The Zimmermann Note: Battle Against The United States

Author and purpose The "Zimmermann Note" was a diplomatic communication sent by Arthur Zimmermann, the German Foreign Minister, in January 1917, during World War I. Zimmermann wrote the note intending to ally with Germany and Mexico if the United States entered the war against Germany. The purpose of the Zimmerman Note was to propose a military alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States. In the note, Germany promised Mexico the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if Mexico would declare war on the United States and help Germany divert American attention and keep resources away from Europe. The Zimmermann Note was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence and then handed over to the United States government.
By early 1917, the war had caused both sides heavy casualties. In February 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare, a policy of sinking any ships, including civilian vessels, that entered designated war zones around the British Isles. This decision by Germany greatly angered the United States, as American ships and citizens were among those targeted, leading to the loss of American lives and property. As the Zimmermann Note turned up, Arthur Zimmermann, the German Foreign Minister, saw an opportunity to disrupt American efforts to support the Allies by proposing an alliance with Mexico. In the note, Zimmermann offered Mexico the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if it joined Germany in declaring war on the United States. However, the interception and decoding of the Zimmermann Note by British intelligence fundamentally altered the course of events. Once the contents of the note were revealed to the United States government and subsequently made public, it caused outrage among the American public and government