The United States of America remained neutral in the Great War for three years before entering to become one of the Allied powers. There were many factors leading up to America’s entrance into the war. A lot of it was propaganda but some of it had truth to it. Many of the stories of the cruelty of the Central Powers to the Allies were made up to gain more support. Another reason America joined the war with the Allies was that we loaned most of our money and supplies to the Allied powers and we wanted to ensure that we would be paid back. America was kind of justified in entering the war because Germany was destroying passenger ships with American citizens on them and planning war strategies against America such as the plans stated in the Zimmerman note.
The Senate voted for war on April 4th, 1917 and the House of Representatives did the same on April 6th. Many things brought this about such as the Zimmerman note, the sinking of American merchant ships by German U-boats and the overthrow of the czar in Russia. America protested against the sinking of non-combatant ships by the German U-boats especially American vessels. This was stopped for a while but was re-instituted because there was a chance that it might help Germany win
Many Citizens of the United States opposed the war. People of German lineage still had some ties with their homeland and did not want to see their new home go into war against their people. People of Irish descent were against America going in to help the British win the war. They thought if Great Britain was defeated then it would be a perfect time for Ireland to revolt against the centuries of British oppression. There were also many pacifists that believed the United States should set an example of peace for the rest of the world. There were also some who didn’t want the men of America to experience the horrors of warfare especially the new and modern way it was waged. The general consensus of the American population was an opposition to the war.
There was a widespread feeling of sympathy in the United States for Great Britain and France. A lot of Americans felt closer to England because of a common ancestry and language as well as similar legal systems. They felt close to France because of the history of French and American alliances in past wars. Another major factor in Americans feeling sympathy for the Allies was the large amount of anti- German propaganda produced by Great Britain. Most of the stories were false but enough of them were true so as to stir up sympathetic feelings for the Allies. A more important factor in the economic state of America wanting the Allies to win was that America’s economic ties with the Allies were far greater than t
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