World War I and the United States

Beginning in 1914 Europe was at war, the Central Powers against the Allies.

With the outbreak of war, President Woodrow Wilson advocated non-intervention and neutrality. America did not want to get involved.

Why Neutrality? 1. Monroe Doctrine and U.S. involvement in Europe 2. Economic interest in trading with all European nations. 3. Possible split in American loyalty. - Most were sympathetic to Britain. - Large German immigrant population. 4. The U.S. wasn’t ready.

Despite his early position, on April 2, 1917 Wilson addressed Congress and asked for a formal declaration of war against the Central Powers. What made him change his mind?

As war broke out, U.S. businesses hoped to work and trade with both sides. As orders for weapons and supplies poured in from Europe, the American economy took off.

As such, ships filled with American goods, and American workers were sailing across the Atlantic toward Europe.

However, Britain set up a blockade preventing U. S However, Britain set up a blockade preventing U.S. supplies getting to Germany. Why is this a problem?

In response to the British blockade, German U-Boats began to attack ships on the Atlantic carrying U.S. supplies to Britain.

American companies and British merchants began to load military supplies onto passenger ships believing the Germans would not attack ships full of innocent people.

On May 7, 1915 the British passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by U-boats. 1,198 people were killed including 128 Americans.

Americans were outraged and began to talk about war with Germany Americans were outraged and began to talk about war with Germany. President Wilson demanded that Germany stop targeting passenger ships.

Germany responded in August, 1915 when they sunk the British ship Arabic. Two Americans were killed this time.

How did Wilson respond? He once again demanded that Germany stop blowing up passenger ships. This time, however, he began to suggest that if Germany did not comply, the U.S. might be forced into action.

But, in March 1916, what happened? Germany agreed to stop blowing up unarmed passenger ships without first giving those ships a warning. But, in March 1916, what happened?

German U-boats torpedoed the Sussex, a French passenger ship.

Following the attack on the Sussex, Wilson had had enough Following the attack on the Sussex, Wilson had had enough. If Germany did not stop attacking ships, the U.S. would break of all relations with Germany, the first step towards war.

How did Germany respond? Sussex Pledge: - Germany would stop blowing up passenger and merchant ships without first giving those ships a warning. - But, Germany expected to U.S. to convince Britain to end the blockade of German ports.

Wilson promptly accepted Germany’s pledge Wilson promptly accepted Germany’s pledge. But, what was his problem in doing so?

The U.S. had no way of convincing the British to lower their blockade of German ports. As a result, the blockade remained in effect.

By January, 1917 Germany had figured this out; the British blockade wasn’t going away.

Germany thus declared “unrestricted submarine warfare.”

Germany promised to blow up any ship it found in British waters regardless of where it sailed from or what it was carrying.

Wilson was shocked. He still hoped to keep the U. S Wilson was shocked. He still hoped to keep the U.S. out of the conflict. However, he knew that if Germany did in fact blow up a U.S. ship, he would have to choice but to demand war.

In this growing atmosphere of tension between the U. S In this growing atmosphere of tension between the U.S. and Germany, British intelligence intercepted \a telegram between the German foreign minister Arthur Zimmerman and the German ambassador to Mexico.

This telegram became known as the Zimmerman Note.

Germany suggested Germany would help Mexico invade the United States Germany suggested Germany would help Mexico invade the United States. When Mexico and Germany won the war, Mexico would get back land it had lost to American in the 1840’s.

Why did Germany do this?

Mexico rejected the German offer realizing that war with the United States would be suicide. Germany could offer no real military support.

The American public was outraged The American public was outraged. Not only had Germany killed American civilians on the high seas, but now Germany dared to threaten the United States itself.

As a result of: - the British Blockade - U-Boats - Unrestricted submarine warfare - Zimmerman Note President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Congress agreed and the U.S. officially entered WWI on April 6, 1917.

Once the U.S. was at war, the government began to use propaganda to encourage Americans to get involved. The first goal was to get Americans to give $ to fund the war effort by buying bonds.

If Americans couldn’t or wouldn’t buy bonds, there were still other things they could do to support the war effort.

The government also used propaganda to encourage men to enlist in the army.

Fin.