Pete Hegseth’s History Howler: What America really did (and didn’t) win

The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, recently claimed that “we won World War One and we won World War Two.”

It’s the sort of statement that makes every historian wince - and every serious student of military history reach for the nearest reference book. Because, of course, America didn’t win the Great War, and it only helped win the Second. The real story is a lot more complicated, and much more interesting.

Who Really Won the First World War?

By the time American troops arrived in France in mid-1917, the war had already been raging for nearly three years. The French, British and Commonwealth forces had fought Germany to a standstill; its resources were exhausted, and the kaiser was secretly seeking peace. The arrival of fresh U.S. troops undoubtedly tipped the balance - but the heavy lifting had been done long before General Pershing set foot on European soil.

President Woodrow Wilson, remember, was re-elected in 1916 on an anti-war platform. America joined only after a wave of German U-boat attacks on merchant ships forced his hand. Pilots like Eddie Rickenbacker flew French and British aircraft because the United States had yet to build its own. As I explored in Touching God, France had begged for American aircraft long before the declaration of war - and got none.

The Volunteers Who Went Anyway

Before the U.S. officially joined the Allies, a group of idealistic young Americans formed the Escadrille Américaine, later known as the Lafayette Squadron. Many had studied at top universities, served briefly in the French Foreign Legion, and risked imprisonment at home by fighting for a cause they believed in. They were among the true pioneers of American air power - and their courage deserves far more attention than Hegseth’s bluster.

World War Two: A Team Victory

In the Second World War, America’s entry and industrial muscle made a decisive difference - but “we won WW2” is still nonsense. Victory was a collective effort involving Britain, the Soviet Union, China, France, and a long list of others who paid a far higher price in lives. The United States was vital, yes, but not solitary in success. History, as always, resists simplicity.

The Real Lesson

That a U.S. Defence Secretary-in-waiting can misrepresent the greatest conflicts of the 20th century should alarm anyone who values truth. History isn’t propaganda. It’s our collective record - and it’s worth getting right.

Enjoyed this piece? Keep an eye out for Touching God, Selwyn Parker’s forthcoming non-fiction account of the real WW1 aces who risked everything before their country even joined the fight.

Read more of my stories in the History Repeats series →

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