Unired_States_Entering_World_War_One

Michael Nelson DBQ Essay 3/27/10 Why did the United States abandon its neutrality, choosing to enter WWI on the side of the allies' The United States was a neutral nation in the war because the war did not affect them directly. Our borders were not getting attacked neither our country as a whole. But nations in Europe expected us to enter the war based upon our history with each other. As the war become nearly three years through President Wilson based his entire reelection on the phrase "he kept us out of the war". After his reelection that would soon change due to three main topics trade, propaganda and the Zimmerman Telegram. The United States had become one of the largest producers of imports and exports in the 20th century due to the booming industrialism in the major cities. As the U.S sent ships to Europe they were getting reports that they had been sank by German submarines or U-boats. The Germans were trying to shut down possible imports to the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, Russia and later Italy) that could be beneficial to them in the war. President Wilson was informed that the German U-boats after the first day of February 1917 would sink any vessel approaching the Western European coast. Which was a major problem for the United States and Europe, for the U.S it hurt hard economically and for Europe it cut off some major resources they needed for the war. One of the biggest factors that the American people pushed President Wilson to declare on Germany was the use of propaganda in the local and national newspapers. The dictionary has propaganda as “information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.” Which means that newspapers would take the truth being told to them by sources in Europe and change it a little to get the American people all fired up to get into the war. Making stories that would say things like “Germany laughs at the thought of United States entering war” or “Austria-Hungry thinks the United States is inferior to them”. Just simple things that would make civilians rallied to enter the war and enlist in the army. What was said to be the final straw for the United States and the decision to enter the war was the interception by British intelligence of the Zimmerman Telegram. The Zimmerman Telegram was a German code intended for Mexico that said if Mexico could keep the United States borders busy and out of the battle in Europe and Germany won the battle, the Germans would give Mexico back from the United States New Mexico, Texas and Arizona in return for there support to the Germans. How it was intercepted was because it was sent over a United States owned underwater cable which Britain had been monitoring. When even asked about the telegram the Germans just admitted to sending it. Great Britain quickly got the information to the United States newspapers which sent out a national outrage. President Wilson had no choice but to enter the Great War in Europe. Based on these events that took place the United States had to enter the war and they did so with unbelievable confidence and swagger. It was like they knew that they would help the Triple Entente to beat the Germans and win the war. This has been one of the wars in our history where the President and Congress didn’t really want to get involved but with the push of the American people they had to enter.