Premium Essay

How Did America Go To War?

Submitted By
Words 796
Pages 4
The book “Over Here” by David Kennedy gives details of America during the nineteen month involvement of the first work war. The book states information that describes political innovation, social disruptions and the culture heritage of the experience of America in the War (p.VII).
The prologue gives details of what is going on during the war. The prologue tells how the war affects Americans and how there is another what inside America, which helped the United States go to war. During this time Woodrow Wilson just got reelected for president again in 1916. One of the many reasons he had got reelected is because he based his campaign on not going to war. Wilson appealed directly to the people, unify their convictions, awaken their emotional energy, and turn this great mass force on his recalcitrant foes (p.48).
This changed Americans minds about Wilson, at first he was trying to keep America out of war and now he is trying to enforce the idea that America should go to war. There were some people that supported Wilson new decision to go to war. John Dewey and the New Republic followed about going to war and they helped changed American’s mind about going to war. …show more content…
The government was able to look through mail for any suspicious acts against America. This was only allowed because of the Espionage Act of June 1917. Then the Sedition Act of 1918 got a lot of people arrested for voicing dissent. But the Supreme Court upheld a lot of acts like these, Wilson had this because he the minds of Americans was getting poisoned by Europe. This was during his campaign to secure American approval of the Versailles, and the League of Nations when he repeatedly churned the cauldron of anti-radical and anti-alien sentiment that the war had heated (p.87). “Wilson, Amos Pinchot wryly noted, had put “his enemies in office and his friends in jail.” (p.90). This could explain the Democratic Party’s congressional losses during the 1918 November

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Pearl Harbor Dbq

...Has anyone thought about the impact of Pearl Harbor on America? Well maybe someone people should. Pearl Harbor is one of the most memorable events that has happen to America.”Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger”( US Historical Documents).The effects that Pearl Harbor had could still affect someone today. Most of the people in the world will always remember the date December 7th, 1941. Pearl Harbor attack was an ambush by Japanese bombers when, they traveled across the ocean to Hawaii’s naval base and attacked America. This attack eventually, led into World War II. The United States joined war with Europe to try and take down Japan. America had some major changes...

Words: 1152 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

History of World War 2

...When war broke out, there was no way the world could possibly know the levels of severity that the war would escalate also. Fortunately one country saw and understood that Germany and its allies would have to be stopped. America's involvement in World War 2 not only contributed in the eventual downfall of the insane Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich, but had also came at the precise time and moment. Had the United States entered the war any later the consequences might have been worse. Over the years, it has been an often heated and debated issue on whether the United States could have entered the war sooner and thus saved many lives. To try to understand this we must look both at the people and at government's point of view. Just after war broke out in Europe, President Roosevelt hurriedly called his cabinet and military advisors together. There it was agreed that the United States stay neutral in these affairs. One of the reasons given was that unless America was directly threatened, they had no reason to be involved. Thus, the provisional neutrality act passed the senate by seventy-nine votes to two in 1935. On August 31, Roosevelt signed it into law. In 1936, the law was renewed, and in 1937, a comprehensive and permanent neutrality act was passed. The desire to avoid "foreign entanglements" of all kinds had been an American foreign policy for more than a century. Even if Roosevelt had wanted to do more in the European crisis (which he did not), there was a factor too often...

Words: 1572 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Why Did President Jefferson Push The Embargo Act Through Congress?

...a) Read Chapter 11 through the end of the chapter. b) Why did Great Britain follow its impressment policy toward American sailors? Why did this policy anger many Americans at the time? Enlisted soldiers were quite likely to desert because they found much more suitable jobs aboard merchant vessels belonging to Americans. The British insisted on being allowed to search the ships of American merchants for deserters who easily blended in since most of the Americans were of English descent. Because determining whether someone was either a British subject or an American citizen was a rather difficult task, a number of American sailors were captured by accident. This policy angered many Americans at the time because Great Britain did not return the Americans they had stolen since they didn’t care who they were...

