Why did the US enter WWI?

Answer 1

Here's the answer I just gave another guy with the exact same question... Good luck to you.

Wilson preferred for the US to remain "neutral in thought in action". Throughout the early phases of the war, the US sold armaments to both sides, although over time they would sell more to the Allies. However, the US had more in common (ideologically, etc.) with Britain and the Allies than with the Central Powers. In addition, they began to have a financial stake in an Allied victory as they began to finance the Allied war effort through loans.

Of course we all know about the infamous sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915) that nearly brought the US and Germany to blows, but was warded off through some fancy diplomacy when the Germans agreed to abandon their policy of unrestricted submarine warfare after killing some 128 Americans (1,198 total civilians) in this incident. The Germans stayed true to their word and obeyed cruiser rules for over 1.5 years. However, in January 1917, the British blockade reached its peak of effectiveness and the German population was starving. The government and military were under increasing civilian pressure to do something to relieve the misery of the people and so after considering their options, Germany once again declared unrestricted submarine warfare in February 1917. The knew this would bring the US into the war but hoped they could "starve Britain into submission within 5 months" ... before the US could mobilize to full strength. [Note: US had troops in France by May and they declared war in April].

The US was naturally furious, and following the disclosure of the Zimmerman Telegram (where Germany probed Mexico as to whether they would join the Central Powers and fight against the US should the US join the Allies - in exchange Germany offered NM, AZ, TX upon a Central Powers victory to Mexico) and the sinking of the Liconia... the President that "kept us out of the war" (election slogan, March 1917) declared war on Germany in April 1917.

So lots of factors. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Virtually the entire American political establishment was pro-British right from the start (W.J. Bryan being the major exception). As the war went on British propaganda in America convinced more and more people that the war was about protecting Anglo-American ideals from Hunnish savagery. American foreign policy tried to prevent Germany from using the principal means of naval warfare likely to be successful while winking at Allied violations of international law. Finally, the United States had lent so much money to the Allied Powers that the US could not afford to see the Allied Powers lose.

Answer 3

The Foreign Minister of Germany, Zimmerman, sent a telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico City. This telegram instructed the ambasador to offer Mexico an offensive-and-defensive alliance against the U.S. Mexico was to invade the U.S. from the south to revcover terreitory lost by Mexico in the 19th Century. Germany was to wage submarine warfare against the U.S. in the Atlantic. The British had cracked the German diplomatic code. The British offered the message to the U.S. together with the German diplomatic code book. The U.S. had nort wanted to get into the war. Woodrow Wilson's campaign slogan in the election of 1916 was, "He kept us out of war." Interestingly, the Germans sent the telegram in code to Mexico City, relayed by a U.S. Navy radio station on Long Island through Western Union.

Answer 4

That's only part of it. The Germans were sinking neutral ships to stop supplies from getting to the Allies.