According to Wilson’s war message to Congress, the imperial government of Germany posed a threat for world peace and democracy because they infiltrated nations - something a self-governed state would not do - threatened merchants with submarine warfare, and maintained an autocracy by keeping much of the German citizens ignorant of the government’s actions.
Wilson confirmed that Germany had infiltrated many surrounding territories and US offices by sending spies into the area, disregarding the neutral status of said territories. Many spies were sent with the goal of -- which would lead to inner turmoil in the invaded countries. By expanding their forces with orders to disrupt - a prime example: the Zimmerman telegram to Mexico intercepted by the US - Germany would endanger the peace of countries and possibly be the cause of wars amongst them.
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With the constant looming danger of the German navy bombing an innocent ship, the freedom of the sea was threatened. Merchants could no longer travel the oceans without the fear of being bombed - a direct menace to a country’s free trade. The bombing of the Lusitania two years prior to the war message was already a warning sign to the American people of Germany’s reckless naval power.
Finally, numerous of Germany’s acts and agreements were conducted in the “insert quote” and “insert quote”. This strengthened the autocratic government and endangered the involvement the people had in their own country. With the German citizens losing their voice and representation in their government, the grasp of democracy was gradually being loosened by the undeniable presence of autocracy. As Germany continued to expand its power to other countries and therefore forming alliances, the spread of their autocracy and the threat of their alliance against the United States was a given
In the novel, Dead Wake by Erik Larson, the author depicts a true tale of the sinking of the Lusitania. After setting sail from New York on May 1st, 1915, the Lusitania came into contact with a German U-boat, known as the U-20, who eventually sank the ship and killed thousands six days later on May 7th, 1915. However, as simple as the case may seem, Larson believes that the Lusitania’s destruction was very preventable, but those in control of the ship’s aid seemed to benefit greatly from its obliteration. This benefit, gained by Room 40, the British Royal Navy’s secret intelligence administration, was the hope that American’s on the Lusitania would die in the sinking, and therefore draw America into the war, aiding Britain. Throughout the very
In “Wilson’s War Message to Congress” written by Woodrow Wilson, it occurs in the time period before Congress enters the United States into World War I, 1917. Considering that in this document it explains how Woodrow Wilson says, “It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars… we shall fight… for democracy… for a universal dominion of right… shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free”(Wilson, “Wilson’s War Message to Congress”). All through Wilson’s speech, he explains how the Imperial Government went against their word/promise to not harm, sink or destroy American ships and warn other vessels if submarines were sought to be destroyed.
President Wilson sees the German government as inhuman because they are using their “submarines to sink every vessel.” (Wilson pg 166) When he started to talk about the ships
Wilson viewed America as a nation of peace and he wanted to preserve this view. However, as time went on, the little things the U.S did while claiming its neutrality started to matter. Germans retaliated to the U.S trade with the Allies. One thing led to another and the U.S joined the war under the Allies’
World War I also had a huge impact on the American foreign policy. The U.S. was isolated but came out of isolationism to join the war. “... Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its peoples…” (Document 4). In his speech, President Woodrow Wilson was telling the U.S. that we were joining the war because he wanted to keep peace in the world for democracies and their people. Another way WWI changed the U.S. foreign policy was by getting attacked and fighting back, taking us out of isolationism.
In February 1915, Germany announced unrestricted warfare against any ship entering the war zone around Britain. One month later and American merchant vessel was sunk while transporting grain to England & Germany apologized calling the incident an unfortunate mistake. In May 1915, a British owned ocean liner, the Lusitania, was attacked killing approximately 2000 passengers, including 128 Americans. After this incident, the United States demanded an end to attacks on non-military vessels. Finally, Woodrow Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic ties with Germany after the sinking of an unarmed French ship, the Sussex, in March 1916.
World War One had a devastating impact on Germany. Throughout World War One, the people of Germany had been led to believe by their government that they were winning the war. Government propaganda had been used to great effect. Only the military leaders like Ludendorff and Hindenburg knew the true state of Germany’s military dilemma which had become even more apparent when America had joined in the war in 1917. Germany itself was being starved of food and all goods as a result of the British Navy’s blockade of the northern ports.
