What were the reasons the US got involved in WWI?
1. German unrestricted submarine warfare: Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, which resulted in the sinking of several American merchant ships, was a direct challenge to the neutral stance of the United States.
2. Zimmermann Telegram: Germany's attempt to convince Mexico to join the war against the United States by promising them territories lost in the Mexican-American War was intercepted by British intelligence and made public, enraging the American public and government.
3. Economic ties: The United States had strong economic ties with the Allied powers, particularly Britain and France, and the prospect of default on loans made to these countries pushed the US closer to joining the war on their side.
4. Idealistic reasons: President Woodrow Wilson's belief in spreading democracy and promoting peace through collective security arrangements, as outlined in his Fourteen Points, also played a role in the decision to join the war.
5. The sinking of the Lusitania: The sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania by a German U-boat in 1915, resulting in the deaths of 128 Americans, further increased anti-German sentiment in the United States and pushed the country closer to entering the war.