What factors contributed to the U.S.'s initial neutrality in World War I - Essay Example

What factors contributed to the U.S.'s initial neutrality in World War I The main factor that contributed towards the U.S.'s initial neutrality in World War I was its non-intervention foreign policy. This policy was first stated by Thomas Paine in his pamphlet Common Sense during the American Revolution. The idea was further mooted by many other presidents such as Thomas Jefferson during his inaugural address and James Monroe in the Monroe Doctrine. This policy continued right up till President Woodrow Wilson with probably the only exception being the Spanish - American war of 1898.

Another factor was that President Wilson himself was against the U.S. entering the war. He even used it as a rallying point for his re-election campaign with the slogan "he kept us out of war." He believed that a peaceful solution could be found and even tried mediating between the Allied Powers and the Central Powers, though there were few takers on either side. Geography also played an important role in the U.S.'s neutrality, with the Atlantic Ocean separating U.S. from Europe many felt that the war would stay in Europe, and would not come to the shores of the U.S. Also during the time of President Wilson, the people in general were opposed to the entry of U.S. into the war.

Many prominent members of society as well congressmen were opposed to the war, one of them being Senator Robert La Follette. Even though Senator La Follete had supported President Wilson for his election in the 1912 presidential elections he opposed tooth and nail against the U.S. taking part in the war saying that President Woodrow was under the control of big business. Why did America side with the French and British in World War I The sinking of the RMS Lusitania on May 7th 1915 by a German U-Boat of the coast of Ireland and the subsequent deaths of so many including one hundred and twenty eight Americans passengers is considered as a pivotal point in the history or World War I.

Many consider this incident as a major factor for the American side to shed its non intervention policy and adopt a new strategy, allying itself to the Allied Powers. Propaganda also played an important role in swaying American sentiments from the Central Powers. Stories of German atrocities flooded America shores, reports of babies being mutilated and women violated by German soldiers were rampant. Even though the atrocities were committed by both sides, most reports to come out of Europe were those against the Central Powers.

The Zimmermann telegram incident can also be considered as another important factor for swaying American sentiments against the Central Powers. British intelligence had intercepted a telegram from the German Foreign Secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German ambassador to Mexico, proposing an alliance between Germany, Mexico and Japan. In exchange for Mexico's taking up arms against the United States, Germany promised financial assistance and after the war, Mexico could regain its lost territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Also one can see an ideological twist in the tale as to why the U.S. chose may have chosen to fight with the Allied Powers. If one were to see, the Central Powers all represented autocracies while the Allied Powers all represented democracies. And with U.S. itself being a major proponent of democracy, one could easily say that ideological values also played a role in the U.S. choosing its allies. References Paine, T. Common Sense (1776) Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/147 Jefferson, T.

First Inaugural Address In the Washington DC (1801). Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres16.html Monroe, J. Monroe Doctrine (1823) Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/50.htm Biography of President Woodrow Wilson, Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ww28.html American Military History, Volume 1, Chapter 15 Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/AMH-V1/ch15.htm American Military History, Volume 1, Chapter 17 Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/AMH/AMH-17.

htm Biography of Senator Robert La Follet Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAlafollette.htm Sheffield, G The Origins of World War One (2002) Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/origins_01.shtml