Zimmermann Telegram: America Enters the War Essay

In the book 'Zimmermann Telegram' by Barbara Tuchman, she clearly and lively explains account of events and evidence as they occurred. The book was first published in 1958 and it was a tribute to the popularity of the book. Also known as the Zimmermann note, this was a secret way through which Zimmermann issued a diplomatic communication from the foreign office of German in January 1917 and the contents proposed for an alliance between Mexico and Germany in a situation where the United States would wish to enter World War I against Germany. In exchange, Mexico would be able to reclaim some of her territories like New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. Unfortunately, the telegram was intercepted and consequently decoded by the intelligence officers from British. When the contents of the telegram were revealed after the author, Zimmermann who was the German Foreign Secretary publicly declared that he wrote the telegram and it was genuine, the Americans were angered. This led the United States to declare war Germany in April. This decryption later became to be known as the most critical intelligent triumph for Britain during the First World War and was described as the earliest occasions whereby a piece of signal intelligence affected the events of the world (Boghardt, 2012).

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Fundamentally, Zimmermann's note was intended for German high commissioner to Mexico and he anticipated that there would be a resumption of the unrestricted warfare in the submarine by Germany on February 1, a situation that the German government was pretty aware that it would automatically and undoubtedly lead to war with America. It is worth noting that the telegram note instructed the office of the High Commissioner of Germany in Mexico, headed by Ambassador Eckardt, that in any case, the United States seemed satisfied to enter into the war, then the ambassador was to approach the government of Mexico with a proposal to lure them into a military alliance with a possible funding from the German government. Undeniably, it became to be realized that the telegram was also a strategy by the German government to delay the delivery of war materials and other supplies which were imported from United States to the nations who allied against Germany during World War I (Boghardt, 2012). It should, however, be noted that the principal intention of the Zimmermann's telegram was merely to instigate Mexico to go into war with America by tying down the American forces and breaking down the export of their arms. The German government thought that they would defeat the British and French on the west and suppress Britain using the unrestricted submarine warfare. They hoped to do this before the United States' forces are trained and shipped to Europe in large numbers to come to help the Allies. It is noted that the German course was boosted by the fact that they had succeeded on the Eastern Front and therefore they believed that they could divert a large number of troops to the Western Front in a bid to help achieve their warring objectives.

After almost more than two and a half years, United States decided to enter into World War I in May 1917 after the then president Woodrow Wilson had effort thoroughly tried to keep America out of this war (Boghardt, 2012). Despite the few who had urged America to get into the war, public opinion from the American people equally reflected that of the president of showing reluctance to get into the war. There were strong views of neutrality when it came to matters of war among the people of the United States. This was observed from the opinions of the German Americans, Irish Americans and within the Scandinavian Americans as well as among the leaders of the church including women in totality. It is important to note that even before World War I broke out, the opinion of the United States was more negative towards Germany than any other European nation. This contrary notion about Germany grew more especially after the reported murders observed in Belgium after the passenger liner was sunk in 1914. After this incidence, America saw Germany as the primary antagonist of the European continent (Boghardt, 2012). As the president, Wilson was tasked with making crucial policy decisions concerning foreign affairs. Even though the nation was at peace, the American domestic economy operated on capitalist strategies, whereby the country through its banks made considerable loans to France and Britain. These funds were used to purchase raw materials and foodstuffs across the Atlantic. Even though President Wilson made attempts to expand the United States Navy, until 1917, he had made negligible preparations for the land wars and kept the Army small despite the increasing demands from the leaders and the public for improved preparedness.

With Russia undergoing a period of political instability in 1917, as a result of the disappointment over the war added to the fact that Britain and France were also running low on credit, Germany had the financial advantage in Europe over other nations (Boghardt, 2012). In that same year, Germany resumed her attempts on the unrestricted marine war which they carried out to any vessel that approached British waters. This was an orchestrated plan to starve Britain so that they could surrender with the intention that this would undoubtedly plunge the United States into the war. Compounded by the former Zimmermann's telegram, which was interrupted by the British intelligence officers, the communication of the contents of the telegram angered the United States as the German boats also commenced to sink American merchant ships in North Atlantic. This prompted President Wilson to ask the Congress to vote to allow the United States to declare war on Germany in April 1917 and by December 1917 America announced war on Austria-Hungary and in 1918, the United States troops started getting into the Western Front.

Conclusion

In sum, the activities that were spurred by Germany that made the United States to get involved in World War I as we noticed that the president Wilson was initially reluctant to get into European affairs. This was compounded too, by the requirements of the telegram sent by the Germans to Mexico.

References

Boghardt, T. (2012). The Zimmermann telegram: intelligence, diplomacy, and America's entry into World War I. Naval Institute Press.