America was interested in entering World War I for several reasons: (1) Americans historically favored and aligned with the Allied Powers like France and Britain; (2) The US relied heavily on trade with European countries, mainly the Allied Powers; (3) Most of the information Americans received about the war came from British and French sources. Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare against passenger ships, including the sinking of the Lusitania, angered Americans and increased support for entering the war on the side of the Allies. The Zimmermann Note, in which Germany proposed allying with Mexico against the US by giving it American territories, helped push America into officially declaring war on April 6, 1917.
5. • Britain stopped American ships and ordered
them to port for searches
6. • Germans issued unrestricted submarine
warfare
– In May of 1915, a German U-boat sank the British
passenger ship Lusitania
– Wilson demanded Germany to apologize
7.
8. Zimmermann Note
• Arthur Zimmermann wrote a note to Mexico
• Said Germany would give Mexico Texas,
Arizona and New Mexico if they helped them
in the war
Many had british ties and also remembered that France had once aided America in the Revolutionary War …also upset that Germany had invaded Belgium
Wanted to protect their investments so continued trade with the AlliesThe US gave the Allied powers loans when they couldn’t continue to purchase from themUS loaned Britain $1 billion and France $300 million
Britain and France controlled the trans-atlantic cables that brought the news to American newspapers…German’s used the unreliable radioWhat did get through of the German’s emphasized hatred and destruction and made Americans more angryAllies easily won the Americans over just by reprinting German propaganda word for word
Called a treaty with Belgium a “scrap of paper”…they executed about 5,000 Belgium citizensBritish propagandists were quick to let Americans know about this atrocity and others…they also told about a few that never happened!
The US tried to continue trading with both Britain and Germany during the beginning of the warBritain laid mines at the opening of the North Sea to prevent countries from trading with Germany…instead, they would sell to neutral countires who in turn would sell to Germany (US did this as well)This search wasted time and pushed the cost of goods up…also food would spoil before it could be deliveredCreated “Blacklists” of American companies who they thought were trading with Germany
Firing on ships in a designated war zone around BritainFiring on unarmed ships without giving them warning was a violation of the international lawGermans argued that submarines were at a disadvantage if they surfaced to give a warning, it was easy for even a merchant ship armed with guns to sink themGerman Embassy, put out a warning to Americans to not travel on British vessels
British intercepted the note and sent it to the USThen Germany sank three more ships
