Do Americans think they were responsible for victory in WW1?

Question

It was the British who won WW1 due to a Naval Blockade on Germany meaning no food got to the population. The US entered in the summer of 1918 although a year before they declared war on germany ( were ships so slow it took a year to travel 3000miles ). The war ended on 11th Novermber 1918 at 11am. The British had developed tanks before the US came in and had pushed the Germans back. Are you taught that you won WW1 or do you have an accurate teaching of it?

We will accept WW2 was highly down to you though but not WW1. That was Britain as we were the biggest superpower at the time and still were after.

Sorry its not worded in the best way but im not saying the US did nothing nor am i critising them. Its just i felt like reading up on WW1 and found the US involvement ( the full involvement ) to be smaller than i had previously thought. I also found that the war would of never happened if Britain had made its intentions clear to Germany and Austo-Hungary before the conflict started as both wanted to avoid war with Britain. Britain was bound by a 75 year old treaty to belgium but said it would remain aloft the European Nations.

The contribution of the US was no doubt a big factor in victory but any nation at that time with enough men could of played the same part. Thats my arguement. The Germans were in tatters and not far from defeat.

Also the British naval blockade cause strikes and revolts in germany which directly influenced the end of the war.

Also it often seems americans are often taught they won WW2 so i asked if the same went for WW1. Its a valid question

Answer 1

Yes, most Americans think they bailed us out!

Answer 2

As I recall I was taught that the allies were the victors in WWI. I don't think I ever learn that the USA won the war.
That was the over riding view when in my college history courses too.

I might mention that while Great Britain was master of the seas as was their tradition it is a historical military axiom that wars are won by troops by troops on the ground. Infantry is essential and required to take ground, advance and hold the ground. You can do it with ships, armor or aircraft alone....only with boots on the ground.

Perhaps the infusion of US troops...the infantry, in combination with the British and other Allied infantry is the reason why WWI was brought to a rapid close between the summer of 1918 and November 11, 1918.

And starving the civilian population definitely did not end the war. I distinctly recall never reading that the German civilian population rose up and demanded the German army surrender. Or do I miss that?

Oddly enough I had a discussion on this subject with some British officers I served with when I was in the army. We were all artillery officers but we hat to finally agree that infantry soldiers ultimately win all wars.

Answer 3

The British blockade helped to cause civil unrest in Germany, which led to communist uprisings and the undermining of the government and the war. This had an effect on the Kaiser.

And the British development of the tank played a significant part, too, because it spelled the end to the advantage of being on the defensive in trench warfare. But this had a lesser effect than either the blockade or the entry of the US into the war.

It wasn't that the Americans had significant military victories, but the fact that America presented the possibility of fielding entire armies and air corps to tilt the numerical balance decisively towards the Allies. Germany had no such reserves.

Looking at the collapse of order in Germany, plus the addition of the US, who could eventually field an army as big as Germany's alone, the Kaiser and the general staff saw nothing but defeat ahead of them.

Answer 4

Not totally no. Your comments are fact. The Brit commanders did an awful job in the beginning of the war. Basically squandering the best professional army in the world at that time. After learning their lesson and adopting new tactics the tables turned. About that time the first tanks wewe deployed and the Allies went on the offensive. The US made 2 important contributions. 1- Tanks won the war many were manufactured in the US before our actual entry into the war. 2- When the US entered both sides had sustained MASSIVE casualties. Almost an entire generation had been wiped out. The US entry with a fresh army did much to push the germans over the edge just by adding so much allied troop strength. BTW most American heros of WW! were those who went to Europe to fight before our entry into the war.

Answer 5

You have to understand the US Army of that era. It was very small.

Most of the Army was still made up of state units that were federalized during war. The state units were mere skeletons that had to be filled out with men who then needed to be trained. It was a slow process.

I've got two great-uncles, brothers, buried in the Muse-Argonne Cemetery. They were both killed on November 5, 1918. I've got the telegram from the War Department informing my Great Grandparents of their deaths. It arrived in late November, after the war was over. The family thought they'd be coming home.

They deserve better than to be buried on French soil.

Answer 6

My history classes all said that the Allies won WWI.

Reading the military histories of WWI indicate that the war was stalemated until the introduction of fresh US troops.

As to how long it took the US troops to arrive and start fighting - remember that we did everything we could to avoid getting dragged into a useless war that we wanted no part in.

Answer 7

I think it was the British and Americans who won both wars. It was small minded people like you on both sides who almost lost both of those wars by arguing semantics and political posturing.

I am agfraid the same situation exists in the Iraq war. The Brits and Yanks have many great people among them but neither is short on pathetic losers.

Answer 8

Really, I thought it was the French that won WWI.

Seriously, Americans do claim to be largely responsible for defeating Hilter in WWII and almost entirely responsible for defeating Japan in WWII. However the vast majority of Americans do not claim to be responsible for victory in WWI. Our history basically tells a story of President Wilson trying to keep America out of the war. In fact President Wilson won re-election on the motto, "He kept us out of war". When America did enter the war the Europeans (British and French) wanted to use Americans as reinforcements under their command. Americans under U.S. General Pershing took offense to this and wanted American soldiers to prove themselves under U.S. command. The victory for America in WWI was that the French and British finally seemed to accept America as a valid professional military force.

(By the way, the Germans will tell you that the British tanks and blockade was not responsible for their defeat, they just got worn out and ran out of soldiers.)

Answer 9

whoa the war to end all wars, amazing. Who cares? really, who cares who won WW1? it was the terrible policy making by the British are and French following WW1 that created the opportunity for a 2nd World War. They f***** the Germans and gave them good right to be angry. Hitler just did what he wanted coming into power and everyone was too scared to stop him out of a fear of another world war.

Answer 10

Right. Next you'll be telling us about how the british felt sorry for us, withdrew their troops, and granted us our independence.

Answer 11

I don't think Americans believe they are the soul victor of WWI. Did our efforts lead to a victory? You bet they did.