What Caused the Us to Break Neutrality and Enter Ww1
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- Category: History: World Wars
- Date Submitted: 10/19/2011 11:51 AM
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WHAT CAUSED THE US TO BREAK NEUTRALITY AND ENTER WW1
At the beginning of WW1 in 1915, it was President Woodrow Wilson's intent to remain neutral. President Wilson made it clear that he had no intention of joining the war with the Allies ( Great Britain and France ) or the Germans. Although he proclaimed neutrality, he sympathized with Great Britain and France and sent goods overseas to them stating "free ships made free goods". This meant neutral nations could trade goods with whomever they wanted. It was thought that trading goods with Europe would pull the United States out of its economic slump. Great Britain eventually ran short of money to pay for U.S. goods and asked for a loan. Wilson felt this would perhaps break neutrality but conceded because the U.S. would lose its prosperity.
Germany was not happy about the U.S. supplying Great Britain with so many goods. They retaliated by blocking British ports. The Germans had a new weapon, a submarine called a U-boat, which gave them a new advantage. They could sneak up on ships underwater and attack them. On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British passenger liner that was loaded down with ammunition killing almost 2000 passengers, 128 of which were American citizens. The United States and President Wilson were outraged. Wilson still remained neutral but threatened to break diplomatic relations with Germany if they did not abandon their unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany subsequently apologized and promised that there would be no more submarine attacks without warning and provisions for safety of civilians. Wilson protested the German blockade of Great Britain but accepted the British blockade of Germany. In January of 1917 Germany announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare. Germany knew that it would lead the U.S. to join the war, but took a chance that this action would bring the British economy to its knees and they would win the war before the U.S. mobilized and...
At the beginning of WW1 in 1915, it was President Woodrow Wilson's intent to remain neutral. President Wilson made it clear that he had no intention of joining the war with the Allies ( Great Britain and France ) or the Germans. Although he proclaimed neutrality, he sympathized with Great Britain and France and sent goods overseas to them stating "free ships made free goods". This meant neutral nations could trade goods with whomever they wanted. It was thought that trading goods with Europe would pull the United States out of its economic slump. Great Britain eventually ran short of money to pay for U.S. goods and asked for a loan. Wilson felt this would perhaps break neutrality but conceded because the U.S. would lose its prosperity.
Germany was not happy about the U.S. supplying Great Britain with so many goods. They retaliated by blocking British ports. The Germans had a new weapon, a submarine called a U-boat, which gave them a new advantage. They could sneak up on ships underwater and attack them. On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British passenger liner that was loaded down with ammunition killing almost 2000 passengers, 128 of which were American citizens. The United States and President Wilson were outraged. Wilson still remained neutral but threatened to break diplomatic relations with Germany if they did not abandon their unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany subsequently apologized and promised that there would be no more submarine attacks without warning and provisions for safety of civilians. Wilson protested the German blockade of Great Britain but accepted the British blockade of Germany. In January of 1917 Germany announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare. Germany knew that it would lead the U.S. to join the war, but took a chance that this action would bring the British economy to its knees and they would win the war before the U.S. mobilized and...