Already at the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was an industrial power, able to face off against any European era. The First World War was supported by America much later than all the allies, however, this allowed her to derive the greatest benefits from this situation. The United States in the First World War behaved more cunningly than Odysseus. It is reasonable to note that this practice was adopted by them and is used even now with some variations.
Smarter than everyone
In 1918, July and part of August found German and Franco-Anglo-American troops fighting bloodily along the Marne River. The general offensive of the German troops turned out to be the last, since the battle turned out to be a failure for them and led to a final defeat. It was then that American troops first took a direct part in this war. Before that there was onlyeconomic support, not without some benefit for themselves. The United States in the First World War even overcame the global crisis, which also took out the most prosperous of the countries. It should be noted that in 1913 the industrial production of the United States was ahead of the rest of the world, it produced much more steel, iron, and more successful mining.
If we compare the countries of Europe and the USA according to these parameters, then France, England and Germany taken together did not produce so much coal. The United States in the First World War dramatically increased its economic activity. The Entente fought, so she had to experience certain difficulties. The United States, in cooperation with other allies, was able to double production. It should be noted here that it was with their light hand that the mass extermination of people began, which had never happened before: America supplied its allies with chemical and explosive substances, thus rapidly enriching itself. But they were in no hurry to introduce their own US troops in World War I.
Feast of Winners
So, the United States preferred a judicial role to military exploits ("moral judge", in the words of President Wilson). However, when the denouement became clear, Washington became alarmed. Suddenly it happens that a peace treaty will be concluded, and there will be no place for them at the "feast of the winners". It was only in 1917 that a decision was made, and the US entry into the First World War finally took place. This slightly dampened anti-American sentiment among the allies. Eighty-five thousand US troops entered the battle on the Marne. Death awaited half of them. The Allies, it must be said, had lost millions by this point. The goals pursued by the US entry into World War I are clear.
According to historian Andrey Malov, the Americans traded very actively with all the warring countries, receiving dividends, raising the class of industry, and reducing unemployment. And they managed to enter the war when it was time to share the pie. They managed to participate in this division as well. A redistribution of the world took place, further improving the results of the First World War for the United States. After the conclusion of peace, the United States took the most interested part in the creation of the League of Nations, in the liberation of Belgium, in the return of Lorraine and Alsace to the hands of France, in the expansion of the territory of Serbia with access to the sea, and in the restoration of Poland. Were you concerned about the well-being of other countries? No, not likely.
"Learning" democracy in any way
USA firmly took over the whole structure of a dilapidated world. Economic policy during the war concentrated more than forty percent of the world's gold reserves in the banks of the United States, and foreign countries owed them twelve billion dollars - at that time a simply colossal amount. Wilson and his successors drew up a plan that outlived the creators considerably, moreover, it is still working. Neoconservatives after Roosevelt formulated the results of the First World War for the United States: "We are a model of democracy and should teach this to everyoneother peoples by any means." Already after 1918, the largest countries in Europe owed the United States two generations ahead.
What's going on now? The whole world owes them, and it will not be possible to pay off debts until the very last days of the life of mankind. The United States during the First World War created a good start. Immediately after the end of it, all of Europe was filled with American tourists who learned to use the difference in the exchange rate. Young Europeans were terribly jealous until the American way of life became the object of blind imitation: technological progress with its poisoned fruits, advertising and gloss. The USSR was the last on this path, exchanging freedom for Snickers. After all, freedom is not in the availability of the shameful, but in equal rights to housing, education, work, and rest. It is easy for a creditor to become not only a trendsetter and trendsetter, but also a dictator of the aspects of political economy that he needs. global hegemony. Russia and the United States played diametrically opposed roles in the First World War, and then their fate separated them along two completely different paths - to the point of confrontation.
League of Nations
Since 1914, the United States has carried out diplomatic maneuvers behind the scenes, creating and playing all sorts of dramatic collisions, while maintaining a neutral status. It was only in March 1917 (April 6, New Style) that Washington realized the impossibility of further maneuvering. When the United States entered the First World War, President Wilson clearly calculated the situation: it was possible to inflicta most powerful blow to the pre-war order, where the United States played a secondary, marginal role in the world practice of international relations. Nevertheless, they were not formally attached to the Entente, but remained its associated member. In this way, it was possible to maintain freedom from mutual obligations, purely allied, which expanded significantly in wartime. But being free in terms of annexations and territorial reorganizations is absolutely unprofitable for the United States, which is why the United States entered the First World War.
The Entente was constantly experiencing an ever-increasing need for help from the Americans. And not only finances and weapons, but also troops. Wilson proclaimed the US goals in this war, which fundamentally contradicted the European concept of a balance of power, even at the cost of losing peoples' right to self-determination. The great powers, as the United States believed, constantly violate the principle of self-determination, which means that the world order will not be stable. That is why Wilson proposed the creation of a new, permanent international body, which is called upon to observe collective security and ensure a fair resolution of all international disputes. The basis of the work of the League of Nations being created was a certain set of generally agreed principles, among which the self-determination of nations was present. So, the role of the United States in the First World War became dominant, despite the very late entry into it.
London, Paris, Moscow
Planning the creation of the League of Nations,Wilson urged the allies that the first such organization was universal and would be able to maintain both the security of sea routes for unlimited use by any state in the world, and to prevent any wars started in violation of treaty obligations. Subordination of all global issues to the unified public opinion of the world. Paris and London considered the tasks set by Wilson far from reality and too abstract to a large extent. In a word, neither David Lloyd George nor Georges Clemenceau was initially enthusiastic about this proposal. The problems in Europe were much more pressing: military efforts did not increase, since the United States was neutral, things were generally bad in the rear: strikes, pacifists, and even the Vatican became an intermediary between the warring countries. So it was possible to lose the war.
