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by Richard Welch (Author)
At the outbreak of World War I, the Gold Coast of Long Island was home to the most concentrated combination of financial, political and social clout in the country. Bankers, movie producers, society glitterati, government officials and an ex-president mobilized to arrange massive loans, send supplies and advocate for the Allied cause. The efforts undercut the Wilson administration's official policy of neutrality and set the country on a course to war with Germany. Members of the activist families--including Morgans, Davisons, Phippses, Martins, Hitchcocks, Stimsons and Roosevelts--served in key positions or fought at the front. Historian Richard F. Welch reveals how a potent combination of ethno-sociological solidarity, clear-eyed geopolitical calculation and financial self-interest inspired the North Shore elite to pressure the nation into war.
Author Biography
A Long Island native, Richard F. Welch received his doctorate in American history from Stony Brook University. He taught U.S. History, Western Civilization, Irish History and American Military History at Long Island University and Farmingdale State College. Dr. Welch's work has appeared in the Long Island Historical Journal, Journal of the American Revolution, America's Civil War, Civil War Times, Military History, American History and the New York Times. He is also the author of six books, including The Boy General: The Life and Careers of Francis Channing Barlow; General Washington's Commando: Benjamin Tallmadge in the American Revolution; and Long Island and World War I. He also serves on the board of directors of the Suffolk County Historical Society. He resides in Northport, Long Island, New York.
