America's Decision
For most of the United State's life, it has attempted to go by the words in President Washington's farewell address. These words were interpreted to mean, "Do not form permanent alliances". So the US generally stayed out of European conflicts unless the conflict was brought to the western hemisphere. Continuing with this policy, when World War I began in 1914, the US tried to remain neutral, and see to it that its rights as a neutral power were not violated. Their shipping rights as a neutral company, however, were violated. The violation of American shipping rights by the change in German naval policy in 1917 in addition to America's economic interests and allied propaganda brought the US into war in 1917 against Germany.
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