Term Paper on "Coming of WWI and WWII"

Term Paper 4 pages (1315 words) Sources: 1

[EXCERPT] . . . .

British, German, and United States entrances into each World War. Each country entered into World War I and II for different reasons, but each country fought in both wars, bringing some of the most powerful nations on earth in direct conflict with one another.

The Germans entered World War I as a result of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Czechoslovakia. Germany had an alliance with Austria-Hungary, the home country of the Archduke, and so, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, the home of the assassin, Germany joined in. However, there was more to the German entry into the war than a simple upholding of an alliance. Germany had engaged in a major military buildup with Great Britain throughout the first years of the 20th century. Great Britain maintained command of the seas with their navy, and the maintained this command by building the HMS Dreadnought, a monster battleship that made all others battleships obsolete by comparison. In turn, Germany built up their own buildup by building their own ships and creating a generally larger military. Many historians believe this was at least some of the background that led to an attitude of war and combat in the area even before the Archduke was assassinated. In reality, Austria-Hungary was the first to declare war in July 1914, but Germany was right behind, declaring war on Russia on August 1, 1914, and then France and Belgium on August 3 and 4. This dragged Great Britain into the war, creating a World War where it might have begun as a local skirmish. With the German military buildup, it seems that Germany wanted war, and was extremely eager to back up their ally by first creating elaborate battle plans and then declaring war on the enemies that were closest to them, or they thought posed the biggest threat to their own country.

Great Britain entered World War I also as a result of treaties and alliances. Great Britain was allied with France, and Germany's first thrust into war centered on Belgium and France. Great Britain entered the war on August 4, after Germany had declared war on Belgium and France. Belgium was supposed to be a neutral state, but Germany marched through it to get to Paris, and this immediately brought Great Britain into the war. France was also allied with Russia, and so, Great Britain, France, and Russia were united in fighting the "Central Powers" of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and later the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.

In addition, Great Britain felt threatened by Germany, which, along with their military buildup, was located just across the North Sea on the European mainland. Therefore, even if they had not been allied with France and Russia, and bound to support their allies, they probably would have become involved in the war before too long, anyway, but their alliances just made them enter the war right at the beginning, instead of waiting to see what happened.

The United States did not enter the war until April 1917 when it declared war on Germany. While the U.S. supported Great Britain and its attempts to defeat Germany, then President Woodrow Wilson hoped the war could be ended quickly by treaties, such as a treaty drafted by the League of Nations, and so, Wilson tried to keep the country out of the war as long as possible. However, in early 1917, Germany declared open submarine warfare, and they attacked U.S. merchant ships attempting to deliver supplies to Great Britain. There were also rumors that Germany was going to ally with Mexico and fight the U.S. By April, Wilson had proposed entering the war to Congress, and war was officially declared on April 6, 1917.

Each country had different reasons for entering the war, and each country hoped for different outcomes. Staying out the longest, the U.S. had hoped to end the war by peaceful means, but that did… READ MORE

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