Ep. 0266: DHP Villains: Woodrow Wilson, Part 11

The Dangerous History Podcast

CJ

History, Philosophy, Society & Culture, Education

4.6 • 634 Ratings

🗓️ 11 September 2024

⏱️ 112 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

(Originally published Oct., 2023) This installment in the Woodrow Wilson series covers the period of the Wilson presidency from the summer of 1914 through the end of that year, when he said he wanted to keep the US neutral & out of the war, & still seemed to at least kinda mean it. (*Apologies for the lackluster […]

The post Ep. 0266: DHP Villains: Woodrow Wilson, Part 11 first appeared on The Dangerous History Podcast.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality,
0:06.9	which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned.
0:13.7	The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war.
0:21.0	It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy and desire among
0:28.1	them with regard to the issues and circumstances of the conflict.
0:33.6	Some will wish one nation, others another, to succeed in the momentous struggle.
0:39.8	Such divisions among us would be fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously stand in the way of the proper performance of our duty as the one great nation at peace, the one people holding itself ready to play a part of
0:56.2	impartial mediation, and speak the councils of peace and accommodation, not as a partisan,
1:03.2	but as a friend. The United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men's souls.
1:14.4	We must be impartial in thought as well as action, must put a curb upon our sentiments
1:21.2	as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another.
1:31.9	Woodrow Wilson's message on neutrality to the U.S. Congress, August 19th, 1914.
1:39.9	If Germany won, it would change the course of our civilization and make the United States a military nation.
1:48.7	Woodrow Wilson to Edward House, August 30th, 1914.
1:53.6	From the beginning, I saw the utter futility of neutrality, the disappointment and heartaches that would flow from its announcement,
2:02.7	but we had to stand by our traditional policy of steering clear of European emboilments.
2:08.8	Woodrow Wilson, April 1917, in a private conversation to his personal secretary,
2:15.3	Joseph Tumulty, shortly after delivering his speech to Congress,
2:19.7	asking for a declaration of war.
2:22.2	A comfortable myth that Americans continue to embrace is that their government was neutral
2:28.0	during the months from August 1914 to April 1917, and only when an aggressive Germany became a threat to the nation's
2:36.3	security did a reluctant America take up arms and defense. In reality, America, as manifest
	...

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