Katie Alecksen
History 102
Bruce Wilson
November 5, 2012

Factors Leading to American Neutrality: World War 1 When the war began in 1916, America remained neutral for a number of reasons, one being American politics in regard to foreign policy. Americans felt that the vastness of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans protected them from the conflicts of Europe and Asia. When Germany began fighting for their own global empire, Americans weren’t threatened because the Germans couldn’t cross the Atlantic. In the beginning of the war, neither Germany nor Austria declared war on the US, and most Americans believed that we should not get involved in European affairs, therefore setting an example of peace to the world. Another reason America remained neutral was the strong economic ties with the Allies as opposed to the Central Powers. Trade between Britain and France with the United States was double the trade with Germany. The United States was supplying the Allies with many of their supplies and weapons. When Wilson announced that the United States would stay out of European affairs and remain neutral, he hoped that we would be able to continue trading with warring nations. Wilson was also aware of the large number of immigrant populations living in the United States whom have come from those nations prior to the war. Taking sides in the war would most likely upset a large number of these immigrants. Woodrow Wilson also believed that the United States and its people were supposed to remain as a contended neutral country by holding to the tradition of not allying itself with any European nation involved with a war in Europe. This was a tradition of Washington and Jefferson, and Wilson wanted to hold strongly to this. In his August 19, 1914 message to the Senate, Wilson voiced this belief that America should remain peaceful and neutral. “Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned. The United States must be