US and the first World War - Essay Example

US and the First World War Isolationism is a policy doctrine employable by any country that needs to restrain from interfering with the affairs of other countries, or engaging in alliances that force them to take sides in case of a conflict. Isolationist state cites the need to focus on its internal development and structuring of the local production forces towards advancement of its economy. This policy became clearer during the World War I when America sought to isolate itself from participating in war or appearing to support any side of the conflicting parties in Europe (Morreta and Kearney 133). The reason why America had to employ isolationism policy during the world related to the fact that majority of the America population are immigrants with some originating from the battling Austria-Hungary and Germany. This escalated the impossibility of America intervening for favor of its historic friend Britain because many people claimed that they had certain connection with the three anti-British countries. Besides the outcry by sections of the America as having particular links with Germany and Austria-Hungary, America also objected to take the neutral position to encourage its commercial deals with all the European countries. This was irrespective of whether the trading partner was pro or anti Britain. In 1898, America and Spain got into fierce war a move that seen to be the quest by America to expand its territories. Prior to the outbreak of the war between America and Spain, there were widespread of cries and revolt by Cuban people who wanted to secure their independence from Spain. As demonstrated by Morreta and Kearney, the Spanish government oppressed the Cuban civilians and news spread across America to trigger public anger (145). The government of US through the approval of President William McKinley made peaceful calls on Spanish government to withdraw from Cuba. Due to repeated rejections, America government went ahead to declare an ultimatum for the Spanish government to leave Cuba people and stop the inhuman killings. Citizens of America also showed great concern over the maltreatment of the Cubans by the Spanish government and piled the pressure on the government to intervene the war. The unity depicted by Americans was due to the past painful experiences of the Civil Wars, that just preceded the Great War and that saw massive exhaustion of the war equipments and a reduced military force. However, Spanish government refused the calls and in fact moved on to sink American battleship. This triggered tension in America, and the government deployed soldiers and war equipments to attack Spanish government through both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans. According to Morreta and Kearney, the first field of war for the American-Spanish battle was in Philippines (146). After four months of serious battle, America forces appeared to overwhelm the Spanish forces thus paving the way for the surrender. Surrendering by the Spanish forces led to the brokering of peace deal that led to the Treaty of Paris signed in 1899. It is in this war that America appeared as the world’s superpower. The silence and isolationism policy adopted by government of US came to end during the World War I. This happened even when America objected to maintain neutrality despites the aggression of German on Britain and France. The World War I was going to result from various factors like militarism where countries like Germany, Britain, France and Russia wanted to dominate each other on the basis of strong military bases. Escalation of the war was due the existence of many alliances formed mainly to help individual parties to strengthen their defense. For instance, Russia had established alliance with Serbia, Russia with France, Japan with Britain, France with Britain and Belgium, and Germany with Austria-Hungary (Morreta and Kearney 148). When the war began, members of a particular alliance or connected with particular common country would merge to fight the common enemy. Another cause of the WWI was the great feeling Bosnia who refused to be part of Austria-Hungary, but Serbia. It was this kind of nationalism that saw Austria-Hungary in bid to fulfill its mission attacked Serbia thus leading to the WWI that expanded alongside the alliances. Imperialism was another contribution factor to the historic WWI. Leading countries in Europe wanted to expand further their territories, which meant that they had to capture other countries as they had been doing in Africa and Asia. According to Morreta and Kearney, this led to serious competition and animosity that was typically intense between Britain and Germany (149). France though one of the competitors did not feature much as it had close relations with Britain. The sole reason why Germany entered the WWI so seriously was due to anger they had against Britain, which it believed impeded it in the mission to concur and become the world’s superpower. Britain had strong military base and stronger economy and Germany was the second in the whole world.USA on the other hand maintained a neutral stand and was not signed into any alliance. In fact, the silence adopted by America saw the country fail to accept the pressure from the Britain to impose trade sanctions against Germany. The failure of America to impose trade sanctions on any country in battle saw Britain by the privilege of its expanse ocean borders impose blockade on Germany. The move led to increased trade activities between France and England (Morreta and Kearney 151). The blockade imposed by British against Germany also prompted German initiate submarine warfare against the otherwise neutral US. In the process, German forces used the submarines to sink several American cruise ships. Worst even occurred when Germany sank the Lusitania in the higher seas. These attacks aggrieved US thus deciding to break its long-term silence in the international warfare. American government through President Wilson then begun to supply military equipments to the allied forces that include Britain and France among others to help intensify the war against Germany. The steps taken by America were in total contradiction to the government’s declaration of a neutral position in 1914. Taking advantage of the previous surrender of Russia from the war, German moved to transfer its soldiers from the east to the west in bid to concentrate resistance and even attack the American mainland. However objecting to intervene into the war, America had weak small national defense force that comprised of 300000 soldiers. Morreta and Kearney add that the country also had small stock of weapons and war arsenals that could not sustain them in the war mission (138). Germany continued to intensify war against Britain and its allies. Even though maintaining neutral ground in the war, USA warned France and Britain against humiliating Germany due to the existence of citizens of Germany origin in America. At some points, Germany attacked even the merchant ships and passenger liners that travelled between France and Britain. In spite of the outcry by US to Germany to end the war, Germany went ahead to declare active its policies of unrestricted use of submarines. This practice further aggrieved the US government and had sufficient reasons to launch attacks against Germany, and so did President Wilson declare war on Germany (Morreta and Kearney 154). In 1917 which was the official year for formal participation of USA in the Great War, Russia also broke into war as it underwent through revolution. On another side, the Austrian Army prevailed against Italy thus capturing over 275000 military officers. In the meantime, French Army was under the threat of division thereby raising fear of possible collapse of the country. Germany was also becoming successful in its submarine campaigns in Britain thus posing signs of possible collapse of the subject. As demonstrated by Morreta and Kearney, American participation into war did not just bring them the triumph they required, but also caused serious injuries and emotional destabilization to the soldiers, which made Americans regret the reason for their participation in the war (156). As Germany conceded defeat to lead to the end of the war, President Wilson presented the Fourteen Points document of agreement that clarified the need for peace and ways o manage and sustain the peace. The Fourteen Points also acted as guideline towards the establishment of League of Nations whose major objective was to sustain and uphold peace in the world. The formation of the league was in France during the Paris Peace Conference. Work cited Morreta, Anne and Kearney John. American Dreams & Reality: A Retelling of the American Story, Volume II. New York: Abigail Press, 2008. Print. Read More