Why did the USA enter WW1?

[HortenFlyingWing]

I thought i made it clear germany was slowly going to starve. the fact is over one million battle hardened germans released one front to take on another could of pushed france into the ocean…but the “yanks” were coming, and not only were men coming in, but also vital supplies, and needed morale.

Germany’s morale was lost when they didn’t knock britain out in 6 months…if there was no america to worry about, world war one would of lasted a lot longer.

[TM Moses VII]

I don’t think France or at least Paris could’ve held out any longer after Germany defeated Russia. I read that the Germans were within 40 miles of Paris in late May 1918 before the “Yanks” came.

[HortenFlyingWing]

the yanks were coming… just slowly.

[yourbuttocks]

First of all, I don’t have an America Sucks attitude. The U.S. has made mistakes, but it is still the greatest nation in the world. What I meant by forcing a peace was that the U.S. could have stood in the middle and called for peace. However, Wilson let France and Britian that the U.S. would join them as soon as an excuse could be found. And then, when the King of Austria appealed to Wilson to help him end the war, Wilson ignored him because he wasn’t elected. Wilson never wanted to create an early peace, he wanted to have his way. And hundreds of thousands of young men died while the U.S. did nothing.

[HortenFlyingWing]

and the austrians would of convinced germany to make peace? i don’t think so. Germany wanted to fight in WW1. They didn’t want to stop until all popular support was lost.

[Guest]

The U.S. got into WWI for the same reason they get into any war: money. I’m sorry to say it, but war is great for the economy Thats how we got out of recessions in the 60/70s and how we got out of the Great Depression. Of course big business made money off of it.

[HortenFlyingWing]

money is the reason for everything…besides bhuddism (excuse my spelling).

[TM Moses VII]

This is another fact that I will dispute. Did the America simply get into WWI for the money?

It was found that in a later assessment of the war, identity America’s involvement in the war wasn’t through munitions makers and wall stress bankers, desperate to protect their profits and loans. The weapons dealers and financiers were already thriving with overseas arms shipments to France and Britain unhampered by wartime government restrictions and heavy taxation. The truth is that British harassment of American commerce through ship seizures to friendly ports by endurable. However, Germany’s use of the mass killing of civilians through the sinking of ships “without warning” from u-boats defied American rights, national honor, freedom of the seas, and international law.

[Yanny]

I don’t think the US got into the war for money. Hell, they were making enough money selling goods to both sides. It was more profitable to stay neutral.

I still think politics brought them into WWI.

[Yanny]

By the way, I forgot to say this originally when I said “The US entered to have a hand at the postwar negociations”, I forgot to mention Wilson’s 14 points. His 4 most important points were pretty much killed off by England and France, who wanted revenge.

“History is just a set of lies agreed upon”

• Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
  “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference” - Robert Frost
  “Only the dead will see the end of war”
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[ This Message was edited by: Yanny on 2002-04-28 19:10 ]

[Guest]

i’ll settle for “political reasons” just as long as we get it straight that it wasn’t any “noble/patriotic” thing like that…like why we got into WW2 (that was sarcastic) :smile:

[HortenFlyingWing]

On 2002-04-28 19:05, Yanny wrote:
I don’t think the US got into the war for money. Hell, they were making enough money selling goods to both sides. It was more profitable to stay neutral.

I still think politics brought them into WWI.

The british blockade stopped us from selling anything to Germany…now why wasn’t the starving of Germans “inhumane” and “evil”?

“It was found that in a later assessment of the war, identity America’s involvement in the war wasn’t through munitions makers and wall stress bankers, desperate to protect their profits and loans. The weapons dealers and financiers were already thriving with overseas arms shipments to France and Britain unhampered by wartime government restrictions and heavy taxation. The truth is that British harassment of American commerce through ship seizures to friendly ports by endurable.”

I believe that is a misconception… I have heard this before, but the truth is that at wartime all industry made even more than they were shipping to the western allies. They made so many 30 caliber bullets, the M1 was made to use them many years later! I forget the name of the papers that were released around the 70s that further proved that arms producers and such put US in a war they had nothing to do with.

America’s culture and more importantly investements weremore with the western Allies, not “the Hun.”

[Guest]

I find it interesting how the US is always hailed as the saviour in the world wars. The late arrival of the “yanks” as you put it is a testiment in its own right. Don’t think me strange, the Americans definatly played a key role in the end of both wars, but I find too much emphesis is put on them and their contributions and not enough on the contributions on other nations.

