World War 1
World War 1 began on July 1914 and ended in November 1918. Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was the throne heir in Austria-Hungary triggered World War 1. He was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in 1914 in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Germany and Austria-Hungary wanted to conquer Serbia for years and with the assassination they gained a pretext for declaring war. The long term consequences of the war were the great powers in Europe who had foreign policies that were imperialistic. Over the past decade before the war began, alliances had been formed, and this invoked the reasons for war. The alliances formed among powers in Europe engaged the major nations into conflict, and resulted to the emergence of the First World War.
The conflict started with invasion of Serbia by Austria-Hungary. Belgium was invaded by Germany, and Russia attacked Germany. Russia and France sided with Serbia in the war, and this made Germany declared war on Russia, and England opted to declare war against Germany, and as a result, the war occurred. The proximate causes of the war and conflicts can be traced to stretch back in the years before the war began.
Cultural and economic reasons for neutrality stance adopted by America
In 1914, President of the United States Wilson chose to adopt a neutrality stance in the war. Popular opinion in the nation reflected a neutrality stance and the President warned the citizens of taking sides, as it might have affected the policy of the United States. Leaders in America felt that the nation’s role was that of a peace mediator even though this role stopped soon after the war began.
The neutrality stance adopted by the United States stance was influenced by the exports and loans to the allies. United States was interested with the allied victory and in theresult exports to the allies including Germany diminished. On the other hand, shipping to the allied power including France and Britain had started. The isolation and neutrality stance by the United States was a way for Britain to protect itself from Germany as the area around Britain became restricted.
President Wilson thought that by having a neutrality stance, the United States would continue to trade with the nations that were in war (War & the American State, 1920). America was also not interested in the European affairs and had to stay out of the war. The impartial desire propelled America, and it drew economically closer to France and Britain. Fairness stance by America enabled its banks to lend money to all sides that were at war (War & the American State, 1920).
America’s stance was changed when Germany started using the U-boats, and this forced America to declare war. Wilson warned Germans that they would be accountable for sinking America ships. German government paid heavy dividends as compensation for the Americans ships being destroyed including the cargo value.
The war had indirect effects to the United States including intolerance as a result of involvement in the war. Socialist including Eugene was imprisoned for conspiracy as he spoke against the draft Constitution. Americans considered Germans as being rude and arrogant and many German books in America were burned. German-language service in churches came to an end and playing German music was banned. The natural selection idea by Darwin became popular as American desired to their genetics through artificial means (War & the American State, 1920).
War changed the status of women, and they were allowed to vote which was termed as a necessary measure to war. Intoxicating beverage was prohibited among the American servicemen. Before the war end, the American soldiers had increased to two million. The United States witnessed industrial and economic success over the warring European competitors.