The Zimmermann Telegram was a pivotal diplomatic message sent during World War I that significantly influenced the United States' entry into the conflict. Here are the detailed aspects of this event:
In January 1917, Germany was at a strategic impasse in World War I. With the war stagnating, Germany decided to resume unrestricted submarine warfare, hoping to cut off Britain's supply lines. However, this move risked bringing the United States into the war against them, as the U.S. had previously protested against such tactics after the sinking of the Lusitania.
Arthur Zimmermann, the German Foreign Secretary, sent a coded telegram on January 16, 1917, to the German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. The telegram proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico if the U.S. entered the war:
The telegram was transmitted via the U.S. transatlantic cable, which the British had been intercepting. However, due to its diplomatic nature, the British had no immediate means to decode it. The message was eventually decoded by British cryptographers at Room 40, a secret code-breaking unit. The British delayed releasing the telegram to the U.S. to verify its authenticity and to not reveal their code-breaking capabilities.
The British passed the telegram to the U.S. government, which was made public on March 1, 1917. The revelation:
The Zimmermann Telegram became a key factor in shifting American sentiment towards intervention in World War I:
The Zimmermann Telegram is often cited as an example of:
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