The chart “United States Exports to Europe 1910-1915” shows the exports we sent to Europe for war, before 1915, stayed about the same. Germany, UK, France, and Austria/Hungary were all sent millions of dollars’ worth of exports for the war. After 1914 the United States only sent France and UK exports. Most likely the reason we stopped supporting was both the public and the sinking of the Lusitania. We would have been too proud to send money to the shedders of American blood. We sent over 1,300 million dollars in exports after 1914. That alone shows the amount of patriotism we have.
In a letter from United States Ambassador to Germany Gerard, it states that on May 7th, 1915 the British steam ship Lusitania was sunk killing over 100 Americans. They violated the American rights on the high seas. I am astonished that this didn’t lead to an immediate war. But regardless this fueled the public to push Wilson to go to war. The sinking of the ship can be compared to modern day’s 9/11. Though that took 2 years, so there were other obvious pushes. This angered the public to make a shift in their position of the entrance into the World War.
Woodrow Wilson’s speech on January 22, 1917, came off as non-patriotic and unwilling to avenge the lives of the fallen Americans. Although this was not intended, the public took it that way. Being willing to fight not to win sounded un-American but it was simply misinterpreted. What he thought was; he did not want to fight for victory; he wanted to fight for peace. Though it came off as a white flag, he and the public thought virtually the same thing. But regardless of this speech, nearly the opposite happened. Germany was crushed so badly that it set up the stepping stones to the Second World War.
The note from Arthur Zimmerman that was intercepted infuriated Americans. They proposed a German-Mexican alliance, to help with America. This especially angered westerners. They promised Mexico Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Only one month later America declared war, this shows how mad America most likely was. Also it showed that they didn’t want to get in a war with us because they knew they would be overpowered. This is why they asked Mexico for their alliance. This played a very large role in the entrance to WWI because this extremely infuriated the public, and brought out more nationalism.
Woodrow Wilson says in his speech to the senate “Neutrality is no longer a feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved…” This illustrates that he is not willing to be civil to Germany anymore. He doesn’t desire any land, any dominion, he just wants peace. This shows how much of a peaceful man he was, not wanting anything apart from the war to be over. He believes he will get his share in the long run and from securing the world from war. He also speaks of freedom, and that the “menace” is threatening it. The threat to peace and freedom is an organized force, controlled by Germany’s government, not the people. He believes that democracy must be saved. This changed America’s idea of the German government and how it is trying to take away peace and freedom.
All of this together shows why America entered the war as they did. It also shows that nationalism was a large factor in World War I. This marked the beginning of World War one, and patriotism helped, along with other factors, start it.