Introduction
The First World War is one of the bloodiest events in the history of humankind. Formally, it began in 1914 and ended only four years later, in 1918. The “official” reason for the war is “Murder at Sarajevo,” the killing of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife. The most significant revolutions were committed; more than 10 million soldiers were killed during the years of the Great War. The main result of the battle was the victory of the Entente and the collapse of the four largest empires: the Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and German. The essay reveals the topic of the first military conflict taking place on “the world stage.”
The Origins of World War I and Its Inevitability
The question of the causes of the Great War remains open today; there are many guesses and theories about this topic. President Woodrow Wilson claimed that the war began not for one specific and solid reason but several at once. Nevertheless, the official reason for the outbreak of hostilities is the Sarajevo murder in July 1914, which had a huge resonance. Gavrilo Princip, a member of the “Black Hand” organization of the “Young Bosnia” movement, killed Archduke Frans Ferdinand. At the same time, there were hidden principles and motives – the desire of the leading powers to dominate the world and its reconstruction. The participating countries were divided into opposing camps: “the Entente” and “the Central Powers.” Contradictions were growing between the countries, and they could only win resources from each other.
Certainly, the war was inevitable for several reasons, listed below. Firstly, the differences between the great powers had been growing significantly earlier, until the event in 1914. “The Triple Alliance” and “the Entente bloc” were formed for a “specific” reason. The murder of the Archduke is only an impetus to the outcome of a fierce worldwide struggle. Thus, there was a reason for Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia. Secondly, each country wanted domination and appropriated all the reserves and resources by exploiting the colonies (Keene, 2021). It was impossible to get them from the Indians, Africans, and South Americans.
Maintaining Neutrality
The United States remained neutral until April 6, 1917, when the American people entered the First World War. Most likely, the delaying of military operations would lead to possible adverse consequences for the country. Therefore, it would not have been possible to maintain neutrality in World War I for a long time. First of all, the States did not forgive Germany for sinking the liner “Lusitania” in 1915, when more than 100 American citizens died. In addition, President Wilson threatened the German people to take radical measures. “The opposite side” ignored his message, and the US ships continued to be destroyed. Besides, Germany offered Mexico to join the war against the United States together. Perhaps, the other reason for entering the war was that the United States wanted to become a “world power.” Having entered in 1917, the States had great strength and every chance of success of the plans (Dyer, 2018). Thus, having entered the First World War shortly before the end, the American state became the world leader in all indicators, also thanks to the competent actions of President Wilson.
The US Entering World War I
Becoming the first president in the history of the United States to come to the White House, Woodrow Wilson declared his desire to “make the world safe for democracy.” Thus, the American revolutionaries radically changed the course of the First World War; they laid the principle of being an example for the whole world. The entry of America into the war played a decisive role in stopping the advance of German troops and breaking the enemy’s spirit. After the United States provided humanitarian assistance to the allies at the beginning of the war, they showed moral fortitude in the future. They selflessly participated in hostilities, bringing victory and the onset of peace closer.
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles is the most important treaty signed in 1919. The document signed at Versailles put an end to world disagreements and temporarily protected the rest of the world from German hostilities. The results of the First World War dealt a severe blow not only to the defeated but also to the winners. Therefore, some called this peace just a truce because Germany will sooner or later try to take revenge and the Second World War was inevitable (Farmer, 2018). If one talks about the positive impact of the Versailles Peace Treaty, the idea of a democratic world continued to live.
Approving the Treaty of Versailles
The United States Senate should have approved the Treaty of Versailles for the following reason. America suffered many losses and adverse consequences; many Americans died, giving honor to their state during the Great War. For this reason, the United States should unite with other countries and help prevent another major war. If all the world’s peoples act against the “common enemy,” they will have no reason to create a conflict. Every society will begin to build its new future, to live in peace and harmony, without repressions from empires.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the First World War is a colossal phenomenon in world history, affecting every state and society. This battle marked the beginning of the century of all major revolutions – social, scientific, geopolitical, economic, and ideological. Therefore, the entry of the United States of America helped to radically influence the balance of forces and bring the end of the war closer. The entrepreneurial spirit of the Americans was able to restrain, albeit for a short time, German oppression and the desire to subjugate the whole world.
References
Dyer, J. (2018). Transforming America: U. S. history since 1877, a war to end all wars: Part 2 [Video]. Web.
Farmer, B. (2018). The Treaty of Versailles and the rise of Nazism.The New American.
Keene, J. D. (2021). The United States and the First World War. Routledge.