Many of the Americans were opposed to entering World War I because they felt that it was a European war that the Americans should not get involved in. Since the United States consisted of a variety of immigrants from different countries some of which were allied and others were central powers, they could not really choose a side because of this. The main reason that was stated for the United States to enter World War I was a concoction, but it got the declaration of war through congress because President Wilson’s campaign was for America not going to war.
Some of the factors that eventually influenced Americans to join the war were things like it would be advantageous if the United States joined the war and President Wilson figured if they fought and bled with different nations they could achieve the advantage and have a place with the peace negotiations. Something else that I had read was that Britain was unsure about the United States entering the war because of the possible peace in 1917 by Central Powers and Britain and they wanted to keep France within reach, but a short distance away and after the United States joined their allies France wanted to demolish and humiliate Germany for invading them two times in a period of forty years.
Three federal government strategies for uniting citizens and gaining citizen support for World War I. * Finances, if Germany had won the United States had too much invested towards Britain and France. * Propaganda, when the Germans sank the Lusitania, it was not a reason, but a good excuse. * Power, showing the world and prove that they had the ability.
I think that the federal government strategies work sometimes, but at the same time they do not consider the opinion of the people they are sending to wars. I think they try to do what is best for the country and the people in it, but at times I think they get too wrapped up in the power hungry part and do not realize exactly what they are getting the United States into. I believe that they need to get the opinions of some of the military and their families and put their opinions together and see what they could come up with. Some people just want that extra notch saying what they did while others really try to do what is best. Sometimes war is what needs to happen, but like Iraq for example, yes it was because of what happened on September 11th, but at the same time my husband went there and he said many of the people did not want change, so why were we there so long and why are we trying to help them fix their country after what they did to ours. Sometimes I do not understand the strategies and if I did, I might be able to understand the reasoning behind their decision.
Some of it benefitted society, the financial area was good because when America came out of the war they owed nothing and the British and French owed the United States. Germany had no money and they owed reparations along with Austria and Hungary and that whole area was broken up.
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