Source: A. Scott Berg. Wilson (2013)
As early as August 1914, President Woodrow Wilson was concerned that Germany's actions on the Atlantic would jeopardize US neutrality. Wilson began to structure his own permanent plan for peace after the war, which was in effect a New World Order; Wilson believed that the world had become a neighborhood of nations. Wilson came up with four overall principles: no more land would be acquired by conquest, small nations have equal rights, governments should be the only ones that make weapons, and the creation of an association of nations where all guarantee the territorial integrity of all other nations.
On 8 December 1914, Wilson delivered his Annual Message to Congress where he focused on national defense, or to be more accurate, the lack thereof. Wilson did not want to commit the US to the development of a large standing army, and in subsequent speeches Wilson repeated the mantra of neutrality. Former President Theodore Roosevelt attacked Wilson in the press, basically calling Wilson a coward. Wilson sent his main adviser, Colonel Edward House, to Europe to get accurate information on what was really occurring in the war. Already, Wilson saw the Great War as a way to expand his ideal of liberating people from autocracy.
On 8 December 1914, Wilson delivered his Annual Message to Congress where he focused on national defense, or to be more accurate, the lack thereof. Wilson did not want to commit the US to the development of a large standing army, and in subsequent speeches Wilson repeated the mantra of neutrality. Former President Theodore Roosevelt attacked Wilson in the press, basically calling Wilson a coward. Wilson sent his main adviser, Colonel Edward House, to Europe to get accurate information on what was really occurring in the war. Already, Wilson saw the Great War as a way to expand his ideal of liberating people from autocracy.
On 30 January 1915, House and his wife sailed to Europe on board the RMS Lusitania. House was a US Minister without portfolio, which meant he in essence had carte blanche to make decisions on behalf of Wilson. House met with King George V, and then went to Berlin where he met with the German foreign minister Arthur Zimmermann. All those House talked to in Europe were not remotely interested in ending the war, with each nation actually convincing itself that they were winning.
In early-1915, Great Britain enacted a naval blockade on the German coastline in the North Sea, and Germany responded by expanding their naval engagement zone, meaning that all enemy ships, naval or commercial, were subject to being sunk in the war zone around Britain. On 10 February 1915, Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan wanted assurances from Germany that American ships would be left alone in the war zone. But even before his communique was sent, in January 1915 Germany had sunk the SS William P. Frye that was carrying wheat. Adding to the tension was that by 1 May 1915 the Germans had sunk two more US merchant ships.
In early-1915, Great Britain enacted a naval blockade on the German coastline in the North Sea, and Germany responded by expanding their naval engagement zone, meaning that all enemy ships, naval or commercial, were subject to being sunk in the war zone around Britain. On 10 February 1915, Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan wanted assurances from Germany that American ships would be left alone in the war zone. But even before his communique was sent, in January 1915 Germany had sunk the SS William P. Frye that was carrying wheat. Adding to the tension was that by 1 May 1915 the Germans had sunk two more US merchant ships.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cary Grayson, Wilson personal physician, had fallen in love with Alice Gertrude Gordon, a DC heiress. Before his death her father asked a long-time friend to look out for his daughter, and she agreed to be Alice's unofficial guardian; that friend was Edith Bolling Galt, the future second wife of President Woodrow Wilson. After a five month trip in Europe, Alice and Edith had bonded, and Edith had found that she also liked Grayson.
One day Wilson saw Edith in Grayson's presence, and he asked his doctor about that beautiful woman that he had seen. Grayson took it upon himself to introduce Edith to Wilson, and that task wasn't easy in that Edith wasn't smitten with DC society or its politics. Grayson arranged it so Edith became friends with Helen Bones, Wilson's part-time hostess (Wilson had
lost his first wife, Ellen, not long before, so there wasn't a First Lady). Edith was the first woman in DC to drive her own automobile, and she and Helen took short drives in her electric car (Also of interest: it appears that Edith was a direct descendant of Pocahontas). Edith liked hearing stories about Wilson from Helen, finding out that the President was very different from how he was portrayed in the press.
Helen arranged things one day so that Edith visited the White House when Wilson had come back from golfing with Grayson (who was in cahoots with Helen), and sure enough the four had tea. Edith did not stay for dinner, not wanting to overstay her welcome. On 23 March 1915 Edith was invited to the White House for dinner, where Wilson entertained Helen and Edith. Two weeks later Wilson and Edith and Helen took a drive in the White House limousine which led Wilson to invite Edith to go with him to a Washington Senators game where he was to throw out the first pitch. For appearances (and politics) sake Helen accompanied Wilson and Edith when they were out in public.
One day Wilson saw Edith in Grayson's presence, and he asked his doctor about that beautiful woman that he had seen. Grayson took it upon himself to introduce Edith to Wilson, and that task wasn't easy in that Edith wasn't smitten with DC society or its politics. Grayson arranged it so Edith became friends with Helen Bones, Wilson's part-time hostess (Wilson had
lost his first wife, Ellen, not long before, so there wasn't a First Lady). Edith was the first woman in DC to drive her own automobile, and she and Helen took short drives in her electric car (Also of interest: it appears that Edith was a direct descendant of Pocahontas). Edith liked hearing stories about Wilson from Helen, finding out that the President was very different from how he was portrayed in the press.
