The United States Enters the War

Map of the North AtlanticWhy did trade favor England and the allies?

•Under the traditional rules of neutrality the United States was allowed to trade with all powers involved in the conflict•American trade favored the allies for a number of reasons•Reason Number One : The British controlled the Atlantic shipping lanes with their powerful navy•Reason Number Two : The geographic location of England made it easier for the United States to trade with England instead of trading with the members of the Triple Alliance

•The purchase of goods and materials as well as supplies by France and England as well as Germany really sparked the United State’s economy

•In late 1914 , the ability of the various nations involved in World War I to pay cash for their goods dwindled

•Wilson was afraid that if the countries did not buy any more supplies, the economy of the United States would turn bad again

•Wilson relaxes the restrictions of loans and the extensions of credit to the various countries involved in the war

•Germany felt Wilson was favoring the Allies since the United States extended more credit to England and France than to Germany – The U.S. favored a British and French victory !!!!

Traditional Neutral Rights•Neutrals could sell and ship non war related goods to any country

•Could sell war related goods to any country but enemies of that country could seize such shipments and settle the accounts after the war

•Citizens could travel freely but not on enemy ships

•Enemies had to observe naval blockades and observe certain search rules

•March 1915 Britain declared a blockade of all the Central Power Ports ; President Wilson protested but not a great deal

•German ports were closed, thus resorted to U Boat warfare

•Wilson warned the Germans about such tactics , however Germany went ahead and utilized the U boat as a very effective weapon

•Secretary of State Bryan resigns due to the fact that Wilson offered such a strong message to the people of Germany in relation to the use of U boat warfare

•This all changes on May 7th, 1915

Lusitania

On May 1, 1915, the ship departed New York City bound for Liverpool. Unknown to her passengers but

probably no secret to the Germans, almost all her hidden cargo consisted of munitions and contraband destined for the British war effort. As the fastest ship afloat, the luxurious liner felt secure in the belief she could easily outdistance any submarine. Nonetheless,

the menace of submarine attack reduced her passenger list to only half her capacity.

A contemporary illustrationof the sinkingOn May 7, the ship neared the coast of

Ireland. At 2:10 in the afternoon a torpedo fired by the German submarine U 20 slammed into her side. A

mysterious second explosion ripped the liner apart. Chaos reigned. The ship listed so badly and quickly that lifeboats crashed into passengers crowded on deck, or dumped their loads into the water. Most passengers never had a chance. Within 18 minutes the giant ship slipped beneath the sea. One thousand one hundred nineteen of the 1,924 aboard died. The dead included

114 Americans. Walter Schwieger was captain of the U-Boat that sank the Lusitania. He watched through his periscope as the torpedo exploded and noted the result in his log, "The

ship stops immediately and heals over to starboard quickly, immersing simultaneously at the bow. It appears

as if the ship were going to capsize very shortly. Great confusion is rife on board; the boats are made ready

and some of them lowered into the water. In connection therewith great panic must have reigned; some boats,

full to capacity are rushed from above, touch the water with either stem or stern first and founder immediately."

On May 1, 1915, the ship departed New York City bound for Liverpool. Unknown to her passengers but probably no secret to the Germans, almost all her hidden cargo consisted of munitions and contraband destined for the British war effort. As the fastest ship afloat, the luxurious liner felt secure in the belief she could easily outdistance any submarine. Nonetheless, the menace of submarine attack reduced her passenger list to only half her capacity.

On May 7, the ship neared the coast of Ireland. At 2:10 in the afternoon a torpedo

fired by the German submarine U 20 slammed into her side. A mysterious second explosion ripped the liner apart. Chaos reigned. The ship listed so badly and quickly that lifeboats crashed into passengers crowded on deck, or dumped their loads into the water. Most passengers never had a chance. Within 18 minutes the giant ship slipped beneath the sea. One thousand one hundred nineteen of the 1,924 aboard died. The dead included 114 Americans. Walter Schwieger was captain of the U-Boat that sank the Lusitania. He watched through his periscope as the torpedo exploded and noted the result in his log, "The ship stops immediately and heals over to starboard quickly, immersing simultaneously at the bow. It appears as if the ship were going to capsize very shortly. Great confusion is rife on board; the boats are made ready and some of them lowered into the water. In connection therewith great panic must have reigned; some boats, full to capacity are rushed from above, touch the water with either stem or stern first and founder immediately."

The Hunter and the Hunted

U.S Naval Destroyer German U Boat

•The United States is furious about the sinking of the Lusitania

•Germany sees this and starts warning ships before they fire on them to allow people to get off and return to safety

•Germany wants the Untied States to convince Britain to recognize the freedom of the seas and stop the blockade – the U.S. refuses and the Germans begin unrestricted U Boat warfare

•President Wilson breaks diplomatic ties with Germany on February 3rd, 1917

• Wilson considers three options:1. Arming merchant ships with weapons2. Fighting a limited sea war with Germany3. Use warships to protect convoys

•Then comes the Zimmerman telegraph which would alter history forever!!!!

Zimmerman Telegraph

• Arthur Zimmerman was the German Foreign Affairs Minister

• Sends a telegram to the German diplomat assigned to the government in Mexico

• MI-6 , British Secret Intelligence intercepts this telegram and sends it to the United States

• The telegram has a very ominous message which the United States cannot believe

•The telegram stated that if the government of Mexico declared war on the United States , Germany would then help Mexico regain a great deal of land lost during the Mexican American War•Wilson is enraged and asks for a meeting with Congress•On April 2nd, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson asks the United States Congress to declare war on Germany•War is declared!•The war for Germany did not go well after the United States joined the war effort•On November 11th, 1918 the German government sued for peace , the war was over.