On April 6th, 1917, the United States entered the war, but the Great War had been going on for three years already. The Allies was made up of England, France, Russia, and in 1917, the United States. However, many Americans were against entering the war and they wanted to remain neutral. President Wilson’s second campaign slogan was, “He kept us out of war.” Clearly, that had changed. We entered the war for many reasons like; the sinking of Lusitania, financial issues, and the Russian Revolution. The most common reason is that America kept claiming it was neutral. One of the reasons America had joined the war was financing the Allies. Italy and Russia were economically unstable and with rich, Northern France occupied, it became apparent
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In the Zimmerman Telegram, that the German foreign minister had sent to the Mexican Government, claimed that, “In the event [ that the United States drawn into the war] we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.” (Doc 4) This telegram was intercepted and deciphered by British Codebreakers. When United States officials had heard about this many of them ( including the Britain foreign Minister) were all in shock of the brazenness of Zimmerman sending that to the Mexican Government. Zimmerman flashed other signs of brazenness when he told U.S. journalists that he did indeed send the coded telegram, and that he assumed U.S. officials would understand he was simply making strategic moves to help secure a German victory. Prior to learning about the Zimmerman telegram, U.S. citizens had fairly strong anti-Mexican, anti-British and anti-German sentiments. In fact, press coverage of World War I did not portray any “side” as being morally superior to any other “side.” Upon decoding the Zimmerman telegram, U.S. citizens’ attitudes toward the British softened, while their attitude toward Mexicans and Germans hardened. Many United States citizens began to see the British as allies, and Germans as enemies. This shift in public sentiment helped ease the United States’ entry into World War
In the Zimmerman Telegram, that the German foreign minister had sent to the Mexican Government, claimed that, “In the event [ that the United States drawn into the war] we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.” (Doc 4) This telegram was intercepted and deciphered by British Codebreakers. When United States officials had heard about this many of them ( including the Britain foreign Minister) were all in shock of the brazenness of Zimmerman sending that to the Mexican Government. Zimmerman flashed other signs of brazenness when he told U.S. journalists that he did indeed send the coded telegram, and that he assumed U.S. officials would understand he was simply making strategic moves to help secure a German victory. Prior to learning about the Zimmerman telegram, U.S. citizens had fairly strong anti-Mexican, anti-British and anti-German sentiments. In fact, press coverage of World War I did not portray any “side” as being morally superior to any other “side.” Upon decoding the Zimmerman telegram, U.S. citizens’ attitudes toward the British softened, while their attitude toward Mexicans and Germans hardened. Many United States citizens began to see the British as allies, and Germans as enemies. This shift in public sentiment helped ease the United States’ entry into World War