How the US Was Involved in World War I - Essay Example

World War I Question 3 a: Why was US involved in World War I? When World War I began in 1914, the president of the United States in that period had strictly maintained neutrality. This is because he did not want the United States to become part of World War I. During this period, the United States was offering material assistance to the Allies. In May 1915, a German submarine successfully sank a British ocean liner “Lusitania” and killed approximately 128 U.S citizens out of the total 1,200 individuals who were in the ocean liner. Even after this event, the United States still remained neutral but they kept on assisting the Allies materially. On the other hand, the Americans viewed the Germans as aggressors. This is because they used U-boats and submarines to attack the ships which were carrying relief aid to the Allies. Their main aim was to starve the British and force them to surrender. The Americans also felt connected to the citizens of Great Britain because of their cultural similarities. After the sinking of Lusitania, the Americans faced a national security threat, hence; most of the citizens urged the government to join forces with the Allied Powers to fight against the Germans. The main cause of the war was because the British intercepted a telegram from the Germans. This telegram was being sent to the Mexican Government. The telegram was named after its sender Arthur Zimmerman. The Zimmerman telegram noted that Mexico was to declare war on America in order to conquer states such as New Mexico, Arizona and Texas in case there was a war between Germany and USA. Research also asserts that the involvement of the United States in World War I was attributed by propaganda from both sides. The US president did not want to get involved with the war but, when Teddy Roosevelt made a decision for running for presidency, Wilson felt threatened, and he announced that there was a high possibility of the country going to war. The main aim of President Wilson was to enhance safety in the world and promote democracy in the United States. Thus, the United States of America declared war against German on 6th April, 1917. Question b: Why did the Allies win World War I? World War I comprised of two powerful forces. The Allies comprised of Poland, the United Kingdom, China, France, United States and the Soviet Union among other countries. Research asserts that the Allies won World War I because they were more powerful and prepared as compared to the Central Powers. It is quite clear that World War I was an attrition war and Germany lacked most of the resources at the end. The British had blocked all the supplies. The Allies had also waited to for the United Stated to join the war. The United States facilitated the win after they deployed new technological weapons which were used in the warfare against the Central Powers. On the other hand, the Allies had enough resources from the United States. This that the USA played a significant role in World War I. Germany was equipped with a massive army, therefore; they were destined to lose due to scarcity of resources. After 1914, the German army gave up the plan to the Allies who were located on the Western front. In this period, the Allies made several mistakes, which led to numerous deaths. In 1918, they united together and deployed new tactics, which involved the use of tanks and airplanes in the war. The use of this machinery significantly overpowered the Germans who were underdeveloped in terms of technology. The ultimate defeat of the Germans was enhanced by the blockage of German ports by the British. This led to the German Revolution and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm. The Germans had also lost the war after the failure of the Schlieffen Plan. Various scholars claim that the Allies were able to win the war because the Germans did not have adequate food and resources to sustain them in the warfare. Question c: What were the goals and terms of Wilson’s 14 Points and Versailles Treaty? On 8th January, 1918, President Wilson delivered the Fourteen Points speech to a Congress joint session. This speech was meant to declare that the United States was fighting for a moral cause. These fourteen points dwelt on political and territorial issues. After the Germans had signed the armistice document in 1918, they knew that the fourteen points were aimed in restoring complete peace. Scholars claim that the Fourteen Points speech was an explicit statement of war aims of the nations, which were involved in World War I. This speech encouraged the victory of the Allies in the war by encouraging the Central Powers to surrender. This speech became the basis of the surrendering of the Germans in World War I. The fourteen points were also aimed at ending the secret treaties, free trade and arms reduction. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the agreements at the end of World War I. There were other treaties, which were also signed by the parties involved in the war in order to end the war. Most of the other treaties were signed by the countries which supported the Central Powers. This is because they were responsible for the outcomes of the war. The Versailles treaty was signed on 28th June, 1919. According to this treaty, the Germans were supposed to accept liability for causing the war. During this period, there were negotiations between the members of the Allies. In these negotiations, the final decision was made by executives of the three powerful nations which comprised of Britain, France and the United States. Article 231 of this treaty was identified as a War Guilt Clause, which held Germany responsible for all the damages caused by the war. Both the fourteen points and the Versailles Treaty brought about anger for the Germans. The main goal of Wilson’s fourteen points and the Versailles Treaty was to restore harmony between the conflicting nations. This ensured that the warring parties were at peace with each other even after the immense losses which were incurred at the end of the war. Question d: What are some of the durable consequences of the 1st World War? There are several long-term consequences which are closely related to World War I. Some of the consequences include the distrust of individuals for other countries. The war led to instability, and the Germans felt that they were exploited. This enhanced resentment among the Germans. World War I also led to numerous deaths. It is estimated that approximately 10 million individuals were killed, and others injured in the war. This loss of life had an economic and social impact on several countries. The countries that were significantly affected were those which participated in the war. The financial cost caused by the war was estimated to be $400 billion. World War I also had a positive outcome since; it facilitated breaking up of major empires into smaller states. This enabled women to gain access to voting rights in their countries. This shows that World War I had offered freedom to the women. However, it is prevalent that there are more negative impacts of World War I as compared to the positive impacts. After World War I, most individuals in different countries felt the need to guard themselves. This shows that the war had inflicted social trauma to various individuals in different countries. Moreover, most countries spearheaded an internationalist world. This led to the formation of the League of Nations. The war had also ushered the end of imperialism globally especially in the African continent. The imperial powers returned to their homeland in Europe. Lastly, the development of technology during the war led to numerous technological advances in the world. It is prevalent that there are numerous technological advancements which have been made until recently. Read More