Chapter 30: The War to End War
I. War by Act of Germany
On January 22, 1917, Woodrow Wilson made one final, attempt to avert war, delivering a moving address that correctly declared only a “peace without victory” (beating Germany without embarrassing them) would be lasting. Germany responded by shocking the world, announcing that it would break the Sussex pledge and return to unrestricted submarine warfare, which meant that its U-boats would now be firing on armed and unarmed ships in the war zone. Wilson asked Congress for the authority to arm merchant ships, but a band of Midwestern senators tried to block this measure. Then, the Zimmerman note was intercepted and published on March 1, 1917. Written by German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman, it secretly proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico. It proposed that if Mexico fought against the U.S. and the Central Powers won, Mexico could recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the U.S. The Germans also began to make good on their threats, sinking numerous ships. Meanwhile, in Russia, a revolution toppled the tsarist regime. On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war, which it did four days later; Wilson had lost his gamble at staying out of the war.
II. Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned
Many people still didn’t want to enter into war, for America had prided itself in isolationism for decades, and now, Wilson was entangling America in a distant war. Six senators and 50 representatives, including the first Congresswoman, Jeanette Ranking, voted against war. To gain enthusiasm for the war, Wilson came up with the idea of America entering the war to “make the world safe for democracy.” This idealistic motto worked brilliantly, but with the new American zeal came the loss of Wilson’s earlier motto, “peace without victory.”
III. Wilson’s Fourteen Potent Points
On January 8, 1917, Wilson delivered his Fourteen Points Address to
On January 22, 1917, Woodrow Wilson made one final, attempt to avert war, delivering a moving address that correctly declared only a “peace without victory” (beating Germany without embarrassing them) would be lasting. Germany responded by shocking the world, announcing that it would break the Sussex pledge and return to unrestricted submarine warfare, which meant that its U-boats would now be firing on armed and unarmed ships in the war zone. Wilson asked Congress for the authority to arm merchant ships, but a band of Midwestern senators tried to block this measure. Then, the Zimmerman note was intercepted and published on March 1, 1917. Written by German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman, it secretly proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico. It proposed that if Mexico fought against the U.S. and the Central Powers won, Mexico could recover Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the U.S. The Germans also began to make good on their threats, sinking numerous ships. Meanwhile, in Russia, a revolution toppled the tsarist regime. On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war, which it did four days later; Wilson had lost his gamble at staying out of the war.
II. Wilsonian Idealism Enthroned
Many people still didn’t want to enter into war, for America had prided itself in isolationism for decades, and now, Wilson was entangling America in a distant war. Six senators and 50 representatives, including the first Congresswoman, Jeanette Ranking, voted against war. To gain enthusiasm for the war, Wilson came up with the idea of America entering the war to “make the world safe for democracy.” This idealistic motto worked brilliantly, but with the new American zeal came the loss of Wilson’s earlier motto, “peace without victory.”
III. Wilson’s Fourteen Potent Points
On January 8, 1917, Wilson delivered his Fourteen Points Address to