The Necessity of American Involvement in World War I

"Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion" (Woodrow Wilson). The First World War was one of the most destructive and deadliest wars of all time. Several countries participated in the war including France, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia. When these major European nations went to war in 1914, the majority of Americans wanted nothing to do with the raging war. On April 2, 1917, Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war to make the world “safe for democracy.” However, there is still heated and debated argument going on: Could America’s involvement in Word War One been avoided by President Wilson? There are several reasons why President Wilson could not avoid getting America involved in WWI. The Germans attacked boats holding American civilians, America was threatened by Germany and the allies would have lost.

For the first few years of WWI, America made sure to stay out of the way. However when the German’s attacked and destroyed the Lusitania, and other ships, carrying American civilians, many American’s were in an uproar about the American deaths and knew something had to be done to stop the Germans. The Germans promised that they would not sink unarmed passenger ships without warning, however, twice they promised and twice they broke their promise. Americans thought that if these civilian killings were to continue, then the United States would have to intervene.

In January of 1917, Germany was suffering from supply shortages do to blockades. Taking action, Germany had their Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman send a telegram to Mexico. The telegram proposed an alliance with Mexico, stating that if the United States declared war on Germany, Mexico should declare war on the United States. The telegram was intercepted and given to American authorities. Although most leaders believed that Mexico would go to war, Americans were shocked with the publication of the telegram and wanted to enter the war.

When the war broke out in the summer of 1914, it was like any other war.