Former President Theodore Roosevelt and others watch an Induction Parade in 1917 as volunteers march to an Army recruiting office in New York City.

The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 awoke many Americans to the realization that the country might be dragged into the war in Europe. “Preparedness” advocates, such as Roosevelt, called on President Wilson and Congress to immediately initiate universal military training. The idea was criticized as "Prussian to the core" and a violation of the country’s tradition of volunteerism. However, in the summer of 1915 the War Department opened a “Preparedness” training camp at Plattsburgh, NY where Regular Army officers trained the sons of well-to-do businessmen – at the expense of the trainees.

In this footage, some of these trainees march off to military service after war was declared.