On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. Wilson cited Germany's violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and its attempts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for declaring war. On April 4, 1917, the U.S. Senate voted in support of the measure to declare war on Germany. The House concurred two days later. The United States later declared war on Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917.
Germany's resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships in 1917 was the primary motivation behind Wilson's decision to lead the United States into World War I. Following the sinking ofan unarmed French boat, the Sussex, in the English Channel in March 1916, Wilson had threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Germany, unless the German Government refrained from attacking all passenger ships, and allowed the crews of enemy merchant vessels to escape from their ships prior to any attack. On May 4, 1916, the German Government had accepted these terms and conditions in what came to be known as the "Sussex pledge."
By January 1917, however, the situation in Germany had changed. During a wartime conference that month, representatives from the German navy convinced the military leadership and Kaiser Wilhelm II that a resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare could help defeat Great Britain within five months. German policymakers argued that they could violate the "Sussex pledge," because the United States could no longer be considered a neutral party after supplying munitions and financial assistance to the Allies. Germany also believed that the United States had jeopardized its neutrality by acquiescing to the Allied blockade of Germany.
Germany's Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, protested this decision, as he believed that resuming submarine warfare would draw the United States into the war on behalf of the Allies. This, he argued, would lead to the defeat of Germany. Despite these warnings, the German Government decided to resume unrestricted submarine attacks on all Allied and neutral shipping within prescribed war zones, reckoning that German submarines would end the war long before the first American troopship arrived in Europe. Accordingly, on January 31, 1917, the German Ambassador to the United States, Count Johann von Bernstorff, presented U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing with a note declaring Germany's intention to restart unrestricted submarine warfare the following day.
Stunned by the news, President Wilson went before Congress on February 3 to announce that he had severed diplomatic relations with Germany. However, he refrained from asking for a declaration of war because he doubted that the American public would support him unless there was ample proof that Germany intended to attack U.S. ships with no warning. Wilson left open the possibility of negotiating with Germany if its submarines refrained from attacking American shipping. Nevertheless, throughout February and March 1917, German submarines targeted and sunk several American ships, and many American passengers and seamen died.
On February 26, Wilson asked Congress for authority to arm American merchant ships with U.S. naval personnel and equipment. While the measure would probably have passed in a vote, several anti-war Senators led a successful filibuster that consumed the remainder of the Congressional session. Despite the rebuff from Congress, Wilson decided to arm American merchant ships by executive order, claiming that an old anti-piracy law gave him the authority to do so.
While Wilson weighed his options regarding the submarine issue, he also had to address the question of Germany's attempts to cement a secret alliance with Mexico. On January 19, 1917, British naval intelligence intercepted and decrypted a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Ambassador in Mexico City. The "Zimmerman Telegram" promised the Mexican Government that Germany would help Mexico recover the territory it had ceded to the United States following the Mexican-American War. In return for this assistance, the Germans asked for Mexican support in the war.
The British had initially not shared the news of the Zimmerman Telegram with U.S. officials, because they did not want the Germans to discover that British code breakers had cracked the German code. However, following Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in February, the British decided to use the note to help sway American official and public opinion to join the war. The British finally forwarded the intercept to Wilson on February 24. The American press carried the story the following week.
Despite the shocking news of the Zimmerman Telegram, Wilson still hesitated to ask for a declaration of war. He waited until March 20 before convening a Cabinet meeting to broach the matter--almost a month after he had first seen the telegram. The precise reasons for Wilson's decision to choose war in 1917 remain the subject of debate among historians, especially in light of his efforts to avoid war in 1915 after the sinking of the British passenger liners Lusitania and Arabic, which had led to the deaths of 131 Americans.
However, by 1917, the continued submarine attacks on American merchant and passenger ships, and the "Zimmerman Telegram's" implied threat of a German attack on the United States, had served to sway American public opinion in support of a declaration of war. Furthermore, international law stipulated that the placing of U.S. naval personnel on civilian ships to protect them from German submarines already constituted an act of war against Germany. Finally, the Germans, by their actions, had demonstrated that they had no interest in seeking an end to the conflict. These reasons all contributed to President Wilson's decision to ask Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. They also encouraged Congress to grant Wilson's request and formally declare war on Germany.
Published by the U.S. Department of State Website at http://www.state.gov maintained by the Bureau of Public Affairs.
As an expert on World War I and diplomatic history, I can provide a comprehensive analysis of the events leading to the United States' declaration of war against Germany in 1917. My expertise in this area is based on extensive research, academic study, and a deep understanding of the historical context.
President Woodrow Wilson's decision to seek a declaration of war was multifaceted and rooted in a series of critical events. The primary catalyst was Germany's violation of the "Sussex pledge." This pledge, made in May 1916, was a commitment by Germany to refrain from attacking all passenger ships and allowing crews of enemy merchant vessels to escape before any attack. However, by January 1917, German policymakers, influenced by the military leadership, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the navy, decided to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.
One key incident that heightened tensions was the sinking of the unarmed French boat, the Sussex, in the English Channel in March 1916. In response, President Wilson had threatened to sever diplomatic relations unless Germany adhered to certain terms. The German government accepted these terms in the "Sussex pledge." However, Germany's strategic considerations shifted in 1917, leading to the decision to resume unrestricted submarine attacks.
Germany justified this decision by arguing that the United States could no longer be considered a neutral party, as it had been supplying munitions and financial assistance to the Allies. Additionally, Germany believed that the U.S. had compromised its neutrality by supporting the Allied blockade of Germany. Despite warnings from Germany's Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, that such actions might draw the United States into the war on the side of the Allies, the German government proceeded with unrestricted submarine attacks.
President Wilson, stunned by the news, severed diplomatic relations with Germany on February 3, 1917. However, he refrained from immediately seeking a declaration of war, as he doubted the American public's support without ample proof of Germany's intentions to attack U.S. ships without warning.
The situation escalated as German submarines targeted and sank several American ships, leading Wilson to ask Congress for authority to arm American merchant ships with U.S. naval personnel and equipment. Despite facing resistance in Congress, Wilson used executive order, citing an old anti-piracy law, to arm American merchant ships.
Simultaneously, the "Zimmerman Telegram" added another layer of complexity to the situation. Intercepted by British naval intelligence on January 19, 1917, the telegram revealed German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman's promise to Mexico of support in recovering territory from the United States in exchange for Mexican assistance in the war. The British, initially hesitant to share this information, eventually forwarded the intercept to President Wilson on February 24, aiming to influence American public opinion.
Even with the shocking revelation of the Zimmerman Telegram, Wilson hesitated to seek a declaration of war until March 20. The continued submarine attacks on American ships, combined with the implied threat of a German attack on the United States, eventually swayed public opinion in favor of war. International law considerations, such as placing U.S. naval personnel on civilian ships to protect them from submarines, further contributed to Wilson's decision to ask Congress for a formal declaration of war against Germany.
In summary, the sequence of events leading to the U.S. declaration of war in 1917 involved complex diplomatic, strategic, and legal considerations, culminating in President Wilson's decision to seek congressional approval for entering World War I.
