WORLD WAR I

This PowerPoint presentation will detail the tensions facing the US before their participation in WWI.

ENTER OR NOT TO ENTER?

WHY THE UNITED STATES DID NOT WANT TO GO TO WAR

My Poor BabyEveryday we hear of the millions who have been killed and can

only imagine the pain I would feel if my young son would enter into this brutal war. These senseless killings only

strengthen support for. Everyday we see chilling newspaper articles about young men who were killed in attack using chemicals of which most have never heard. To think that people are being murdered in such a horrific manner is

overwhelming to think about. Innocent lives are being taken away everyday by constant bombings and vicious attacks

using these poisonous gases. Imagining a beloved one out on those fields enduring the horrible living conditions (rats, lice, disease), lack of supplies, and regular bombings sends a tear through my heart. I pray that our country stays on its track

but live in fear of the possibility of war for the men, children, and wives of this country.

EconomicsI am a banker living here in the United States and it is my belief

that we must not get ourselves involved in the war and all the chaos, that plagues Europe. As the sizes of the Armies

have expanded they have grown to sizes never heard of before in history. With such huge armies the demands on the economy are obvious, we will need to supply them with food,

clothing, guns and ammunition, places to train, and the means of transportation. We were economically not ready to

enter war.

American NeutralityThere have been many occasions that have occurred throughout United States history which have tested the

country as a whole. The fighting, suffering, and carnage of WWI was one of those occasions.

Should the US intervene to help restore order, or should we choose to remain neutral using the safety provided by

our two great oceans? Should we dedicate ourselves political neutrality, while

also maintaining economic involvement in Europe, or should we break all ties with Europe, even at the risk of

hurting our economy?

Choosing the route of neutrality not only secures the safety of the US, but it also improves our standing on the world scene

overall as we will not be seen as meddlers in yet another European war

Sussex Pledge The suffering that America has experienced at

sea due to German U-boat attacks is, without a doubt, tragic. However, with the Sussex pledge Germany is now promising to end surprise attacks as long as ships are willing to let German soldiers search their ships when approached.

WILSON ANTI-WAR: Early 1917As president of the United States it is in my and the country’s best interest to stay out of any impending wars. Within this

dedication to our countries neutrality, we can insure our national security and improve our relations with all nations.

My opinions may enforce my "man of peace" persona which I could credit my Father with, who was a Presbyterian minister. I believe that as the strong country we have the opportunity to make a difference and help mediate any global issues that

come forth. These beliefs and this neutrality is something that has led to my reelection in 1916. Hopefully these

powerful nations will respect and honor our decisions. I have made no promises but am willing and ready to do anything to

make sure this will not be compromised, and neutrality is currently our best option.

REASONS FOR U.S. ENTERING WWI

EconomicsI am a banker living here in the United States. We the United

States have huge investments with the British and the French. If they do not succeed in the war, then they would not be able pay their debt to us back. It amounts to about

two billion dollars while Germany has only borrowed a mere 27 million from us. If the British and French can not / do not pay back all of the loans that they have borrowed then we

could be facing economic ruin. France and Britain are financing the war with our loans, while

also buying massive amounts of arms from our country through credit. If we want to make sure that we get it all paid back, then we need to make sure that our British and French

allies are victorious.

Sinking of the LusitaniaIt was supposed to be another ordinary day. I was on the Lusitania and on

my way to Ireland. I remember the date exactly; it was May 1, 1915. The Lusitania was one of the fastest ships and I felt extremely relaxed on it. It was a long journey ahead, but I had no worries and no idea of what was lying ahead in the future. On the 7th of May as the ship was nearing Ireland, at exactly 2:10 pm a torpedo was fired into the Lusitania. The German submarine U 20 had fired it at the side of the ship. Before we knew it there was another explosion and it ripped the liner apart. Everyone was terrified and had no idea what was happening. The torpedo was so

bad that the lifeboats were crashing into the passengers aboard on the deck. I was one of the very few people who were able to survive this horrible tragedy. After only 18 minutes the ship was completely under the sea. 1,119 out of 1,924 people died and 114 of those people were Americans. I thank God every night that I was one of

the lucky ones to survive.

Zimmerman TelegramBritish spies were able to intercept and decode a secret telegram between Germany and Mexico. The telegram encouraged Mexico to declare war on the US. Even though the US was still considered

neutral German officials believed it was only a matter of time before US forces joined in the fighting of WWI. Germany stated

their intention to resume unrestricted U-boat attacks in the Atlantic, which would in turn force the US to join in the fighting. Once victorious Germany promised to help Mexico regain all land

they had to lost to the US during the US Mexican war of 1848.

Zimmerman Telegram Telegram

Decoded

Wilson Pro-War: Late 1917

During the election of 1916 I stressed the importance of neutrality and keeping our country safe. I believed that staying neutral would have brought even more peace between us and other parts of the world. Even though we had strong bonds with Britain, I felt like it was my responsibility to protect those in our country from European battlefields. 

However, the actions of Germany have left us with no other choice than to declare war. They are actively trying to turn our Mexican neighbors against us. They are killing innocent Americans every week as they continue their sneaking U-boat attacks. With Russia’s recent surrender, we have no choice but to intervene on Britain and France’s behalf as a German victory looks more and more likely. We cannot allow dictators such as Kaiser Wilhelm in Germany spread across Europe and it is our duty to “make the world safe for democracy

Summary

Several reasons led to America finally joining World War I. Woodrow Wilson wanted to follow through with his policy of neutrality, but after certain events he had to take action. Some of those reasons included the Zimmerman Telegram and the sinking of the Lusitania. Numerous Americans died on the Lusitania and Wilson was not going to take it. The Zimmerman Telegram hit another of Wilson's nerves. Even though its intention was to get Mexico to go into war against the U.S., it backfired and was one of the main reasons the U.S. joined "the great war".

Prompt: Using the previous slides, you are to decide if the United States was justified in going in declaring war against Germany

during WWI. Explain your reasoning in detail.

Use complete sentences Paragraph Minimum

List MULTIPLE examples in this PowerPoint to support your position to earn a 4.