In our first year of war : messages and addresses to the Congress and the people, March 5, 1917, to January 8, 1918

In this volume the nation's leader addresses the country during the first twelve months after America entered the global conflict of 1917. Beginning with the solemn second inaugural address, the book gathers each message sent to Congress, to the American people, and to specific groups such as labor unions, business leaders, and the armed forces. Readers will hear the President explain why the United States was drawn into war, outline the moral purpose of the effort, and describe the new responsibilities that ordinary citizens were asked to shoulder.

The collection also includes practical wartime directives—proclamations on conscription, calls for conservation, price‑fixing measures, and appeals to industry and railroads—showing how policy was translated into daily life. Brief but powerful statements to foreign powers, the Pope, and to the Russian people reveal the diplomatic dimension of the conflict. Together, these speeches offer a clear snapshot of how a nation rallied its ideals and resources during a pivotal moment in history.