did germany offer mexico the return of texas and california in exchange for gettitng involved in WWI?

Answer 1

(err, that's preceded, not precluded, the USA's entry into WW1)

Yes, the Zimmerman telegram, intercepted and decoded by the British and after a certain delay passed to the Americans, was seen by some anti-war organisations as a fraud, when it was made public on 1st March 1917. The Hearst press in particular decried it as a fake.

And then ZImmerman, the German foreign secretary, officially confirmed it as genuine at a press conference in Berlin!

On 18th March three American ships were sunk without warning by U-boats. War with Germany was inevitable...

Answer 2

There was a supposed telegram that was intercepted between Germany and Mexico. Germany would help Mexico regain control of some of her lost territory in the US if Mexico joined into an alliance with Germany. Some people claim that the telegram was fabricated by the US and the UK to try to convince the American people that it was necessary for the US to get involved. I believe the story is accurate, but there are always the conspiracy theorists.

Answer 3

According to the infamous 'Zimmerman Telegram' Germany was to make a deal for Mexico to invade the U.S. from the South. This precluded the U.S. entry into WWI.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmerman_Telegram