Completar Frases America Enters WWIVersión en línea Fill in the Blank Review on America Entering World War I por Jose Rubalcaba 1 Mexico Allies neutral Wilson German Mexico German Zimmermann Texas war Mexico war Americans submarine neutrality submarine torpedoed Wilson Wilson Lusitania neutrality In April 1917 , the United States faced a difficult decision : remain in the Great War or join the in their fight against the Central Powers . The United States had managed to maintain its during the nearly three years of bloody conflict ; however , this neutral status had not been easily maintained , and actions on both sides of the Atlantic had been edging the country closer to the brink of . Just a few months later , on May 7 , 1915 , the British passenger liner was and sunk by a , killing nearly 1 , 200 people , 128 of whom were . Again President navigated the country away from war , asserting that maintaining was the best possible course of action . On February 25 , 1917 , the situation for the United States changed dramatically with the discovery and release of the telegram . The note , from a high official in the German government to the German ambassador to , revealed that Germany intended to resume unrestricted warfare ? and proposed an alliance with should the United States enter the war . In return , would get back and other lost territories . The telegram was published by American newspapers , and anti - sentiment boiled over . At this point , after years of debating continued neutrality in the face of devastating human loss , President was convinced that war was inevitable . When asked Congress for a declaration of on April 2 , 1917 , the applause was deafening .