Chapter 14 ESSAY TEST(WWI)
The World War I consisted of nine major countries in the world, including the United States. The war was divided into two alliances, the Central Powers and the Allies. The Central Powers included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. The Allies included Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan and the U.S. The war began in 1914, with the assassination of Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian, by a Serb nationalist. But the United States officially entered the war in 1917, due to several reasons. President Wilson had no choice but to enter the war on the side of the Allies because of American neutrality, the Zimmerman note, and Germany's use of unrestricted U-boat warfare.One of the causes of the Americans entering the war on the side of the Allies was because of the violation of our neutrality by one of the Central Powers, Germany. In 1915, the Germans stated that British waters were considered a war zone and that all ships in that area would be attacked by German U-boats. The Germans believed the loss of lives could be avoided if neutrals stayed outside of the zone. But since submarine warfare attacks ships without stopping and checking for contraband first, they attacked the Lusitania, killing many passengers, including 128 Americans. Angered by this, President Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations with Germany if they continued to take away the lives of Americans and jeopardize American shipping. So Germany signed the Sussex Pledge, which promised not to sink passenger ships without warning and care for the lives of the passengers. But this lasted until 1916, when the Germans once again, attacked the ships.
Another reason for the U.S entering the war on the Allies was the Zimmerman Note. In 1917, the British interrupted a diplomatic telegram written by Alfred Zimmerman, the foreign minister of Germany, to Mexico. The note stated that in return for Mexico’s military assistance in the event the U.S entered the war, Mexico would receive most of the land they lost in the Mexican-American War, if the Central Powers won. This had a profound impact on American public opinion. Right after the Russian Revolution, they entered the war because they realized that their democracy would be ruined if they don't enter the war. So they sided with the Allies, with the unhappy opinion of the public. In order to avoid consequences, they passed the Espionage Act to punish anyone who were against entering the war.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 to end the war. It punished the Central Powers, especially Germany. The U.S had no choice but to enter the war on the Allies because of the Germans. They killed many Americans, jeopardized American shipping, and threatened us by saying that the Mexico would receive the lands they lost in the Mexican-American war if they won. The unforgiving events pushed the U.S in entering the war.
posted by Yoshimi Nomura @ 8:34 AM
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