Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Zimmerman Note

According to the telegram, what did the German government decide to begin on February 1, 1917? What did Zimmerman propose if the Unites States went to war with Germany during World War I? Thinking about earlier history, would this please Mexico? Why or why not? If this telegram had not been intercepted by British agents, what do you think might have happened? Cite evidence from your research to support your opinion. All posts need to be completed by 8:00am Tuesday, 12 March.

29 comments:

  1. The Zimmermann Note, or more formally the Zimmermann Telegram, was a proposal sent by the Foreign Secretary of Germany, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German ambassador in Mexico, named Heinrich von Eckardt. In this telegram, which was sent in January of 1917, proclaimed that Germany would begin to use unrestricted submarine warfare starting on February 1st of the same year, and was asking Mexico for an alliance against the United States if they decided to enter the war. This would have pleased the Mexican government because Germany promised that in return for their alliance, they would receive money for the war from Germany and would be able to claim back territory they lost in the Mexican-American War, like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. However, in January, the British Naval Intelligence was able to intercept the telegraph, and eventually informed the United States of this proposal on February 24th, 1917. Once this proposal had reached the American press, many civilians felt threatened by the Germans and believed they should enter the war. Not too much later, president Woodrow Wilson and the rest of the US government officially declared war on Germany on April 6th, 1917. Had this message not been intercepted, the Mexicans might have agreed to this alliance (they officially rejected the proposal after the US entered the war), because they didn’t have a great relationship after the Mexican-American War. This would have been a perfect time to attack the US and gain back the land they lost in that war, especially if the Americans were busy fighting the war in Europe. However, since the message was intercepted, it would have put the Mexicans in a bad position to accept the proposal, and was therefore necessary to not align with Germany for the rest of World War I. Had the message not been intercepted, the US would have most likely not entered the war, and the course of history would have radically changed.

    Sources:
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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  2. The Zimmerman Telegram was a request of an alliance to form between the Germans and Mexicans that was intercepted by British Intelligence. It clearly stated that the Germans intended to begin "unrestricted submarine warfare" (qtd. by Childress) on February first. This meant that the Germans would begin destroying any vessels that entered British waters despite the occupants or their purpose. While the United States remained neutral at this point, they supplied military equipment to the Allies. Fully knowing this, the Germans risked angering the Americans by ruthlessly torpedoing neutral American vessels. Trying to prepare for the worst possibility of waking the sleeping giant, the Germans extended their hand to the Mexicans asking for their support in the event of war with the United States. In return for support, the Germans also promised that the Mexican would have financial support and the reconquering of "lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona." (qtd. by Childress). This deal would greatly benefitted the Mexicans as they had lost this territory in the Mexican-American War in the late 1850's. The war had basically been a brutally plundering of Mexican land that stemmed from the annexation of Texas. It had resulted in numerous Americans wins that tarnished the Mexican's reputation, and 500,000 square miles of conquered land. The offer of this land being returned to Mexico would have seemed greatly pleasing. However, the British interception and relaying, although delayed, of the telegram to the Americans prevent any possibility of this alliance forming and brought the force of America into WW1. However, if this telegram had not been intercepted there would have been a very good chance that the American's would not have entered the war, and the entire outcome would be different. The acting president at the time, Woodrow Wilson was very well know for wanting to avoid the war and keeping the country out of it. It is that that made him so popular, by preventing sons and fathers from dying in combat. Even after the sinking of the Lusitania, Woodrow had chosen to remain neutral. Even after the telegram was relayed on February 24, Woodrow did not even hold a conference about entering the war until March 20. Although Woodrow was rather stubborn to put his country in line of fire, the Zimmerman Telegram was what ultimately tipped the scale that sent America plummeting into the war. Without it, the outcome of WW1 would have been much different.

    Works Cited
    "American Entry into World War I, 1917." U.S. Department of State Office Of The Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2013. .

    Childress, Alexander, Mary Childress, and Marilyn Childress. "Teaching With Documents: The Zimmermann Telegram." The Zimmermann Telegram. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. .

    "Mexican-American War (Mexico-United States [1846-48])." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. .

