The United States in WWI: From Neutrality to Global Power

The Sound of Battle and a Famous Retort 🎖️

Captain Lloyd W Williams could hear the sounds of combat as the men of the Fifth Marine Regiment advanced through Belleau Wood, newly arrived to reinforce their flagging French and British allies. Suddenly, forms burst from the thick woods. The Marines raised their rifles, but instead of Germans, they found their lines swamped by battered French Infantry. As their comrades retreated through the American line, a French Colonel approached Captain Williams. His English was broken and unintelligible, leading to frustration. The French officer handed Williams a note that ordered a retreat. Williams read it, fixed his bayonet, and uttered six words that would echo through Marine Corps history: Retreat, hell, we just got here.

The United States on the Brink of War 🌎

George Washington, the founding father and first president of the United States, famously advised the young nation not to involve itself in foreign affairs. Few presidents took this advice to heart like Woodrow Wilson, who noted before his inauguration that it would be ironic if his presidency was concerned mainly with matters abroad. Wilson's remarks proved prophetic, as he led the United States into WWI, changing the course of history.

From Neutrality to War 🕊️

When hostilities broke out in July 1914, the United States, behind its twin moats of the Atlantic and Pacific, watched with concern. Ambassador Myron T. Herrick advocated taking an active role in mediation, suggesting that a strong plea for delay and moderation from the U.S. President would be respected in Europe. Wilson, however, called for neutrality on an existential level, prohibiting American banks from loaning money to any belligerent nation to cement neutrality and bring the war to a speedy conclusion.

Economic Pressures 💰

This fiscal neutrality did not last long. In 1915, President Wilson reversed the decision in response to the British Empire's dwindling financial reserves. Though professing neutrality, the United States was eager to do business with the Entente. American creditors sent a massive influx of funds to the British Empire, who then spent this money in American markets. Despite the blockade, Germany sought to buy vital supplies from the U.S., using neutral ships to ferry goods. However, British naval supremacy and their blockade prevented much of it from getting through. Formal protests by the U.S. against the British blockade resulted in Britain increasing their cotton purchases from America to cover economic shortfalls. From 1914 to 1916, American trade with Germany plummeted by a staggering 99%. Germany, backed into an economic corner, ordered a submarine blockade of Great Britain in retaliation. Wilson protested, claiming this to be a violation of international law, while accepting the British blockade of Germany. This double standard was glaring, especially regarding the sinking of the Lusitania.

The RMS Lusitania Incident 🚢

The sinking of the RMS Lusitania on March 7, 1915, which killed 128 American citizens, further pushed the United States into the Entente’s camp. American public outrage, fueled by reports of German atrocities in Belgium, condemned the attack on what appeared to be a civilian vessel. A diplomatic back-and-forth ensued, with Germany promising to scale back their submarine operations, which placated America temporarily. However, German Americans faced growing prejudice and violence at home, exacerbated by the rhetoric from figures such as President Wilson, who warned that hyphenated Americans carried a dagger ready to plunge into the Republic's vitals.

Escalation and Acts of Sabotage 🧨

Intense anti-German sentiment was further stoked by the incredible act of sabotage on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor. On July 30, 1916, German agents ignited over $20 million worth of stockpiled munitions, creating one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in human history. The Shockwave, felt as far as Philadelphia, damaged the Statue of Liberty and left a massive crater on Black Tom Island.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare 🚢

Amid escalating tensions, German planners decided to resume unrestricted submarine warfare, targeting merchant shipping to starve the Entente into submission before the U.S. could intervene. As American ships were sunk and the public demanded action, Wilson continued to resist calls for war, proclaiming "armed neutrality" instead, allowing American ships to don defensive measures and fire on aggressors.

The Zimmerman Telegram 📜

The famous Zimmerman Telegram, an order from the German foreign minister to court Mexico with the promise of recovering lost territories if they invaded the U.S. for the Central Powers, was the final straw. The U.S. declared war outright on April 6, 1917. The neutrality was broken, and it was time to go "over there."

The Entry of U.S. Forces in Europe 🇺🇸

The United States, far from a military power, overcame isolationism's toll on its armed forces. The passage of the Selective Service Act swelled numbers through widespread conscription, alongside two million volunteers. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF), led by General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing, landed in Europe in June 1917. Pershing insisted on keeping American forces unified under American command, resisting British and French attempts to supplement their forces with American troops.

First Engagement - Battle of Cantigny ⚔️

The Battle of Cantigny, a German salient, represented an opportunity for Pershing. On May 28, 1918, the First Infantry Division advanced under French artillery cover, French tanks, and air support. Despite being mauled during the uphill battle, the Americans captured the village and repelled two days of German counter-attacks, proving their mettle to the French allies.

Belleau Wood: Marine Corps Lore 🌲

The Battle of Belleau Wood saw the U.S. Marines sent to plug a gap in French lines and push back a German offensive. Among the trees of Belleau, Marine Captain Lloyd W. Williams’ refusal to retreat ("Retreat, hell, we just got here") became a legendary Marine Corps morale motto.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive 🔥

From September 26 to November 11, 1918, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive aimed to capture the railhead at Sedan. Despite inexperience and the Spanish Flu, 1.2 million American troops and French reinforcements engaged in one of the largest American military actions to that point. Notable acts of heroism included Corporal Alvin York, who killed 25 and captured 132 Germans, earning the Medal of Honor. The capture of Cote du Châtillon by the 82nd Airborne and later by the 42nd Rainbow Division, led by Douglas MacArthur, turned the tide of the offensive, setting the stage for the Armistice on November 11.

Post-War Efforts and Isolationism 👥

President Wilson brought forward his 14 Points at the Versailles Peace Conference, envisioning a new world order with a League of Nations to promote global peace and diplomatic alternatives to conflict. However, his ideas faced skepticism, particularly regarding self-determination, seen as impractical by critics like Secretary of State Lansing. Despite acceptance of Wilson's principles by the Entente to avoid a separate peace with Germany, the League of Nations was established in 1920. Still, isolationist sentiment resurged in the U.S., leading Congress to reject both the Treaty of Versailles and U.S. entry into the League of Nations.

The Aftermath 🕊️

The end of WWI saw significant societal impacts, including prejudice against German Americans, who culturaly assimilated to avoid hostility. The war's conclusion didn't prevent another serious global conflict from arising, as the League of Nations crumbled under indifference, especially from the Japanese Empire in the 1930s. Ultimately, the U.S. would take the world stage once more, requiring another world war and a new president to guide Lady Liberty into a central global role again.

Conclusion 🌍

The journey from neutrality to global power during WWI reshaped the United States, previously insulated in isolationism, into a principal actor on the world stage. While the immediate post-war years saw a return to isolationism, the foundation was laid for future international involvement that would redefine the 20th century geopolitics. In the end, the lessons of WWI's human costs, strategic blunders, and acts of heroism significantly influenced America's role in global affairs and its philosophy towards foreign policy in the years to come. This era in history serves as a testament to the complex and often tumultuous journey of a nation growing into its role as a global leader.

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