WORLD WAR I LESSON SIX

CHOOSING SIDES
 
 
By the end of 1915, the little war that was supposed to end in six short weeks had spread
across the entire continent of Europe. In
 
just one year, half a million men had been  
wounded, captured, or killed in the
fighting.
On the Western Front, more
than 500 miles of trenches had been  
dug from the English Channel to
Switzerland. Trench warfare resulted in
few victories and very little movement
toward an end to the violence.  
On the Eastern Front, German  
and Russian troops battled each other along
Germany’s eastern border. Japanese forces
captured German islands in the Pacific
Ocean. British soldiers attacked Turkey and
Germany’s land in Africa.

REMAINING NEUTRAL
As soon as the fighting erupted
in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson
declared that the United States would
remain neutral. Not only would the United
States not enter the fighting, it would be friendly
with both sides.
American loyalty was split between the
Allied and Central powers. Of the 100 million
people in the United States, almost half of them
traced their roots back to Great Britain. They
supported France because of its help during the
Revolutionary War. It was easy for these Americans  
to choose the side of the Allied Powers.
Almost 12 million Americans supported PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON
the Central Powers. Their great grandparents had
immigrated to America from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey. If the United
States ever entered the war, they wanted to fight on the side of the Central Powers.

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HELP FOR THE ECONOMY
The United States refused to enter the war, but promised to help both sides. This
was good for America’s economy. Before the war started, the United States was struggling.
Americans were out of work. They didn’t have money to buy the things they needed for their
families. Food, weapons, and other war supplies were needed in Europe. American farms and
factories produced the things that Europe needed. Thousands of jobless Americans went back
to work.
Between 1914 and 1917, the United States sent billions of dollars in weapons, vehicles,
food, and clothing to the soldiers on both sides of the war. When Germany invaded Belgium,
Americans donated their own money to help the Belgians.
 
 
GERMAN U-BOATS
In the beginning of the war, Great Britain set up a blockade of warships off Germany’s
western coast. The warships prevented supplies from reaching Germany. Merchant ships
from the United States were stopped and searched. If they were carrying supplies for
Germany, they were turned away.
Germany responded with a blockade of its own. Instead of using warships, Germany
built U-boats. Warships traveled on top of the water. U-boats were submarines that traveled
under the water. It was impossible to see the small submarines approaching. German U-boats
sunk enemy ships headed for Great Britain and Ireland. Between 1914 and 1918, German
U-boats sank more than 11 million tons of Allied shipping supplies and killed thousands of
merchant sailors.
The Germans said they would try to avoid sinking neutral ships carrying supplies, like
those owned by the United States. Germany warned the United States not to send supplies or
people to its enemies.
President Woodrow Wilson was angry with Germany’s warnings. He promised the
Germans that they would be held responsible for any attacks on American lives or supply
ships.  
 
 
 
 
 

  GERMAN U-BOAT
 
 
THE LUSITANIA (LEW•SIH•TAY•NEE•UH)
Germany put President Wilson’s promise to the test. In May 1915, a U-boat sank an
American oil tanker, sending it to the bottom of the sea. Germany apologized and even
offered to pay for the tanker. Six days later, a German U-boat torpedoed a British passenger
ship, the Lusitania, as it sailed toward Ireland. More than one thousand people, including 128
Americans died. In August, a British ship, the Arabic, was sunk by German torpedoes. Two
more Americans lost their lives.
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THE SUSSEX
Americans were outraged. Many demanded that President Wilson declare war on
Germany. Again, Germany apologized and promised not to
sink ships carrying passengers without warning. In March 1916,
Germany broke its promise. A German U-boat attacked and
sunk the Sussex, a British ship being used by the French. Eighty
civilians, including several Americans, died when the Sussex sank
in the English Channel.

