World War One Dbq Analysis
Tirzah Dunham
Hour 4
DBQ
The roles individuals played in the beginning of world war one, led to a shift in the American position regarding their entrance into the war. Some of these revolutionary individuals include Secretary of State Lansing, German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman, and President Woodrow Wilson. In a letter to the United States Ambassador to Germany Gerard, the Secretary of State Lansing addressed the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania. The secretary stated, “...over 100 American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the United States and the Imperial German Government should come to a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted,”(Document C). The author’s word choice creates an underlying assumption that Germany is the enemy of the U.S. because they have killed innocent American citizens. The Secretary of State Lansing changed the neutral mindset of Americans to a defensive one which ultimately changed how America thought about entering the war. After Americans decided neutrality was no longer an option, they needed to choose a side to enter the war with. The actions of one individual in particular, Arthur Zimmerman, made the United State’s choice …show more content…
Woodrow Wilson pointed out that we are not going to war to defeat our enemies, rather to protect our allies or states with democracies. Wilson reminds the Americans, “We have seen the last of neutrality in these circumstances... the world must be made safe for democracy: its peace must be planted upon the tested foundation of liberty,”(Document F). The president played a big role because he justified our entrance into World War 1 with good reasoning, to make the world safe for democracy. This reasoning allowed American citizens to think of entering the war as more of a noble cause than remaining
Hour 4
DBQ
The roles individuals played in the beginning of world war one, led to a shift in the American position regarding their entrance into the war. Some of these revolutionary individuals include Secretary of State Lansing, German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman, and President Woodrow Wilson. In a letter to the United States Ambassador to Germany Gerard, the Secretary of State Lansing addressed the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania. The secretary stated, “...over 100 American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the United States and the Imperial German Government should come to a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted,”(Document C). The author’s word choice creates an underlying assumption that Germany is the enemy of the U.S. because they have killed innocent American citizens. The Secretary of State Lansing changed the neutral mindset of Americans to a defensive one which ultimately changed how America thought about entering the war. After Americans decided neutrality was no longer an option, they needed to choose a side to enter the war with. The actions of one individual in particular, Arthur Zimmerman, made the United State’s choice …show more content…
Woodrow Wilson pointed out that we are not going to war to defeat our enemies, rather to protect our allies or states with democracies. Wilson reminds the Americans, “We have seen the last of neutrality in these circumstances... the world must be made safe for democracy: its peace must be planted upon the tested foundation of liberty,”(Document F). The president played a big role because he justified our entrance into World War 1 with good reasoning, to make the world safe for democracy. This reasoning allowed American citizens to think of entering the war as more of a noble cause than remaining