Introduction
During the years 1914 to 1918, World War I was fought. It was an international conflict that began in Europe and spread to other continents. Nearly 70 million people participated in the fighting, and more than 9 million military personnel and 7 million civilians perished. (Corbett et al., 2022). The purpose of this essay is to critically analyze the causes of World War I and evaluate whether the US could have remained neutral in the conflict.
Causes
The earliest 20th-century events laid the groundwork for World War I, which was brought about by several connected, crucial events. The direct cause of Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war on Serbia was the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian rebel. As a result, other alliances were triggered, with Germany declaring war on Russia and Moscow enlisting Serbia’s assistance. After that, France sided with Russia in the conflict, and Britain sided with France when Germany conquered Belgium.
According to many historians, the major European nations’ growing hostilities in 1914 made war inevitable (“World War,” 2023). A variety of factors, including nationalism, colonialism, and alliances, fueled the tensions. As nations fought to preserve their dominance, nationalism, or a sense of patriot pride and loyalty to one’s country, played a part in the conflict. Imperialism, or the growth of a nation’s influence and strength, was also taken into account as countries sought to expand their natural resources and spheres of influence.
In the end, the alliance system—in which countries banded together to defend one another—contributed to the start of the conflict by cultivating mistrust among the participants. According to some historians, the leading nations’ actions in the months before the war may have prevented it. (Augustyn et al., 2023). However, this could not be taken into consideration, and it was impossible to stop the conflict.
US Neutrality
Notwithstanding the challenges, the United States was able to stay neutral during World War I. The country was hesitant to engage in a war that may jeopardize its strong economic links with both Germany and Britain. Additionally, American individuals’ opinions on involvement varied, making it difficult for the administration to adopt a position.
Many of the immigrants to the US were from Europe and were associated with one or both sides of the battle. Additionally, the US’s idea of maritime liberty was in peril because of the German tactic of unconstrained submarine warfare. Finally, the US was forced into the fight as a result of the loss of the Lusitania, which demonstrated that remaining neutral was no longer an option.
Possible Entrance of the US into the War
The US should have enlisted in World War I to provide a stable environment for democracy. The nation had the chance to help, guarantee that future nations wouldn’t face the same dangers that occurred during the war, and create a better world for democracy. Democracy’s principles were not valued by the tyrannical rulers that dominated the Central Powers, and they were rapidly gaining momentum in Europe. They might have destroyed democracy in Europe if they had been effective in defeating the Allies. The US had the power to make a difference in the world and save future generations from suffering the horrors of World War I.
The Treaty of Versailles
The pact was fair and effective in specific ways, but it also introduced new difficulties that would fuel the coming conflict. The treaty was just in that it forced Germany to admit responsibility for starting the war and pay reparations to the Allies. It also established new international organizations, most notably the League of Nations (“The Treaty of Versailles,” 1919), to help avert further conflicts. The fact that Germany was allowed to maintain its borders and military made it simple for it to launch a new conflict, rendering the pact mostly ineffectual. Additionally, the agreement did not address the problems of nationalism and financial instability, both of which played a role in the start of World War Two.
The Treaty of Versailles and the US Senate
The Treaty of Versailles, which also signaled the conclusion of World War I, laid forth the terms of peace between the parties. Despite the US Senate’s refusal to ratify the agreement, the US never actually joined. In 1919, the Allies’ top leaders ratified the treaty. If the US had agreed to the plan, the other parties would have taken it as a sign of good faith. Then, by establishing a framework of international collaboration, the pact would have contributed to the prevention of future violence (Farmer, 2018). Consequently, despite its flaws, the treaty represented a workable compromise that may have helped avert another global conflict.
Conclusion
A turning point in global history occurred during the First World War. It was a destructive war that lasted for more than four years. The direct cause of World War I was the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Nevertheless, the murder was only the beginning of a chain of occurrences that had been developing for a long time. The underlying antagonism between the great European nations, which was made worse by a succession of alliances and treaties, was the fundamental cause of the conflict.
Several troops and people died during the conflict, while many more suffered injuries or other effects. The war also significantly influenced Europe’s social, cultural, and economic environment. It is regarded as one of the most significant historical moments because its repercussions would affect the globe for many years to come. The Central Powers were defeated after all, and the Treaty of Versailles declared the conflict to be over.
References
Augustyn, A., Curley, R., Dixon, L., Gaur, A., Higgins, J., Liesangthem, G., Lotha, G., Luebering, J. E., Pallardy, R., Ray, M., Rodriguez, E., Sampaolo, M., Sheetz, K., Singh, S., Sinha, S., Tesch, N., Tikkanen, A. (2023). World War I. Britannica. Web.
Corbett, S., Janssen, V., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T., Waskiewicz, S., & Vickery, P. (2022). U.S. history. OpenStax. Web.
Farmer, B. (2018). The Treaty of Versailles and the rise of Nazism. New American, 34(21), 33–38.
The Treaty of Versailles. (1919). Census. Web.
World War I. (2023). History.com. Web.