collaborate with Britain and her supporters in the 1917 war. According to researchers, the war did not only result to massive benefits, but also, some limitations too (Keene 248). Experts agree that economic development was one of the advantages as a result of the WW1. In addition, the defeat of the central powers and Germany had resulted to improvements in technology such as new materials (like plastics) and mechanization. Similarly, during the First World War, the United States of America had taken control over many European, overseas markets. This led to various American industries turning out to be highly successful as compared to their European competitors, therefore, replacing nations like Germany as leading dyes, fertilizers and other chemical products producer in the world. Additionally, the war left social and cultural legacy such as the emergency of numerous revolutionary new literary, artistic, musical, philosophical and cultural movements, as well as increased malice towards Turkish Armenians. Although, the First World War had assisted the United States of America in diverse ways, it had created various new challenges. For instance, the issue of unemployment is one of the biggest challenges that emerged following the outbreak of the WWI (Protess, Callaway and Vernon 234). In 1919, for instance, about four million soldiers in United States were demobilized, whereas at the same period, American industries geared up increased production levels during the war, therefore, the returning soldiers had an immense challenge finding employment. Similarly, all prices had increased between the 1914 and 1920, whereas wages had remained the same. Consequently, this led to violent strikes throughout 1919. In addition, another few economic and social challenges cause by the First World War included fear of racial riots and radicalism. The WW1 had caused the emergence of Russian communist Revolution, and communist parties were formed in 1919 in America. As a result, this outcome had caused various anarchists bomb attacks. Similarly, race riots dominated in approximately 23 cities across the United States of America. In addition, a massive number of Black Americans who had migrated to the northern regions from the south were seriously attacked by American, white communities (Gracia 105). Some researchers suggest that these attacks were a reaction to poor economic status and discrimination that the American black communities experienced after the war. The challenges faced by the immigrants had increased significantly since the outbreak of the war. The large number of Americans wanted call off the open door policy that had numerous people to the United States of American in the 19th c. The WWI led to massive loss of lives for both United States and European army forces, belligerents and militants, for example, approximately ten million U.S people were murdered during the battle. Finally, during the boom in American industry, as a result of the war, numerous American men were working overseas in the war ground, and thus unable to occupy their job positions in the factories. In a bid to fill the vacancies, industries and firms allowed women to occupy in previously male dominated occupations (Dutton 102). As a result, women started flocking to factories, and serving in industries to meet their family needs while their male counterparts were away in war (Women Gender and History Movement 1). This independence of working class women carried over into post impacts of the First World War. Before war, majority of the women had embarked on advocating for universal suffrage, but most of the American politicians did not give women their freedom and the right to vote. Moreover, the attitude changed significantly after the WWI because a number of women had shown their independence and strength was equal to men. Conclusion The WWI was a most incredible war in American and European history as well as the entire history of the world. It has shown witness to remarkable unmitigated human suffering not witnessed prior to and after the war, in human history. Apart from its historical connection to the WWII, the war had significant impacts in shaping the history of the United States and the entire globe in the 20th and 21st centuries. The war marked a significant shift in American history both politically, socially, economically and culturally. Many researchers agree that the war became a display of advanced technologies and warfare of Americans despite the negative effects. Works Cited Dutton, David. The Politics of Diplomacy: Britain and France in the Balkans in the First World War. London: I.B. Tauris, 1998. Print. Garcia, Jesus. Creating America: A history of the United States. Beginning through World War I. Princeton, N.J.: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2007. Print. Keene, Jennifer D. True Sons of Freedom: African American Soldiers in WWI. Carlisle, PA: AHEC, 2006. Print. Protess, Dan, John D. Callaway, and Vernon Jarrett. 1919 Race Riots. [Chicago, IL]: WTTW Chicago, 2003. Print. Unon. Women, Gender & History. Los Angeles, Calif: Dept. of History, University of California, 1994. Print. Read More