Eva Gajecki
A 1­2
U.S. Entry Into World War I In 1917, the United States decided to relinquish its neutrality and enter World War I on the side of the allies.When the war first broke out in Germany, Americans were shocked at the brutality of modern warfare and were determined to stay out of the war and remain at peace.
However, the idea of neutrality in the United States during the war came crumbling down when tension between the United States and Europe increased and war seemed inevitable.
Germany had begun to produce a new weapon of war, the U­boat, and began attacking
American and British vessels in the North Atlantic. Prior to 1915, Germany had a policy of warning and allowing passengers to evacuate a ship before they sank it. Nonetheless, the
Lusitania
, a British passenger liner that was traveling from New York to England, was attacked by a German U­boat in 1915 without any warning. The sinking of the
Lusitania
astonished and angered Americans, due to 128 passengers being killed. Several Americans called for war after this tragedy, but President Wilson was still against the United States entering World War I. After a French passenger ferry, the
Sussex
, was attacked by Germany without warning in 1916, Wilson declared that if Germany continues sinking, the United States would break diplomatic relations with Germany. This caused Germany to issue the
Sussex Pledge
, which promised an adjustment in their naval warfare actions. The
Sussex Pledge promised that passenger ships would not be targeted, merchant ships would not be sunk unless there are weapons on it, and merchant ships will not be sunk until the passengers and crew are evacuated. The
Sussex Pledge was abolished

by Germany in 1917, when they were sure that they can defeat the Allies with unrestricted submarine warfare. The resumption of unrestricted warfare infuriated the Americans and
President Wilson, as shown in a quote from excerpts from Wilson’s war message to Congress on
April 2,1917: “The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind.” On January 19,1917, British intelligence agencies encrypted and interpreted a message sent from the German Foreign Minister to