It was February 24, 1917 when the British government presented then American president Woodrow Wilson with the now famous Zimmermann telegraph. Although not the only factor, the telegraph’s message, along with the increase in German submarine warfare, would take America out of its traditional and seemingly steadfast policy of isolationism and hurl it full force onto the world stage.

The war to end all wars, also known as World War I, had begun in 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand by Serbian freedom fighter, Gavrilo Princip. The international incident brought the dizzying map of European alliances into a war nobody had expected. The main players became Germany, Russia, England and France although nearly every European country as well as their allies from other continents took part in the devastating warfare. America declared itself to be neutral. 

Despite fantastic trade and friendly relations with most European countries, the United States had little desire or indeed means to be involved in a war. After the Mexican American War in 1848 and the crippling bloodshed of the American Civil War, Americans had little desire to involve themselves in the conflicts of other nations. Friends with both England and Germany, to take sides would mean a drop in trade as well as a commitment the country may not be fit to undertake.

Woodrow Wilson was enjoying his second term as the president after campaigning on a platform of keeping the country out of the war. This college professor turned governor made for a balanced president, drawing on both the academic and real world experiences to run his administration. Having lost his wife in 1914 and remarried in 1915, Wilson had experienced a lot of personal ups and downs but managed to keep the country out of the European war claiming that as long as Germany and her allies did not attempt to interfere with American trade or travel, there really was little reason to involve the nation in a war that was not theirs.

In 1915 the British luxury liner, the RMS Lusitania was sunk by German u boats, at a cost of over a hundred American lives. Most of the public had determined with whom their sympathies lay but Wilson still resisted involvement.

By early 1917, the British were feeling the pinch of battle, low on troops, supplies and morale. German subs filled the waters surrounding the proud island and trench warfare in France was taking its toll in bodies and spirit. Help was needed in order for the Allies to successfully defeat Germany and her forces.  In January of that year British code breakers stumbled across the Zimmermann telegraph.

“FROM 2nd from London # 5747.
“We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President’s attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace.” Signed, ZIMMERMANN.”

Arthur Zimmermann was the then foreign minister of Germany and he sent the intercepted message to von Eckhardt who was the German Ambassador to Mexico. It would take the British almost a month to present the intercepted note to President Wilson. Some claim it was to protect intelligence sources, others that it was to allow anti-German feelings to increase with the onset of their plan of all out submarine warfare.  To date, no clear and decisive motive has been made. The effect however of the telegraph was powerful and Wilson called on congress to declare war on Germany in April of 1917 officially ending American neutrality.

World War I remains a stain on modern history with over 20 million lives lost in four years. Its bitter end and settlement treaties sparked the Second World War which again through America into a war that was not their own. Hitler never officially declared war on America.  By World War II, the United States had clearly shown where its alliances lay. Even today, the British and American governments have a “special relationship” supporting each other in military actions across the globe.

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In an era when America is considered a global policeman with a mission to bring democracy on all four corners of the world, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that once such involvement would have been considered inconceivable. But it was less than a century ago when all that changed as the infamous Zimmermann telegraph landed on President Wilson’s desk.

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