It is true that the United States of America entered WWI for economic reasons and not to “make the world safe for democracy.” The motive for the U.S. to join WWI was purely imperialistic and economical. However, President Woodrow Wilson and the U.S. Government swayed the public to believe the fight was for righteous, democratic reasons.
Imperialism is the extension of a nation’s power by acquisition of new land. More land meant more money to the U.S. in the early 1900s. In the eyes of the U.S. Government, more land meant that more industries would flourish, population would grow, and the economy would improve substantially. Approximately two decades before the U.S. entered WWI, the U.S. fought in the Spanish-American War. The main reason the U.S. fought in this war was to gain new territory and impose American democracy on alien nations.
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because it gained the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. As aforementioned, more land meant more money. This is one prelude to the entrance of the U.S.A. into WWI. In 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States of America would remain neutral in World War One. Three years later, congress decided to send the U.S. into the fight. In 1917, the United States intercepted a telegram sent from Germany with the intention of reaching Mexico. In simple terms, the telegram stated that Germany would help Mexico gain back territory in the United States in the event of war. This note, the Zimmerman Note, was the last straw for the U.S. as they entered WWI soon after. The note struck fear into the U.S. people and government. Congress came to the realization that in order to reap more money and improve the economy of the entire nation, the borders of the U.S. needed to be safe. U.S. territory could only be preserved through fighting in WWI. President Wilson told the U.S. public that Americans needed to fight to protect and preserve