Today in History: U.S. Enters World War I
Today in History–April 6–the Library of Congress features the United States entrance into World War I on this day in 1917 by declaring war on Germany. Learn more about the difficult decision to enter the war and how it transformed the nation by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access 1917 newspaper articles plus thousands more World War I primary source collections & teaching resources.
1917 historical newspaper coverage: U.S. war
More historical newspaper coverage
Key Events
- “Heir to the Austrian Throne Assassinated,” New-York Tribune (New York [N.Y.]), June 29, 1914
- More about the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand timeline & select newspaper articles 1914-1918
- “Liner Lusitania Sunk by a German Submarine,” Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia [Pa.]), May 07, 1915
- “U.S. Officially at War,” The Daily Missourian (Columbia, Mo.), April 06, 1917
- “Germany Has Surrendered; World War Ended at 6 A.M.,” New-York Tribune (New York [N.Y.]), November 11, 1918
- “War Officially Ends,” The Washington Times (Washington [D.C.]), June 28, 1919
- “New “Berlin Decree” Declares Waters Around British Isles War Zone On and After Feb. 18,” New York Tribune (New York, NY), February 5, 1915, Page 1, Image 1, col. 7.
- “America Faces Gravest Peril of War as Result of Germany’s Blockade,” The Washington Times (Washington, DC), February 5, 1915, Home Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
- “Germany Warns Against Travel in Allies’ Ships,” New York Tribune (New York, NY), May 1, 1915, Page 3, Image 3, col. 1.
- “Bernstorff Warns U.S. Citizens Not to Travel on Ships of the Allies,” The Washington Times (Washington, DC), May 1, 1915, Home Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
- “Sink Lusitania,” The Tacoma Times (Tacoma, WA), May 7, 1915, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “Liner Lusitania Sunk by German Submarine,” The Washington Times (Washington, DC), May 7, 1915, 2d Extra, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “1,300 Die as Lusitania Goes to Bottom,” New York Tribune (New York, NY), May 8, 1915, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “Germany Glad Ship Sunk; 1200 Die,” El Paso Herald (El Paso, TX), May 8, 1915, Home Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “Lusitania Death Toll 1346; 132 American Passengers Lost,” Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), May 8, 1915, Night Extra, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “Will Prove Lusitania Unarmed,” El Paso Herald (El Paso, TX), June 15, 1915, Home Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 4.
- “The Official Finding in the Lusitania Case,” The Day Book (Chicago, IL), July 17, 1915, Noon Edition, Page 29, Image 1, col. 1.
- “British Officially Find Submarines Sank Lusitania,” Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), July 17, 1915, Night Extra, Page 4, Image 4, col. 5.
- “Toll of Lusitania Victims Laid to German Murder Lust,” Washington Herald (Washington, DC), July 18, 1915, Page 9, Image 9, col. 2.
- “First Picture of Destructive British ‘Tank’ War Car,” Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), Sept. 19, 1916, Image 1, Page 1 , cols. 2-1.
- “To the Rescue in a Land Cruiser,” The Ogden Standard (Ogden City, UT), October 21, 1918, 4 P.M. Edition, Page 19, Image 19, col. 6.
- “Seven French Tanks in Action,” New-York Tribune (New York, NY) , July 8, 1917, Page 43, Image 43, col. 1.
- “Tanks Rate First Among New Weapons for War,” The Washington Times (Washington, D.C.), August 12, 1917, Page 4, Image 4, col. 1-6.
- “Peaceful Tractor Evolves Into Tank,” The Evening Missourian (Columbia, MO), March 30, 1918, Page 3, Image 3, col. 3-4.
- “German Tanks Have Land Cruisers Which Carry Flame Throwers,” Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), April 2, 1918, Postscript Edition, Page 7, Image 7, col. 2-3.
- “U.S. Tanks To Worry Germans,” El Paso Herald (El Paso, TX), July 19, 1918, Home Edition, Page 3, Image 3, col. 3.
- “The Tank Road to Victory Opened,” New-York Tribune (New York, NY), August 18, 1918, Page 8, Image 26, col. 1-4.
- “Learning to Treat ‘em Rough,” New-York Tribune (New York, NY), August 25, 1918, Page 8, Image 2, col. 1-8.
- “Tanks in Lead in First U.S. Drive on Foe,” New-York Tribune (New York, NY), September 14, 1918, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
- “The World’s Most Powerful Battleship Launched,” The Pensacola Journal, 11 February 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
- “England’s Monster Battle-Ship Compared With Our Giant Connecticut,” The Evening World, 22 February 1906, Final Results Edition, Page 3, Image 3, col. 2.
- “Admiral Dewey Pleads For Giant Battleship,” The Pensacola Journal, 21 March 1906, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
- “The World’s most Powerful Battleship,” The San Francisco Call, 8 April 1906, Page 5, Image 5, col. 1.
- “Think America Got Dreadnought Plans,” The Washington Times, 2 May 1906, Last Edition, Page 9, Image 9, col. 3.
- “Germany’s Battleships,” New-York Tribune, 13 August 1906, Page 4, Image 4, col. 2.
- “Keeping Our Navy Up to Date,” Deseret Evening News, 15 September 1906, Last Edition, Part Two, Page 32, Image 32come col. 1.
- “Limiting Naval Expantion,” The Washington Times, 21 October 1906, Page 6, Image 7come col. 2.
- “Japan’s Big Ship Afloat,” New-York Tribune, 16 November 1906, Page 3, Image 3, col. 2.
- “Germany’s New Naval Monster,” The Salt Lake Herald, 8 March 1908, News Section, Page 2, Image 2, col. 1.
- “Our New Battleship,” New-York Tribune, 12 July 1908, Page 3, Image 3 col. 4.
- “Germany’s Navy Scares Britain,” New-York Tribune, 17 March 1909, Page 1, Image 1 col. 3.
- “Half Billion In Ships,” New-York Tribune, 24 April 1910, Page 4, Image 20 col. 1.