How Did Woodrow Wilson Declare War

Throughout Woodrow Wilson’s political career, he kept a firm neutral stance towards war. When he ran for reelection in 1916, his campaign slogan was, “He kept us out of war.” It was his promise to the people to keep the safe and alive that won him the election. However, not even a month after his inauguration, Woodrow Wilson petitioned to congress to declare war on Germany. Wilson’s change of heart was due to valuing the rights and voices of people worldwide over peace. He valued democracy over peace because Woodrow felt it was the only way to maintain a unified people in a stable government. The main reason Woodrow Wilson declared war was because of multiple aggressive attacks from Germany. Though neutral, Woodrow Wilson still maintained strong international relations with other countries including Britain and provided them with military weapons and other supplies through passenger ships. However, Germany had begun to use submarines also called U-boats to sink these merchant ships everyone on board. America currently stood behind the position of armed neutrality. Germany, on the other hand, didn’t accept armed neutrality and viewed it any guarded ship as against the law. As a result, any ship they would discover …show more content…
After the sinking of Lusitania, in addition to the diplomatic anger that ensued, there was a great deal of public infuriation. Propaganda against Germany engulfed daily life. Posters were put up in professional art galleries, on the sides of buildings, in the average household home, in magazines, and in the workplace. The posters were targeted not only at the general audience to evoke emotions but also towards Woodrow Wilson pressuring him to take military action against Germany. The posters were to evoke nationalism with each citizen and convince them that this war was just. This wasn’t a war they should just sit and watch but be an active participant