Anglo-American relations underwent a profound transformation during World War I, marking the beginning of Britain's global decline and the simultaneous rise of the United States as a dominant world power.

This shift, observed as early as 1916, saw Britain, facing a severe financial and material crisis, become increasingly dependent on its former colony.

Initial American Neutrality and Woodrow Wilson's Stance

At the outbreak of war in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson vigorously urged the United States to maintain neutrality, advocating for impartiality in thought as well as deed. Wilson believed America's destiny lay in remaining aloof from the Old World, which he characterised by constant warfare and conflict.

He envisioned the United States as an idealistic nation, a beacon of hope, peace, and trade, that should not become embroiled in the European conflicts many Americans had fled to escape. This commitment to the New World contrasted sharply with his perception of the "old world".

Wilson was a principled and idealistic man, perhaps intellectual and academic rather than personable, whose dreams for peace were ultimately frustrated by a "belligerent and hostile Old Europe". He was shown as being unwilling to join World War I until he was absolutely forced to do so by various clandestine business interests and old aristocrats.

Public sentiment in America, particularly by the summer of 1916, aligned with Wilson's reluctance for involvement. The feature film "Civilization," released in 1916, served as effective anti-war propaganda, depicting European kingdoms locked in insane combat for Imperial gain and pleading for the slaughter to stop.

Wilson himself expressed a clear impatience with Great Britain during this period. In November 1916, Wilson sought to use America's economic strength to force a conclusion to the war, warning American banks against issuing any further loans to Britain.

Divisions within American Society

America's diverse population presented a significant challenge to joining the conflict. A very large German population and an equally large Irish population were openly hostile to the English and showed little desire to join a war to assist Britain.

Many Germans in America were first or second generation, and Wilson's request for them to enlist and fight Germans on behalf of Britain was considered a significant imposition. One in ten Americans at the time owed family allegiance to Germany and its allies, and many felt proud of early German victories.

Similarly, the numerous first-generation Irish immigrants, deeply committed to Irish Independence, sided with German speakers in opposing support for Britain.

Their patriotic societies were actively involved in raising funds for a planned revolution in Ireland, and young men would drill in preparation for a return to Ireland to participate in such a movement. Wilson himself acknowledged these internal tensions, explaining that neutrality was essential to prevent America's "mixed populations" from "waging war on each other".

Pro-British Influence and Financial Intervention

Despite widespread neutrality and internal divisions, Britain maintained significant allies within America. Many of the wealthiest and most powerful Americans, particularly those on the East Coast, were proud of their Anglo-Saxon origins and had adopted the lifestyle of the British upper class. This influential group included leading bankers and industrialists, who owned mines, steel mills, and power stations.

J P Morgan, a prominent Wall Street banker and friend of Britain's trade minister W.G. Runciman, played a crucial role in securing America's financial and material support for Britain. Morgan assisted Britain in overcoming its difficulties, notably by facilitating the purchase of vital war materials such as electrolytic copper, of which America was the world's sole source.

Morgan employed between 20 and 30 different agents to disguise the British government as the buyer, successfully acquiring over three-quarters of the total available supply without revealing the true client.

He eventually became Britain's official purchasing agent. Simultaneously, a substantial propaganda campaign was launched in America to persuade both Wilson and the broader public of the necessity of American involvement.

Cultural Perceptions and Differences during Wartime

The documentary "An Ocean Apart" highlighted the significant cultural differences and mutual foreignness between Americans and Britons during this period, directly challenging the notion of them being "one people" as suggested by Winston Churchill in his "History of the English-Speaking Peoples".

When American soldiers arrived in Britain, they were perceived as having more money, and their mannerisms were described as dashing, leading to considerable attraction among young British women. From the American perspective, soldiers arriving in England were overcome by the beauty and grandeur of the English cities, the great Cathedrals, history and the beauty of the countryside, which perfectly aligned with their preconceived image of the British Empire.

However, the differences were pronounced. British children, for example, had been educated on "Empire Day" songs about India, South Africa, and Canada, and viewed America as "something wasn't Canada," "a different world," and "not of us".

One British observer found American soldiers' attempts at playing "grownup rounders" (baseball) perplexing, noting the "Indian club" used instead of a bat and the ball "whizzing" rather than bouncing, concluding, "we didn't really think much of them as being part of ourselves".

Wilson's Post-War Vision and its Deterioration

Following the war, Woodrow Wilson's vision for a lasting peace, encapsulated in his Fourteen Points and the concept of "peace without victory," inspired considerable hope and utopianism among young Europeans.

