Role of USA in First World War
Starting from 2:10 p.m. on the day of May 7, 1915, a German submarine entered the British luxury ocean liner RMS Lusitania just a meal away from its New York to Liver-pool destination, it opened a smaller the size of a small house below the ship’s waterline. Water rushed in; they made explosions at the same time.After 18 minutes, 1,198 people, including 128 American men, women and children, died. The English Language media said that The sinking was piracy and murder.The New York Herald wrote the next day, “Theodore Roosevelt is Not President!”. This letter says it all at the same time.German outrages having 2 years on the High Seas, the U.S. then declared open war and Roosevelt earlier manage to come to public prominence commanding a regiment in the Spanish-American War, was taken out of this.
Blind in one eye , having malarial fevers; arthritic, overweight, and still carrying a bullet in his breast from an assassination attempt five years before, Theodore Roosevelt was willing to serve in World War I. He was an ex-Commander in Chief of the United States Army, and ready to once again lead his First United States Volunteer Cavalry the “Rough Riders” – into the fray. But President Wilson, whom Roosevelt detested, re-fused the appointment – for a reason that Roosevelt irritates him . Wilson simply was unwilling to share the spotlight with him. Roosvelt thought that “Me first, country second” was the slogan of president.
He did not allow “Colonel Roosevelt” (as T.R. had chosen to be known post-presidentially) to raise a volun-teer force under his command, to serve with General Pershing in Europe, Wilson decided that he would simp-ly not use any volunteer divisions, period – lest T.R. command one. According to the 61 year-old Wilson, The 58 year-old Roosevelt was too old to render effective service and, coming no doubt closer to the truth, had shown an “intolerance of discipline.”
They said, Roosevelt took this on his heart that he is not going into this, he had strong sons who could go to the war to fill his place.
My four sons are going to the war
Have you ever seen a young Jack Coolidge [a Harvard graduate], who has been sent away from the Plattsburgh camp on the ground for not having a fit physical condition?
It is a complete nonsense to send a young fellow away . He is exactly the wise man I would have taken with me,if I had been allowed to do so in order to raise the division.
Roosevelt’s youngest son Quentin died in the Great War
He was qualified for the most adventurous military service, the new Army Air Corps and had his first patrol flight on July 1, 1918, and two weeks later, had his last petrol flight sadly. He had an honor to Shot down in a classic dogfight by an enemy ace and killed 24 of them, Quentin was buried with honors by the Germans, near where his plane shot down in Chamery, France. He was just 20 years old. Sigh
Roosevelt’s other boys survived, all known for their bravery,
Quentin’s death broke his heart. He died six months later.
Theodore Roosevelt faced the death of his son in World War I. July 27, 1918. Shapell Manuscript Collection.
The loss of Quentin Roosevelt was tried to fulfill by that of 11 million other soldiers; 116,561 were Americans – who having the war late and got a chance to fight for 18 months, but died at the same rate. World War Starting From July 28, 1914 and ending at November 11, 1918, the complete generation of young men, their dead bodies were sent to their slaughter. In this kind of stupid Wars led by stupid generals of that time, fell in the 25,000 miles of trenches that stretched from the English Channel to Switzerland in Turkey, from valleys in Palestine, to North sea of Denmark. World War I ruined of generations, the destruction of countries changed the nature forever. After all it was not just a war for Theodore Roosevelt.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 1858 – 1919. The 24th President of the United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt
Signed the letter:
, 1 page, quarto, on the letterhead of the Metropolitan magazine, New York City, June 11, 1917. To Oric Bates at Harvard.
Theodore Roosevelt Faced the Death of His Son in Great Battle. They signed the letter , having four lines in Autograph, single page, quarto, Oyster Bay, Long Island [New York], July 27, 1918. And it was address-ing To Major Rock H. Channing, Jr. With transmittal envelope.