UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE AND THE MAKING OF A PIVOTAL MOMENT: WOODROW WILSON’S CALL TO ARMS

On April 2nd, 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson made a historic request to Congress, asking for a declaration of war against Germany. The world was embroiled in the First World War, and tensions between the U.S. and Germany had been rising for some time. President Wilson had tried to keep America out of the war, but events had conspired to make this impossible.

One of the key factors leading to Wilson’s request was the unrestricted submarine warfare campaign launched by Germany in 1917. German submarines were sinking U.S. ships, and the American people were outraged. Wilson believed that the U.S. could no longer stand by and watch as its citizens and interests were attacked.

In his address to Congress, Wilson laid out his case for war. He spoke of the need to make the world safe for democracy, and of the moral imperative to stand up to aggression and tyranny. He acknowledged the sacrifices that would be required, but argued that they were necessary to protect American values and interests.

Congress ultimately voted in favor of the declaration of war, and the U.S. entered the conflict on the side of the Allies. The war would prove to be a transformative event for the U.S. and for the world as a whole. It would bring about significant changes in technology, politics, and society, and would shape the course of the 20th century.

While Wilson’s decision to ask for a declaration of war remains controversial to this day, there is no doubt that it was a pivotal moment in American history. It marked the country’s entry into the global stage as a major military power, and set the stage for America’s role in shaping the world in the years to come.