USA HISTORY

AMERICAN IMPERIALISM(1890 1919)

THE UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR I

[SOURCES]
How did President Wilson respond to the sinking of the Lusitania in 1015?

(A) ** by demanding that Germany stop unrestricted submarine warfare.

(B) by calling Congress to approve a declaration of war against Germany.

(C) by sending navy ships to patrol Atlantic waters and sink U-boats they found.

(D) by warning American citizens that they traveled on foreign ships at their own risk

EXPLANATIONS BELOW

Concept note-1: -Wilson issued a note, grudgingly signed by Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, demanding that the Germans abandon unrestricted submarine warfare.

Concept note-2: -The sinking of the passenger liner Lusitania by a German U-boat helped to shatter that hope. Wilson demanded an apology from Germany and stayed his neutral course as long as possible. Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, however, was an intolerable affront to America’s dignity and honor.

Concept note-3: -President Wilson said to me: “I want you to put yourself in my position and after you have gathered the sentiment of the people through your representatives of the Associated Press, I want you to tell me frankly then whether you think the country is prepared and would back me up in declaring war.

Concept note-4: -RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915. The luxury passenger liner was crossing the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool when the German submarine U-20 fired without warning. After a second explosion – the cause of which is still debated – the ship quickly sank.