The United States Enters

The Great War

Many Americans wanted

to remain isolated from European conflicts War not in best interests

of America Panama Canal

completed in 1914 – one week before war breaks out in Europe

The war is in… Europe Atlantic a barrier of

protection from Eur. probs.

U.S. Neutrality

Woodrow Wilson – a neutral U.S. could arrange

a fair peace agreement in Europe (Washington & Jefferson Tradition) Campaigned for 1916 election on slogan: “He

kept us out of war” (wins, but a close election)

U.S. Neutrality

President Wilson’s

beliefs: U.S. will lead nations

toward peaceful world:free trade, capitalism, democracy, open diplomacy, fewer arms, no empires

U.S. “destiny” to save the world

U.S. Neutrality

Shock – why are “civilized” nations going to

war? Glad Atlantic offered “barrier” of protection (no

danger of being drawn in) Sympathetic – ethnic groups

1/3 of America = “hyphenated Americans” (recent immigrants still had ties to home)

“Old-Line” Americans supported Allied Power/Triple Entente (British Heritage) Government leadership definitely supported Allied

Powers

U.S. Reactions to War

Pre-War Policy

U.S. had right to trade with the warring nations Warring nations should respect U.S. neutrality

“Freedom of the Seas”

Threats to Neutrality

U.S. continued to trade w/ Europe

Wilson allowed banks (JP Morgan, etc.) to extend credit (loans) to Triple Entente to maintain trade *WWI transforms US from debtor to creditor

nation* U.S. traded more w/ Britain & France (so not

strictly neutral…) $2 bil in credit to Allied before armistice, only $27

mil to Germany

Threats to Neutrality

Between 1914-1917,

trade w/ Allied Powers quadrupled Trade w/ Allies

grows from $825 mil in 1914 to $3.2 bil in 1916

Trade w/ Central Powers goes from $70 mil in 1914 to $1.3 mil in 1916

Threats to Neutrality

Britain was blockading Ger. No supplies, no sunken ships

Britain violates U.S. neutrality by seizing U.S. cargo bound for Germany (takes property)

Germany tries to stop U.S. trade w/ Britain via submarines (takes lives)

Wilson demands Germany comply w/ international law

Threats to Neutrality

Jan 1917 – Germany attempts full sub war(wants to defeat Triple Entente before US entry)

Wilson breaks off U.S. diplomatic relations w/ Germany

1st weeks of March, German U-Boats sink 5 unarmed U.S. merchant ships

Threats to Neutrality

May 7, 1915 – Br. passenger ship Lusitania sinks

(128 Americans die) Aug 1915 – U-boats sink passenger ship Arabic

(2 Americans die) March 1916 – French merchant ship Sussex sunk,

several Americans injured Wilson threatens to break off diplomatic relations

Sussex Pledge – Germany promises not to attack merchant or passenger ships (w/o warning) Until 1917

Sidebar: Sunken Ships

The Zimmerman

Telegram March 1 1917:

Newspapers print telegram

German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman proposed Mexico ally w/ Germany against U.S. Would get German help

reclaiming TX, NM, & AZ

Threats to Neutrality

1917 – Bolsheviks overthrow the Russian Tsar Wilson believed revolution would end

monarchy, bring democracy to Russia w/o Tsar, easier for Wilson to support Allied

Powers “keeping the world safe for democracy”

Russian Revolution

April 2nd 1917 – Wilson calls special session of Congress

Speech: Condemned Germany’s

unrestricted sub warfare “warfare against mankind”

Declared “the world must be made safe for democracy”

April 6th 1917 – Congress votes for a declaration of war

U.S. Enters the War