So what do you think? Should we have gotten into the Great War earlier, later, or not at all?
Joining the centrals powers would be key. That germany remains strong, while keeping the alsace lorraine (won after her victory of 1870) which is the very reason why france negotiated a secret alliance with Imperial Russia in the first place. Austria- Hungary had a lot of problems with her national interests and those of Czarist Russia which came to a head in Serbia. France understood that in order to gain back lost territory that she should make have to conclude alliance with the enemys of the Kaisers Reich so if war should break out it would be favorable for France getting the alsace lorraine back. But in the end it all added to the “domino” of nations that started the great war. France is mostly to blame and not Germany. Germany didnt have any secret treaties. All of Europe was aware of the alliance with Austria and Germany. Germany just came to aid the Hapsburg Monarchy of its treaty obligations. Italy the third member of this great alliance got cold feet and pulled a “franco”.
I think it is not as simplistic as saying that America joining the central powers would have changed the situation after the war. The real reason the US sided with the allies was economic. Germany was growing, in a very big way. The consolidated German state scared the hell out of everyone. The US ambition to join the war was more gauged on defeating an economic power before it became a very serious rival. Joining the central powers would have at best, made the US a junior partner in the “new Eurupe”. As it happened, the defeat of Germany made the US a major player. With most wars, see where the $ comes in and you know why the war was waged. Not always, but usualy.
I’d actually say our joining the Allies had more to do with Wilson’s sympathies towards the British. He felt America and Britain had many things in common (which, I suppose, they do), and the general welfare of America was best served by aiding their long-time comrade England.
Personally, I think the U.S. had no business fighting in WWI; we would have been better served by staying neutral as best as possible, and carrying on trading with all powers at once.
I think we should not have gotten involved in it at all. That would have saved the world two bloody wars, and would have only cost us an ally that was fragile before WWI started. And after the collapse of A-H we could have pulled out the “Greater German” solution that was discussed in 1848 anyway.
Joining the Central powers that late in the game would have been absurd. Their subs sank our ships. Political suicide. Highly Nevillian.
Joining early would be equally absurd. the British navy would have sank or confiscated nearly all of our Atlantic surface ships. We would have also been left with no wealthy nations to trade with. Germany would have needed to crush the Royal navy in order for us to trade with them.
We would have had to declare immediate war on Canada. At least that is one part we could have slugged out to a win.
Joining the Central powers that late in the game would have been absurd. Their subs sank our ships. Political suicide. Highly Nevillian.
Joining early would be equally absurd. the British navy would have sank or confiscated nearly all of our Atlantic surface ships. We would have also been left with no wealthy nations to trade with. Germany would have needed to crush the Royal navy in order for us to trade with them.
We would have had to declare immediate war on Canada. At least that is one part we could have slugged out to a win.
The side we got on would have won. The English Navy would not have sunk all of our fleet. It was stretched out over the Atlantic fighting the U-boats. Not to mention, the battle of Jutland would have been much different had the US fleet intervened on the side of the Germans.
As it was, all we really had to do to ensure a central powers victory was not to supply the Allies.
But as I stated before, it was not in our best interest to back the Central powers.
I think Pres. Wilson made very wise decisions. He kept us out as long as he could (one of his campaign slogans for his 2nd term) thus saving countless American lives. Keep in mind this was a time when it was thought by the best military minds at the time that the best way to take out a machine gun nest was to send troops towards it until the machine gun ran out of bullets. The French didn’t even try to have their soldiers camophlage (spelling??) and these brave men charged machine gun nests wearing bright red outfits :o . Certainly any other color would have been preferable - how about mud-colored brown?
But because of the sinking of American (neutral) ships on the high seas by German U-boats in deliberate, despicable (many people died) violation of international treaties signed by Germany, among others, Wilson was eventually forced to declare war. At least then we were acknowledging the reality of this warfare. Not that UK, France, etc. had clean hands either, but their actions didn’t affect the US much.
Im fine with the way it happened. I dont care for getting involved in European problems, but sometimes we have to help out our allys. The fact that we could commit thousands of fresh troops after the krauts had exausted themselves was a key factor in winning. Sitting out for a bit helped.
