The Zimmerman telegram
Cause or effect of America’s entry into WWI ?
The Zimmerman telegram played a crucial role in America's entry into World War I. It is considered a cause of America's entry into the war as it was one of the final straws that pushed the United States to abandon its policy of neutrality.
The Zimmerman telegram was a coded message sent by German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador in Mexico in January 1917. In the telegram, Zimmermann proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States. It offered Mexico the opportunity to regain lost territories in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if they joined the war on Germany's side.
When the telegram was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence, it was seen as a direct threat to American sovereignty and a violation of international norms. The revelation of the telegram caused widespread outrage in the United States and increased anti-German sentiments.
Furthermore, the Zimmerman telegram helped to solidify the perception that Germany was a hostile and aggressive power that posed a direct threat to American interests. Prior to the telegram's release, President Woodrow Wilson had been trying to maintain American neutrality in the war. However, the Zimmerman telegram undermined Wilson's efforts to remain neutral and galvanized public opinion in favor of joining the Allies in the war.
Ultimately, the Zimmerman telegram's impact was twofold - it revealed German belligerence and threat towards the United States and contributed to a shift in public opinion that favored American entry into World War I. Therefore, it can be seen as a cause of America's entry into the war rather than an effect.