WWI Anniversary: A Reminder of American Exceptionalism

American Thinker.com ^ | April 6, 2017 | Joshua Claybourn

[Kaslin]

One hundred years ago this week, the United States entered World War I after President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany to “make the word safe for democracy.” Unlike Europe, America did not enter the war for survival. Instead, it entered the war because of a philosophy – the notion that freedom and democracy is\are noble virtues worth defending in blood. The anniversary offers a stark reminder that for much of its history the United States believed it was worthy of influencing the world with its virtues and proud of its accomplishments in the grand arc of human history. Now that notion seems antiquated, outdated, and even immoral. Americans, including our representative leadership in government, are reluctant to assert their moral authority to lead the world.

Of course, this was a principle conservative criticism of President Barack Obama. He was reluctant to spread our virtues in other nations without sufficient qualifiers that such actions were only necessary for American security. Matt Drudge and other conservative news sites frequently broadcast images of Obama bowing to foreign leaders, traditionally taboo for any American president. The message was clear: no one nation or civilization’s values are superior to another’s, including America’s.

[submarinerswife]

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[achilles2000]

Entering WWI was one of the great policy debacles of American and world history. There’s a large literature on why that is so, and I’m not going to repeat it here. Anyone interested can find articles and books easily enough.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

We’re it not for America’s entry into WWI, Europe would have simply bled itself out - ultimately leading to a true ceasefire - instead of laying the foundations for the sequel.