- Soon after the Great war began, Woodrow Wilson declared neutrality.
- But Americans offered loans and sell weapons and supplies to both sides in order to recover from a painful economic slowdown.
- On August 19, 1914, Wilson urged Americans to remain "impartial in thought, as well as action." And claimed that they have nothing to do with the conflict.
- In 1914, more than 32 million Americans—a full one third of the population—were either foreign born or the children of foreign-born parents had strong emotional ties to their homelands and found it hard to remain neutral.
- Though people in America took different sides, the majority of Americans favored the Allies.
- But America had economic ties to Britain or France.
- While Americans debated neutrality, the war raged on two fronts in Europe. On the eastern front, Russia quickly advanced into Germany and Austria-Hungary.About 250,000 Russians were killed.
- On the western front, German troops easily rolled across Belgium and into France.By the end of 1914, the war on the western front had turned into a long and bloody stalemate.
- Britain and Germany decided to win control of the seas.
- British ships turned back ships from United States which was carrying weapons, food, and other vital supplies to the Central powers.
- President Wilson complained to the British about stopping neutral ships, but he did not threaten to take action.
- Trade with Britain had given a boost to the sagging American economy, and U.S. banks and businesses were earning millions of dollars from loans and exports to the Allies. Many businesspeople in the United States openly supported the Allies.
- In February 1915, Germany planned to use U-boat to attack Britain. Even though a U-boat could allow the ship's crew and passengers to launch lifeboats before sinking the ship. But in practice, this strategy made no sense.Wilson protested that sinking merchant ships without protecting the lives of passengers and crews violated international law. He warned that the United States would hold Germany to "strict accountability" for any American casualties in such attacks.
- On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania without warning. Among the 1,198 dead were 128 Americans.
- Four months later, in August 1915, Germany sank a second British ship, the Arabic, killing two Americans.
- Wilson threatened to break off diplomatic relations with Germany if it did not stop surprise attacks.
- In 1915, Roosevelt disagreed to remain neutral and believed that preparedness for war was the best guarantor of peace.
- He called for an army of a million trained men and a navy larger than Great Britain's.
- For a time, though Wilson resisted calls to strengthen the military, but the submarine menace persuaded him that he had to increase the nation's readiness for war.So he pressed Congress to allocate money to double the size of the army and begin construction of the world's largest navy.
- But Americans offered loans and sell weapons and supplies to both sides in order to recover from a painful economic slowdown.
- On August 19, 1914, Wilson urged Americans to remain "impartial in thought, as well as action." And claimed that they have nothing to do with the conflict.
- In 1914, more than 32 million Americans—a full one third of the population—were either foreign born or the children of foreign-born parents had strong emotional ties to their homelands and found it hard to remain neutral.
- Though people in America took different sides, the majority of Americans favored the Allies.
- But America had economic ties to Britain or France.
- While Americans debated neutrality, the war raged on two fronts in Europe. On the eastern front, Russia quickly advanced into Germany and Austria-Hungary.About 250,000 Russians were killed.
- On the western front, German troops easily rolled across Belgium and into France.By the end of 1914, the war on the western front had turned into a long and bloody stalemate.
- Britain and Germany decided to win control of the seas.
- British ships turned back ships from United States which was carrying weapons, food, and other vital supplies to the Central powers.
- President Wilson complained to the British about stopping neutral ships, but he did not threaten to take action.
- Trade with Britain had given a boost to the sagging American economy, and U.S. banks and businesses were earning millions of dollars from loans and exports to the Allies. Many businesspeople in the United States openly supported the Allies.
- In February 1915, Germany planned to use U-boat to attack Britain. Even though a U-boat could allow the ship's crew and passengers to launch lifeboats before sinking the ship. But in practice, this strategy made no sense.Wilson protested that sinking merchant ships without protecting the lives of passengers and crews violated international law. He warned that the United States would hold Germany to "strict accountability" for any American casualties in such attacks.
- On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the British liner Lusitania without warning. Among the 1,198 dead were 128 Americans.
- Four months later, in August 1915, Germany sank a second British ship, the Arabic, killing two Americans.
- Wilson threatened to break off diplomatic relations with Germany if it did not stop surprise attacks.
- In 1915, Roosevelt disagreed to remain neutral and believed that preparedness for war was the best guarantor of peace.
- He called for an army of a million trained men and a navy larger than Great Britain's.
- For a time, though Wilson resisted calls to strengthen the military, but the submarine menace persuaded him that he had to increase the nation's readiness for war.So he pressed Congress to allocate money to double the size of the army and begin construction of the world's largest navy.
沒有留言:
張貼留言