Transcript Challenges to the US Policy of Neutrality

Challenges to the U.S.
Policy of Neutrality
Warm Up:
WHO suggested the United States stay neutral
and what was his reasoning?
Stalemate:Deadlock
Britain vs. Germany
LAND WAR DRAGGED
ON “No Man’s Land”
Need to win control of
the sea
British Blockade
Britain blocks ships
heading to Germany.
Turn back ships
carrying weapons, food,
supplies to the Central
Powers, even neutral
ships from the U.S.
Turn & Talk
Why is a blockade an effective
warfare tactic?
The U.S. has declared neutrality.
Predict: How do you think they will
react to the blockade? How will this
affect the foreign policy between the
United States and other countries?
U.S. Reaction
President Wilson
complained to the
British about stopping
neutral ships. DID
NOT threaten to take
action though…
WHY?
War was Good for the U.S.
Economy
Trade with Britain
boosted U.S. economy.
U.S. banks and
businesses earned
millions of dollars from
loans and exports to the
Allies. Export of
products = jobs
Turn & Talk
 Do you believe that businessmen
and workers in the United States
agreed with neutrality? Why or why
not?
Germany Challenges the
British Blockade
U-boat: submarine
“undersea boat”
Germany declares the
water around Britain a
war zone.
German U-boats could
sink enemy ships
without warning.
International Law and Custom
Warships have the right to stop and
search merchant ships they suspect of
trying to break a naval blockade.
Warships can even sink these ships
IF
They remove crew and passengers first.
U.S. Reaction
Sinking merchant ships without
protecting the lives of passengers
and crews violated international law.
The U.S. will hold Germany
accountable for the loss of an
American lives!
Sinking of the Lusitania
U-boat sinks British
passenger liner
without warning.
128 Americans die
Germany argues
the ship was
carrying weapons
and ammunition.
Turn & Talk
How did people react when the U.S.
was attacked on September 11, 2001
and the twin towers fell which caused
the loss of American lives.?
How do you think the people in the
United States reacted to the sinking of
the Lusitania?
Debate
Secretary of State
State Department Lawyer
William Jennings Bryan
Robert Lansing
 The U.S. should stay neutral
 Let the monarchs of Europe
fight it out.
 U.S. should accept
submarine warfare and warn
U.S. citizens they travel on
British ships at their own
risk.
 Americans have a right to
travel on British ships.
 The U.S. should protect that
right!
Wilson Warns Germany
Sends Germany series of notes…
You must STOP unrestricted submarine warfare.
Secretary of State Bryan resigns because he
believes the notes violate neutrality.
Four months after the sinking of the Lusitania,
Germany sinks another British ship killing two
Americans. Wilson sends another note.
Sussex Pledge
Germany promises to spare all lives in any
future U-boat attacks on merchant ships.
Condition: U.S. must force Britain to end
its blockade.
Wilson accepts the pledge but DOES NOT
accept the condition.
Closing/Exit Slip
Describe how the foreign policy
between Germany and the United
States evolved during the early years
of WWI and challenged neutrality.