Factors That Lead to US’ Involvement in WWI
The factor for the American involvement in World War I was the submarine war, declared by the German Empire. Buenviaje notes that after the German scuppered several American ships in early 1917, on April 6, 2017, the United States Congress announced the beginning of hostilities. However, an equally significant factor in the USA’s entry into the conflict was the Zimmermann telegram, according to which Germany offered Mexico a potential alliance against the U.S. with the involvement of Japan. The final factor leading to the United States’ participation in the war was Germany’s demand to limit American ships’ sending to Europe by one vessel per month.
The USA’s involvement was a turning point in the war, which made the defeat of Germany possible. According to Leonhard, from 1917, American loans to the Allies amounted to $ 7 billion. In the shortest possible time, the Americans created the most robust infrastructure in France, including new port facilities, telephone lines, railways, and warehouses. Thus, the involvement of the U.S. and its material support led to the Entente and its allies’ victory.
The U.S. participation in the First World War significantly changed the Americans’ usual way of life since there was the mobilization of human and material resources for military purposes. To save fuel in favor of military production, many factories have reduced the operating time. U.S.’ railroads, owned by private companies, were brought under government control, and the maximum possible transport of military supplies was ensured. As a result of the adoption of these measures, workers’ strikes began in the United States. Wilson’s plans provided the solution to the most pressing problems of the time. In his program “14 points,” the President put forward a proposal on freedom of navigation, destruction of customs barriers, changing the territorial map of Europe, granting the rights of self-determination to its peoples, and the establishment of open diplomacy. Thus, Wilson offered the warring parties conditions of peace based on national self-determination and liberalism principles.