How Did The Us Enter Ww1

The United States entered World War I because of German submarine warfare against merchant ships trading with Britain and France, which led to the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in which 128 American lives were lost. [3] The US had also intercepted the Zimmerman Telegram which had been sent between Germany and Mexico, urging Mexico to declare war against the United States. [4]

On April 2, 1917 the United States entered WWI declaring war against Germany and its allies. The deciding factor for the U.S. to enter the war is due to one document, the Zimmerman Telegram. The document was sole proof to many Americans that Germany’s intentions were not only causing harm on European soil but bringing it across the seas to American soil. It stated that Germany had no intentions on slowing down its submarine warfare to which they hoped to keep the Americans neutral, but if they failed in doing so they offered an alliance among themselves and Mexico. The understanding was that Mexico would declare war on the United States and help the Germans and in return they would receive their land they had lost to America in years past,

By the time President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany and its allies, the World War I had already been raging for four years (Doenecke, 2010, p. 1). Prior to this declaration of war, America had tried to remain neutral, while Germany, Autria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria waged war against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Rumania, and Japan. Many of these belligerents joined the war at various times during this four year period, so the war continued to expand during this four year period. Wilson and a significant percentage (49%) of the American public had wanted to stay out of this conflict as possible when it first started (Doenecke, 2010, p. 20), but a series of events forced America's hand.

I believe the two most important factors leading up to this were the United States’ economic interests favoring Great Britain and Wilson’s insatiable need to have a voice at the peace talks in Europe. The United States had just invested too much in Britain winning that it couldn’t risk losing its investment if Britain lost the war. They had to enter to insure the victory and to insure that their money would not be lost. Also, the most important reason why the United States entered World War I was that Wilson wanted to be a part of the peace talks and he couldn’t achieve that goal unless he entered the war. This fact was made clear after years of trying to facilitate peace with no avail. Also, the American public added much pressure when the Germans started their unrestricted submarine. Woodrow Wilson forever changed the face of history and U.S. foreign policy. Without his decision to go into World War I, the U.S. may never have gotten involved in World War II and we may very well all might be speaking German today. Wilson’s ego and lust for peace might have saved

America had no intention of entering WWI as President Woodrow Wilson had declared their policy of neutrality in 1914 after the continent of Europe had erupted in conflict. President Wilson aimed to deal with all participants in the war in a fair way that did not show signs of allegiance to either side as he tried to help find a way towards peaceful resolution. Happenings in Europe soon changed Wilson’s view of neutrality. Many American lives had been lost at sea after the sinking of the Lusitania and other ships due to Germany’s unrestricted submarine attacks. Germany refused to alter their methods which forced Wilson to ask Congress for a declaration of war in 1917.

The American decision to declare war on Germany was influenced by several factors of varying degrees. To a great extent, the aggressive German naval policy contributed to the involvement of the United States in World War I. A secondary influence on this decision derived from U.S. economic interests abroad and on the homefront. Another influence leading to America’s entrance into war was the use of Allied propaganda. Therefore, the combination of German naval policy, American economic interests, and allied propaganda influenced to the American decision

To start of the Great War from the U.S. positive perspective, in this statement it says the U.S. joined the battle “When a Germany U-boat sank the British liner on May 7, 1915, killing 1,198, including 128 Americans, President Wilson sent a strong note to berlin. The May 13 warning, Document 1, demands that Germany disavow submarine warfare and respect the rights of Americans to sail on high seas. In January 1917, Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare, and Wilson broke diplomatic relations with Berlin…” (Merrill, Dennis, and Thomas G. Paterson pg. 29). So basically Germany didn’t want to listen or negotiate with Wilson’s offering to arbitrate the dispute. Wilson told congress by stating “The world must be made safe for democracy (Merrill, Dennis, and Thomas G. Paterson pg. 49).” President Wilson had no options but to join the war when Mexico

World War I began in 1914 but America remained neutral until its entrance into the war in 1917. The U-boats sinking of the British liner Lusitania in 1915, the sinking of five American ships in 1917, and the “Zimmerman telegram” sent from Germany to Mexico led up to America’s declaration of war. America’s involvement in World War I not only impacted the war front but also the home front.

