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Chapter 2: Great Power Reactions
A mere 4 days had passed since Woodrow’s stirring speech, and the verdict was out. The majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate believed that it was time to declare war on Germany. More important than the declaration of war itself however, was the way it would be carried out.
The big name leaders and monarchs of Europe received the news. The United States would be fighting purely a naval war, supporting the Allies through material and monetary means.
The German high command rejoiced. By now Russia had begun to fall apart at the seams, which would free up the armies of the east to be sent to the Western, Balkan, or Italian fronts. The Imperial German Navy no longer had to try and leash their U-Boats when nearby American shipping. The American economy had become monstrous in size, so the funds they send over the Atlantic would prove a legitimate nuisance. On the whole, though the decision is good to hear for the Central Powers to the alternative, which would require Germany to rush troops down to attempt a victory over France before increasing numbers of American troops could arrive from overseas.
France and Britain proved less jubilant, though support against the submarine menace and the aid was still very welcome. As a third of the original Triple-Entente was crumbling it was known that the war as a whole would prove far more difficult for the Allied powers in the coming months.