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  3. The German government intended to begin “unrestricted submarine warfare” on the first of February. Zimmermann proposed that Mexico form an alliance with Germany if the United States went to war. He suggested that Mexico could regain territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona that was lost during the Mexican-American war. This idea may have been tempting to Mexico, but was hardly plausible. Mexico would need arms and weapons in order to fight, but America was the main supplier of arms. Germany could not have sent arms over to Mexico due to the British navy that patrolled the waters. If this telegram had not been accepted by the British, the United States may have entered the war at a later time. The Mexican government would not have acted on this telegram anyway due to the unlikeliness of being able to go to war against America. It served mainly as a tool to push the United States into war. However, the U.S. would have still engaged in warfare due to the Lusitania. Its sinking angered America because it was a passenger ship. America would have entered the war with or without the telegram.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/zimmermann.htm

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  4. The Zimmermann Note, or otherwise known as the Zimmermann Telegram was a message dispatched to Mexico from the German Empire proposing that Mexico and Germany become allies and proceed to wage war against the United States. The government had decided on February 1st to begin unrestricted submarine warfare in retaliation to the effective British naval blockade. The Germans would endeavor to keep the United States neutral, but if that proved to be unsuccessful and America was dragged into the war, then Germany's proposal to Mexico was that they would war together and the lost territories in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona would be handed back to Mexico. Those territories had previously been under Mexican control before the Mexican-American war and would therefore tempt the country with the notion that they could regain those regions. If the events of history had been changed, and Britain had not had the means to intercept the telegram, it would have considerably altered the world we know today. The note would not have been relayed to America and caused such a dramatic change in public opinion which caused the US to join the war on the side of the Allies, against Germany. The entrance of the United States into World War One was essential for the Allies if they hoped to win the war, so without the Zimmermann note, there would have been no America, and thus no win for the Allies.

    -http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    -http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/zimmermann-note.html
    -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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  5. The Zimmermann telegram was sent to Mexico from Germany, but was intercepted by the British. This telegram noted that the Germany was planning to begin unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, 1917. Unrestricted submarine warfare meant that the Germans would attack any enemy ship and disregard the difference between civilian and military ships. The Germans also proposed an alliance with Mexico in this telegram. If the United States went to war against Germany during World War I and Mexico joined Germany, Zimmermann promised that he would help Mexico regain the territories they had lost in the Mexican-American war. These territories included Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Before the Mexican-American war, Mexico had control over this land, but the United States fought for it and won. Mexico would want a chance to reclaim this land, and Germany gave it to them. If Britain had not intercepted the Zimmermann Telegram, the United State would not have joined the Allies when it did. Although the Zimmermann telegram was the tipping point for the decision of going to war, tensions against Germany would have eventually caused the same outcome. When the Lusitania was shot down by the Germans, the incident was widely publicized in the States, and many Americans were outraged. With time, Americans would have urged the government to go to war. In addition, Mexico most likely would not have joined Germany because they were not as advanced as the United States military.

    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4938/

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  6. On February 1, 1917 the German government decided to begin unrestricted submarine warfare. This meant that they were going to torpedo any ship that they could find to blockade Britain just like the British had done to Germany. Their attacks were not restricted to only warships, they would attack passenger ships, fishing ships, and any other ship that tried to enter British ports. Zimmerman proposed to Mexico that they would become alliances of Germany. This would have appealed to Mexico, because in return, Germany would help the Mexicans fight for land in the US. Mexico would have loved more land, so it is a good possibility that they would have agreed to this alliance. If the Zimmerman note had not been intercepted, the US most likely would have gone into the war anyways, just maybe not as soon as they did. There was no guarantee that the Mexicans would agree to the alliance with Germany, and the sinking of the Lusitania was enough to get the American’s ready to fight in the war. The US was probably mad about the unrestricted submarine warfare, since they were supplying Britain with weapons for the war. Another thing that could have happened if the note had not been intercepted would be that the Mexicans would have received the note, and they might have acted upon it and the US would have been attacked. This would also have forced the US into the war. So either way, the US would have been dragged into the war, despite their attempt to stay neutral.

