WE MAKE MEXICO A PROPOSAL OF ALLIANCE

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2232

PRESIDENT INFORMED OF GERMAN OFFER OF ALLIANCE WITH MEXICO

Washington, D.C.  (JFK+50) 100 years ago today, February 26, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson was informed of the interception and decoding of a telegram from German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman to Count Johann von Bernstorff, German ambassador to Mexico, calling for an alliance between Germany and Mexico should the United States and Germany go to war.

The secret communication, which had been intercepted by British intelligence on February 24, 1917, was made available to Walter Hines Page*, U.S. ambassador to Great Britain.

In addition to the suggestion of an alliance, the Germans offered Mexico financial assistance and the return of their lost territories of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

On February 27, 1917, President Wilson proposed to Congress the arming of American ships against possible German attack.  The Zimmerman Telegram proved to be a major factor in turning American public opinion against Germany and leading to a United States declaration of war.

*Walter Hines Page (1855-1918) was born in Cary, NC & educated at Trinity College, Randolph-Macon College & Johns Hopkins University.  He was editor of the St. Joseph (MO) Gazette before serving as Vice-President of Doubleday, Page & Co. from 1900-1913.  WHP was appointed US Ambassador to Britain in March 1913.

SOURCE

"President Wilson learns of Zimmerman Telegram," This Day In History, February 26, www.history.com/

Zimmerman Telegram Decoded

National Archives Image (1917)

WE WON'T COME BACK TILL ITS OVER, OVER THERE!

JFK+50:  Volume VI, No. 1907

UNITED STATES ENTERS GREAT WAR

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On April 2, 1917, 99 years ago today, President Woodrow Wilson asked for a war declaration against Germany.  Mr. Wilson spoke to a joint session of Congress.

When the Great War* began in 1914, the President asked the American people to be neutral "in thought as well as deed."   In January 1917, however, critical factors would lead to Mr. Wilson's decision to ask for war.

Germany had initiated a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.  This meant that any vessel of any country, at war or neutral, military or civilian, was subject to attack if sailing in the established "war zone."

When an unarmed French vessel. Sussex, was torpedoed in the English Channel by a German submarine in March 1916, the President  threatened to cut off diplomatic relations unless Germany agreed to refrain from attacks on all passenger ships and allow the crews of enemy merchant vessels to abandon ship prior to any attack.

While the Germans agreed to the Sussex Pledge on May 4, 1916, in  January 1917, they resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in the hope that Great Britain could be defeated within five months.

German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, believing this decision would bring the United States into the war, objected.   The resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, as the Chancellor feared, resulted in President Wilson's decision to break off diplomatic relations with Germany.  

In February and March 1917, German submarines attacked and sank several U.S. ships. Also, a secret telegram sent by the German ambassador to Mexico, Arthur Zimmerman, was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence.  

The Zimmerman Telegram offered Mexico return of lost territory to the United States if she agreed to join Germany in the war against her neighbor to the north.

In his address to Congress of April 2, 1917, President Wilson called the attacks by German submarines to be "a warfare against mankind".  The President concluded his message with these words:

"There are many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead....civilization seeming to be in the balance.  But the right is more precious than peace...
We shall fight for democracy....and make the world itself at last free.  God helping (America) can do no other."

The United States Senate approved the war declaration on April 4th and the House of Representatives followed on April 6th.

The United States entered the war to "make the world safe for democracy."  Soon doughboys would be on their way to Europe and pledged not to return "until its over, over there!"**

"OVER THERE"

Over There, Over There
Send the word, send the word, over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums rum-tumming everywhere

So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word, to beware
We'll be over, we're coming over
And we won't come back till its over, over there.

*The world war that began in Europe in 1914 was known as The Great War or The World War, or even The War to End All Wars, but after that war ended and another began, it was rechristened World War I.

**"Over There" was a song written by George M. Cohan in 1917 shortly after the US declared war on Germany. Cohan was an actor, singer, dancer, and producer as well as songwriter.  His other tunes include "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Give My Regards to Broadway," and "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy."

"Over There" was recorded by Nora Bayes, Enrico Caruso, Billy Murray, Arthur Fields & Charles King.  In 1936, FDR awarded Cohan the Congressional Gold Medal.


SOURCES

"Over There: A Patriotic Song of World War I," About Education, www.history1900s.about.com/

"U.S. Entry Into World War I, 1917," United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, www.history.state.gov/

President Wilson Asks for War Declaration

April 2, 1917
Library of Congress Photo

PRESIDENT WILSON ASKS FOR WAR DECLARATION

PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON WANTS USA TO ENTER WORLD WAR

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Ninety-eight years ago today, April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson, speaking to a joint session of Congress, asked for a war declaration against Germany.

The World War, later to be labeled World War I, had begun in 1914.  President Wilson asked the American people to be neutral "in thought as well as deed." That would be easier said than done for the people as well as the president.  

In January 1917, critical factors would lead to President Wilson's decision to ask for the war declaration the following April.

Germany had initiated a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.  This meant that any vessel of any country, at war or neutral, military or civilian, was subject to attack if sailing in the established "war zone."

When an unarmed French vessel named the Sussex was torpedoed in the English Channel by a German submarine in March 1916, President Wilson threatened to cut off diplomatic relations unless Germany agreed to refrain from attacks on ALL passenger ships and allow the crews of enemy merchant vessels to abandon ship prior to any attack.

The Germans agreed to the "Sussex Pledge" on May 4, 1916.  By January 1917, the decision was made to resume unrestricted submarine warfare in hopes that Great Britain could be defeated within five months time.

German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, believing this decision would bring the United States into the war, objected. 

The resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, as the Chancellor feared, resulted in President Wilson's decision to break off diplomatic relations with Germany.  

In February and March 1917, German submarines attacked and sank several U.S. ships. Also, a secret telegram sent by the German ambassador to Mexico, Arthur Zimmerman, was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence.  

The Zimmerman Telegram offered Mexico return of lost territory to the United States if she agreed to join Germany in the war against her neighbor to the north.

In his address to Congress of April 2, 1917, President Wilson called the attacks by German submarines to be "a warfare against mankind".  The President concluded his message with these words:

"There are many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead....civilization seeming to be in the balance.  But the right is more precious than peace..."

"We shall fight for democracy....and make the world itself at last free.  God helping (America) can do no other."

The United States Senate approved the war declaration on April 4th and the House of Representatives followed on April 6th.

The United States of America had entered the war to "make the world safe for democracy."  Very soon, America's "doughboys" would be on their way "over there."

SOURCE

"U.S. Entry Into World War I, 1917," United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, www.history.state.gov/

President Wilson Asks for War Declaration

April 2, 1917
Library of Congress Photo