Regarding Russia, too, not everything was smooth. Attempts to revise the specific conditions in the future peace treaty have already happened, and Russia's interests have been severely infringed both in Europe and in the Middle East. Then the Provisional Government exchanged diplomatic missions with the United States, trying to get military and economic assistance, plus foreign economic benefits. In Russia, everything was also bad then: the crisis was not only economic, but also political, the complete collapse of the army and the entrusted front. Russia has become an extremely unreliable ally. The Entente took control of the situation: England supervised sea transportation, France contributed to the combat readiness of the Russian troops, and the United States took up rail transport. At the beginning of November 1917, the Provisional Government still sawthe bright future of his reign and with might and main demonstrated the desire for war to a victorious end. But on the seventh of November, according to a new style with its own signature: "Which are temporary here? Get off!" - it has come.
Neutrality
From 1914 until 1917, the United States showed sympathy for the countries of Western Europe in everything, but maintained neutrality, this desire dominated. Wilson showed that he was shocked by the destructive nature of the ensuing conflict, tried to mediate, seeking peace without anyone winning. It was not successful. Perhaps because armaments to the Entente countries from America arrived on schedule, and for the first time in the history of mankind this weapon was of mass destruction. Great Britain has always controlled the oceans, but the United States did not like it, disputes over the right to the sea of neutral countries have never subsided.
Germany, with ships blocked in its ports, tried by all means to break out of the siege. So a new weapon was born - submarines. Now neutral, peacefully trading countries have lost the safety of walking on the seas. In 1915, the Germans sank an English ship with passengers - the Lusitania sank, taking with it more than a hundred American citizens. Wilson tried to make Germany visible, arguing his claims with the laws of international law. Germany did not allow itself to be persuaded until 1917 and did not stop the submarine war. Then she seemed to agree. However, she did not comply with the agreements, sinking another couple of monthsseveral large American courts. And on April 6, 1917, the US Congress declared war on Germany.
Save face
Wilson, having failed as a peacemaker and mediator, did not achieve peace. The goals of the United States in the First World War at first concerned purely economics while maintaining neutrality. But it didn't work out that way. I had to make a military contribution to this victory over Germany. The new goals, which were defined and gradually rose to their full height even before the entry into the war, concerned the creation of the League of Nations and gaining control over Europe and the world. After Germany intensified its submarine warfare, the United States immediately increased naval and economic assistance to their opponents and began preparations for an expedition to the Western Front already as part of combat units.
General Pershing, appointed commander-in-chief, called for the draft, and about a million men between twenty-one and thirty-one years of age put on khakis. From the very beginning of March 1918, the allied forces tried to hold back the enemy's advance. The Germans advanced powerfully, the British and French were heavily bled. That is why the fresh US army succeeded significantly in helping the allies, and in the counteroffensive, and in the ensuing defeat of the German troops. The Americans rebuilt the entire economic system for this war. The measures taken were truly unprecedented. The country's economy has never known such state control.
Federal control
In the organization of rear services, Wilson adopted extremely effective laws. A special railroad administration was set up to put an end to competition andensuring the strictest coordination of all activities. And the military-industrial administration was given broad powers to control enterprises, which stimulated production and prevented duplication. Wheat prices have become fixed, and at a very high level. "Wheat-free" and "meat-free" days for the population were introduced to increase army supplies. Fuel resources were also rigidly fixed, their distribution and production were under constant control.
These were excellent measures not only to strengthen the army and military power. They brought good benefits to both farmers and industrial workers, that is, the poor. The American war machine developed and grew stronger. In addition, the United States gave huge loans to the allies. It is said above about the size of the external debt of European countries to the creditor. Liberty Loan bonds were issued, thanks to which the country was able to withstand such large expenses. The United States in the First, Second World Wars found a way through world troubles to their own enrichment.
Fourteen points
This was the name of the 1918 declaration that Wilson presented to Congress regarding the First World War and the US goals in it. In it, he outlined a program to restore stability to the world and called for the creation of a League of Nations. She, of course, went against the military goals that the Entente countries approved, and also contradicted many secret agreements between the allied countries. But this step became very effective.
Alreadyin October 1918, the countries of Central Europe offered peace directly to Wilson, ignoring their European opponents. A mission headed by House headed from the USA to Europe. In November, Germany signed the agreement. All this shows how strong the contradictions were in the positions of America and Europe. The economic component of the life of the old and completely disintegrated Europe did not promise an early stabilization and recovery, and the United States significantly strengthened its economy during the First World War. Plus, there was no damage. This country has never waged war on its territory.
World
In 1919 and 1920 there were endless peace negotiations. Wilson completely subordinated their entire course to the creation of the League of Nations. In order to achieve this goal, he was forced to make a number of compromises: from indemnities to territorial issues.
At the end of June 1919, the treaty was signed, which became the culmination of Wilson's political career. Not everything went smoothly. The Republicans won the 1918 elections, and therefore a powerful movement was organized against the League of Nations, which had not yet been created.
The first decision in her favor was blocked, ratification was in jeopardy. The Senate wanted changes to the treaty, Wilson resisted until July 1921. So, formally, up to this point, the United States was still at war. The "Red Threat" forced compromises, and only then did Congress pass a resolution of both chambers announcing the end of participation in the war. The position of the United States after the First World War strengthened economically, but the crisis is ripepolitical. And so the League of Nations began its work without the participation of the United States.
