East Coast stalled, as American merchants were reluctant to send their ships into a war zone (including cargoes of relief supplies to countries in need). Any ship within range – merchant, passenger, or naval Allied or neutral – could be fired upon by the Central Powers. The policy was a direct threat to civilian lives and the sovereignty of neutral nations. Any prior pledge was nullified, however, when Germany announced its resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, 1917. Public opinion aligned with this approach President Woodrow Wilson successfully won a second term in 1916, championed by the slogan "He Kept Us Out of War." However, 100 years ago today, a significant occurrence profoundly altered this attitude.Īfter the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915 and the torpedoing of SS Sussex in 1916, Germany made various promises to abstain from attacks on unarmed ships of any nation, primarily with regards to passenger ships. Whereas the Great War had begun in Europe in 1914, the United States government endeavored a policy of neutrality.
The My Fellow Soldiers exhibition opens on April 6, the day America officially declared war on Germany. But before we get to the end of the war, let’s look back to the origins of America’s involvement, namely one important piece of communication.Ī campaign button featuring a variation of Wilson’s refrain property of Dickinson College. “My Fellow Soldiers” is the opening line of a letter penned by Pershing following Armistice, in which he thanked all his troops for their service, sacrifice and courage. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces overseas from 1917-1918, can be felt throughout the exhibition. My Fellow Soldiers: Letters from World War I features personal correspondence to and from the front lines, thereby illuminating accounts of love, life and death in the tumultuous time of war. The National Postal Museum will present a special exhibition to commemorate and reflect upon this anniversary. 2017 marks the centennial of America’s engagement in World War I, also referred to as the Great War.
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