preview

What Was The Reichstag Dbq

Decent Essays

Seeing no other alternative, the US declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, and so the entered the conflict of World War I. Fear quickly flooded the West and Southwest regions, people from Texas to California began to fear an imminent invasion which would cause the loss of their land conquered by the soldiers of Mexico and Japan. Speculation that the Germans might seize Canada from Britain in the event they won the war fanned the flames of American fears. It became apparent that the war no longer only concerned events happening in Europe. It was now about threats to America itself. (MEMORIAL) Some members of Wilson’s own party refused to believe that any diplomat could send an alliance treaty in a telegram. However, on March 29, 1917, Zimmermann gave a speech in the Reichstag confirming the …show more content…

Zimmerman publicly confirmed the authenticity of the telegram, and that he indeed was responsible for its creation, as a method to prevent American entry into the war. Zimmermann saw no value in denying a fact that can be easily proven. As he himself said in a press conference on March 3, 1917: "I cannot deny it. It is true." Zimmerman also said that this message also pursued further diplomatic negotiations with the Japanese and Mexican governments; to which Japan’s ambassador to Germany answered, “too ridiculous for words”. Mexico never even considered a war with the U.S. was even possible. The country was engaged in a civil war, and the government of President Carranza knew that Mexico could not win against America, some of the reasons this was based on was that The United States

Get Access