Words: 708 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Of The Great Silent Majority

...''Tonight to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans, I ask for your support,… for the more divided we are at home, the less likely the enemy is to negotiate …. Let us be united for peace. Let us also be united against defeat. Because let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that "(Nixon). After President Nixon got elected, he wanted to gradually fade out the Vietnam War, because he did no want his American citizens getting killed. In the speech “the great silent majority” Richmond M. Nixon uses pathos, logos, and rhetorical questions in order to slowly fade the Americans out of the Vietnam War, and to persuade Americans this was a good plan. To start off, President...

Words: 678 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Chapter 9 Grqs

...Terrin Chacko HIST 1013.09 10/28/2012 Chapter 9 Guided Reading Questions 1. What changes did the Republicans bring to the federal government? a. The Republicans started by making fiscal policies. They “eliminated all internal taxes” in order to help people with large debt (Goldfield 224). Republicans tried to take all the offices they could be appointed to. After Jefferson finished his presidency, Republicans too almost all the appointive offices (Goldfield 224). Jefferson decided to reverse foreign policies in order to stop Napoleon from making a treaty with Spain which posed as a threat. Jefferson had a deal with Napoleon, which helped expand the size of the United States. Furthermore, it opened up another frontier for slaveholders south of the Mississippi Valley (Goldfield 226). b. How did their policies differ from those of the Federalists who came before them? Federalists wanted people to be in large public debt. Federalists tried to have a grip on federal offices; however Republicans managed to take over. Then the Federalists passed the Judiciary Act of 1801 (Goldfield 224). John Marshall, who was a Federalist, created a precedent of judicial reviews in the Marbury v. Madison case. c.  What factors accounted for the Federalists’ inability to regain national power after they lost the election of 1800? Hamilton and his fellow Federalists wanted people to be in a large debt. They failed to keep hold of federal offices when Republicans simply used...

Words: 1739 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Negative Effects on America Resulting from World War 2

...Negative Effects on America Resulting from World War 2 Jessica Raby University of Phoenix (Axia College) Negative Effects on America Resulting from World War 2 The time period of 1939 to 1945 was a very devastating time for a lot of individuals especially American’s. During this time frame the world was involved in the crisis called World War ll. World Warll had a large negative impact on America’s economy as a whole it affected America’s financial status greatly, American soldiers also suffered a large variety of mental as well as physical health issues during and after World War 2, and many American’s lost their lives for the cause. The major decision to go into war all began on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese forces bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii which resulted in the United States making the decision to go into war. Loosing Pearl Harbor had a large impact on America’s armed forces because it took out a major battle station, many men and women, along with a large portion of the United States’ military resources. Was the decision to go to war worth what America had to suffer? America’s financial status was affected greatly by the impact of World War ll. America was already in a very deep financial stand due to the Great Depression and the effects World War l. The world already repositioned world power and influence. America was already trying to come back from all of the earlier tragedies and in going to war again it only led America to suffer more and to use what...

Words: 1965 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

How World War 1 Changed The Economy Essay

...My first topic I will be discussing is World War One. This war changed the economy of the world.it also left many countries all over the world in great amounts of debt. During this war, over 1 million people in both sides died. It also affected many countries including America in very high inflation. Because of the war and our troops traveling all over influenza then affected a lot of people, 25 million around the world to be exact. This affected us because so many people died. Our next topic is the Great Depression. America’s economy fell down in shambles. The rate of unemployment rose to 25 % of all the Americans. This left so many people and families homeless and no way to have food or water. The price of homes plummeted to 30% down then it was before. Along with hear terrible things it...

