When war broke out in Europe in 1914, political leaders in the United States were swayed by popular opinion to remain neutral; yet less than three years later, the nation declared war on Germany. InNothing Less Than War: A New History of America's Entry into World War I, Justus D. Doenecke examines the clash of opinions over the war during this transformative period and offers a fresh perspective on America's decision to enter World War I.

Doenecke reappraises the public and private diplomacy of President Woodrow Wilson and his closest advisors and explores in great depth the response of Congress to the war. He also investigates the debates that raged in the popular media and among citizen groups that sprang up across the country as the U.S. economy was threatened by European blockades and as Americans died on ships sunk by German U-boats.

The decision to engage in battle ultimately belonged to Wilson, but as Doenecke demonstrates, Wilson's choice was not made in isolation.Nothing Less Than War provides a comprehensive examination of America's internal political climate and its changing international role during the seminal period of 1914--1917.

Justus D. Doenecke, professor emeritus of history at New College of Florida, is the author of ten books. His book,Storm on the Horizon: The Challenge to American Intervention, 1939--1941, won the 2001 Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Award for the best book on any topic in American history from 1914 to 1964.

Setting the Stage
The Earliest Debates: August 1914-March 1915
In Peril on the Sea: February-August 1915
Toward the Arabic Crisis: January-August 1915
Frustrating Times: August 1915-March 1916
Tensions with Germany and Britain: January-September 1916
Preparedness Debates and the Presidential Election: March-November 1916
To End a Conflict: October 1916-January 1917
The Break with Germany: January-March 1917
And the War Came: March-April 1917