why the us went to war: wwi

The US Enters the War

Remember how Germany chose to invade France?

Overall, people were pretty upset about that. Wasn’t Belgium supposed to be

neutral?

Take a look at the following propaganda posters. Who are they directed at? Why

are they powerful?

Britain won the propaganda war.

(And it didn’t hurt that the US had more in common with the British anyway:

language, customs, etc.)

At that time, both the Allies and the Central Powers need

supplies.

Since they are busy fighting, countries like the US are busy making more

weapons, growing more food, to send overseas.

But who are we sending it to?

Value of US Exports and Loans

Exports: 1914 - $ 824.8 million

to Allied Powers 1914 - $ 169.3 million

to Central Powers

1916 - $ 3.2 billion to Allied Powers

1916 - $ 1.2 million to Central Powers

Loans: $ 2.5 billion to

Allied Powers $ 27 million to

Central Powers

Even if we haven’t entered the war,have we taken sides?

How will we be paid if the Allies don’t win the war?

Use of naval forces

Even before hostilities began, Germany and Britain were involved in a naval race for mastery of the seas.

Britain had a long tradition of being the master of the seas and Germany knew that she was unlikely to win a naval war against Britain.

For this reason, Germany tended to avoid open naval conflict with Britain.

BlockadeBritain's main naval tactic was to keep

German ships in German ports and to block supplies from reaching Germany.

Germany's main naval tactic was to post U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean and to destroy ships taking supplies from America and other countries to Britain.

On May 7th, 1915, the passenger liner Lusitania, was torpedoed by a German submarine. Nearly 1200 civilians lost their lives, including over 100 Americans.

The US was upset about the German’s use of unrestricted

submarine warfare

Sussex Pledge of 1916

Germany promised to change their naval and submarine policy of unrestricted submarine warfare and stop the indiscriminate sinking of non-military ships. Instead, Merchant Ships would be searched and sunk only if they contained contraband, and then only after safe passage had been provided for the crew and passengers.

Why was the Sussex Pledge issued?

On March 24th, 1916 a German submarine in the English Channel attacked what it thought was a mine-laying ship. It was actually a French passenger steamer called 'The Sussex’

The Sussex didn't sink, but 50 were killed, several Americans were injured and the ship and limped into port

Why was the Sussex Pledge issued?

On April 19th, Woodrow Wilson addressed Congress on the issue. He gave an ultimatum: Germany should end attacks on passenger vessels, or face America 'breaking off' diplomatic relations.

Germany resumes unrestricted warfare

As the war raged on, German High Command became convinced that they could break Britain using unrestricted submarine warfare, and could do it before America was in a position to fully join the war.

On February 1st 1917, Germany broke the Sussex Pledge.

This was it! President Woodrow Wilson asked

Congress to declare war on Germany.

On which side did Mexico enter the war?