Why the U.S. Joined WWI

Neutrality

Why the U.S. joined WWI

The U.S. didn’t join a side in the World War I. Woodrow Wilson wanted Americans to be impartial. However, 28 million Americans (30%) wanted to help the Central Powers because of their German and Irish ancestry. Others wanted the U.S. to join the Allies because Great Britain was our mother country. Later known as Isolationism

Reasons:

1. Unrestricted submarine (U-boat) warfare. According to International laws, the Germans were restricted from sinking civilian ships of neutral countries. They were also supposed to give a warning before an attack and ensure passenger safety. Germany sank any ship they deemed as a threat without following the International laws of war, killing many innocent people, including Americans.

Examples: A. March 28, 1915 – British passenger liner, was sunk killing 1 American and 100 others.

B. May 7, 1915- British passenger liner, Lusitania was sunk by a U-boat killing 128 Americans.

C. August 15 –British liner, Arabic was sunk by a U-boat killing 2 Americans.

D. Feb 1, 1915 Germany sank 5 American ships hoping that they could defeat the Allies before U.S. joined the war.

2. Sinking of the Lusitania. May 7, 1915- British passenger liner, Lusitania was sunk by a U-boat killing 128 Americans. Enraged Americans, generating propaganda against Germany calling them “savages drunk with blood”.

3. Zimmermann Note. March 1,1917, Germany sent a telegram from Arthur Zimmermann asking Mexico to attack the U.S. and form an alliance with Germany, in exchange for territories lost, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The U.S. joined WWI on the side of the Allies.

Declaration of War

Summary

4. Revolution in Russia. March 1917. Petrograd workers weren’t able to buy bread, food. Demand for a govt. change. Bolsheviks (Vladimir Lenin) overthrew the govt. and Russia dropped out of the war. Germany could now concentrate the war effort on the western side.

April 4, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson proposes war to Congress. U.S. declares war on the Central Powers and joins the Allies. “The world must be safe for democracy”–

* Groups spied, tapped phones, and opened other’s mail in an effort to identify spies. As a result, German Americans lost their jobs, German books vanished in the library, schools stopped teaching German language, no German concerts. Renamed sauerkraut to Liberty cabbage, dachshund to Liberty pup, and hamburger to Salisbury steak. Forced people to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, kiss the flag, and buy war bonds. Hackfelds in Hawaii.