    http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/p/zimmermann.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

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  7. The Zimmerman note, or Zimmerman telegram, was a coded messages sent by the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman, to Germany’s ambassador in Mexico in January 1917. This secret message contained Germany’s plan to offer Mexico territory from the United States if they were to declare war on the US. It also revealed Germany’s plan to begin unrestricted submarine warfare. Although Mexico may have been intriguied by the idea of regaining land from the US, this idea was far out of reach considering the United State’s large, trained military. Overall, the idea of regaining territory was nice, but not possible. Mexico didn’t have weapons or a military that was strong enough to take on America. Although it may seem like the telegram had an effect on the war, it did not. The United States was supplying Britain with weapons and food during the war and when they found out their plans to use unrestricted submarine warfare they were outraged. All in all the Zimmerman telegram failed because Mexico didn’t take the bait from Germany. There would have been an all out war with or without the Zimmerman telegram because of the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a British ocean liner that carried passengers and goods between the US and Britain. When the ship sank, the tension between America and Germany became intense. This event gave America the push to join the war.


    http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/a/Zimmermann-Telegram.htm
    http://history1900s.about.com/cs/worldwari/p/lusitania.htm

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  8. The Zimmerman note, also known as the Zimmerman telegram, was a telegram sent form Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance between the two countries. The telegram stated that on February 1st of 1917, the Germans planned to begin unrestricted submarine warfare against Britain and her allies. This also included any transport and trade ships from countries such as America. The Germans also tried to coax Mexico into the war by stating, "generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona." This part of the message in itself shows that Germany had plans of waging war against the United States and that they were to become part of World War 1. The Germans knew this would pique Mexico's interest because they lost Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California to the United States in the Mexican-American war; however, Germany did not account for California in the telegram because they planned on taking it for themselves due to California's natural resources. This telegram was sent in January of 1917, but was intercepted by the British. The British then decoded the telegram and reported it to the United States. This very telegram helped push America into the end of World War One. America's joining of World War One was almost inevitable, but the Zimmerman telegram sped up the process of the U.S's arrival in the war. Because the British intercepted the note, Mexico did not partake in the war and stayed a neutral country. If the British had not intercepted the telegram, Mexico may have not stayed neutral and could have possibly changed the outcome of the war.

    Sources:
    http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/a/Zimmermann-Telegram.htm
    http://www.archives.gov/global-pages/larger-image.html?i=/education/lessons/zimmermann/images/decoded-message-l.jpg&c=/education/lessons/zimmermann/images/decoded-message.caption.html
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/zimmermann.htm

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Zimmermann Telegram was a proposal from Arthur Zimmermann (Foreign Secretary of the German Empire) to Heinrich von Eckardt (German ambassador in Mexico) to wage war with the U.S. The German government was planning on beginning “unrestricted submarine warfare” on February 1st of 1917. They hoped that the United States would stay neutral, but in case they decided to join the war, Germany would support Mexico in a war against the United States to regain lost land in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Essentially, Germany was “offering United States territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. (www.ourdocuments.gov)” Germany believed that a war with Mexico would distract the United States and slow down the distribution of arms to Germany’s enemies. If Mexico had waged war with the U.S. to regain their land, that would most likely be very pleasing, especially when being funded by another country. However, that did not happen. Instead, Americans were infuriated that Germany was supporting Mexico in starting a war with them, and this was one of the causes for the U.S. entering the war. If British agents had not intercepted and decoded this telegram, the United States would have probably still joined the war, but maybe a little later. Even though they claimed to be “neutral,” they were still upset by Germany’s behavior, such as the sinking of the Lusitania. The Zimmermann note just made their inevitable entrance into the war come a little bit sooner. As for Mexico, they knew how strong of a military the United States had, and their massive supply of weapons, so they probably would have been too timid to wage war, even with the temptation of regaining land and the financial support of Germany.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60

