Mr. Bermudez

Early Neutrality  1914 Americans did not want to get involved  3,000 Miles Away  $3.5 billion invested worldwide  On August 4, 1914 President Wilson declared the US neutral  Peacemaker

Neutrality: Not so much  However…many people heavily supported Great Britain  U.S urged to begin the “preparedness movement”  Dec National Security League created  1915 American soldiers trained.  Wilson called for increased armed forces

Mothers Against War  C2qOAgMCl4 C2qOAgMCl4  Should Americans go to war?

Self-defense…?  The British used Navy to blockade Germany  Confiscated war goods (weapons, war supplies, etc) and non-war goods (medical supplies, food, etc) against international law  Germany tries to blockade Britain, but it did not as strong of a Navy that the British did--- it would instead rely on its U-Boats

Provoking the United States  During WWI, the Germans introduced the U-Boat, or the Unterseeboot (a submarine)  At first, u-boat surfaced and allow crew members to abandon ship before an attack  Britain began firing on the U-Boats and rules abandoned– U-Boats remained hidden and fired without warning on British ships!

Declining Opinion of Germany  May 7, 1915— A German U-Boat, sinks Lusitania  1,200 passengers died!  128 Americans died in this attack!

Wilson’s Demands  Wilson ordered Germany to stop submarine warfare and pay the victim’s families  Germany promised to stop sinking passenger ships without warning as long as their was no resistance to search or seizure by the British

The Sussex Pledge  U-Boats continued to torpedo  March 1916 Sussex was torpedoed  US threatened to cut ties with Germany  Sussex Pledge resulted The Germans would promise that U-Boats would warn ships before attacking!

Ships Sunk be Germans

Wilson’s frustration  Wilson frustrated with Germany, could not threaten force unless he entered the war.  US stepped up preparedness and began making loans to the Allies  Neutrality was weakening but won the 1916 election on the slogan “He kept us out of war.”

A Move Towards War  January 1917 US closer towards war…  Germany informs US they would no longer observe the Sussex Pledge  Unrestricted sub warfare began again!  Wilson broke off relations with Germany  The Zimmerman Note was intercepted by the British and given to American authorities.

The Zimmerman Note  Arthur Zimmerman, Germany’s foreign sec, proposed a German alliance with Mexico.  If US declared war on Germany then Mexico declare war on the US.  After a German victory, Mexico would get back TX, NM, & AZ  Although it was not taken seriously, it was more bad publicity for Germany!

The US Declares War  Germany cont. submarine warfare and on March 20, 1917 President Wilson’s Cabinet voted unanimously for war!  April 6, 1917 Wilson signed the war declaration!  “It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace.”

Lets Debate  Create a list of Pro-Cons of War  Justify your answer  We shall discuss