THE U.S. ENTERS WWI

Katie Vila, Alexa Mohr, Natalie Draham, Liz Corti

CASE 1 CASE 2

CONCLUSION

GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Perspective 1 Perspective 2 Perspective 3

"My Tuesdays are meatless,

My Wednesdays are wheatless,

I'm getting more eatless each day.

My coffee is sweetless,

My bed, it is sheetless,

All sent to the YMCA."

During World War One, John D. Rockefeller and Samuel Mather helped produce materials needed for the war. With Rockefeller’s steel production and Mather’s oil company, America’s resources were used efficiently.

John D. Rockefeller was a very greedy man. Since his childhood, he had been under the impression that “God rewards the chosen ones” and he believed that he had been chosen. Rockefeller was said to never smile, except for an exceptionally profitable deal, and he decided young that the oil business was his for the taking.

Rockefeller was also unique, in that, although his oil company began very poorly, during the First World War, his company was able to thrive. Within only seven years, Rockefeller’s business rose to control 1/10 of the entire US oil business.

When WW1 hit the United States, oil was needed more than ever. Between needing fuel for vehicles and other war materials, soldiers and citizens alike combined to give the standard oil company a bigger boost than ever. John D. Rockefeller’s oil company began to thrive more than ever as a result. During this time, Mr. Rockefeller began to buy up refineries. After each purchase, he would keep on running the more efficient plants and simply shut down the less efficient operations. With every refinery he purchased, he was gaining more control over a chaotic situation. Within a period of about a single decade, John D. Rockefeller and his business associates at Standard Oil Co. literally created a global industry for refined petroleum products.

WILSON

Ever since I was a young boy, I have always been a believer of solving problems through words, rather than conflict. Even now, as the president of the United States, I still remain true to those values. However, in times if crisis, I must sometimes go against these core values and do what is best for the United States of America and myself. In order to remain an econommilcally safe country, we must enter this war so that we can keep ties with some of our foreign allies. These ties will allow us to continue foreign trace with nations far and wide and therefore we can stay at our current position at the top of the world spectrum.

Although my original stance on the war was to remain neutral, I was forced to go against my previous position of neutrality in 1917 when Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, which seriously threatened our commercial shipping (which was in any event almost entirely directed towards the Allies led by Britain and France) – forced us to finally enter the war on 6 April 1917.

FARMERThis war is great for my business. Because of the need for food, the rates on my crops have risen and I am making a ton of money. Thanks to the war I can afford new farming equipment and repairs to my barn. Much of my crops are given to the troops over seas and Britain. I’m part of a network of importing and exporting.

That Herbert Hoover of the Food Administration has been pushing production. All my nieghboring farms and mine have been making almost double our production before the war. Our top priority as the U.S. is to help the starving people in Britain, France, and Italy. The Department of Agriculture raises the prices of our fruits, vegetables and livestock.

I’ve only grown a lot of corn and wheat because they’re most profitable at this point. I am part of a unit feeding Europe! I need to grow crops with high demand.

CEO OF MAJOR CORPORATION

We went to war to make business better...I am a prime example of the benefits we've reaped due to war. During the time of the war, technology greatly increased, making my job as a tycoon significantly easier. Also, the war began a trend toward industrialism and the application of mass production methods to weapons and to the technology of warfare in general. This mass production increased sales exponentially and my co-workers, along with myself basked in triple the amount of income we had ever experienced before. Thanks to the war, I was able to use more industrial technology than ever and this just allowed it to be that much easier to “bring in the big ones”

The only negative aspect of the war was that once the United States went into “total war”, I lost a lot of my workers to the army. The country became way too consumed with the actual war and stopped caring about what really matters (at least in my eyes): Money.

SPREADING DEMOCRACY

Perspective 1

Perspective 2

Perspective 3

Sweet Video

The United States entered the war with the reasoning that it was to promote democracy. It all started with the United State’s involvment in Mexico. As the police and protector of the world, the United States wanted to “help” Mexico by throwing out their dictator, Huerta. After he ordered the Mexican army to attack the U.S. troops coming to seize a port, Wilson advanced forces deeper into the country.

Mexico was the United State’s “moral imperialism” project. It felt it could help the country by making it a democracy and throwing out the oppressing dictator. In the mean time, Mexico opposed the efforts and Germany secretly started to contact the country. The United States finally intercepted the Zimmerman Telegraph which was bribing Mexico to go to war with the U.S. in hopes of distracting it from the war in Europe. Upon receiving the message, Wilson ordered America into war and decided to take down Germany once and for all. Wilson wanted to make the world safe for democracy and bring our policies to it. After the war, during the Treaty of Versailles, Wilson wanted to introduce his Fourteen Points to the world. These were points of justice, quality, and democracy that he felt could help make the world a better place.

WILSON

As the president of the United States, I believe it would be best for our country to enter the war. We have lost too many lives already, and now it is our time to stop this madness. German Submarine warfare has escalated, which has caused the killing of innocent people. So I have no choice but to enter the war. They have caused so much turmoil already and even violated the Neutrality Acts. This war is necessary to make the war safe for democracy. Germany can no longer be trusted. We as one people must fight this autocratic government. They are planning to make ties with Mexico and invade our homeland. Lastly, this war can be a war to end all war. Participation in this war is inevitable and our entry gives us a prominent role in shaping the peace process after the war’s end. We as the United States are not seeking revenge nor land, but we are seeking peace and stability. We will fight for democracy and for the civil rights and liberties of small nations.

GEORGE NORRIS

As a member of the Republican Party and a strong supporter of the American people I feel that the US must maintain their neutrality during this World War. As an important member of the House of Representatives I have the ability to know that the spread of democracy is not a valid nor an effective reason to enter a war. We have often spoken of allowing Europe to resolve their own problems as stated in the George Washington Farewell Address. War is not the only option available to us; we can encourage non-aggressive treaties or international tribunals. These tactics will be much more effective versus entering into one of history’s most useless wars. We must not let up now, as times get tough, to barge into this horrific war and become involved in something that could last for years to come. In entering this war, we allow many patriotic soldiers to risk their lives and their families are at risk of loosing a loved one. As Americans, we are constantly scrutinized and under discretion; but we know our morals and we stand true to them. Imagine the lifestyle of the American people with widows of US soldiers in morn and families feeling hopeless. We must decide to not enter into this war and set the example we have so many times preached.

SOLDIER

How do I feel about entering into the war? I feel honored above all because I know that I am going to be involved in a war that can, and will, change the history of America. I will be offered opportunities that never would have come my way if I had not been selected to defend my country. I will now be able to see the world, as I am being sent to Alsace-Lorraine. My family and friends are sad to see me leave, and many of my peers don’t want me to fight because they think this war is “useless”. But I know that it is not, I know that I am fighting for a purpose, and I know that America will be better after this war. I think about how different my life will be without people to support me, but I also know I will be okay, and I know my life would be worse without this war. Ask me a different question, how do I feel about not entering the war. I will tell you that my life would be in shambles, with no direction or purpose, I would be miserable.

CONCLUSION

Woodrow Wilson wanted to keep America’s faith in itself and its beliefs during the war. This was evident when he decided to enter the war under the conditions that it was good for our American economy and that we were helping other countries by spreading democracy. America’s morals were not to be questioned when we decided to become the world police and help other nations gain a home and to stop the oppression brought upon them by their enemy countries.

1.Please review these cases and perspectives.2. Decide whether or not these were “just” reasons for entering the war.