Continued from Sarah Konz.US HISTORY BOOKhttp://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/ww1/section8.rhtmlThe War Hits HomeTHE BRITISH BLOCKADENavel strength became more useful for the British. This helped the German coast stop weapons and military supplies from entering. American ships refused to challenge the blockade and had troubles getting their goods for Germany to its destination. Also, it was hard for Germany to import goods as well. 750,000 Germans starved to death because of the British blockade.GERMAN U-BOAT RESPONSEGermany responded with a counter blockade. The counter blockade consisted of U-boats which came from a German word for submarine- Unterseeboot. If a British or Allied ship was found near Britain, they would be sunk. A big disaster occurred on May 7, 1915. When the U-boat sand a British ship Lusitania near the southern coast of Ireland. 128 of the passengers lost were Americans. Another British ship was sunk that contained two Americans. Finally, when the US demanded to stop the counter blockade Germany agreed to not sink anymore passenger ships. Of course, Germany broke their promise. They sunk another ship and 80 passengers were killed or injured. This time, when Germany agreed they wanted the US to persuade Britain’s blockade to be lifted.
THE 1916 ELECTION- Nominees were Woodrow Wilson (re-nominated by the Democrats) and Charles Evens Hughes(Republicans)Wilson's campaign slogan was "He kept us out of war."
Woodrow WilsonWon the election of 1916.Charles Evens Hughes pledged to uphold Americas right to freedom from the seas. He promised not to be too severe on Germany. The election was very close and Hughes went to bed thinking that the had been elected the next U.S. President. When he woke up they had to tell him he was no longer president.
The United States Declares War- Wilson called for “a peace without victory… a peace between equals.” He wanted all nations to join together in a “league of peace.”GERMAN PROVOCATION- Germany wanted to defeat Britain and ignored Wilson’s call for peace. (submarine warfare) In January, the U-boats planned to sink all the ships in British water. Hostile or Neutral. Therefore the US had to go to war.Zimmerman note-
a telegram from the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico. Germany an Mexico formed an alliance that said if the United States went to war, Germany would fully support Mexico and help them get Texas, New Mexico and Arizona back. When the telegram was presented to president Woodrow Wilson on March 1st, the united states officially declared war April 6th. AMERICA ACTS- Woodrow Wilson delivered a speech of his war resolution. It stated that he wanted to end the war and that property can be replaced but the lives of peachful and innocent people cannot be. Americans believed that they had to join the war if they wanted peace and freedom in the future.
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