The World War I Era The United States Declares War Presiden

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The World War I EraThe United States Declares
War
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President Woodrow Wilson

• He kept us out of the war.
• -1916 Election slogan
• Forced into the war by Germany

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German Submarine Warfare

• German use of submarines provoked the U.S. closer
  to war
• Passenger merchant ships were targeted
  uncivilized
• British deepened anti-German sentiments in U.S.
• Cut transatlantic cable connecting Germany the
  U.S.
• All news from Europe had to travel
  through London
• Pro-allied bias helped
  
  shape American public opinion

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Tensions Mount

• May 7th, 1915, the Lusitania, British passenger
  liner, sunk by a U-boat
• Germany claimed ship carrying weapons to England
  it was!
• Killed 128 Americans
• President Wilson demanded
  
  an end to sub warfare
• Germany promised to
  
  warn ships before they fired

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More U-boat actions Germany Tests Wilson

• March 4, 1916 - the Sussex, French passenger
  liner sunk by a U-boat
• Germany issued Sussex Pledge
• Wilson allows U.S. banks to send money to Allied
• February 1, 1917 - Germany violates Sussex Pledge
• German leaders knew action would force U.S to
  enter war
• Believed they could defeat England before U.S.
  could become fully involved
• U.S. responded by breaking diplomatic relations
  with Germany
• Wilson asked Congress permission to arm merchant
  vessels

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Zimmerman Note

• British intercepted a letter from Germanys
  Foreign Secretary to Mexico
• Letter tried to persuade Mexico to invade the
  U.S. if the U.S did not remain neutral
• Letter was not taken seriously in the U.S. but
  further damaged foreign relations with Germany

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Revolution In Russia

• By 1917 1.8 million Russians killed, 2.8
  million wounded, 2.4 million taken prisoner
• Military defeats economic social collapse
• Czar Nicholas II forced to abdicate
• Civil war erupts in Russia
• Communists sign treaty exit WWI
• Easier for US to enter war without Czar

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The War Resolution

• March 1917 German U-boats sink US ships
• 1) City of Memphis
• 2) Illinois
• 3) Vigilancia
• April 1917 The War Resolution declared
• the world must be made safe for democracy.
• -Woodrow Wilson