The United States had to go through some events, before entering the world war with Germany. The United States had entered the war because Germany attacked american ships, the Zimmerman note was sent to the Americans threatening the U.S. president. There was also an unrestricted submarine warfare, the selling of weapons, lending money to allies, and wanting to make the world safe for democracy. World War 1 passed through many events in order to start the war.

This would be considered as a justified motive to enter WWI, so that protection against attacks would be strengthened since the U.S would essentially be a part of the war. Ernest R. May, The World 7 American Isolation, 1914-1917, Harvard University Press, 1956, p. 430, 432-433 stated, “...Other Laconias were certain to sink. Even as Wilson sat meditating in the White House, five American ships went down…”. This extract from the document, assists that the United States as justified to an extent to enter World War I, because

Under Woodrow Wilson we entered WW1 mainly because of the sinking of Lusitania where 128 American citizens were killed and because of the Zimmermann note. This note says that if Mexico fought against America and central powers won then Mexico would acquire land from the U.S. However there was evidence that indicated that the Lusitania was carrying contraband war goods to the Britain so the cargo of those ships was a violation of American neutrality. Pertaining to the Zimmerman Telegram there is no solid evidence to

The unrestricted submarine warfare was the most important cause of US entry WWI, because it enraged the American public and Woodrow Wilson the most; and when the public calls for war, we go to war. The Zimmerman Telegram was the second most important cause because even though the American public was outraged, Woodrow Wilson disregarded the telegram because it was most likely more propoganda from the British. Economic ties were the third most important because most American bankers were invested in the Allies, and if the Central Powers would’ve won our economy would’ve taken a major hit. The Russian Revolution was the fourth most important because it was more an excuse for Wilson to enter the war due to the fact that it went along with his agenda

By January 1917 representatives from the German navy convinced the military leadership and Kaiser Wilhelm II that a resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare could help defeat Great Britain within five months. German policymakers argued that they could violate the “Sussex pledge” because the United States was not being neutral (Office of the Historian). In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico, offering United States’ territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause (Childress). Accordingly, on January 31, 1917, the German Ambassador, Count Johann von Bernstorff, presented U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing with a note declaring Germany’s intention to restart unrestricted submarine warfare the following day. Stunned by the news, President Wilson went before Congress on February 3 to announce that he had severed diplomatic relations with Germany (Office of the Historian). Throughout February and March 1917, German submarines targeted and sunk several American ships, and many American passengers and seamen died (Office of the Historian). On February 26, Wilson asked Congress for authority to arm American merchant ships with U.S. naval personnel and equipment.

then increased trade with the Allies, Britain and France, which gave them closer ties with the Allies forces. Secondly, the German navy launched a U-boat submarine, which torpedoed the British luxury liner Lusitania and killed 128 Americans in the process. Next, the U.S. intercepted a telegram in which Germany’s foreign secretary sent to the German minister in Mexico City. The telegram was urging Mexico to join the Central Powers in the war, and Germany promised to help Mexico recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in return. This threatened the territorial integrity of the U.S. The final reason for U.S. involvement in the war was when U-boats started attacking American ships without warning. This forced President Wilson to ask for a declaration of war before a special session of Congress.

In World War 1, the United States wanted to stay neutral but that later changed. President Woodrow Wilson of the U.S. wanted to keep America out of the war. However, the U.S. were forced to go into war because of Germany. Germany sunk the Lusitania, that carried american passengers, with a torpedo from their submarine. Therefore, Germany killed 128 american passengers which angered the United States. Woodrow Wilson gave a speech and stated his fourteen points to make peace and to put a stop to WW1.