American History marches on into World War I.

The Dark Days of Great War
by Michael Doyle

Like a thunderstorm in the darkest night
The Great War descended in Europe's sight
Suddenly, it seemed that August night
All of its entanglements were descending as a blight

Using its disproportionate weapons of destruction
It became an annihilation of civilization's compunction
This mysterious war meant to end all future war
Yet became one that uncannily left all with a losing score

There was in Europe a sense of instability 
That grew to the forefront with Germany's unity
This brought Germany into being a great power
At the same time as Europe's imperial hour

Two alliance blocs formed through dalliance
In shifting patterns of grand alliances
Triple Entente versus Triple Alliance was not planned
But once formed, the danger was easy too understand

Observing the tumble of Europe, Wilson urged neutrality
Impartial in thought at and action, as through our history
America was felt needed to keep out of this confrontation
Total was being fought between populations in mass destruction

Machine guns, gas, aerial bombing and tanks
The new weapons took deadly toll without thanks
Trench warfare as at Verdun took a million casualties
With nerve agents that took many a man's faculties

The wounds, maiming; shattered lives impossible to comprehend
It's small wonder that America did not want these ends
So extremely nebulous and difficult to understand
Yet freedom of the seas would cost American lives on land

Not withstanding America's wants and place of pride
The Germans understood that we would have to take sides
Germany unleashed its submarines to be chip, chip, chipping
Away and sinking the trade through American shipping

Still even the sinking of the Lusitania could not drag us to war
The winds, however, were not beneath Wilson's sails any more
Wilson appealed for a justly brokered peace and world security
Democratic government through consent to build world community

Eventually coming into the war with a school master attitude
After further sinking, making the world safer with latitude
Acting without animus nor in any strong sense of enmity
Armed opposition was come to on behalf of all of humanity

The Wars Industry Board brought America's consolidation
With production goals efficiently setting full coordination
Progressive ideals and propaganda set out to over sell
The public on the will for our nation's need to prevail

Paths of Liberty Bonds and wholescale conservation
Set the wartime efforts for and across our nation
Hatred of the enemy was driven by the will of the government
And Wilson like Adams would not broker any disloyal dissent

There has always been a struggle between civil liberty
And the nation's great need for its robust security
Progressives sought less competition and top down organization
It more needed after Bolsheviks took the Russian nation

Through the interjection of American help and energy
The Allies regained hopeful morale and resurgency
Pershing's Expeditionary Force came in association
Memory of the Dough Boys brought Veteran's Day commemoration

There is little less staggering than the death toll
117,000 men answer the bugle call in this roll
The losses suffered are almost incomprehensible
Such some of the worse of which man is capable

(c) April 4, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved