1. American Neutrality

2. Thinking about the notes from yesterday, what does this cartoon mean?

3. Why no war for the U.S.? Europe 3,000 miles away Did not threaten American lives Did not threaten American property Did not appear to be a national concern Public opinion divided

4. Opposition to War Many still had ties to nations like German From countries that had grudges against nations like Britain Socialists thought it was imperialist competition Pacifists thought war was evil Didn’t want children to experience horrors of war

5. Dead soldier WWI

6. Sympathy for Allies Felt close ties to Britain-common language, common ancestry, common literature, similar democratic institutions and legal systems German aggression turned off Americans Louvain, Belgium Economic ties stronger with Allies

7. Louvain Belgium

8. British Blockade Britain began to use its naval strength Nothing got in or out of Germany Mined North Sea

9. Results of Blockade American goods rarely made it to Germany Germany began running out of food 750,000 Germans starved to death due to blockade

10. German U-Boat Response Germans blockade Britain with U-Boats as a response Would sink anything headed for Britain May not be possible to warn crews before attack

11. German U-Boat Response German blockade kills about 75,000 people –Far more visible British let no news of German starvation out of Europe –No one knows Germans are starving to death –America judges Germany more harshly

12. Lusitania British Cruise Ship Sunk by German U- Boat May 7, 1915 1,198 people killed 128 Americans killed

13. Little Known Lusitania Facts It was carrying American weapons to Britain AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEUTRAL! Germans warned Americans not to get on that ship

16. 1916 Election President Wilson up for re-election Campaign slogan- “He kept us out of war” Wins gets us into the war in 1918

17. Neutrality collapses Wilson calls for “Peace without victory” in 1917 Germany feels close to victory Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare

18. Neutrality Collapses Zimmerman note discovered Germany to Mexico Germany would help Mexico recover Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico

19. Neutrality Collapses Germany then sinks four unarmed American merchant ships Russia drops out of war –Only non-democratic nation in allies Wilson could now say U.S. needs to join war to make world “safe for democracy” Wilson asks for war April 2, 1917 Congress declares war