This week, a lecture about neutrality and what that concept meant in World War I America.

University of Minnesota, Professor Sage Matthew explains.

In the case of the United States, neutrality will, for the most part, mean that they will do business with whoever and the very willingness to do

business with both Germans or rather the central powers and the allies is proof of their

neutrality. She also explains how neutrality did not mean inactivity as the U.S. sold materials

to both the allied and central powers, helping both sides continue the fight.

Good morning, everyone. So this morning we're going to be talking about, or rather we will begin our conversation about neutrality.

That conversation will last over the course of several lectures, so we'll wrap up other countries' neutralities.

But this morning, we're going to really focus on what neutrality

looked like and meant for the Americans,

especially in the first half of the war.

So the thing that I want you to understand the most,

and this is really vital, because it's a very different understanding

of neutrality than we have today,

neutrality at the beginning of the war

did not mean inactivity.

It did not mean passivity, and it most certainly did not mean impartiality.

In the case of the United States, neutrality will, for the most part, mean that they will do business with whoever,

and the very willingness to do business with both Germans, or rather the

central powers and the allies, is proof of their neutrality. So a lot of people are surprised to

learn that at the beginning of the war, the U.S. traded with and maintained diplomatic relations

with all of the belligerent nations.

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