the beginning of WWI
president Wilson's declaration of neutrality
German actions
president Wilson's reelection (1916)
US entry into WWI
Wilson's declaration of war
april 2, 1917 - april 6, 1917 → Wilson asked for a declaration of war, admitting that he was wrong in his belief that trade could be pursued while America stayed neutral in wwi. Philadelphia newspaper quote: "the difference between war and what we have now is that now we aren’t fighting back.”
Wilson's twin goals → 1. a war to end war 2. making the world safe for democracy (essentially, both with the aims to partake in war in pursuit of neutrality and democracy)
wilson's 14 points
proposal to abolish secret treaties (appealed to liberals internationally)
freedom of the seas (appealed to germans, americans distrustful of british)
removal of economic barriers among nations (appealed to germans → didn't want post-war animosity/vengeance)
reduction of armament burdens (appealed to taxpayers internationally)
adjustment of colonial claims in the interest of both Indigenous peoples and colonizers (appealed to anti-imperialists)
others: encouraged independence (self-determination) to minority + historically oppressed groups (eg. the poles); #14 foreshadowed the league of nations, etc.
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