Zimmerman Telegram

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Zimmerman Telegram

The infamous Zimmerman Telegram continues to draw significant attentions from historians and scholars with interest in the history of global wars and diplomatic relations owing to its association with the US involvement in the Great War. This paper champions the thesis that the Zimmerman Telegram significantly contributed to the US joining the World War, as it stirred a negative opinion of the American public reading German’s ill intentions towards the US and revealed the Germans’ plan to continue with the Unrestricted Submarine Warfare (USW) program and expand its hostilities into the US by forming an alliance with Mexico. This argument is justified in the subsequent paragraphs of the paper.

In 1917, the then U.S’ president, Woodrow Wilson, discovered an appalling piece of paper that resulted in the entry of the US in World War I inevitable. This document was known as the Zimmerman Telegram. According to Keene (2014), the Zimmerman Telegram constituted a top secret, scripted message sent by Arthur Zimmerman, who was the then German Foreign Minister, to his nation’s diplomatic delegation in Mexico in 1917. This communication served as an attempt to draw Mexico into battle should the US join forces with the Allies within Europe. The interception and interpretation of the Zimmerman Telegram exposed an assurance to the Mexican administration that Germany would assist Mexico to regain the terrain in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, which it had ceded to the US following the Mexican-American warfare (Keene, 2014; Tuchman, 1985). As a result, the telegram triggered nationwide outrage during the First World War and contributed to the involvement of the USA in the Great War.

Germany’s intention of sending the Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico was aimed at creating a novel Pacific and Central American Front, which would greatly distract the US and aid the German warfare effort. Owing to the fierce US opposition, German had halted and commenced the USW program, which involved the sinking of any shipping drawing closer to their adversaries, with the aim of denying them the access to war materials and food (Keene, 2014; Kennedy, 2004). The US’ official neutrality took into consideration the execution of trade with all belligerents. However, in practice, the US’ intentions were directed towards the Allies together with their coastlines, as opposed to Germany, who were disadvantaged by the British blockade. As such, the US shipping was constantly a victim. In practice, the UK received aid from the US, which resulted in the prolonging of the war. Even though Germany’s high command acknowledged that the renewed USW would compel the US to rage war with them, the command staked on shutting Britain down prior to the arrival of an American army in force (Keene, 2014). Therefore, the establishment of an alliance with Japan and Mexico, as was suggested in the Zimmerman Telegram, was aimed at establishing a novel Central American and Pacific front that would significantly distract the US and reinforce the German battle efforts. The resumption of the USW resulted in the US severing diplomatic associations with Germany and commencing the debate about the partaking in the World War I.

Even though the telegram was not the sole reason for the US’ involvement in the Great War, it hasted the decision of the US to partake in the war by stirring negative opinion of the American public about the intentions of Germany. It is undeniable that the Zimmerman Telegram provided solid evidence to Americans that Germany’s intents were not restricted to impacting harm on the European terrain, but to extend such harm to the American soil. This document mentioned that Germany was not inclined towards slowing down its submarine war to which they anticipated keeping the Americans neutral. As a result, the revelations in the telegram led to the rise of pro-war and anti-German feelings within the US.  According to Tuchman (1985) and Keene (2014), the Germans considered the formation of an alliance of convenience with Japan and Mexico, with the aim of countering any invasion from the US. They presumed that Mexico would declare war against the US and assist them to fight the Americans, which in turn would enable Mexicans to recover the land they had lost to the US. Considering that the Mexican-American warfare had rendered the Mexicans defenseless to an extent of surrendering their land to the US, the understanding of the Germans was that the Mexicans would not hesitate to welcome any alliance offer targeted at attacking the US. Nevertheless, Japan and Mexico immediately denounced any link with the proposals in the telegram following its publication. In the real sense, the Mexican President was satisfied with a recent US pulling out of his country and ending of the expedition. As such, Germany was left with nothing but a moral support to the Mexican administration.

In conclusion, the Zimmerman Telegram largely contributed to the involvement of the US in World War I by stirring negative opinion of the American public concerning the intention Germany towards the US, revealing Germany’s unwavering decision to continue with the USW, and revealing German’s intents of expanding its hostilities against the European nations to the US soil. This explosive document will continue to draw immense attention from scholars and historians in the fields of diplomatic relations and global wars.