It’s worth noting that at the end of WW1 Canada had the 4th largest army, 3rd largest navy and 5th largest airforce. At the end of the second world war, Canada was 2nd,2nd and 3rd in those respective catagories.

While Canada has never had a massive standing army, the valour and bravery of Canadians is noted through out history. Even if it is forgotten by our neighbours to the south, west, east, and just about every where else, except Holland and France.

The Battle of Ypres, Paschendaele, Vimmy Ridge to name a few. Canadians dieing in the mud on the French soil. Canadian acheivements are overlooked so often its disgusting.

World War 2 for a moment, Operation Overlord, the Americans hit the beach, so do the Canadians and Brits, The Brits take 3 beach sections, the Americans 1 and the Canadians 1. The American suffer catastrophic losses on those beaches, in the most disorganised allied win of the entire war. The Canadians take Juno beach in a difficult struggle but with considerable more effectiveness. However history records the Americans as being the heros of the day.

Who remembers the Brits? Not too many.

History books are written by too many revisionistic historians who are looking to glorify their nation. Hats off and a solemn salute to those brave americans who gave their lives in the persuit of freedom and democracy, but lest you forget the sacrifices of those to the north, and those in the kingdom of Britain.

Bless you all

-A Canadian.

[HortenFlyingWing]

"2nd,2nd and 3rd "

So you are telling me that Canada had a larger army than Britain and America during WW2, because god knows they weren’t near russia.

America tipped the balance decisevly in WW1, and their fighting and WW2 did the same…give credit where its due.

BTW, during the 30s, Senator Nye of the Nye Commision ound out that indeed arms manufactures lobbied and bribed for war.

[Yanny]

American troops who were in the Second Battle of the Marn tipped the balance in WWI.

In WWII, the Americans played more of an offensive role than the British or Candadians. The British (and for the first 3 years of the war, the Russians) took the brunt of the assault. If it wasn’t for the Americans, Africa would of been lost, D-day could of never happened, and Britain would of been helpless without America’s economic strength. Alot of this is location, America didn’t have to fight on home terf ever, after Pearl Harbor.

Also, the Americans did most of the work in the Pacific. The British were almost pushed back to Australia and India in a year. The Chineese (who are never really mentioned) got beat on, while the Americans assaulted Japan.

[HortenFlyingWing]

“If it wasn’t for the Americans, Africa would of been lost,”

well, Rommel wasn’t doing so great in a war of attrition against Britain. El Alemein was the last battle won by the british without any other troops helping them. But still, germany had to use a lot of forces to defend france during this time, fearing an american invasion.

[Guest]

Once again I notive revisionist history in action. Like I said in my original post, credit is due to the American soldiers who fought but you guys still refuse to recognise any accomplishments of the Canadians. For the record the stats I have on the Size of the Canadian army is during the war, not after it. Canada now has basically no army, but when called upon we manage to get a big force together.

Dont think Im slighting your nation, the American people did contribute quite a bit to the war effort, but the fact is Canada did in fact contribute just as much. We did provide arms to the Allies, we provided many troops and it bothers this Canadian to see the nation so sloughed off so regularily.

Once again, credit given where credit is due to the Americans, but lest ye forget the Canadians and the plight of our soldiers.

[HortenFlyingWing]

“merican soldiers who fought but you guys still refuse to recognise any accomplishments of the Canadians. For the record the stats I have on the Size of the Canadian army is during the war, not after it.”

The canadian army wasn’t as big as you said…I suggest you double check your statistics. they weren’t the second biggest.

And i don’t take away from the fact they had large roles in operation overlord and in Italy…buy saying canada had the 2nd largest is some major revisionist history.

[Yanny]

The Canadian Army did a lot, but they were the 6th Ally (USA, Britain, Russia, France, China, Canada). Sure, they played a big part in D-day, in opening the ports in Holland and allowing an allied advance to Germany.

But, they didn’t do nearly as much as the other countries.

[Mr Ghoul]

Ive read plenty of WW2 books, and i seen authors give credit to Canada’s Contribution.
Even Steven Speilberg Gives Canada a “pop” in a Special Editon DVD of “Saving Private Ryan”.

Canada’s effort in WW2 was great and there is plenty to be proud of. but lets keep it in
perspective. Their effort, IMO, has been antiquately cover by history and Historians.