4. World War I (Against Germany, 1917)
On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany, marking a significant shift from its previous stance of neutrality. This decision was influenced by Germany’s resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, which led to the sinking of American merchant ships, and the interception of the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany proposed a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s address to Congress emphasized the need to “make the world safe for democracy.” For the official declaration document, refer to the National Archives’ resource: (archives.gov).
