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A chronicle of the American experience during World War I and the unexpected changes that rocked the country in its immediate aftermath—the Red Scare, race riots, women’s suffrage, and Prohibition.The Great War’s bitter outcome left the experience largely overlooked and forgotten in American history. This timely book is a reexamination of America’s first global experience as we commemorate WWI's centennial. The U.S. steered clear of the Great War for more than two years, but President Woodrow Wilson reluctantly led the divided country into the conflict with the goal of making the world “safe for democracy.” The country assumed a global role for the first time and attempted to build the foundations for world peace, only to witness the experience go badly awry and it retreated into isolationism. The Great War was the first continent-wide conflagration in a century, and it drew much of the world into its fire. By the end, four empires and their royal houses had fallen, communism was unleashed, the map of the Middle East was redrawn, and the United States emerged as a global power—only to withdraw from the world’s stage. The United States was disillusioned with what it achieved in the earlier war and withdrew into itself. Americans have tried to forget about it ever since. The Great War in America presents an opportunity to reexamine the country’s role on the global stage and the tremendous political and social changes that overtook the nation because of the war.
Of the 6 or 7 excellent histories of WWI published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the war's conclusion in November, 1918, Garrett Peck's contribution, "The Great War in America: World War I and its Aftermath," stands out as the one effort I'd readily (and happily) recommend to a friend, say, with limited knowledge of the war in general and the Wilson administration and the most unfortunate Treaty of Versailles in particular. The author, with his down-to-earth writing style, clearly relates the story of America's problematic "neutrality" before declaring war in 1917 as well as the relatively short (around six months) period of actual fighting in Europe and Wilson's failure at Paris to effect an essentially "fair" treaty--the disastrous results of which directly led to a even more devastating world war just 20 years later. Obviously, there's a lot to tell here, and "The Great War..." hits all the right historical notes that for me, at least, was compelling as well as unexpectedly interesting. (You'll learn, for example, where the phrase "cup of joe" originated as well as seeing a few photos not published in other contemporary histories, including one of Wilson's final residence on S Street in the District). All in all, a fine account of essentially needless devastation affecting every major participant, including the United States. Glad I bought the book. Peter in Bisbee, Ariz.