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The Zimmerman Telegram, written by the German foreign minister Arthur Zimmerman, was a document that ultimately aggravated and provoked the American public to encourage the war.

It was an offer of German aid for a Mexican invasion of America as revenge for the Mexican-American War. The Zimmerman Telegram was a proposal that stated that if the United States entered the war against Germany, it would be prudent for Mexico to side with Germany. In return, Germany would give Mexico back their "lost provinces," which was the land that Mexico lost in the 1840s, largely including Texas. Germany thought it would keep America out of Europe's war. However, the telegram was intercepted by the British and given to President Woodrow Wilson. By doing this, Germany quickened the United States' entry into the war. A month later, the US declared war on Germany.

Before this document, Germany was hoping that they could deteriorate the Allied defenses before the Americans could intercede. It affected the outcome of the war because it compelled the United States to get involved much earlier than anticipated in war that Germany hoped to win before the United States could even get involved.

The Zimmerman Telegram not only expedited the United States' entry into the war, but virtually made it an inevitability.

It is a common misconception that the Zimmerman Telegraph caused the US to enter into WWI. In fact it was a combination of all the factors that lead up to the war including the sinking of the RMS Lusitania from unrestricted submarine warfare. Some historians speculate that it could have actually pleas from Britain that money and supplies were running out. This was important to the US because they had major political and economic ties to Britain.

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8y ago

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The Zimmermann Telegram was a German message to Mexico that urged it to invade the United States, with the guarantee that its former territories Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas would be returned. It was intercepted and released to the American public, galvanizing the public into full support for war with Germany.

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10y ago
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The Zimmermann Telegram was intercepted and decoded by the British cryptographers of Room 40. The revelation of its contents in the American press on March 1 caused public outrage that contributed to the United States' declaration of war against Germany and its allies on April 6.

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15y ago
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that Mexico should enter the war and ally with Germany, against the United States when they entered.

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14y ago
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It was a note that help motivate the U.S.A to go into WW1.

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14y ago
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It pretty much told the Mexicans that if they help the Germans the Germans will help them get land lost, and of course we intercepted it.

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12y ago
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Q: What was the Zimmermann telegram?
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