BLACK TOM ISLAND

On June 30, 1916, more than two million pounds of
ammunition and explosives were destroyed in New York Harbor.
The explosion tore holes in the Statue of Liberty. Windows
exploded throughout the city. Black Tom Island, a huge loading
dock for ships going to Europe, was completely destroyed.
It would take several years to determine that Germany was
responsible for the sabotage.
Germany was warned one last time. Again, Germany
made promises it could not keep. Great Britain’s blockades were
keeping food and supplies from reaching Germany. The German
people were beginning to starve. In January 1917, the German
government announced that its U-boats would sink all merchant
ships delivering supplies to its enemies, even those that
belonged to the United States.

THE ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM

On March 1, 1917, the Zimmerman Telegram made
headlines across the United States. Americans learned that
early in 1917, German foreign minister Arthur Zimmerman
sent a telegram to the president of Mexico. If the United
States declared war on Germany, Zimmerman wanted
Mexico to become allies with Germany.
In return for its help, Germany promised to return
the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona to Mexico.
Land in these states had been lost by Mexico at the
end of the Mexican War. The British discovered the
Zimmerman Telegram before any alliances could STATUE OF LIBERTY
be made between Germany and Mexico. The telegram was  
turned over to the United States.
Later that month, Germany added to America’s outrage by sinking four American ships
and taking the lives of 36 American sailors. President Wilson asked Congress to declare war
on Germany. In a speech, he told Congress, “The world must be made safe for democracy.
To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything.” On April 6, 1917,
Congress voted in favor of entering World War I on the side of the Allied Powers.
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 Name ___________________________________

CHOOSING SIDES
Directions: Read each question carefully. Darken the circle for the correct answer.

1 After reading the first two paragraphs 5 Why was it impossible to see German
of the lesson, you get the idea that – U-boats approaching?  
A the war was going to end quickly  
A They were invisible.
 
B fighting only took place in Austria B They were too small.
C Russia was not involved in the war C German U-boats traveled too fast.
D nobody knew when the war was D U-boats traveled under water.
going to end
6 How did Germany break its promise to
2 When fighting broke out in Europe, the United States?
the United States promised to remain
neutral. Neutral means – F Germany supplied weapons to Great
Britain.
F not choosing sides
G Germany’s U-boats sunk passenger
G angry ships without warning.
H picking an ally H Germany gave money to France.
J confused J German leaders said mean things
about President Wilson.
3 Why did many Americans choose to
side with the Allied Powers?
7 Who was responsible for the
A Their great grandparents had destruction of Black Tom Island?
immigrated from Germany.  
A France
B President Wilson liked the Allied  
B The United States
Powers the best.  
C Great Britain  
C France had supported the United
States during the Revolutionary D Germany  
War.
8 What was the importance of the
D Many Americans traced their roots
Zimmerman Telegram?
back to Turkey.
F Germany wanted to form an alliance
4 How did World War I help the with Mexico.
economy of the United States?
G Germany declared war on the
F The United States built American United States.
factories in Europe. H Germany promised to defend
G The United States sent billions of France.
dollars in food and weapons to J Germany planned to invade Texas.
Europe.
H American farmers and factory
workers made money producing
food and supplies needed to fight
the war.
J Americans donated their own
money to help the Belgians

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 Name ___________________________________

PICK A SIDE!

 
 

I chose this rule because... I didn’t choose this rule because...

This rule will make my life better because... This rule will make my life worse because...

The only problem with this rule is... The only good thing about this rule is...

If this becomes a rule, my friends will say... If this becomes a rule, my parents will say...

  A good compromise between these

  two rules would be...
 
 
 
 
 

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 YOUR OPINION COUNTS!
AMERICA’S CHOICE

For Part II of this activity, fill in the chart below to share your opinions about America’s choice
to enter World War I on the side of the Allied Powers.
 

In 1917, the United

In 1917, the United States entered World
States declared war on War I on the side of the
the Central Powers. Allied Powers.

The United States declared war on the The United States chose to enter World
Central Powers because... War I on the side of the Allied Powers
because...

If the United States had not declared war I feel that entering World War I on the side
on the Central Powers, I think... of the Allied Powers was...

In my opinion, one good thing about In my opinion, one problem with entering
entering World War I was... World War I was...

  If I had been alive in 1917, I would have

  wanted the United States to...
 
 
 
 
 

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