Essay Sample about US Involvement in World War I

📌Category: History, History of the United States, War, World War I
📌Words: 522
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 27 March 2022

The Great War, also known as World War I, was the first major international conflict that involved nearly all major world powers, lasting from 1914-1918. Despite eventually playing such a major role in the war, there was much debate as to whether America should get involved. However, given the motivations, the United States was decidedly pushed into the conflict. It eventually became a total war effort that affected the everyday lives of all citizens. The United States’ involvement in World War I led to a significant cultural shift both during the war and in the period following the end of the war.

The United States did not have much personal investment in the war early on and tried to stay out of it for as long as possible. However, with growing antagonization from the Germans and the threat presented by Mexico with the Zimmerman telegram, President Wilson and the government felt there was no choice but to enter the war. However, it quickly became a war for as Wilson stated, “protecting democracy”. This was followed up by Wilson’s fourteen points which were intended to justify the continued participation of the United States in the war. These points, as summarized by Dr. Casey, self-determination, freedom of the seas, free trade, open diplomacy, more rights to colonial people, and the establishment of the League of Nations. With all these different reasons, The United States was driven towards becoming one of the largest combatants in the war.

With the controversy of a war that many people felt the United States did not need to be involved in, there was a significant portion of the country that acted in dissent towards the government. Frustrated with a lack of unity and national support for the war, the government created passed four laws to ensure cooperation and compulsory loyalty. The four laws were the Espionage Act, the Sedition Act, the eighteenth amendment, and the Selective Service Act. Each of these acts played its own significant role in limiting the freedoms and rights of Americans under the justification of ensuring loyalty during wartime. These laws became especially significant once the stalemate was reached between the allied and central powers and it became a total war for America. 

The establishment of laws meant to guarantee cooperation, like with the Sedition Act, resulted in much more cooperation, as well as a significant silencing of the voices who were still dissenting or just had opposing opinions. However, for many people the war effort was important, and a strong sense of nationalism drove hard work, strong values, and ultimately led to an improved national economy. Despite this national improvement, the twenties and thirties brought quite a different attitude and style of behavior. Many people fell to addiction and would constantly partying. Additionally, jazz music and strangers getting together became much more popular. All of this was due to the overwhelming change that the war brought to America.

The Great War was ultimately one of the deadliest conflicts the world has ever seen. While hesitant as to what role it would play in the war, the United States ultimately decided it needed to play a hand in the protection of democracy. This decision played heavily into the lives and actions of all citizens and how they acted. Ultimately the United States’ involvement in World War I led to a large-scale alteration during both the war and in the decades following.

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