Wilson did not immediately declare war on Germany; he chose to let the bullet fly a little longer.
This was his clever move; when the public and legislators widely supported going to war, he made the decision, making it safer and more agreeable.
His competitor Hughes had only one choice: to follow Wilson and support the war.
At that time, Hughes became an uncreative follower, and to fully utilize every resource, Hughes should have abandoned the election and united with the current President, Wilson.
No matter the choice, Hughes would be in a passive position.
War mobilization began immediately.
Before mobilization, the US Army totaled less than 300,000, the Air Force was particularly weak, with only 150 pilots and a mere 50 fighter planes, which were extremely outdated.