They regarded Wilson as a moral leader who would heal the World, believing the bad old ways of the old world would be put to rest, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity under a new way of being. Wilson received a huge public welcome upon his arrival in Paris for the peace negotiations.

However, the peace process, which lasted for several months (six to eight months), proved arduous. The belligerence of the European powers, particularly France's Georges Clemenceau and Britain's David Lloyd George, wore Wilson down, frustrating his idealistic dreams.

The resulting peace terms, specifically the Treaty of Versailles, were seen as having "no justification in our war aims," based instead on revenge, distrust of our allies, and a "determination for swag," rather than brotherly love or international peace. This protracted and contentious process reportedly led to Wilson experiencing mental health problems, stress, contracting the flu, and suffering a stroke, which alienated those around him. Wilson is ultimately a tragic and flawed figure who, despite his personal struggles, was earnestly trying to do the right thing.

Shift in Global Power Dynamics: From Wartime Dependence to Post-War Domination

The dependence established during World War I fundamentally altered the Anglo-American power dynamic. A secret British report in November 1916 issued an ominous warning, stating that Britain "must start borrowing massively in America or face collapse".

This report informed King George V that the British Empire, then the greatest the world had ever seen, covering a fifth of the globe, was now dependent on a former colony, the United States, for its survival. This moment marked the start of Britain's Decline and of America's rise to assume Britain's role in the world, as America was now in a position to dictate to Britain.

This shift continued and intensified in the post-war period of the 1920s. Herbert Hoover, then Secretary of Commerce, was selected as a key figure in this process, embodying America's strategic vision to inherit the British Empire's trade network through "stealthy commercial tactics". Hoover believed that America had a moral duty to reform the old world through trade, hoping that economic cooperation would prevent future wars. To this end, America sought to prize open the door into powerful markets, especially Britain and its Empire.

American economic strategies included:

• Circumventing Tariffs: The British Empire imposed a 33% tariff on incoming goods. American companies, such as Henry Ford's car plant in Dagenham, avoided these tariffs by establishing factories directly within Britain. This strategy also involved buying up existing British factories, sometimes using British individuals as "fronts" to disguise American ownership.
• Control over Raw Materials: America aimed to reduce its reliance on the British Empire for raw materials. Firestone, a prominent tire manufacturer, established a massive rubber plantation in Liberia, a move supported by Herbert Hoover, to circumvent British dominance over raw material supply. This initiative, described as "shadow Colonialism," involved significant pressure on the Liberian government, notably overriding competing plans for a black nationalist settlement by Marcus Garvey.
• Acquisition of British Industries: Throughout the 1920s, American companies systematically acquired British interests in raw materials worldwide, including tin, copper, manganese, and nitrate. General Electric of America acquired over half of a major British electrical company, while another, AEI, was revealed to be wholly American-owned. American entities also purchased Britain's power stations, with warnings issued that profits were being siphoned back to the United States.
• Industrial Rationalisation: American-controlled factories increasingly implemented automation, leading to a more rationalised and mechanised capitalist society that viewed human beings through a "rational calculation model".

Beyond industrial acquisition, American influence extended into cultural spheres:

• Cinema as Covert Advertising: Hoover believed American films would serve as covert adverts, selling American goods by showcasing products and lifestyles on the big screen, thereby encouraging British audiences to dream American dreams and desire American products.
• The "American Look" in Cosmetics: In 1927, Max Factor opened his first shop in London, introducing "the American look" in film star makeup, which revolutionised cosmetics in Britain. This approach, heavily advertised as Cosmetics of the Stars, was seen as a deliberate strategy to win over British women and, by extension, society.
• "Quota Quickies": To counter the dominance of American films, the British Parliament introduced a film act requiring a quota of all films shown in Britain to be British-made. American filmmakers responded by setting up British studios to produce low-quality, cheaply made "quota quickies." These films, made on minimal budgets and often shown to empty cinemas, intentionally crowded out screen time, thereby making American-produced films appear superior by comparison.
• Inflow of American Culture: American jazz music and fashion trends also contributed to a significant influx of American cultural influence into Britain.

This pervasive Americanisation and economic takeover prompted concern among some British press and Members of Parliament, who perceived it as an excessive American encroachment.

A best-selling book of the era, "America Conquers Britain," concluded: "We were Britain's Colony once; she will be our Colony before she's done. Not in name, but in fact. But we shan't make Britain's mistake, too wise to govern the world, we shall merely own it. Nothing can stop us".

This sentiment captured the complete inversion of the Anglo-American relationship that began during World War I and solidified in the subsequent decade.