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  10. The Zimmermann note, or Zimmermann telegram, was a message sent from the German Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German minister in Mexico. It said that on February 1st in 1917, the Germans were going to use unrestricted submarine warfare. This meant that German U-boat submarines would be attacking merchant ships in British territory. Zimmermann said that Mexico could side with Germany if the United States entered World War I. If Mexico agreed and fought with Germany, they were offered Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in return. Mexico had lost this territory during the Mexican-American war, so this offer pleased them. However, Mexico did not have enough weapons and the U.S. was the main supplier of arms. Mexico would not have been able to successfully fight the United States. If British agents had not intercepted this message and decoded it, the United States probably would have still sided with the Allies. The Zimmermann note was a major reason for the United States joining the war, but they probably still would have joined even if the note had not been intercepted. The Lusitania would still be attacked by German U-boats, and with the hundreds of Americans on that ship, this would have angered the U.S. At this point, the U.S. probably would have fought with the Allies and the war would have ended in a similar way.

    Sources:
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-resumes-unrestricted-submarine-warfare

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  11. The Zimmerman note, officially called the Zimmerman Telegraph was a telegraph sent by the German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, to the German ambassador in Mexico. On January 19, 1917, the note was sent saying that on February 1, 1917, the Germans had planned to engage in unrestricted submarine warfare, meaning that they would shoot down any ship if it entered British waters. The Germans believed that this move would prompt the United States, a then neutral county, to enter the war on the side of the allies even though the Germans wanted to keep the United States neutral. If the United States did enter the war, the Germans were seeking an alliance with Mexico. In return for Mexico’s support of the war, the Germans would offer financial support for the military and Mexico’s lost territories once the war was won. Mexico had lost New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona the United States during the Mexican Cession. Once Germany had won the war and was in the power to divvy up the territory of the defeated nations, Germany would return the land lost to Mexico. In addition, the note outlined that Mexico was to contact Japan and propose an alliance. In response to the telegraph, Mexico investigated the possibility of regaining the lost territory, but determined that it was not feasible as the majority of the population in those areas was English speaking and armed to fight. The Mexicans decided that it was not desirable to enter the war for a number of reasons including that Germany could not provide monetary support as the United States was the only gun manufacturer in the Americas and that entering war would strain international relations with Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Once the Germans knew that the United States had caught wind of the Telegraph, they immediately considered a traitor in the German Embassy in Mexico, refusing to consider a code-break. If the telegraph had not been intercepted, I believe that nothing would have happened. Because the Mexicans realized that it was in their best interests to remain out of the war, they would not have taken action. Consequently, the United States would have remained oblivious to what was happening, leaving no reasons to enter war. Because Britain wanted the United States in the war so desperately, they would have then found another way to provoke the United States.

    Sources:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

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  12. Colton Bancroft
    3-09-13
    The Zimmermann Note

    The Zimmermann Note

    The Zimmerman telegram was indented to be sent from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to von Eckardt, the minister of Mexico secretly. However, this telegram was intercepted as well as decoded by the British and shown to the United States. It is said that this letter was a primary reason for the United States joining the war, and here is why. According to the telegram, the German government planned to begin unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, 1917 to keep the United States neutral. The Telegram was a back up plan in case their plan failed and the United States joined the British. It stated that if the United States were to get involved in the war, that if Mexico joined the Germans they would get American land. This was very tempting for Mexico because of the Mexican-American War in 1847. The war resulted in the United States gaining more than 500,000 square miles of Mexican land. The offer to get some of this land back was very tempting to Mexico. Though tempting, Mexico declined the request from Germany perhaps in fear that the offer would not come true. Had the British never intercepted the message, it is possible that the United Stated would never have been involved in the war and life today could be very different. However, the telegraph was not the only reason that the United States got involved in the war. Previous to the telegraph and after, German submarines had been sinking American merchant and passenger ships, which could have also lead the USA into the war. However, the USA previously avoided war in 1915 when the passenger ships Lusitania and Arabic had been sunk. It is very possible that without the telegraph, the United States would had never entered the war.

