World War I – Was the United States Involvement a Must?

World War I – Was the United States Involvement a must?
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May 30, 2019
Introduction
World War I had been one of the most well-known and historic events that happened in the history of mankind. It ushered a change in the world order, by directly and indirectly causing a domino of effects that could still be felt in the world that we live in today. Among those who joined the war, the United States is perhaps one of the nations that have caused and affected by the war itself. On the one hand, the participation of the American Army has led to the ultimate victory of the Allies against the Central Powers. Such participation includes material, financial, and even political aid that turned the tide against the once highly-advanced machinery of the Central Powers. On the other hand, the United States was also greatly affected by the proceeds of the war. Due to its involvement, as well as its surrounding circumstances, the US had become a superpower, whose influence would reach globally. Specifically, the war helped made the United States into the major superpower that we know of today, exerting its ideologies even in the farthest corners of the Earth. Accordingly, there are several opinions as to the need for the State’s involvement until today. Some say that even if America abstained from joining the Great War during those times, it would still be one of the most powerful nations that exist these days. However, it would be discussed in this article that the decision of joining the war during those days was a matter of necessity. It is the token, for the emerging ideology in the nation, to come into fruition. In line with this, the article would first discuss the history of the American involvement into WWI. After then, the ‘necessity’ of participating in the war would also be analyzed, based on some circumstances that are both internal and external from the nation. Lastly, an analysis into possible ramifications on the country and the world would be analyzed had the United States abstained from joining the war. Nonetheless, the author believes that the United States’ participation in the war was a matter of necessity, brought about different social, political, and economic pressures. Additionally, without the United States’ participation, the world would not be as progressive and democratic as it is today.
Involvement of the United States in the Great War
History of Involvement
The United States is primarily established by different individuals of different descent. While most of them came from Europe, some of the first inhabitants (aside from the American Indians) also came from other parts of the world. Even today, this composition of the American population has been consistent due to the thousands of immigrants that go to the United States every year. In line with the country’s history as well as the consistent trend in immigration, the United States was considered as the melting pot for all races. This is also true during the WWI where its citizens originated from different nations including the Allies and the Central Powers. However, it is also due to this composition that the nation has tried to maintain a ‘neutral stance’ against war among the two powers during those days.
Aside from the composition of the American nation, another reason why the United States tend to avoid war is due to its booming international economic relations with different nations. It was said that during those times, America was “the world’s greatest producer of foodstuffs, raw textiles, iron, steel, and petroleum, it had carried on a large trade in peacetime with both the Triple Entente and the Central Powers” (Farmer, 2017). This influenced the Nation’s stance of neutrality, especially considering that prolonged hostilities would not only affect the revenue that they generate from their exports but also their possibility for expansion to other markets.
Another important factor to consider in order to understand the United States involvement in the war is its ideology. Even from the beginning, the United States has always embraced a democratic stance towards governing its nation and a diplomatic one in its relations with other nations. This is exhibited from President Woodrow Wilson’s statement about peace without victory, which encourages the conflicting nations to come into a compromise and prevent themselves from waging war against one another (Peck, 2018). This dependence upon moralistic principles was unsurprising especially considering that the American nation has flourished without any threats from other countries, as it is surrounded by vast bodies of water on both sides (Tierney Jr, 2014). A kind of ideology also known as America exceptionalism.
However, as the United States tried to impose such views in the global forefront in 1917, several nations responded in a hostile manner for the views characterized by ‘exceptionalism’ is much more difficult to embrace within territories whose borders are always a threat from other nations, such as that of Europe (Time Magazine, 2018). Rather, what is prevailing during those days among those who waged war against each other, are ideas of major rivalries, conflicts, monarchies, and colonies, among others (Tierney Jr, 2014). This is very different as compared to the ‘Wilsonian World’ that aimed to spread the principle of democracy and establish lasting international relations between nations brought about by universal purposes of progress. As noted by Ruff (2017), the “‘Europea...