AboutClaes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. Expertise I have a long and intense interest in European and World History. This also includes Military History - especially as I have been a military physician-surgeon for 15 years. I`m also interested in the history of Science, Technology-Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics.
Experience A life long intense interest. But I'm not a professional historian - though the next best thing, an educated VERY interested amateur!
Education/Credentials I'm a Doctor of Medicine, specialist in Medical Oncology, Radiation Therapy and Radiation Protection. But that has no connection to this.
However I do answer such questions too here on AllExperts.com and have done so for a long time. For such questions click on the appropriate link:
Oncology (General Cancer),
Military History,
Brain Tumors,
Breast Cancer,
Colon Cancer
Question My name is Shane. I'm an eighth grader at alderwood middle school in Washington and i was wondering if you could answer an few questions for a project I'm doing on WWI.
First, why did the U.S. decide to get involved?
Second, what impact did it have on life in the United States?
thank you. I look forward to get a response from you soon!
sincerely,Shane Gersbach
Answer Hi Shane, If you check my bio page here on AllExperts.com you will notice that I'm an expert of European & World History NOT American History. I'm a European, a Swede living in Sweden, so I do not have an American perspective on this. However I'll try to help you as much as I can within these limits.
The US got involved for 3 main reasons. 1. Even though there were many people in the US with a German origin and therefore with at least some sympathy for Germany AND many people of Irish origin and therefore often with an anti British attitude there was still widespred sympathy for Britain and France in the US. This sympathy was due to a. historical reasons - common traditions, history and language with Britain and many people of British ancestry, b. historical ties with France from the War of Independence. Britain and France were also regarded - and justly so - as more democratic than Imperial Germany and Imperial Austria-Hungary, the 2 main powers on the German side.
2. Germany's unlimited submarine warfare on shipping to and from mainly Britain but also to and from France. Many American lifes were lost - including women and children - and also quite a number of American ships. This warfare was regarded as barbaric in the US - with good reason - and created a big wave of anti German sentiment as well as both politically and militarily very good reasons to adopt an anti German attitude and policy. 3. This anti German attitude in turn made the Germans look for potential allies if it would lead to a war with the US. And they thought they had found one: Mexico. So Germany promised Mexico the return of vast areas in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona & California to Mexico if Mexico helped Germany in any conflict with the US. This was made by formal messages from the German government to the Mexican government via the German embassy in Mexico City. However, the British military intelligence service managed to intercept these messages and decode them and then via the British government delivered them to the US government. This told the US what Germany was planning to do and that was probably the final deciding factor to join Britain & France. However of these 3 factors I think that overall no. 2 was most important. Another factor may have been the vast economic & trade connections between the US and Britain and France, especially in war materials. American banks also took part to a large extent in financing the war effort. So the US was deeply involved long before it formally entered the war.
I'm not on such a firm ground when it comes to the impact of life in the US, for the reasons I have already told you. However this was the greatest war effort of the US since the Civil War and - apart from the US-Spanish war - the first war fought OUTSIDE the US with very big armies sent to Europe for the fight. So obviously it had a huge impact in and on the US. It also brought the international scene right into the "American household" which previously had been rather isolated. But for more details on this you have to go to other sources since this is more or less outside my area of expertise. Good luck! If anything is unclear you are most welcome to ask more!