    Sources:
    http://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/WWI
    http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379134/Mexican-American-War
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

    ReplyDelete
  13. Neema Majidishad
    Mr. Webber
    Modern World History
    3/10/13
    The Zimmerman note was originally called the Zimmerman Telegraph. The Zimmerman Telegraph was a telegraph that was sent by Arthur Zimmerman, a German foreign secretary to the German ambassador in Mexico. It was a diplomatic proposal to Mexico from the Germans to have a war with the United States. The message was sent as a coded telegram on January 16, 1917 saying that on February 1,1917 the Germans planned on using unrestricted submarine warfare. Basically this meant that any ship or boat that sailed on British waters,would be sunk. The plan of this move was to bring the United States into the war. Heinrich Von Eckardt, the German Ambassador in Mexico was to go to the Mexican government with a proposal of a military alliance with a funding that came from the Germans. Mexico was promised land in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. That was all land that they had lost from the United States in 1836. In the end, the Mexicans rejected the proposal and went on from there. In January of 1917, the British deciphered the telegram between the Germans. This made the Americans very angry and helped draw them into the war. Once the American people found out, they believed that they should enter the war. On April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on the Germans and its allies. If this message was not intercepted, the Mexicans would have possible agreed to the alliance with the Germans, but it was intercepted, and also the United States would not be in going to war.

    Sources:
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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  14. The Zimmerman Note proposed that the Germans would begin unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, 1917. Deadly German U-boats would attack all merchant ships and starve enemy countries into surrender.

    Germany wanted Mexico to enter the war and put pressure on the neutral United States. The Mexicans would ally with Germany and receive financial support, peace, and territory. Germany would help Mexico reconquer Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

    The Mexicans would have been happy to regain the land they had lost to the United States in 1848. The Mexicans were forced into fighting a war of white supremacy and surrendered the territories on US terms. This alliance with Germany was a way for Mexico to get back at the United States and establish themselves as superior country to the US.

    War was inevitable for the Americans. Mexico had refused Germany’s offer, so the Zimmerman Note’s was mostly ineffective. The major threat Germany posed to America was the unrestricted submarine warfare. America was heavily tied up with shipping supplies to European countries involved in the war. For Germany to attack America’s merchant ships was a heavy blow to America’s economy. Although America did not want to be involved in the war, it opened itself to attack by sending supplies to Europe. Even if the Zimmerman Note had not been intercepted, America would have had reason to enter the war.

    Sources:
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/guadalu3.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram#Mexican_response
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-resumes-unrestricted-submarine-warfare

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  15. Zimmerman Note

    The Zimmerman note was a coded message from German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman to Count Johann von Bernstoff the German ambassador to Mexico. This message was intercepted by Britain and given to Walter H Page the U.S. ambassador to Britain. This telegraph stated that the Germans were to begin unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1. The note also asked for Mexico to form an alliance with Germany and in return Mexico would receive money from Germany in order to regain territory lost in the Mexican American War. (Texas, New Mexico and Arizona). Mexico may have wanted to take this offer considering they had recently lost the their territory to the U.S.; however, the U.S. military was much stronger than that of Mexico. Just the year before, there had been several battles along the Mexican border that U.S. President Woodrow Wilson got the National Guard involved in. The Mexican border President, Carranza, backed down and requested a conference to prevent further issues. This instance shows how the Mexican military fears the U.S. forces. Because of this, I don't think Mexico would want to fight with Germany because the U.S. had much of the arms and military strength at the time. All and all, I think this offer would please Mexico but they would most likely not join Germany due to their history with the U.S.


    Sources:
    -the paper
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/zimmermann-note-presented-to-us-ambassador
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-wilson-learns-of-zimmermann-telegram
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-wilson-learns-of-zimmermann-telegram

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  16. The United States decided to enter the war, because of what Germany was planning to do. The Foreign Minister of Germany, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to the German minister in Mexico, von Eckhardt. The telegram had said that on February 1 of 1917 Germany was going to start unrestricted submarine warfare. This message was sent a month before Germany was planning to take action. Germany had also written, if Mexico would form an alliance with them and attack the United States when they entered the war. Mexico would be pleased with this telegram, because Mexico would benefit from this. If Mexico had agreed then they would get a lot of money from Germany and gain lost territory. They would gain parts that they lost to in the Mexican-American War, such as Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The British intercepted and told America, who was not too happy about it. This made Americans afraid of the Germans and then was determined to go to war. Not too long after America declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. If Britain had not intercepted, then I believe that Mexico would have formed the alliance, because of how much they would get out of it. It would be the perfect plan, because Mexico would be on one side and Germany on the other. If the telegram hadn’t intercepted then the war would have changed making today be different.

