April 2, 1917: President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress for a declaration of war on Germany


President Woodrow Wilson was just two years into his first term when Europe erupted into the First World War in 1914. As the Europe exploded into chaos, the United States largely ignored the conflict. During his first term, the President focused on domestic programs. In 1916, the war began to loom in the American consciousness. Wilson ran for reelection, on a platform of keeping the United States out of war. However, events in his second term would make it impossible to keep that promise.

 Throughout 1916, Germany conducted a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. They targeted any vessel they believed aided the war effort. This resulted in the sinking of many neutral ships. This also resulted in the loss of many innocent lives, Americans included. The policy slowly pulled the United States out of its isolationism. The final straw was the Zimmerman telegram. In March 1917, British intelligence forwarded a telegram from German diplomat, Arthur Zimmerman to the German ambassador in Mexico, in which Mexico was asked to invaded the United States in exchange for the former Mexican Cession after a German victory in the war. When Wilson read the telegram, he was furious. He called for a emergency cabinet meeting. When the cabinet met, they took a solemn vote to go to war. On April 2, Wilson climbed the Hill and asks Congress for a declaration of war on Germany. A couple of days later, Congress approved the declaration and the United States entered the First World War.

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