WWI Leads Nation to Democracy and Liberty
The fight to be a top power in Europe was at its height in the early 20th century. Smaller countries lived in fear of the brutal monarchies of Eastern Europe , and as a result, joined together to fight towards the top. "The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty”(President Woodrow Wilson, Address to Congress, 2 April 1917). WWI needed to happen for countries to seize opportunities to hold a place of power in the world. Inevitably, imperialism, nationalism, and militarism would all drive Europe into mass chaos. If this explosion of power was never induced, the world could be very different today. The establishment of powers at the time was crucial. Especially for the U.S. which was a new country compared to the rest of the world and needed to catch up with everyone else’s imperialistic ideals. Before WWI the U.S. had no sense of position, and support from foreign countries was not expected. Because the U.S. had the motives to intervene, brutal monarchies in Europe did not succeed, and democracy was established throughout Europe , sparking a new era. WWI left countries with a clear view of who was behind them through dispute and assault, and a future of democracy and liberty was in sight.