    Sources:
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

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  17. The Zimmerman note, aka Zimmerman Telegram, is a telegram sent from German Empire’s Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the German Ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt on 16 January 1917. The content of this telegram is basically invite Japan and Mexico to join the military alliance Central Powers and ask them to start a war against United States. Germen planned to start unrestricted submarine warfare in order to destroy the supply lines between America and Britain. In the telegram German also promised to give Mexico the territories in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Zimmerman proposed that if United States went into the war, they would need help from other countries that the Americans would be busy dealing those countries that they could not help their allies in Europe. However, even though their offers are charming that they promised Mexicans many territories they lost, this proposal will still seems fairly sneaky to the Mexicans. First, even if Japan also join the war, the military disparity between Mexico and America is still huge, Mexico don’t want to risk losing. Second, Germany’s reinforce won’t be very effective because German is still in an attrition war. However, even if this telegram was not intercepted, American will still join the war because American government has already had a plan. This event only made Americans join the war much quicker.

    http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/zimmermann.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. The Zimmerman note is the telegraph message that is known to have changed the course of history. This note was sent from the German Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German Minister of Mexico whose name is von Eckhardt. In the very first sentence of the of the note Germany says that it will start its unrestricted warfare with submarines on February 1, 1917. This meant that the Germans submarines could target any ship that was on the allies’ side, from passenger ships all the way to fishing boats. Germany then stated to Mexico that if their unrestricted warfare with submarines in the Atlantic failed then they would like to have an alliance with Mexico. With this alliance Mexico would be able possibly gain the states of New Mexico, Texas and Arizona back. This would please Mexico very much because 71 years ago the U.S fought against Mexico to claim these states. If this telegraph had not been intercepted World War 1 would have continued to drag many more years. I do think that Germany would not have won the war even with its many soldiers moving towards the western front from Russia as to topple the allies the soldiers not only would have to conquer Paris, but also Great Britain. This task would be too great as Great Britain is an island, which makes it very difficult to invade. In addition Mexico would not have declared war, as it would realize that it was going against a country much more powerful than itself, which had a strong navy in the Atlantic and Pacific.
    Altogether one could say that the Zimmerman note saved many lives. It allowed the U.S to get involved in the war right at the perfect time. Without the Zimmerman note probably hundreds of thousands of more people would have died in the trenches as the stale mate between the allies and the central powers would have continued.
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60

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  20. On February 1st 1917, Germany returned to the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany proposed that Mexico should ally with Germany if the United States went into war. This would please Mexico because the U.S. took territory from them in the Mexican-American War. If the U.S. lost the war, they could potentially take back the land and get back at them for it. I think if the telegram hadn’t been intercepted, Mexico would have allied and invaded the U.S. because the troops would be in Europe fighting. The invasion of the U.S. would be justified by the Mexican-American war and Mexico being upset with the losses from that war much earlier.
    Sources:
    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-resumes-unrestricted-submarine-warfare
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60&page=transcript
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War

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  21. In January of 1917, German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt. The telegram states that if Mexico enters the war as a Germany ally, Mexico will get part of the United States land. This got the United States was outraged and this got their attention quick because the British uncovered the telegram and told the U.S. I think the British were so intelligent by figuring out the Zimmermann telegram. The good thing about allies is they have you back. In this case because the United States and the British had this connection the British were able to help them out. I think that if the British didn't decode the telegram, WWI would of lasted more years. This message helped draw the United States into the war, which changed the course of history. The telegram had such an impact on American opinion that we were able to keep our country the way it is!

    http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/a/Zimmermann-Telegram.htm
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

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  22. The Zimmerman Telegram was the child of a broken Sussex pledge, which stated that the Germans would limit their submarine warfare. It was due to this that President Woodrow Wilson and the United States, which had remained neutral throughout the war, decided to stop diplomatic relations with Germany. This prompted Germany to send a note to the Mexican government, which had recently finished a war with the United States over territory in what is now the western United States. This note stated that the Mexicans would regain their lost territory in the United States if they joined World War 1 by attacking the United States. However, the British code-breakers decrypted this message and sent it on to the government of the United States, which enticed the United States into war against the Germans for threatening the neutrality of the United States.

