usunderattack

__//**The United States was Under Attack**//__ The United States was supposed to be a neutral country in World War I, why then did they enter into the war? They entered because they were already under attack. The Germans attacked ships with Americans on them and tried to provoke Mexico to attack the US. The United States had no other option but to enter World War I on the Allies side.media type="youtube" key="s3bhOI3W9gs" height="190" width="267" align="right"

Before 1915 German subs would allow time for innocent passengers to evacuate before they sunk it. This lasted until the Germans sunk the Lusitania, a British passenger boat, killing 120 Americans.

In March 24 1916, German U-boats sunk the Sussex. A number of people was killed by the torpedo explosion. Although no US citizens were killed, Americans were outraged because the Germans violated their neutral rights at sea.

After the attack on the Sussex President Wilson, instead of declaring war on Germany like many people including Roosevelt wanted, increased the military and gave Germany a warning :

After this warning was sent out the Germans stopped their submarine warfare until 1917. On February 1 1917, the German ambassador Berstoff announced the continuation of the submarine warfare and ended diplomatic relations with the United States.

Many people thought that if the United States entered the war Germany would be defeated. In response to this the foreign minister of Germany, Alfred Zimmerman, tried to provoke Mexico to attack the United States with what is called the Zimmerman Note. They told Mexico that if they attacked the United States then they would provide troops and support. Germany promised Mexico they would gain back the territory they lost to the United States. These states included New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. This note never reached Mexico though. It went though Britain who decoded it and was outraged at what it said. They sent it to the United States.

After seeing this note President Wilson had no choice but to ask congress permission to go to war. He claimed that the reason for the United States involvement was "an act of high principle and idealism . . . [and] . . . as a crusade to make the world safe for democracy."

The United States was clearly under attack before they entered World War I and that is the reason they had to enter. They were neutral in the war but they had to enter into the allies side because of attacks by Germany. If it weren't for the United States the Germans may have won World War One and all of Europe would have been ruled by Germany.

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