What did Zimmerman Note state?

Answer 1

In January 1917, with the war in Europe still in a state of stalemate and the British naval blockade tightening its grip Germany decided to resume its unrestricted submarine war. Aware that this would be likely to draw America into the war on the side of the allies the German Foreign Minister (Zimmerman) sent a coded telegram via their embassy in Washington to the German ambassador in Mexico which contained a proposed German/Mexican alliance should America declare war on Germany. Under this proposal Mexico would join Germany in a war against America. Germany would largely fund the war and would guarantee Mexican claims on US territory - New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona Because the message was coded the Germans felt safe in sending it via Washington because the US didn't have the capability to break the code. However, the telegram was intercepted by the British who could crack the code and had (it appears) been given access to the telegraph system by the US. For the British the telegram was vitally important and became their ultimate weapon but if they used it immediately they would betray their code breaking skills to the Germans and lose their advantage in that field. British possession of the original message could also be a problem as it would prove that they had been tapping into the telegraph system for purposes other than those agreed with the US government. So like all ultimate weapons the telegram was held back for such a time as would be most effective. They didn't need to wait too long though. The resumption of unrestricted submarine war led to the US breaking diplomatic relations with Germany and in February 1917 the British presented the decoded message to the US ambassador in London. Mexican and German diplomats denied the message was real and much of America regarded it as a British fake. However, Zimmerman eventually admitted its authenticity and on 6th April 1917 America declared war on Germany. It seems that Mexico quickly discounted the proposed alliance anyway for several very good reasons: # Mexico was still politically unstable and was probably not in a position to act even if it wanted to.

# Unlike the US, Mexico wasn't militarily self-sufficient, arms and ammunition would be needed from Germany. Germany was locked in a life or death struggle in Europe and as the Royal Navy was blockading Germany and still controlled the Atlantic such supplies would not be forthcoming.

# Similarly, manpower support from Germany would not be forthcoming for the same reasons.

# Despite the offer of financial assistance from Germany the costs to Mexico would be unacceptable.

In retrospect, the Zimmerman telegram can be seen as a desperate move on the part of a Germany bleeding to death in a war it wasn't winning and could conceivably lose. Increasingly willing to to risk everything on one more throw of the dice for a chance that just might break the stalemate in their favour but also needing to cover themselves in case the gamble went wrong. Undoubtedly, resuming unrestricted submarine warfare would have caused the US to go to war eventually anyway. Nonetheless, the Zimmerman Telegram belongs in the same compartment as the pre-war alliances with secret protocols to be invoked in specific circumstances. In the event both the alliances and the telegram guaranteed the war they were intended to prevent.

- I Warner