Transcript America`s Road To War

America’s Road to War
What causes the United States to
enter World War I?
1) Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
• 1915: German U-boat sinks the passenger ship Lusitania
• Germans claim there were weapons being carried on the ship
• True! But the Germans killed 1,260 civilians, incl. 128 Americans
• US President Woodrow Wilson warns Germans – Germany backs off
•1917: Germany losing
war, brings back
unrestricted sub warfare
•Germany sinks three US
ships near Britain
•Wilson warns Germans
again
2) Zimmermann Note
- British spies intercept a telegram from Germany to Mexico
- The note tells Mexico that if they invade the US, Germany will help
- Could allow Mexico to get back lost territory
- Germany trying to keep US out of European war
3) US Declares War!
President Wilson asks
Congress to declare war!
•Zimmermann note is the
“final straw” for the US
•April 6th, 1917 –
Congress declares war
•Easy choice: US loaning
money to Allies plus close
tie to Britain & France
•US must use propaganda
to convince American
public the war is necessary
•List three things in the
song Over There that makes
it propaganda
http://www.firstworldwar.co
m/audio/overthere.htm