It was this situation that prompted submarine warfare by the Germans against Americans at sea. Trade with England and France more than tripled between 19, while trade with Germany was cut by over ninety percent. The results of the blockade were astonishing. American trade with the Central Powers simply could not be permitted.
Notice of mail suspension with Central Powers, posted in the main post office, April 15, 1917.Ī major part of the British strategy was to impose a blockade on Germany. Original caption: One of the signs of America’s entry into the war, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Great Britain, with its powerful navy, had different ideas. In addition, United States merchants and manufacturers feared that a boycott would cripple the American economy. A neutral nation cannot impose an embargo on one side and continue trade with the other and retain its neutral status. In the early days of the war, as Britain and France struggled against Germany, American leaders decided it was in the national interest to continue trade with all sides as before. Support of either the Allies or the Central Powers might prove divisive. Despite the obvious ties to Britain based on history and language, there were many United States citizens who claimed Germany and Austria-Hungary as their parent lands. When the Archduke of Austria-Hungary was killed in cold blood, igniting the most destructive war in human history, the initial reaction in the United States was the expected will for neutrality.Īs a nation of immigrants, The United States would have difficulty picking a side. Why get involved in Europe’s self-destruction?
When European conflicts erupted, as they frequently did, many in the United States claimed exceptionalism. Since the days of George Washington, Americans struggled to remain protected by the mighty oceans on its border. 1918.Isolation was a long American tradition. B, 137th Infantry Regiment, near Germany. Original caption: Automatic rifle team ready for action.