April 8, 2017: Delaware County Council To Issue a Proclamation

The American Entry into World War One came about on April 6, 1917, after two and a half years of efforts by President Woodrow Wilson to keep the United States neutral during the war. At first and for the most part public opinion went along with neutrality, even though even before World War I broke out American opinion toward Germany was already more negative than it was toward any other country in Europe.The citizenry increasingly came to see the German Empire as the villain after news

JONATHAN: You want the freedom of the seas?
Guess that's just what I am wanting.

of atrocities in Belgium in 1914, and the sinking of the passenger liner RMS Lusitania in May 1915. Wilson made all the key decisions and kept the economy on a peacetime basis, while allowing banks to make large-scale loans to Britain and France. To preclude making any military threat President Wilson made only minimal preparations for war and kept the United States Army on its small peacetime basis.

In early 1917, Germany decided to resume all-out submarine warfare on every commercial ship headed toward Britain, realizing that this decision would almost certainly mean war with the United States. Germany also offered to help Mexico regain territories lost in the Mexican–American War. Publication of that offer outraged Americans just as German U-boats started sinking American ships in the North Atlantic. Wilson asked Congress for “a war to end all wars” that would “make the world safe for democracy,” and Congress voted to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

On Saturday, April 8, 2017, Delaware County Council will issue a proclamation remembering those lost in World War One, and those who served throughout Delaware County in many capacities including members of the Armed Forces, doctors, nurses, families at home and others who assisted the effort during the conflict.

Constructed in 1927, the Lansdowne Theater was designed in popular
Moorish style to accommodate 1358 seats.The theater was closed in the 1980s
but the building was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1987.
The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation purchased the building
in 2007 using a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and
Economic Development. Efforts have continued since then to restore the theater
and use it as a catalyst tor evitalize the Landowne Business District,

Following the ceremony, the World War 1 film series, "Memories of the Great War" at Vinyl Revival, with a WW1 themed reception at the venue adjacent to Historic Lansdowne Theater.

Please mark this website for updates to the events and programs planned throughout 2017 and 2018.