Could America Have Gotten Involved in WW1 Early?

[demonkangaroo]

WELL? Could it?

[Wendell]

No. Americans wanted no part in this war beyond a few East Coast elites. The German-Americans and others were firmly against U.S. entry into the war. The Irish did not want the U.S. to support the British. Most Americans realized early on that taking a trip across the Atlantic Ocean during this war would probably not be a good idea.

[CalBear]

Better question is on which side?

Supporting the British was not exactly a slam dunk, not in 1914.

[Jasen777]

It makes a big difference when you start allowing POD's.

[Imperator]

Yes. There was a large national furor after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. If Wilson had wanted a war he would have gotten one.

[adam888]

I've read a number of books that basically agree that if the USA had
entered the war earlier, the overall affect might have been a CP
victory.

What if the Germans had waged unrestricted submarine war in 1915
and the USA had declared war. The US army was too small to be
a factor in the war and it's entirely possible Britain might have been
starved out of the war before the US army was ready to deploy
to Europe in significant numbers.

It's an interesting thought but Wilson used the two years of interim
time to build up the army so that the Millions of fresh troops that
deployed in 1918 turned the tide so that the war could end in
victory.

[Lyly]

Well, what if perhaps Theodore Roosevelt had won on his Progressive ticket. In my opinion, with him in charge, there would be a pretty good chance of the US entering the war earlier.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by LylyCSM2

Well, what if perhaps Theodore Roosevelt had won on his Progressive ticket. In my opinion, with him in charge, there would be a pretty good chance of the US entering the war earlier.

Or, perhaps under TR, the war would have been avoided.

[The Mists Of Time]

I don't think The USA could have gotten involved in WWI at the start in 1914, but I think The USA could have gotten in shortly after the sinking of The Lusitania in 1915. Since there were Americans killed in the sinking of The Lusitania, if those Americans who favored US intervention in WWI had pressed a little harder The USA might have gotten into the war then.

That would have put The USA into WWI nearly a year and a half earlier than in OTL. It would be interesting to know what effect that would have had on the war and on how long it would have lasted.

[LordKalvan]

Originally Posted by LylyCSM2

Well, what if perhaps Theodore Roosevelt had won on his Progressive ticket. In my opinion, with him in charge, there would be a pretty good chance of the US entering the war earlier.

Originally Posted by Wendell

Or, perhaps under TR, the war would have been avoided.

Agree with both.
Under Wilson, an early entry in the war is unfeasible. Not even the sinking of Lusitania would change things: IMHO, the wily WW would not go to elections having just started an unpopular war.