Helen arranged things one day so that Edith visited the White House when Wilson had come back from golfing with Grayson (who was in cahoots with Helen), and sure enough the four had tea. Edith did not stay for dinner, not wanting to overstay her welcome. On 23 March 1915 Edith was invited to the White House for dinner, where Wilson entertained Helen and Edith. Two weeks later Wilson and Edith and Helen took a drive in the White House limousine which led Wilson to invite Edith to go with him to a Washington Senators game where he was to throw out the first pitch. For appearances (and politics) sake Helen accompanied Wilson and Edith when they were out in public.
On 3 May 1915, Helen and Grayson arranged it so Wilson and Edith were alone for the first time. Wilson told Edith that he loved her and wanted to marry her, all after knowing her for only two months. Edith said that if Wilson required an answer right then-and-there, her answer was no; Edith wanted time to weigh the benefits/costs of marrying the President. So started Wilson's most passionate chase, where he wrote many romantic letters to Edith; to Wilson, the world stood still despite all the tumultuous events occurring nationally and globally until she accepted his proposal.
On 7 May 1915 Wilson had just finished lunch when he was told of the sinking of the Lusitania; initial reports had no loss of life, but soon changed. Wilson canceled his golf game and instead went for a drive in order to process what he had been told. The sinking of the Lusitania became a rallying cry for the Jingoes (especially Theodore Roosevelt) to declare war in Germany, which was also the prevailing view of at least a few members of the Cabinet. Wilson was upset that Britain had indeed used passengers, including Americans, as human shields to protect luxury liners that were carrying weapons (The Lusitania sank in less that 20 minutes due to the German torpedo igniting coal dust, which was the source of the second explosion that doomed the ship . . . but that knowledge came decades later in the early-1990s due to the efforts of Bob Ballard).
On 7 May 1915 Wilson had just finished lunch when he was told of the sinking of the Lusitania; initial reports had no loss of life, but soon changed. Wilson canceled his golf game and instead went for a drive in order to process what he had been told. The sinking of the Lusitania became a rallying cry for the Jingoes (especially Theodore Roosevelt) to declare war in Germany, which was also the prevailing view of at least a few members of the Cabinet. Wilson was upset that Britain had indeed used passengers, including Americans, as human shields to protect luxury liners that were carrying weapons (The Lusitania sank in less that 20 minutes due to the German torpedo igniting coal dust, which was the source of the second explosion that doomed the ship . . . but that knowledge came decades later in the early-1990s due to the efforts of Bob Ballard).
As for Germany, Wilson knew that a disaster such as the Lusitania could cause in inevitable drift towards war. But Wilson wasn't thinking all that straight at the time due to his obsession with Edith, which perhaps explained why in a speech after the Lusitania disaster Wilson claimed that there were times when a nation is so right that it didn't have to convince other nations that it was right. The next day's headlines in many newspapers read "Too Proud to Fight", which gave plenty of ammunition to Wilson's increasing number of political enemies such as Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. Lodge resented Wilson's rhetorical gifts (he was forever irritated that Wilson was the Intellectual Politician instead of him) and was all too happy to take advantage of the opportunity in order to politically attack Wilson.
Wilson admitted that he wasn't sure what he said in that speech in Philadelphia, since Edith was foremost on his mind. The next day Wilson did some damage control saying that he was not afraid of war, but that the Lusitania disaster didn't necessitate a declaration of war. The next day former President William Howard Taft publicly supported Wilson, but SecState Bryan disagreed with Wilson's tough diplomatic response to Germany, wanting to play peacemaker.
Wilson admitted that he wasn't sure what he said in that speech in Philadelphia, since Edith was foremost on his mind. The next day Wilson did some damage control saying that he was not afraid of war, but that the Lusitania disaster didn't necessitate a declaration of war. The next day former President William Howard Taft publicly supported Wilson, but SecState Bryan disagreed with Wilson's tough diplomatic response to Germany, wanting to play peacemaker.
In Europe, House was trying to get Britain to lift their devastating blockade while at the same time he was trying to get Germany to reduce the number of U-Boat attacks and its use of poison gas. During Cabinet meetings, SecState Bryan's pacifism was starting to get on Wilson's nerves. Bryan sent Wilson a letter letting him know that if the situation remained the same in terms of Wilson's rhetoric with Germany, he would resign. Wilson told Edith of the letter, and she totally supported Wilson in replacing Bryan. Edith knew she had much to learn about politics if she was to become the First Lady, and first in order was to avoid reacting in knee-jerk fashion.
Wilson finally received a reply from Germany, and while the communique wasn't conciliatory, there was a promise to not target neutral ships. SecState Bryan again disagreed with the tone of Wilson's drafted response to Berlin, and resigned as SecState a few days later after meeting with Wilson. Wilson was overjoyed with Bryan's resignation as was Edith; Wilson truly enjoyed and appreciated that Edith saw things the same way he did, which meant they were able to vent their frustrations to each other in private. Wilson decided to nominate Robert Lansing as Acting Secretary of State to replace Bryan; little did Wilson know that he would have far more difficulty with Lansing as Secretary of State after the Armistice was signed in November 1918.
Wilson finally received a reply from Germany, and while the communique wasn't conciliatory, there was a promise to not target neutral ships. SecState Bryan again disagreed with the tone of Wilson's drafted response to Berlin, and resigned as SecState a few days later after meeting with Wilson. Wilson was overjoyed with Bryan's resignation as was Edith; Wilson truly enjoyed and appreciated that Edith saw things the same way he did, which meant they were able to vent their frustrations to each other in private. Wilson decided to nominate Robert Lansing as Acting Secretary of State to replace Bryan; little did Wilson know that he would have far more difficulty with Lansing as Secretary of State after the Armistice was signed in November 1918.
