In today's class we are going to examine the 3 major reasons for the United States joining the side of the Allies in World War 1.
Aggressive German submarine warfare, including the sinking of the cruise ship
Lusitania, had a big impact on America towards fighting against Germany. The Germans had unleashed what they called "unrestricted Submarine Warfare" and were sink any ships bound to England that were not on the side of the Central Powers.
The intercepted Zimmerman Telegram was a direct threat on the US from Germany. The telegram was a plea to Mexico to attack America and help Germany win the war. Though the attack never came many believe this telegram to be genuine and led America to side with the Allies.
Lastly, the withdrawal of Russia gave the Germans a huge military advantage in that they no longer had to fight on 2 fronts. We realized the Allies may very well lose the war without our help. Also, being able to fight on a side without Russia and their oppressive Tsar made it much more appealing to Americans who believed in democracy.
