Woodrow Wilson and His Efforts to Join World War I

In the beginning of World War I, America had a 'neutral' stance, but really, the President, Woodrow Wilson, was on the side of the British. Wilson commonly shamed Germany's hunger blockade and ignored the British's own hunger blockade.Wilson also made a vocal declaration that American citizens are free to sail through German submarine waters on Britain's ships. All other wartime presidents said "I mean, you CAN do that, but if you die, that's on you." With Wilson, however, if you died, he would ask for compensation for the harm of a U.S. citizen. Wilson later even changed his statement to include ARMED ships, something I can only describe as insane.

Many of the people that worked for and with Wilson tried to convince him to not go to war. Here are two of my favorite quotes pulled together by historian Tom Woods. First, Senator Wesley Jones of Washington, “ ‘to be careful, to proceed slowly, to make no harsh or arbitrary demands, to keep in view the rights of 99,999,000 people at home rather than of the 1,000 reckless, inconsiderate and unpatriotic citizens who insist on going abroad in belligerent ships.' Senator Robert La Follette of Wisconsin spoke of the wisdom of Wilson’s Mexico policy as compared with the president’s policy regarding American sea travel into the European war zone. The policy of warning Americans that they traveled to Mexico at their own risk was, he said, “a small sacrifice on the part of the few to preserve the peace of the nation. But how much less sacrifice it requires for our citizens to refrain from travel on armed belligerent ships.' ” As you can see, most people were against joining World War I, but Woodrow Wilson had other plans.

"Notes"

1. Thomas E. Woods, The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, (Washington: Regnery, 2004).