1. The United States & World War I

2. Up until 1917, the U.S. remained neutral in the war.
Woodrow Wilson was the President of the U.S. during WWI and would serve until 1920.

3. American Neutrality
Why did Wilson want the US to remain neutral? Why did this prove to be so difficult?
Isolationists
US should remain isolated and should not join the war
Interventionists
US should intervene and join the Allies
Internationalists
US should play an active role for peace but should NOT send troops (middle ground)

4. Neutrality Rights Violations - President Wilson warned Germany to respect our neutrality rights on the open seas, but they continued to attack and sink our ships.
Sussex Pledge (1916)- After a German U-Boat sank a French passenger ship, the Sussex, in the English Channel injuring several Americans, Wilson threatened to break Neutrality.
Germany pledged not to attack merchant vessels without warning, but they would not honor this pledge.

5. American Involvement U-Boat Attacks
Describe the major actions of Germany’s submarines against Allied ships.
Destroying all ships, battleships & passenger ships
Germany pledged not to attack merchant vessels without warning after this, but they would break the Sussex Pledge
Germany breaks the Sussex Pledge

6. American Involvement
Invasion of Belgium
What were the German actions against Belgium and how did the US respond?
Germany invaded NEUTRAL Belgium, took supplies, killed unarmed citizens, destroyed towns; US opinion turns against Germany

7. Germany’s Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Germany did so to “bring England to her knees” before the United States entered war and because the Russians had recently dropped out of war…time to act was NOW

8. Warnings issued to Travelers

9. Sinking of the Lusitania - A British passenger ship was sunk by a German U-Boat killing 1,200 people, including 128 Americans.

10. American Involvement The Zimmermann Telegram
Who wrote it and to whom was it written? What did it say? How did the US respond?
Arthur Zimmermann (Germany Foreign Minister), to Mexico
Proposed alliance between Mexico and Germany against the US… promises a return of former lands to Mexico
US declares war on Germany (1917)

11. The Bolshevik Revolution of Czar Nicholas II of Russia is overthrown by the Bolshevik (Communist) Party led by Vladimir Lenin. Lenin will soon make peace with Germany and pull out of the war.

12. Wilsonian Idealism Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned
Many people still didn’t want to enter into war,
Six senators and 50 representatives, including the first Congresswoman, Jeanette Ranking, voted against war.
To gain enthusiasm for the war, Wilson came up with the idea of America entering the war to “make the world safe for democracy.”

13. A Declaration of War
On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked for Congress to declare war, which it did four days later
President Wilson “did not keep US out of war”.

14. What were the reasons for US involvement in the war?
1. German attacks on Belgium (neutrality rights violations) 2. U-boat attacks on merchant ships 3. Zimmerman Telegram 4. Wilsonian idealism 5. Russian Revolution