World war i & the roaring twenties
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CONGRESS DECLARES WAR!
Pictured behind is an artist's rendition of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. Although it was a British vessel, it provoked massive American outrage and worry about trade prospects in the region. In addition, the Russian Revolution had just occurred, turning Russia from an empire into a fledgling democracy (this was before the Communist Party took control). These factors combined to turn the political costs of going to war into benefits. On April 6, 1917, both Houses of Congress voted to declare war on Germany, at President Wilson's request. American military operations in Europe began later that year. |