Come On In, America: The United States in World War I

by Linda Barrett Osborne

Overview

“A wide-ranging exploration of World War I and how it changed the United States forever” with photos, illustrations, and maps that bring history to life (Kirkus Reviews).

On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and joined World War I. German submarine attacks on American ships in March 1917 were the overt motive for declaring war, but the underlying reasons were far more complex.

Even after the United States officially joined, Americans were divided on whether they should be a part of it. Americans were told they were fighting a war for democracy, but with racial segregation rampant in the United States, new laws against dissent and espionage being passed, and bankers and industrial leaders gaining increased influence and power, what did democracy mean? Come On In, America explores not only how and why the United States joined World War I, but also the events—at home and overseas—that changed the course of American history.

“Effectively juxtaposes issues such as censorship, propaganda, prejudice, discrimination, and violence that arose in the United States against the democratic ideals for which U.S. troops went to war...an informative book.” ?School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683350583
Publisher:	ABRAMS, Inc.
Publication date:	03/31/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
Lexile:	1100L (what's this?)
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Linda Barrett Osborne is the author of Traveling the Freedom Road, Miles to Go for Freedom, and This Land Is Our Land. She was a senior writer-editor in the Library of Congress Publishing Office for fifteen years. Osborne lives in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 War Begins in Europe 7

Chapter 2 The United States Stays Neutral-or Does It? 21

Chapter 3 The United States joins the Fight 37

Chapter 4 New and Improved Weapons 55

Chapter 5 The War on Our Home Front 71

Chapter 6 African Americans at War and at Home 97

Chapter 7 Women, Suffrage, and Service 113

Chapter 8 Peace with Victory and a Price 127

Chapter 9 War's Legacy 137

Time Line of Key Events 147

Notes 155

Selected Bibliography 164

Image Credits 166

Acknowledgments 167

Index 168

Editorial Reviews

"This book tells the story of the Great War, but, more centrally, offers a lesson in how the U.S. redefined itself both globally and at home."

Booklist

"A wide-ranging exploration of World War I and how it changed the United States forever."—Kirkus

"Osborne effectively juxtaposes issues such as censorship, propaganda, prejudice, discrimination, and violence that arose in the United States against the democratic ideals for which U.S. troops went to war...an informative book that is worthy of shelf space in all high school history collections." —School Library Journal

"This book tells the story of the Great War, but, more centrally, offers a lesson in how the U.S. redefined itself both globally and at home."—Booklist

From the Publisher

"This book tells the story of the Great War, but, more centrally, offers a lesson in how the U.S. redefined itself both globally and at home."

Booklist

★ 03/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—What begins as an overview of U.S. involvement in World War I expands into how the Great War impacted the lives of Americans at home and on the battlefield. Osborne effectively juxtaposes issues such as censorship, propaganda, prejudice, discrimination, and violence that arose in the United States against the democratic ideals for which U.S. troops went to war. The Allies and the Central Powers are consistently written as multidimensional. Chapters that focus on the contributions of African Americans and women to the war effort are illuminating and adeptly contextualized. When expounding on the war's legacy, Osborne links the League of Nations, isolationism, and the Treaty of Versailles to other historical and current events. Familiar and lesser-known photographs and posters, some depicting casualties, engage readers with a sense of time and place. The occasional explanation of words (e.g., posthumously and deported) and a few awkward sentences distract from the otherwise skillfully written text. Osborne's title, while similar in scope to Russell Freedman's The War To End All Wars: World War I and Ann Bausum's Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I, provides more depth on the experience of African Americans and women. VERDICT Osborne succeeds in creating an informative book that is worthy of shelf space in all high school history collections.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

School Library Journal

2016-12-26
A wide-ranging exploration of World War I and how it changed the United States forever. Students who know anything about history tend to know other wars better—the Civil War, World War II, Vietnam. But it was World War I that changed America and ushered in a new role for the United States as a world political and economic leader. Two million Americans were sent to the war, and in the 19 months of involvement in Europe, 53,000 Americans were killed in battle, part of the staggering total death toll of 10 million, a war of such magnitude that it transformed the governments and economies of every major participant. Osborne's straightforward text is a clear account of the war itself and various related topics—African-American soldiers, the Woman's Peace Party, the use of airplanes as weapons for the first time, trench warfare, and the sinking of the Lusitania. Many archival photographs complement the text, as does a map of Europe (though some countries are lost in the gutter). A thorough bibliography includes several works for young readers. A study of World War I offers a context for discussing world events today, so this volume is a good bet for libraries and classrooms—a well-written treatment that can replace dry textbook accounts. A slim volume big on historical information and insight. (timeline, source notes, credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews