Reasons Why I Voted in Support of President Woodrow Wilsons Declaration of War in April 1917 - Essay Example

America by all means had been compelled out of World War I by its policy of Neutrality and Non-Interference until Germany made an affront on her sovereignty and interests. One, I agreed with my fellow Congressmen on the need for America to continue practicing its policy of Neutrality and Non-Interference, but it later got clear to me that Germany was continually taking America’s stance as a mark of weakness and an opportunity to disrespect America’s sovereignty. One of the instances in which Germany disregarded the sanctity of America’s territorial sovereignty and thereby changed my stand on America’s position is when Germany used its unauthorized submarines along America’s East coast in 1917.

Germany respectively sunk the Lusitania, a British cruise ship that was bound for the United Kingdom, from New York. This incident claimed 1195 lives, 128 of them being Americans. This was part of Germany’s wider effort to use its U-boat ring to starve Britannia Island by sinking its supply ships. It must be remembered that Germany had done this act of aggression many times, over the years (Foner, 709). Economic interests of the United States also underpinned my resolve and my fellow Congressmen’s decision to vote in favor of Wilson’s call to war.

The countries that Germany was carrying unrelenting military onslaughts against were chiefly France and Britain, yet these two states harbored key economic interests of the United States. At the time, France and Britain owed America approximately 2 billion US dollars, compared to Germany which owed the US 27 million dollars. It became clear that if Germany would vanquish France and Britain, America could have forfeited the 2 billion dollars. Further economic interests were compounded by the fact that France and Britain were using US loans to finance the war against Germany.

Similarly, these two countries were buying huge military stockpiles from America on credit. Although Germany had also bought arms from the US, it had done so on a small-scale basis. The revelations on the Zimmermann Telegram also helped foster my resolve to vote in favor of Wilson’s declaration of war. The Zimmermann Telegram was another incident that exemplified Germany’s disregard for America’s sovereignty. As a diplomatic proposal from Germany to Mexico (convincing Mexico to war against the United States), the Zimmermann Telegram on February 1 1917 reiterated Germany’s intention to help Mexico recapture Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

That Germany was seriously pitted against the US is a matter that is underscored by its intention to finance and provide Mexico with supplies, if Mexico decided to fight against America. Once this telegram was intercepted and relayed to the American government by British intelligence, it became obvious to me and my fellow Congressmen that Germany had no regard for America’s territorial sovereignty and interests.