    However, the Mexican government should not have been pleased by this approach. While it is true that the Mexicans would regain lost territory, this would only have been the case had they beaten the United States. However, the Mexicans would have been coming off the back foot, as they had just previously fought a war against the United States, and they were most likely not prepared to fight the US again. The Mexican-American war was still fresh in the heads of the citizens. Had British intelligence not intercepted this message, I highly doubt that the Mexicans would have acted on the treaty given that they were most likely still recuperating and had a large portion of the population that would have remembered the defeat of the Mexican army during the Mexican-American war. However, the Americans most likely would not have gotten involved in the conflict, and therefore the War may have taken a totally different path than the one it did.


    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican–American_War

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  23. The Zummermans's note also known as the Zummerman's telegram was a message to Mexico from the German Empire that proposed Mexico and Germany to become allies in the war against the United States. This telegram was sent in January 1917 and it proclaimed that the Germans would begins to use their unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1st against Britain and its allies. The note also stated that Mexico would receive funding from the Germans along with territories in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if they entered the war against the United States. This would be beneficial for Mexico since they lost the territory in the Mexican-American War. Mexico would have be please with the chance to regain their lost land.The United States entering the war was going to happen with or without the note. If the note was not intercepted by the British then the United States as we know it would alter. The telegram was just another reason to join and allowed them to join their allies sooner. Mexico probably would have joined the war if the telegram was not intercepted as a chance to regain their lost land and a chance for glory and maybe the outcome of World War One would be different.

    Sources:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

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  24. In a telegraph to the ambassador of mexico, Zimmerman reveals to the Mexicans and in turn the world that Germany would begin unrestricted submarine warfare and that Germany was willing the back Mexico if they were to attack the United States after the United States would go to war with Germany. This should have pleased Mexico immensely because more than a half a century before the US bit off about a fourth of the size of Mexico for themselves, taking areas now known as California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. If this note was never received then what most likely would have happened would have been is that the United states would have not gotten envolved with the war so early. They would have been drawn in eventually because of the loss of ships which would have started to stack up over time. Either that or Mexico would have tried to invade without the german support and the United States would have gained more land.

    http://kakopa.com/geo/zman.htm

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  25. The Zimmerman telegram was a coded message sent by German minister Arthur Zimmerman to his embassy in Mexico. It stated that Germany would begin unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1, 1917, and proposed to the President of Mexico that, that if the United States entered the war, Germany would enter an alliance with Mexico and Japan. Germany offered Mexico financial support and "an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territories in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona." The telegram was intercepted and decoded by the British who shared the telegram with American President Woodrow Wilson who was trying to keep the United States neutral. The telegram was made public and aroused America to enter into World War I as allies with Britain. According to historian Barbara Tuchman: "There was no single more devastating blow against Wilson's resistance to entering the war" than the Zimmerman telegram. "The United States were kicked into the war against the strong and almost frenzied efforts of President Wilson. The kick that did it, to the people whether or not to the President, was the Zimmerman telegram. It awoke that part of the country that had been undecided or indifferent before ... into intense hostility to Germany."
    Source: Barbara W. Tuchman, The Zimmerman Telegram (Ballantine Books: New York 1985)

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  26. Unable to break the British blockade of the North Sea with its surface fleet, the German leadership decided to return to a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. The telegram instructed Ambassador Eckardt that if the U.S. appeared likely to enter the war, he was to approach the Mexican Government with a proposal for military alliance, with funding from Germany. In response, Mexico did a large assessment of the feasibility of a Mexican takeover of their former territories. In the end, the general concluded that it would not be possible or even desirable to provoke a war with the United States because it would have been futile, and they would have easily been forced into submission. Even if by some chance Mexico had the military means to win the conflict with the U.S. and retake the area, Mexico would have had severe difficulty accommodating the primarily English speaking population who were well supplied with guns and ammunition. In addition, Germany's promises of "generous financial support" could not have been all possible. If the note was not intercepted, it would have put other foreign relations at stake. Mexico had cooperated with the ABC nations in South America to prevent a war with the U.S., generally improving relations all around. In addition, if Mexico were to enter war against the U.S., it would have strained relations with those ABC nations. Also, Brazil would have eventually declared war on Germany, angered by Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare on its ships.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/p/zimmermann.htm

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  27. Charlie Dederich
    3-11-13
    History

    The Zimmerman Telegram was a 1917 diplomatic proposal from the German Empire to Mexico to try and make war against the United States. The “note” was unfortunately intercepted and decoded by Germany’s enemy Britain. This message was then relayed to the United States who were outraged by the content. This is what eventually led to the United States declaring war on Germany in April. The Foreign Secretary of Germany, Arthur Zimmermann, dispatched the code on January 16th, 1917 to the ambassador of Germany in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. Zimmerman originally sent this telegram in anticipation that Germany would begin deploying submarines and U-boats once again even though they knew that submarine warfare was frowned upon by the United States. They began deploying submarines once more on February 1st, 1917. The United States found out about the coded German message on February 24th, 1917 and decided shortly after to declare war on the Germans because they felt threatened and angry.


    I believe that the Mexicans would have been pleased if the US entered the war because the Germans promised the Mexican government money in return for their alliance. The Mexican government would have probably accepted the proposal by the Germans if it safely reached Mexico because they weren’t on very good terms with Americans after the Mexican-American war ended. A lot of territory was taken from the Mexicans such as Arizona and Texas. That is just some land that America took away from Mexico after the war. The interception of Zimmerman’s message by the British intelligence greatly altered the momentum of the war for both Germany and America. The code literally had the ability to change history.


    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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  28. The Zimmerman Note was a telegram sent by the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann, intending to reach the German ambassador of Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhardt, during the first world war. The note, sent in the year 1917, proposed that Mexico should form an alliance with Germany. It also stated that the next month they would start to use unrestricted submarine warfare. As incentive for Mexico, the telegram suggested that with Germany's alliance, Mexico could take back lost and from the United States of America, lost during the Mexican-American War.Unfortunately for Germany, the note was intercepted and never reached the ambassador. The United States quickly found out about the note, which was another reason to join the war. However, I do not believe that Mexico's alliance with Germany would have worked out. Although they were promised by Germany to regain land, Mexico had too much of a lack of resources and military to fight another war with the United States, especially since it was not that long after the Mexican-American war.The essential importance of the telegram was its ability to leur the United States into the war.

    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram
    http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=60

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  29. After deciding to end its limits on submarine warfare, Germany anticipated that the United States would not remain neutral in World War 1 much longer. Because of this, Arthur Zimmermann, the German foreign secretary, sent a coded telegram to the German Minister to Mexico announcing their return to unrestricted marine warfare on the first of February 1917 and proposing an alliance if the United States were to enter the war. The Germans promised that after attacking the USA together and being victorious, Mexico would earn back their previously owned territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The telegram also mentioned Germany’s possible alliance with Japan, who would be able to attack the United States from the Pacific.
    Britain, who had obtained German code, intercepted and deciphered the telegram. They sent it to Washington on February 24, 1917. The telegram was then released by the American press on March 1, and generated public support for entering the war and further angered the opinion on the unrestricted marine warfare. The US formally declared war on Germany and its allies on April 6, 1917. If the British Agents had not intercepted the note, it is very possible that the United States would not have entered the war or would have entered the war much later. There would also have been less nationalism among Americans and less support for the war overall. Mexico ignored the Zimmermann telegram feeling that attacking the stronger army of the United States would be unwise. After the United States entered the war, they officially rejected it.

    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/
    http://www.fofweb.com/NuHistory/default.asp?ItemID=WE53
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram

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