1. Challenges to the U.S. Policy of Neutrality

2. Warm Up:  WHO suggested the United States stay neutral and what was his reasoning?

3. Stalemate:Deadlock  Britain vs. Germany LAND WAR DRAGGED ON “No Man’s Land”  Need to win control of the sea

4. British Blockade  Britain blocks ships heading to Germany.  Turn back ships carrying weapons, food, supplies to the Central Powers, even neutral ships from the U.S.

5. Turn & Talk  Why is a blockade an effective warfare tactic?  The U.S. has declared neutrality. Predict: How do you think they will react to the blockade? How will this affect the foreign policy between the United States and other countries?

6. U.S. Reaction  President Wilson complained to the British about stopping neutral ships. DID NOT threaten to take action though… WHY?

7. War was Good for the U.S. Economy  Trade with Britain boosted U.S. economy.  U.S. banks and businesses earned millions of dollars from loans and exports to the Allies. Export of products = jobs

8. Turn & Talk  Do you believe that businessmen and workers in the United States agreed with neutrality? Why or why not?

9. Germany Challenges the British Blockade  U-boat: submarine “undersea boat”  Germany declares the water around Britain a war zone.  German U-boats could sink enemy ships without warning.

10. International Law and Custom  Warships have the right to stop and search merchant ships they suspect of trying to break a naval blockade.  Warships can even sink these ships IF  They remove crew and passengers first.

11. U.S. Reaction  Sinking merchant ships without protecting the lives of passengers and crews violated international law.  The U.S. will hold Germany accountable for the loss of an American lives!

12. Sinking of the Lusitania  U-boat sinks British passenger liner without warning.  128 Americans die  Germany argues the ship was carrying weapons and ammunition.

14. Turn & Talk  How did people react when the U.S. was attacked on September 11, 2001 and the twin towers fell which caused the loss of American lives.?  How do you think the people in the United States reacted to the sinking of the Lusitania?

15. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan State Department Lawyer Robert Lansing Debate  The U.S. should stay neutral  Let the monarchs of Europe fight it out.  U.S. should accept submarine warfare and warn U.S. citizens they travel on British ships at their own risk.  Americans have a right to travel on British ships.  The U.S. should protect that right!

16. Wilson Warns Germany  Sends Germany series of notes… You must STOP unrestricted submarine warfare.  Secretary of State Bryan resigns because he believes the notes violate neutrality.  Four months after the sinking of the Lusitania, Germany sinks another British ship killing two Americans. Wilson sends another note.

17. Sussex Pledge  Germany promises to spare all lives in any future U-boat attacks on merchant ships.  Condition: U.S. must force Britain to end its blockade.  Wilson accepts the pledge but DOES NOT accept the condition.

18. Closing/Exit Slip  Describe how the foreign policy between Germany and the United States evolved during the early years of WWI and challenged neutrality.