2007-10-30 15:43:10 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
WW1 was one of the most pointless wars in human history. It should never have been fought by anyone. It should've stayed nothing more than a diplomatic squabble between Serbia and Austria. US involvement was justified in some ways, but pointless in others.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm waffling, but German U-Boat attacks were uncalled for, but at the same time the Brits shouldn't have been using passenger vessels to ship weapons and shouldn't have allowed hospital ships to sail around in mine infested waters. America could just have well justified war with England and France, especially due to their treatment of the Netherlands and the Baltic States.
Germany and Austria-Hungary also tried to negotiate a peace several times during the war. Once with US mediation, another time with the Pope's mediation, and a third time Germany begged for a peaceful end to the war in one of the opening paragraphs in its second declaration of unrestrained submarine warfare. None of these offers were considered by England and France, which makes you wonder who the war crazy side was.
In many ways I think the parish priest in my town at the time had it right. Join the army if you want, but don't shoot anyone, take a non-combat role even if it's burying the dead.
2007-10-30 15:58:17 · answer #1 · answered by 29 characters to work with...... 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Necessary in what sense? Was it necessary for US survival? No. Was it necessary for the Allied nations to win? Probably not. Was it necessary for the US to be taken seriously as a world power? Yes. Was it necessary as a protest of Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare? Yes. Was it necessary if the war was going to end in 1918? Yes.
US involvement in WW1 was not quite so crucial as it was the second time around. However it was an important contribution anyway. It added a new player, for too long European nations had disregarded the rest of the world in their struggles. It also added a huge new army for Germany to face and really was the deciding factor in when they called it quits.
2007-10-30 22:57:46 · answer #2 · answered by rohak1212 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, probably not. It would be interesting to see what the world would look like now if we hadn't joined in. Better or worse is beyond me, though.
2007-10-30 22:57:12 · answer #3 · answered by Cappo359 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you ask me, no one should've been involved in the first place.
I forgot last year's discussion on this, though, so I can't say. Sorry, mate. xP
2007-10-30 22:51:02 · answer #4 · answered by Aoi 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