why did the united states enter world war 1?

Answer 1

President Woodrow Wilson desperately wanted to avoid war, having campaigned in 1916 under the slogan "He Kept Us Out of War".

At the same time, there was growing agitation from a sizable minority of people who wanted the US to enter the war on the side of the Allies. "Preparedness" was the watchword of the day. Military drill (marching, maneuvring, etc...) was a popular pastime. This came about in no small measure to the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. Many Americans were among the dead when a Germasn u-boat (submarine) torpedoed and sank the ocean liner Lusitania with no warning or chance to abandon ship.

After Wilson secured a promise from the Germans to refrain from unrestricted submarine warfare, relations got somewhat warmer for awhile. Soon thereafter, the British intercepted a telegram which was sent from Berlin to the German embassy in Mexico, instructing the ambassador to seek Mexico's entry into the war in exchange for the return of Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico when they won the war.

The Germans were losing the war and needed to do somehting quickly in order to avoid defeat, so they decided to return to unrestricted submarine warfare, betting the sucess of their u-boat campaign would be such that even if it drew the US into the war, the Americans would make it to Europe too late to be of any use to the Allied cause.

On April 4, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress for a Declaration of War against Germany in order to "make the world safe for democracy". They presented him with that declaration two days later.

Answer 2

When war began in 1914 U.S.A. wanted to stay neutral and not get involved in what they viewed as a European conflict. Later, in 1917 U.S.A did enter into World War 1 because of several events that occurred.

One of these events was in 1915 when the American's boat Lusitania sank and over 120 people were killed. Then the Sussex was sunk by a German U-boat. After this the American president,Teddy Roosevelt, wanted revenge.

On April 6 1917 war was called in U.S.A. with the permission of congress.
To some people this was a natural progression as it was thought that the U.S.A. were backing up Britain and that they weren't neutral in any case. Others say that as German threatened to conquer Britain, the U.S.A wanted to help out so that was another involvement in the war.
When the United States joined the war this did not just mean more ships, troops, supplies ect, but also it opened up the scene of even greater economic and business support to the run down similar nations.

Answer 3

while conflict began in 1914 united statesA. needed to stay impartial and not get entangled in what they considered as a ecu conflict. Later, in 1917 united statesa.did enter into international conflict a million because of the fact of a number of activities that exceeded off. one among those activities replace into in 1915 while the yank's boat Lusitania sank and over a hundred and twenty human beings have been killed. Then the Sussex replace into sunk by a German U-boat. After this the yank president,Teddy Roosevelt, needed revenge. On April 6 1917 conflict replace into referred to as in united statesA. with the permission of congress. to three human beings this alteration right into a organic progression because it replace into concept that the united statesA. have been backing up Britain and that they weren't impartial in spite of everything. Others say that as German threatened to beat Britain, the united statesa.needed to help out so as that variety into yet another involvement interior the conflict. while usa of america joined the conflict this did not purely propose extra ships, troops, factors ect, yet in addition it unfold out the scene of even extra suitable financial and organization help to the run down comparable international locations.

Answer 4

The textbooks give a lot of answers, but mostly when people want war they will find a way to have it. WWI was good for businesses in the US back then, and it became pretty exciting for Americans to be able to go over there and show them what we are made of. Over 100,000 dead Americans later.... well history has taught us that there was really no reason for America to have entered WWI, or the Spanish American War, or Vietnam, or I will venture a guess, Iraq. Even worse WWI setup the imbalances that led to the inevitable WWII, and another 400,000 American dead. Is all of this beginning to sound a little familiar? As has been said, those that don't study history are bound to repeat it. Is the mistake of Iraq just a single mistake or is it setting up for a much larger catastrophe, only time, and the growing number of American dead, will tell.

Answer 5

Actually, Lusitania didn't matter as much. Turns out, Lusitania was a passenger ship, but they WERE actually carrying weapons. So the Germans had a right to sink it.

Main thing is, Germany sent a telegram to Mexico about Germany promising to give back to Mexico Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, all that area if they joined the war, and against the U.S.

Answer 6

Um...Pearl Harbor caused World War II...

Stuff like the Zimmermann Note, unrestricted submarine warfare...

Answer 7

Pearl Harbor was WWII.

The US entered WWI because of agreements with their allies, such as Britain who was protecting some of THEIR allies. Kaiser Wilhelm II in Germany was a bit of a pyscho as well.

Answer 8

umm ignore that last answer pearl harbor was world war 2, they entered world war one because german u-boats sank a british passenger ship called the lusitania, and it had 100 americans on board

Answer 9

Because Germany kept sinking American ships and basically took over the ocean with all their blockades and u-boats and the US was sick of it so they fought back.

Answer 10

b/c German U-Boats were torpedoing US ships w/o warning & violated the sussex pledge in which Germany promised to warn b4 torpedoing and other factors such as the zimmermann telegram and the british destuction of the trans-atlantic cable which cut off all communication with Germany and the british sent their propaganda against the Germans and it set the american public against the central powers (germany, austria-hungary, ottoman empire).