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The United States Enters World War I: 28 Newspaper Front Pages from 100 Years Ago Today

Posted on 04/06/2017
by

Evening Star DC c.jpg

On April 6, 1917, the United States Congress declared war on the German Empire. Although public opinion had been mixed, on April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson stood before a special joint session to make the case that “armed neutrality…is impracticable.” “The wrongs against which we now array ourselves,” he said, “are no common wrongs; they cut to the very roots of human life.” The Senate passed Wilson’s war resolution 82 to 6; the House voted 373 to 50.

The following front pages—representing more than 20 states and 25 cities—capture the momentous American decision to join the Allies in a “war to end all wars.” Each was published a century ago today and can be found in Early American Newspapers, Series 1 to 13, 1690-1922.

From Alaska

Daily Alaska Dispatch.jpg

 

From Arizona

Tucson Citizen AZ.jpg

 

From California

Riverside Enterprise.jpg

 

San Diego Evening Tribune.jpg

 

San Diego Union CA.jpg

 

From Colorado

Pueblo Chieftan CO.jpg

 

From Florida

Tampa Morning Tribune.jpg

 

From Georgia

Augusta Chronicle GA.jpg

 

From Illinois

Rockford Daily Register Gazette.jpg

 

From Louisiana

Times -Picayune.jpg

 

From Massachusetts

Boston Herald MA.jpg

 

Boston Journal MA.jpg

 

From Michigan

Bay City Times Tribune MI.jpg

 

Grand Rapids Press MI.jpg

 

Jackson Citizen Press MI.jpg

 

Kalamazoo Gazette MI.jpg

 

From Mississippi

Gulfport Daily Herald MS.jpg

 

From Nebraska

Omaha World Herald.jpg

 

From New Jersey

Trenton Evening Times.jpg

 

From New Mexico

Albuquerque Morning Journal NM.jpg

 

From North Carolina

Winston-Salem Journal.jpg

 

From Oklahoma

Tulsa World.jpg

 

From Pennsylvania

The Patriot Harrisburg PA.jpg

 

From South Carolina

Charleston News and Courier SC.jpg

 

From Utah

Salt Lake Telegram.jpg

 

From Virginia

Richmond Times Dispatch VA.jpg

 

From Wyoming

Wyoming Tribune.jpg

 

When the war ended 18 months later, more than 115,000 American soldiers had been killed. Today, a century hence, historian Michael Kazin notes that “most Americans know little about why the United States fought in World War I, or why it mattered.” To gain a deeper understanding of the forces leading to U.S. intervention, and the immediate impact of that decision on American life in small towns and big cities across the country, Early American Newspapers represents a unique and invaluable resource. For more information about this online collection, please contact readexmarketing@readex.com.

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