Words: 1033 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Study Guide

...about with new technologies and new machines. Entrepreneurs worked with scientists (engineers) to make machines to mass produce the goods. Started with the textile industry (imported from India and then British government banned the imports of textiles from India and then the demand became greater) because the demand for textiles was not being met with the “putting out” system. Spinning machines made thread and then the flying shuttle would weave to make cloth. Social implications included opening of schools – even for women on a positive side and as a negative side, it led to overcrowding in the cities (which led to theft and prostitution), unemployment (people traveled to the cities to work in the factories and there weren’t enough jobs to go around), health concerns (sanitation and pollution) and child labor. Economic implications would include the rise of the two different classes – Capitalists (bankers, merchants, factory owners) and the working class (factory workers). 2. Discuss the population explosion, urbanization, and other demographic factors of the industrial Revolution. Also, discuss the growth of huge industrial cities during the 19th Century. (Bentley & Ziegler, chap.29) The population explosion during the industrial revolution happened because of the...

Words: 2380 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Take a Stand: War

...Take A Stand: War Samuel A. Olivas Grand Canyon University: CWV-301 June 13, 2015 Where would America be if brave men and women didn’t sacrifice themselves in the greatest wars known to date? This is a huge question a lot of people do not ask themselves. A debate resides today whether war is right or wrong. I take my stand for war. Freedom seems to have lost its importance among the citizens of the United States. Many individuals or groups look at war and only see death, but its what they don’t see that makes the biggest impact and that’s the purpose. A man or woman who has served their country gets ready for battle not for their family, but for the cause. The purpose of this paper is written to inform about major wars taken place in the bible, history, and currently. Firstly, I will explain how War in the bible relates to war in the past. Secondly, I will explain the history of two wars and their significance. Lastly, I will explain the war we currently are in and why it’s crucial that we never give up. A man just laid down his life for you, would you for someone else? WAR: THE BIBLE The Bible has many wars through the Old Testament; we must take a closer look at Egypt vs. Israel. In Egypt Pharaoh had the people of Israel under his control. The Israelites were beaten, whipped, and killed. They were put to work on the Egyptian city. This bondage was held for years until a man named Moses stepped in for God. Moses states in Exodus 5:1, “ let his people go”. In Egypt,...

Words: 1416 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Vietnam War

...The Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a time in American history still spoken of with strong emotions today. The events of the era helped to spawn countercultures that helped to mold the country. There was strife and violence, fear and wounds, but mostly there was a quiet moment when the country’s college students moved from childhood into adulthood. This growth gave them the power to speak out against a war they did not believe in and were forced to send their brothers, boyfriends, and husbands to die in. In the eight years that America fought the Vietcong, more than 58,000 American soldiers died and America changed in ways the citizens never thought possible that are still felt in the world politic policy of today. In the early 1960s America was disrupted by the Civil Rights movement. Black, white, right, wrong; these were the ideals that the college students of the day were concentrating on. In the background, the United States was becomming involved in the civil conflict in Vietnam. Students turned their attention to this conflict as Presidents Lyndon Johnson then President Richard Nixon sent more soldiers to fight despite promises for peace (Coltrane, n.d). The college students became alarmed about how many American men were dying in a war that had nothing to do with them. Once the draft was reinstated and more men were sent to Vietnam, demonstrations, teach-ins and rallies were held on many campuses around the country protesting the war. The draft seemed to be the keystone...

Words: 795 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Operation Overlord

...even different ways of going to war. When World War II broke out, and grew into the monster it would be known for, it force people of different cultures to work together. There were many augments on how to handle things. Where should the troops go? Land, sea, or air? Direct approach or sneak attack? Which weapons were the best? Where should the fronts be? Who should lead? The American-British coalition faced these and many other question throughout the war. America and Britain were at odds with each other over many issues on a strategic and an operational level. They fought wars different ways and both thought their way was better than the other. Britain wanted to focus more on the Mediterranean, while American wanted a Pacific front. Both countries at the time had strong leaders, which made for interesting debates. However, they did overcome them and manage to win the war. The Mediterranean versus Operation OVERLORD was one of the main issues among the American-British coalition. America felt that OVERLORD should take precedence over the Mediterranean fronts and that a cross-Channel invasion was best. Few American’s actually advocated completely withdrawal from the Mediterranean, however, they did feel that the British were focusing too much on the Mediterranean ventures that would serve their own politic purposes in the long-run. American did not agree with objectives the British had especially those east of Italy. They felt they should not go passed Italy, but instead focus...

Words: 1416 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Role Of Nationalism In The Outbreak Of World War I

...from Jawaharlal Nehru. America is a very selfish country but in the big picture we accomplished our objectives but the outcome of those accomplishments were more detrimental than instrumental. The United States achieved four main objectives which lead directly to the entering of World War I. One of those four is Nationalism. Nationalism played an important role in the outbreak of World War I. The only way to prove and show your loyalty towards ones country they would support them in every decision made by that certain country. During this time the only to demonstrate true nationalism, war was the only option. The thought of a whole nation fighting...

Words: 853 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Atomic Bomb a Necessity or a Wish

...“President Truman did not Understand”. This was between a US news reporter and Leo Szilard the key figure among the scientists opposing the use of the bomb. The interview was in August 15, 1960. Why was their so fierce Opposition? In what Way did Truman Not Understand? These answers lie in the depths of the controversy about the Atomic Bomb. Introduction The atomic bomb was a topic of major controversy but the main debate was about the necessity of the atomic bomb. Many say that the atomic bomb was dropped because it would save millions of American lives. However at that period the Japanese were also at the point of surrendering. Huge amounts of incendiary bombs were used in large-scale cities against japan. Many of the scientists in the Manhattan Project were disturbed about it. The incendiary bombs reduced much morale from the Japanese army and crippled the will power. However this small cripple made Japan even angrier because these incendiary bombs were used on innocent civilians and not the Japanese army. Many think that it was necessary to use the Atomic Bombs because Japan attacked America first and not the other way around. It is a fact that when Hitler attacked Russia he expected Japan to attack from the East while Hitler attacked from the West and so Hitler might have won the battle of Stalingrad and captured Russia. Although this is not how it went. Japan respected the fighting force of Russia but however Fuehrer Franklin maneuvered them because he needed a war to maintain...

Words: 2649 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Rip Van Winkle

...What we think about America today is not how America was in the 1700’s. Much thought should go into how this country was made from the very beginnings and the struggles that the early Americans went through. Before the Revolutionary War, some people might not think about it, America was ruled by the British. The British had set up 13 colonies, where the people were under rule by King George. America was essentially a mini British country that was trying to make its way. Then there was the Revolutionary War between the British and the colonists, which brought so much change throughout the entire land. Eventually, the Declaration of Independence was signed, George Washington was made President, and instead of being 13 British colonies, America was now 13 states. So much change had happened in such a short time. America signed the declaration, elected a president, and became 13 states with the benefit of freedom. What more could a country want? Well I am here to prove that at this time, change didn’t happen for the colonists like it is portrayed. “Rip Van Winkle” suggests that the people of this time didn’t appreciate the Revolutionary War. Their adaptation to new features for living life may have changed, but the Revolutionary War had little impact on how the people thought about government and the idea of freedom. Using the story of “Rip Van Winkle”, I will compare characters and ideas in the book to broader ideas of the American nature at this time. The war may have changed the...

Words: 1769 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Compare And Contrast North And South

...North vs. South No matter what skin color, religion, culture or even ethnicity, everyone deserves to get treated the same. That is how most of the people today see things as, but back then everyone was in a different situation. The South and North did not agree in many things, and the main issue was slavery. The northern and southern states varied in a lot of situations like that, which eventually had them leading to the Civil War. There were economic, social, and even political issues that was taking over. Anyone now can say that they rather live in North America than South because of the problems they both had. North and South America in the 1800’s was really different from each other in many ways, however it’s hard to believe from this...

Words: 995 - Pages: 4