What was the effect of the Zimmerman Telegram on American public opinion on the war? 696-697 The Zimmerman Telegram made it clear to the United States that Germany was preparing for the United States to join the war. Germany made a bold move by trying to form an alliance with Mexico as a way of weakening the US once they enter the war, but Mexico declined Germany’s offer. At that point in time, entering the war was inevitable. What were the 14 points?
The Imperial German Government’s purpose was to put aside all restraints of law or of humanity and use it’s submarines to sink every vessel. “The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind,” Woodrow Wilson mentioned in his speech. This speech was monumental because it convinced American citizens entry into the war was necessary, brought America into a devastating war, probed America was a power of the world, brought women into workplaces, and it pushed for women’s suffrage. Not every
This unknown fact of American being neutral or not, ultimately lead to the United States needing to enter World War I. Although the United States President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, explained the reasoning for the U.S. entering WWI was because of Germany’s submarine warfare, the violence toll that Germany took on America relates back to the concealed matter of the nation of the United States actually being neutral throughout the time before war
America had tried hard not to get involved in European affairs and conflicts, but with our growing connections it became hard. Businessmen saw the opportunities and profitable advancements of Europe, which brought a large number of American 's overseas. Great Britain was a major trade partner with the U.S, so we were indirectly involved in their war. The Germans started sinking any British ships that came into view of their Unterseeboots, even if they were passenger or fishing vessels. When
During World War I, the Germans use a fighting tactic called Unrestricted Submarine Warfare. German U-Boats, or submarines, were told to sink any ship that posed a threat, passenger or cargo, it did not matter. In a newspaper article it shows that the Lusitania was a passenger boat going from the coast of New York to Ireland that was sunk by a German submarine (“Lusitania”). The fact that Germany sunk a passenger ship without reason infuriated the Americans. As the political cartoon by Matthew Bollinger shows, President Woodrow Wilson is holding a piece of paper that says that American lives were lost on the sinking of this ship (Bollinger).
As Germany returns, in 1917, to the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, it came back to renew its suspension in response from force of the United States and other neutral countries. Unrestricted submarine warfare was first initiated in World War I on February 4th, 1915. Germany declared the area around the British Isles a war zone, in which all merchant ships, would be attacked by the German navy. On April 22nd, 1915, the German Embassy published a warning in newspapers to tell passengers that travel on Allied ships are “at their own risk.” One ship, called The Lusitania, was the first to submerge and depart, killing nearly 1300 passengers.
On April 2, 1917, the 28th president of the United States of America, Woodrow Wilson, delivered a speech before the Congress in order to declare war against Germany. This period of history represents the first worldwide conflict and opposes the Allied forces of the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan against the Central Powers of Germany, Bulgaria, the Austrian-Hungarian empire, and the Ottoman empire. Woodrow Wilson involved the United States, which was originally neutral at the beginning of World War I when the Germans attacked and sank the Lusitania, a ship transporting ammunition to the allies but also American citizens. More importantly, in his speech, Woodrow Wilson explicitly states his opinion and purpose that ' 'the world must be made safe for democracy ' ' (Voices of Freedom 107) and that the immediate contribution of his nation to World War I would bring "peace and justice" (Voices of Freedom 105) to the world, as well as the end of the threatening expansion of
With President Wilson as the leader of America, he would have to make sure it was for the good of all mankind and not just America itself. Throughout his address to congress, Wilson appeals at different points to being human, mankind, and the freedom of people. This is also where the idea of the United Nations comes to light, at the time called League of Nations. The idea was that America would pursue the highest wishes of mankind for the best interest of the world. Even though the speech itself gives off the message that Americans should remain neutral in the war, Woodrow’s speech also gives the idea that this means the United States has to guide other nations in restoring justice and peace to the world against Germany’s selfish interest and power hungry war acts.