Changes

For the first three years of World War I, the [[United States]] attempted to stay out of the war.  The United States had allies and [[citizens]] on both sides of the war, and the decision was not to move, but rather to stay neutral.  When the Germans used a [[U-boat]] to sink the ''[[Lusitania]]'' in 1915, killing over one thousand people, the Americans were outraged.  Later, when Britain implemented a [[naval]] blockade of Germany, the Germans announced they would sink any ship entering or leaving Britain.  They held true to their word and sunk three ships from America with the U-boats.  The Germans had taken ads out in most American newspapers, warning Americans that they travelled on British ships at their own risk.  However, only the [[Des Moines]] Register ran the ads.<ref> Morgan, Hal.  ''More Rumor''.  New York: Paradox Press, 1987. </ref>America now had many reasons to fight back, but she was still not ready to join the war.

For the first three years of World War I, the [[United States]] attempted to stay out of the war.  The United States had allies and [[citizens]] on both sides of the war, and the decision was not to move, but rather to stay neutral.  When the Germans used a [[U-boat]] to sink the ''[[Lusitania]]'' in 1915, killing over one thousand people, the Americans were outraged.  Later, when Britain implemented a [[naval]] blockade of Germany, the Germans announced they would sink any ship entering or leaving Britain.  They held true to their word and sunk three ships from America with the U-boats.  The Germans had taken ads out in most American newspapers, warning Americans that they travelled on British ships at their own risk.  However, only the [[Des Moines]] Register ran the ads.<ref> Morgan, Hal.  ''More Rumor''.  New York: Paradox Press, 1987. </ref>America now had many reasons to fight back, but she was still not ready to join the war.

The German Foreign Minister [[Arthur Zimmermann]] sent an encrypted [[Zimmerman Note|telegram]] to the German ambassador in [[Mexico]] which sought to induce Mexico to declare war on the United States.  British intelligence intercepted and deciphered the telegram, however, and gave it to the United States to help the British cause.  President [[Woodrow Wilson]] made the contents of the telegram public.  The telegram promised that Germany would help Mexico regain land it had lost to the United States in the [[Treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo]]  which ended the [[Mexican War]] if it would declare was on the United States.  At first, the Americans doubted if the telegram was real and thought it had been forged by the British to make America favor them.  But then Zimmermann was foolish enough to promise the pledge to Mexico in a public speech.

The German Foreign Minister [[Arthur Zimmermann]] sent an encrypted [[Zimmerman Note|telegram]] to the German ambassador in [[Mexico]] which sought to induce Mexico to declare war on the United States.  British intelligence intercepted and deciphered the telegram, however, and gave it to the United States to help the British cause.  President [[Woodrow Wilson]] made the contents of the telegram public.  The telegram called for Mexico to ally with Germany and go to war with the U.S. It promised that Germany would fund the war and help Mexico regain Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.  Zimmermann admitted publicly he sent it; the Mexicans ignored the proposal but American pubic opinion was outraged.

The Germans had gone too far.  On April 2, 1917, President [[Woodrow Wilson]] spoke in favor of declaring war on Germany in an address to the joint houses of [[Congress]].  Congress then formally declared war on April 6, 1917.<ref>http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usofficialawardeclaration.htm</ref>

German U-boats  now began sinking American ships on sight.  On April 2, 1917, President [[Woodrow Wilson]] spoke in favor of declaring war on Germany in an address to the joint houses of [[Congress]].  Congress then formally declared war on April 6, 1917.<ref>http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usofficialawardeclaration.htm</ref>

 

=== Russia ===

=== Russia ===