Why did the US get involved in World War 1 and how was neutrality involved?

Answer 1

The single most important reason the U.S. got involved in the war was because they felt that their position as a neutral country had been violated, after warnings to Germany concerning the sinking of the British passenger liner RMS Lusitania were first honored, then abandoned by, the German leadership.

On May 6, 1915, the Lusitania was sunk by Germany using the military doctrine of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare (attacking any vessel considered hostile, regardless of being a warship or not, without provocation or warning). At the time, the Lusitania was on a transatlantic voyage from New York to Britain, and was sunk just a few miles from the Irish coast. Out of a total of 1198 passengers, 139 were Americans, many celebrities and luminaries of the day.

Wilson sent 3 notes to the German leadership, which at the time was considered a pretty weak response considering the loss of so many Americans.

Though Britain fully expected America to declare war on Germany, Wilson's response was far less than that. In Philadelphia on May 10, 1915, his initial response was:

"There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right"

In 3 separate communications to Germany, he made clear his position on the matter of URSW:

1. Affirming the right of Americans to travel as passengers on merchant ships and called for the Germans to abandon submarine warfare against commercial vessels, whatever flag they sailed under.

2. Rejecting German arguments that the British blockade was illegal, and was a cruel and deadly attack on innocent civilians, and their charge that the Lusitania had been carrying munitions.

3. An ultimatum, to the effect that the US would regard any subsequent sinkings as "deliberately unfriendly".

Following Wilson's warning and the resulting world backlash against Germany over the Lusitania sinking, the German leadership changed their policy to one of Restricted Submarine Warfare, a decision that hampered their efforts to defeat the British Royal Navy's blockade efforts. When Germany reversed its position back to USRW in 1917 to counter the British blockade's effectiveness, it was the final catalyst that brought the U.S. into WWI.