Was the United States genuinely neutral during the first years of Essay

Was the United States genuinely neutral during the first years of World War I, - Essay Example to remain neutral throughout the war. At the war’s beginning (August, 19 1914), Wilson, along with congressional and public opinion was adamantly opposed to intervention by U.S. military personnel. He, as most Americans, did not want to get entangled in what seemed was a perpetual European conflict. In 1916, Wilson won re-election principally as a result of the campaign slogan ‘He kept us out of war.’ â€Å"Between 1914 and the spring of 1917, the European nations engaged in a conflict that became known as World War I. While armies moved across the face of Europe, the United States remained neutral† (Duffy 2002). Because of diplomatic, economic and cultural ties to the U.K., the U.S. began supplying the military needs of the allied forces. Public opinion had swayed toward the allies during the war as word spread of alleged horrific acts committed by German troops. U.S. exports to the U.K. and France rose quickly and sharply while U.S. shipping to Germany de creased by similar proportions during this same time. Germany viewed this action as all but an act of war though the U.S. was officially neutral and still strongly opposed to sending its troops (Duffy 2002). The U.S.