Over There: Why America
Entered World War I

Leader

Dirk Bonker
Laverack Family Assistant Professor of History, Duke University

About the Seminar

The United States declared its neutrality in 1914. According to President Wilson’s August 1914 appeal to the American people, what were the challenges of neutrality for the United States as both a great power and an immigrant nation? From the beginning, American wartime neutrality became a contested proposition in need of continuous clarification. How did matters of transatlantic finance and trade test the commitment to neutrality? What solutions were found by the Wilson administration? In his addresses to Congress, President Wilson made his case for U.S. intervention. On what grounds and with what goals did he take the nation into war? In April 1917 Congress debated the U.S. entry into the war. What was the case against the war as articulated by its most prominent opponents in the Senate and House?

Technical Help

Visit our technical specifications page for information about the seminar forum and classroom.

View a brief introduction to AIC online seminars.

Assigned Readings

1. The Beginning
   • Woodrow Wilson, An Appeal to the American People
2. Meanings of Neutrality
   • Robert Lansing Memorandum, Oct. 1914
   • Robert Lansing to President Wilson, Sept. 1915
3. Debating Maritime Warfare 1915
   • Secretary of State Bryan to Walter Hines Page, Dec. 1914
   • Woodrow Wilson, First Lusitania Note, May 1915
   • Woodrow Wilson, Second Lusitania Note, June 1915
   • Theodore Roosevelt, Murder on the High Seas, Metropolitan Magazine
   • William Jennings Bryan to Woodrow Wilson, May 12 & June 5, 1915
4. Travel, War, and Neutrality
   • Cunard Ad for Lusitania and Notes from German Imperial Embassy, New York Times
   • The Gore-McLemore Resolution, 1916
   • Woodrow Wilson to William J. Stone, 1916
5. Preparedness, Peace, and War
   • “T.R. Talks at Plattsburg” and “Roosevelt Renews Attack on Wilson,” New York Times
   • A Memorial to the President of the United States by the American Union Against Militarism
   • Meeting of Members of Peace Societies with Wilson
6. Socialist Critics
   • Emma Goldman, “Preparedness, the Road to Universal Slaughter,” Mother Earth
   • Eugene Debs, The Majority Report
7. German-Americans
   • George Sylvester Viereck, Writings
8. War of Images
   • H.R. Hopps, Destroy this Mad Brute, c. 1916
   • Fred Spear, Enlist, 1915
   • Are you trained to defend your country?, Plattsburg, 1915
   • “Shall this Continue?”, poster
9. Wilson’s Case
   • Woodrow Wilson, Address to the Senate, Jan. 1917
   • Woodrow Wilson, Address to a Joint Session of Congress, April 2, 1917
10. Congressional Anti-War Speeches
    • Senator George Norris, Speech, April 4, 1917
    • Senator Robert LaFollette, Speech, April 4, 1917
    • Representative Claude Kitchin, Speech, April 5, 1917
11. Military Views
    • General Board, “Naval Policy with Present Requirements,” July 1915
12. Intellectuals Temptations
    • Randolph Bourne, “Twilights of Idols,” The Seven Arts
13. Promises of War?
    • “Close Ranks,” The Crisis, July 1918
14. Cartoons
    • "To the Presidential Nominee", Chicago Defender, June 10, 1916
    • "Loyalty", Richmond Planet, June 16, 1917