The American press, public, and the reaction to the outbreak of the First World War

O'Brien, P. (2013) The American press, public, and the reaction to the outbreak of the First World War. Diplomatic History, 37(3), pp. 446-475. (doi: 10.1093/dh/dht020)

Abstract

The American popular reaction to the outbreak of the First World War in Europe can be overlooked in the historical discussion with its rush to study more elite opinion. What is usually assumed is that in general the American population was shocked and horrified in 1914, and from this initial reaction it moved to embrace neutrality. It is interesting that this historical discussion usually ignores the modern political science debate on the same subject which argues that the American reaction to war in conflict is not usually negative, especially at the beginning. Using a detailed examination of American newspapers and magazines from twelve of the United States’ largest cities this article examines the reaction of the press and public from the moment shooting started in august 1914 through the fascinating Congressional elections that November. The picture that emerges is twofold. The immediate reaction to the war was one of economic satisfaction. There was a strong consensus in the press that the war was, first and foremost, a golden trading opportunity that would not only require Europeans to purchase large amounts of American goods, it would allow American companies to supplant European companies around the world, particularly in Latin America. Also, there was considerable discussion about American entry into the war, with significant sector believing such intervention was not only possible, it might be necessary. Finally, in the 1914 election, whilst the Democrats tried to nationalize the campaign by turning the vote into an endorsement of Wilson’s War policy, the American population reacted with indifference. There was little sign that the war made any material difference in how the American people voted and afterwards the press, no matter what its partisan affiliation, endorsed this view.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: O'Brien, Professor Phillips
• Authors: O'Brien, P.
• Subjects: E History America > E151 United States (General); J Political Science > JZ International relations
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Diplomatic History
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 0145-2096
• ISSN (Online): 1467-7709
• Published Online: 26 April 2013
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 The Author
• First Published: First published in Innovations in Diplomatic History 37(3):446-475
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher