(1) OK @TheWFA, I'll bite. There are so many reasons for this it couldn't all be contained in a single chain of tweets. Whole books have been (and continue to be) written about this. I'd suggest checking out Jennifer Keene's Doughboys, the Great War, and the Remaking of America. https://twitter.com/TheWFA/status/1351877386699235329

(2) Here are a few reasons I've encountered working as a professional public #historian with a focus on #WWI #history in the USA. You have mentioned some of the themes in your tweet, but there is some expansion on that.

(3) The #FWW falls at a very awkward place in our historical timeline. The generation before went through the Civil War and Reconstruction and the generation after underwent great depression and fought in #WWII. These events take up more interest than any other, overshadowing WWI

(4) The short duration is an issue. People lose interest when they see how little time the US spent in combat. However, when academically examining the timeline, one will still notice that US casualties on the #WesternFront were higher than those of most #CivilWar campaigns.

(5) In addition #WWI still remains America's 3rd bloodiest war, even though American troops were only heavily engaged from May-November 1918. However these casualties don't end in a clear cut good guy/bad guy ending, which turns many potential parties away from the era.

(6) The Civil War and WWII have clearly defined endings and consequences (Though the former is up for A LOT of debate.) For Americans WWI does not, and is a symbol of America becoming entangled in foreign issues that weren't necessarily our problem.

(7) When we look at those people who ARE interested in #WWI in the USA, a majority tend to focus their time and efforts learning about the #British involvement in the war, particularly on the #WesternFront. If Americans get any WWI history in school, it will be via the war poets

(8) This strengthens the interest in battles like the Somme or Ypres over those of the Argonne of Marne. The way in which the UK has popularized their participation through films, books, and other media has a drastic impact in the USA.

(9) Americans on the whole if exposed to WWI are looking at it through the lens of the Tommy, not the Doughboy. Due to the relationship the USA and UK have had since WWII, this has grown as cultures have merged and people have become exposed to one another.

(10) This is in drastic contrast to the events on the ground in 1918. America was a partner, wholly dependant on the French for the ability to wage war. Unlike WWII where you have an Eisenhower overseeing ops, Americans are less interested in hearing we were under French command.

(11) On the above I recommend folks read A Fraternity of Arms by Robert B. Bruce.

(12) If one is to travel to #France or #Flanders, you are immediately bombarded by magnificent and sobering sights of British and French sacrifice in 1914-18. Sites like Ypres or Verdun are relatively easy to get to, and have a tourism industry that can accommodate most visitors.

(13) Interested Americans who in France are likely to visit Normandy. It is a site they will know about and easily accessible from Paris. St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne are different stories. Even with a knowledge of the events the logistics of visiting are very complicated.

(14) Here on the US east coast, you can't throw a baseball without hitting a Civil War or Revolutionary War-related site. Why spend all the money traveling to Europe when you can go into your backyard. Walking these sites can be very motivating and bring people into the field.

(15) However it is almost impossible financially to get large numbers of Americans to the WWI battlefields or museums. We have a single museum dedicated to the War in the US, @TheWWImuseum. It is a fantastic museum everyone should see. (Even non Americans)

(16) Race and the pandemic as you mentioned, does play a part. However, I'd debate that it causes a loss of interest in the era. I'd argue the opposite. With current events playing out, a large number of new faces have begun to discuss the role of both in the US participation.

(17) The African American experience in WWI was dreadful, much it was for a majority of our history. It is something as a nation we're still working on correcting. However, some of the strongest public and academic historical works on the USA in WWI deal with this.

(18) I'd argue that if you poll Americans with a passing knowledge of WWI, more would know who the Harlem Hellfighters are than the Lost Battalion. The growing field of African American history and gender history in the WWI era is a place where the US shines.

(19) Another issue faced by WWI history in the US, as well as all history is a general lack of funding for the humanities. You have amazing organizations helping to develop an interest in WWI however, including @NationalHistory @Gilder_Lehrman @AHAhistorians @usabmc @TheWWImuseum

(20) As American continues to battle the demons of it's past WWI may pop up more and more. Wilson wasn't the greatest person, and he is undergoing historical revision, as is Pershing. 2020 was probably the year more Americans thought of WWI in decades.

(21) We've got a very long way to go, however before this happens a general reflection on support for the history field and ways to bring WWI history to everyone's doorstep need to be developed. The interest is there, we just need to gather and push it.

(22) And since today is a big day in #AmericanHistory here are some American #Historians and projects of #WWI/ #FWW you should follow: @iaisherwood @LoraVogt @MichaelNeiberg @PJFXMooney @jackpeirs @jdbratten @Erikhistorian @xv40rds @cmhexecdir @drlibbyhistory @HistorianDavid