- The sinking of the Lusitania from German unrestricted submarine warfare (May 7th 1915) which resulted in the deaths of 128 Americans.
- The Zimmermann telegram that stated how Mexico was offered US territory if it joined the war for a German cause.
- To support Britain because of their close trading links that was providing the US with more income.
Copy (5) of What was the importance of America's entry into the war?
Create a timeline of 1917–1918 and examine the successes and failures of the USA regarding their impact on the war.
Each timeline must include:
- Dates and key words for each success and failure.
- At least one image available from the Library of Congress, this Atlantic photo-essay, or the Smithsonian.
- Any images or text sources should be cited. Websites need to be copied and pasted at the bottom of this page where it says "add conclusion and sources" in MLA 7/8 format (use e.g. easybib.com).
Why did the U.S. enter World War I?
Successes and failures of the USA regarding their influence on the war
On August 4th, American declared that they would stay neutral throughout the war however it was clear that the US was specifically supporting the British - failure
The British imposed a naval blockade on the German coastline which stopped the trading between Germany and the US which meant that there was less income for America. However it meant that America could directly support Britain and focus on ensuring that there was British win - success
Even after the sinking of the Lusitania, Germany and the US were able to reach an equilibrium in terms of their relationship by the end of 1915 - success
On March 24th 1916, there was the sinking - by a u boat- of the paddle steamer 'Sussex' which carried 2 Americans on board however this incident was later resolved and by mid 1916, there was a relatively positive relationship between Germany and the US - success
On November 7th 1916, President Woodrow Wilson was able to win the re-election for a second term. Many still believed him to be the sort that would still try to bring peace to the war therefore he tried to create peace negotiations that would end it. However this was a failure due to the Ludendorff offensive that occurred in 1918 - failure
On December 7th 1917, the US declared war on Austria-Hungary. This shows how they were not able to maintain their policy of neutrality and they particularly favoured the British - failure
Initially, the US was only able to send out destroyers and merchant ships all the while assisting with mining operations in the north sea - success
As of March 1918 300,000 US soldiers arrived in France helping to fill the gaps that were formed by the Ludendorff's offensive - success
Between May and July 1918, there were 800,000 US soldiers sent out which enabled more experienced soldiers to be sent out away from the quieter parts and into where the German offensives were - success
Concluding thoughts
In conclusion, I believe that the US entry into the war was justified; this is because during the war (before the US formally declared war on Germany) there were many submarine attacks on US merchant ships along with passenger ships. Also the sinking of the Lusitania and the Zimmermann telegram was a main trigger for the US to feel as though it was reasonable to no longer maintain their policy of neutrality.
Overall, the US had many successes in supporting their allies with the help of exporting trades towards Britain and from sending out ships with soldiers that could pose as a threat towards the Germans. Their involvement was very threatening to the Germans as well until the Germans finally surrendered in 1918.
Sources: Trueman. “America and World War One.” History Learning Site, History Learning Site, 6 Mar. 2015, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/america-and-world-war-one/.
The United States Enters WWI.” Populism, www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_72_notes.htm.
History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/u-s-entry-into-world-war-i-1.
“The Presidency of Woodrow Wilson.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-in-wwi/a/the-presidency-of-woodrow-wilson.
“1914-1918-Online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1).” New Articles RSS, encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/home/.