US Entry into WWI

Think. Pair. Share What is “neutrality”? What does it mean to be neutral in a time of war?

Background: President during WWI: 1914-1918 Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920) Review: Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Turkey Allied Powers: Britain, France, and Russia

Woodrow Wilson Academic- history professor and governor of Princeton Won the 1912 election with 42% of the popular vote

1912 Election Foreign policy was not a major concern Major issues: domestic policy

Monroe Doctrine Introduced by President James Monroe in his State of the Union Address on December 2, 1823. Became America’s official foreign policy for decades The US wanted to make sure that no European powers would come in the place of Spain and Portugal

This meant that the US was emerging as a power This meant that the US was emerging as a power... As the only big power in the Western Hemisphere

Terms of the Monroe Doctrine For Europe: Any further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention For the US: The U.S. would neither interfere with existing European colonies nor meddle in the internal concerns of European countries.

Policy of Neutrality But……….. What did this all mean for WWI? Policy of Neutrality But………..

War Events British blockade causes starvation in Germany Germany responds with U-Boats (Unterseeboot) A GERMAN Submarine Wilson outraged by sinking of U.S. ships In early 1915, U-Boats sank 90 ships, many non-military Lusitania a ship sank (May)—124 Americans died, 1200 total casualties Wilson convinces Germany to stop unrestricted submarine warfare-1915

Sinking of the Ship Lusitania May 7, 1915 – 1,200 people died

Woodrow Wilson Won the 1916 presidential election with the slogan “He kept us out of war”

Until…. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Continues in 1917 US Remains Neutral Until…. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Continues in 1917

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare No limits or restrictions Submarine= Underwater boats which could fire torpedoes Warfare= War…fighting Your definition?

German Submarine Built in 1917

From the German foreign Minister Zimmerman to the German Minister in Zimmerman Note January1917 From the German foreign Minister Zimmerman to the German Minister in Mexico, Von Eckhardt.

Zimmerman Note January 1917 Decoded

The Zimmerman Telegram-1917 Intercepted by British agents, from Germany (Arthur Zimmermann) to Mexico Encouraged Mexico to attack U.S. in return for New Mexico, Texas and Arizona One of final straws for Wilson Germany restarts unrestricted Submarine warfare Feb 1917 April 1917, Wilson asks Congress for war with Germany “to make the world safe for democracy” 50,000 American troops sent by 1917

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February 22, 1917 To: von Eckhardt Mexico City British crack top secret code. U.S. press may leak German plot with Mexico. Prepare to leave embassy on short notice. -Bernstorff Washington, D.C

Critical Paragraph: Why did the US enter WWI? On the back… Revise Hypothesis 2 to create your thesis statement for this critical paragraph.  This critical paragraph must include: at least 2 pieces of evidence with interpretation and commentary to back up your thesis statement. a concluding sentence that discusses the importance of the entrance of the US into WWI.