How To Persuade Senator Robert La Follette Address To War Dbq

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The us did not originally support the entrance into WWI. They didn’t support it because they believed in neutrality rather than going to war and putting US citizens in danger. This all changed when german actions such as mistreating the US on the High Seas, making secret treaties with Mexico and spreading the idea of autocratic government through europe.(Thesis) During this time President Woodrow wilson was elected and thrown into a mess in with foreign countries. Almost all of europe was in war and the US was a bystander watching from the outside. The task for wilson now was to either declare war and help their allies or stay neutral and keep out of it completely.(Historical context) The US didn’t support the war initially because there wasn’t …show more content…

If the president or leader of your country doesn’t support something, it is generally not going to be supported by the citizens and the government. This show that Wilson was initially trying to draw support from war in order to stay neutral.(Doc. 1) This documents purpose is pretty clear. I was meant to persuade congress to not go to war and to make sure his position on the topic was clear.(Purpose:Doc 1) In Senator Robert La Follette’s address to senate in 1917, he stated another reason to not support war. He said that the US should stay neutral, but he also said that we should treat all of the nations equally. He state that the germans and the british have done bad things on the seas to us, and that we should punish them both equally. He also gives way that we could stay neutral and still punish them both. This shows that some people supported things such as suspending commerce as a way to punish them rather than war.(Doc. 6) The song “Over There” by George Cohen is obviously meant to draw support for war and convince people to join the …show more content…

In a letter to the US ambassador to germany the us Secretary of state told him that the US and german governments needed to solve problems about the high seas. He specifically referenced the Lusitania and over 100 american citizens being killed. This show that the german recklessness on the high seas was angering the US government.(Doc.2) The purpose of this document was not to warn about war but to try and come to an agreement with germany and address the problem we saw.But, its still gives a reason for war.(Purpose:Doc 2) The german foreign secretary wrote a letter to the german ambassador to mexico in 1917 stating that they wanted to make an alliance with them to help them fight the US in the war. They were worried ht when they went back to unrestricted submarine warfare, they would provoke the

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